In-Person: Family Drama Intensive
December 3 – 5
Fri – Sun, Dec. 3 – Dec. 5
Bayfront Theater, San Francisco
Class Time/Dates: Fri. 6:00pm – 10pm PST; Sat. & Sun. 10:00am – 5:00pm PST//There will be a 1 hour break on Saturday and Sunday for lunch
Prerequisites: Performance Experience.
**This class requires Head of School Approval. Please email a concise list of your improv experience to bats@improv.org to determine eligibility
Class size: 10 students maximum
Class length: 4 – 6 hours per day (20 hours total instruction)
Tuition: $299
**Class will culminate in a friends and family performance in the BayFront Theatre**
As we return to the joy of improvising in person, why not take a deep dive into a format that’s about loved ones gathering together?
Family Drama is an improvised 3 Act Stage play set at a family gathering. The format was created by Dave Dennison and first performed at BATS Improv in 2004 and has appeared regularly on the BATS schedule since then.
Family Drama challenges five improvisers to take a few suggestions from the audience and create a family of characters with rich histories individually and in relationship to one another. It’s a great format for improvisers who aspire to slow down and be in the moment. The action of the play unfolds in real time in one location in a naturalistic style. Family Drama pushes the players to find the specifics of their characters, the details of their family, and the deeper emotional truths that connect them.
In this intensive, we will work on creating distinct characters and supporting the choices of our fellow players. Defining and embodying relationships will be a key focus as well as listening: not just to take in and remember information, but to let the truth of what is said have an impact on the character.
