Laughing Stock
Free Improv Classes
February - April 2010
Through the Laughing Stock program, BATS Improv offers free improvisation classes to people living with HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis C, cancer, and other chronic, life-threatening illnesses. (Partners and caregivers are also welcome.)
The classes focus on strengthening quality of life through humor, physical activity, group interaction, risk-taking, and imagination games. It is a safe and confidential environment for participants to learn the basics of Improv. It's not stand-up comedy or drama therapy; it's an improvisational theatre workshop for folks with all levels of performing experience.
Upcoming Classes
Saturdays 1:30–3:30pm (except 4/17/10)
Saturday, February 20, 2010
In The Moment - Specialty class with Chris Miller
1:30–3:30pm at the Gazebo, Davies Medical Center
Chris Miller is deeply committed to NOT thinking while improvising. To that end, his classes focus on being totally in the moment, a deep experience of co-creation, and lots of laughter. If we get out of the way, the "magic" can come through. He is also cofounder of LifePlays, dedicated to bringing the collaborative, co-creative aspects of improv to innovative organizations and companies.
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Saturday, March 27, 2010
Long Form: An Introduction - Specialty class with William Hall
1:30–3:30pm at the Gazebo, Davies Medical Center
You will explore how to use your improv skills to create a longer story. Could this be easier than you think? It’s not harder, just different. If you’ve ever wanted to see what Longform is about...this is the workshop for you. We’ll learn one of the Harold formats. Characters that live longer than two minutes, story lines and relationships that develops over multiple scenes and the calmness to allow deeper themes to emerge.....these are the benefits of Long Form. Interested? It will also be ....fun. William Hall is the co-founder of BATS Improv has an international reputation for teaching improv, especially mask workshops. His diverse background ranges from comme delle'arte to commercial acting as well as clown training to corporate training.
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Saturday, April 3, 2010
Song Improvisation - Specialty class with Joshua Raoul Brody
1:30–4:00pm at the Gazebo, Davies Medical Center
Anyone can make up a song! Starting with the simplest baby steps, the class progresses gradually until, by the end, you'll be making up solos and singing duets and choruses. Joshua is BATS Improv's musical director and also accompanies True Fiction Magazine, Three For All, and other local groups, and has been teaching at Laughing Stock and elsewhere for decades.
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Saturday, April 17, 2010
Status and Silence - Specialty class with Rich Cox
1:30–3:30pm at the Gazebo, Davies Medical Center
How and when we say things is as important as what we say. The space between is a place where we can say more than the words. In there lies emotion, subtext, and a chance for the audience to soak it all in. The way we hold bodies and faces makes all the difference in what we are saying.
We'll explore how much we can say with fewer words. Rich Cox has been learning, performing, and teaching improvisation since 2001 with BATS Improv, improvImpact, Secret Improv Society, Big City Improv, Bionic Improv Theater, and The Crew. Rich focuses on creating a safe environment for collaboration and helping each student achieve their own personal level of excellence. He uses many tools to provide a low-risk, high-impact environment that enables whole group engagement called “group flow”.
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New registrants: please contact Regina at (415) 474-6776 or regina@improv.org.
Testimonials
Here's what some past students have said about Laughing Stock classes:
- "A Blast! The coach was a real scream!"
- "I learned the art of being silly."
- "Would have liked this to have lasted three times longer."
- "Gained increased self-confidence."
- "Now I can embrace failure."
- "A creative way to celebrate taking risks."
- "Why did I wait so long?"
- "New neurons developed."
- "I love using the circus bow in real life!"