Focus

Led by Jo McGinley
Once a Month on Sundays,
2-5PM, $249

Quotes from former students about the Focus class:

“Jo’s Focus class is a truly holistic, interdisciplinary approach to removing clutter from our lives and our minds — the accumulated stuff getting in our way, stuff we could be dealing with but often don’t address due to avoidance or delaying tactics or piling up blame on ourselves because… we’re not getting things done. Clearing out even the smallest, most mundane obstructions can create a flow, making a space for other things to start in motion. Through class exercises, breathwork, sharing and support, it’s clear just doing stuff, like looking at where we are and stating what we intend to change, can make other stuff start to happen in our lives.”

“This class has, honestly, changed my life by clearing several areas where I have been stuck for years. Jo keeps you on track with kindness and you won’t ever forget that.”

This four session workshop is for those who want to tackle a specific goal, and then see improvement in that area over the course of our working together. Come to the first class with a specific goal in mind, or at least an idea of one, and we’ll create a game plan for you to follow over the following 3 months.

Special Notes:

1. You must attend each session as they build on each other.
2. There is a weekly check-in that is due to the Instructor via email.
3. There may be follow up phone calls with the instructor if the student needs extra information in between the once a month meeting.

Student members of our ongoing narrative improvisation classes invent dazzling stories for your enjoyment.

The Unscripted Plays & Films group is an ongoing class that performs full length narrative shows completely improvised in the style of various genres. Learn more about the Unscripted Plays and Films Class.

Reviewed by Anthony Brandon Wong
May 2007

Improvisational brilliance reached new heights on Saturday night at the OUT OF BOUNDS WEST improv festival. SHAKESPEARE UNSCRIPTED is a side-splitting Shakesperean play that has never been written, until the moment that its talented ensemble utter the Bard-like words that issue forth from their verdant imaginations and eager tongues. In short, yes, it’s improvised, but because many of the 9 cast members have been working together for 10-20 years, the result is a level of virtuosity and polish that is rarely seen in improv on stage. I loved every minute of it, laughed my ass off - as did the rest of the audience. These actors listen so well to each other and pick up on each other’s offers with the skill that can only come from working as an ensemble for so long. I dearly hope they get their own theatre venue - I want everyone to see them. Aye, me doth think they are really kewl!

With an international background, Tracy Burns has been teaching and performing improvisation since 1984. In 1999 she was the Co-Recipient of the Best Improviser Award in the European Theatresports Championship. A founding member of London Theatresports, Tracy was the Co-Artistic Director for Theatresports U.K. and helped introduce Theatresports to Germany. Tracy believes providing a safe environment and helping people let go of their inner critics is all most people need to access their own unique creativity and humor.

Jo McGinley specializes in narrative improvisation, creating improvised stories in classical and popular genres. “Improvising Plays & Films” is the product of over 15 years of research and exploration.

Jo performs and teaches improvisation internationally, performing fully improvised plays in the style of Tennessee Williams both in Amsterdam and Paris. Her home base of improvisation is Impro Theatre, Los Angeles.

Jo joined the faculties of the American Conservatory Theatre and Academy of Art College teaching actors and artists how to use improvisation in order to access their creativity. She has taught at USC, Pepperdine University, University of San Francisco (School of Business), College of Marin and for hundreds of corporate clients (American Express, Method, Consumer’s Energy to name of few) using improvisation as a way to teach basic skills of listening, staying positive, supporting ideas, and connection. She most recently facilitated Focus Groups for The Hewlett Packard Foundation using improvisation as a way to inspire social change.

She created improvisation programs for ACT’s Young Conservatory, Marina Middle School, Brookside Elementary, and taught improv to teens and kids (ages 6-18) privately in both Los Angeles and San Francisco for over 10 years.

Theatre credits include “Dancing at Lughnasa”, “Jake’s Women”, “Laments for the Living”, and Television credits include Boston Public, ER, and Close to Home.

Currently the director of “Unscripted Plays & Films”, past directing credits include “Beat Baby Beat” and “Laments for the Living” bringing the inspired works of Dorothy Parker to the stage.

Jo is a member of SAG, AFTRA, and AEA.

Lisa Fredrickson has been an ensemble member of many Improv companies including Seattle TheatreSports, SAK Comedy Lab Orlando, Disney’s Comedy Warehouse, LA TheatreSports, Inflatable Betty and Shakespeare Unscripted. She is the resident Improv teacher at California Luthern University. She was an original cast member of “Fellowship:The musical” in Los Angeles, she performed at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival with Seattle’s Unexpected Shakespeare and she has often appeared in “Boo” the Improv show at New York, New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Her TV credits include “Greek”, “Desperate Housewives” and “The Tick”. She has been in numerous TV commercials, usually as some sort of uptight mother. She is currently in a masters program studying Spiritual Psychology. She is married to an amazing Banjo player and she loves babies…and Banjos…and babies who love Banjos.

Lorne Green has been acting on stage and screen the past ten years. A founding member of the improv group “Improvicide,” he has made Impro Theatre his improv home the past four years. He has taught drama at Larchmont Charter School, and has been seen on such Los Angeles stages as The Theatre at Boston Court and the Tamarind Theatre. He is currently working on a theatre project with the Critical Mass Performance Group. Commerical clients include: Mazda, Honda, Texaco, AirTrans, Microsoft, Kaiser Permanente, NBC News and ABC News.

Instructor: Lorne Green
When: Saturdays 1 - 3pm
Duration: 6wks
Cost: $120

Students work on advancing the use of character development, and scene dynamics. What makes a scene “Pop”, how to tell longer narratives, and how to be emotionally connected in the immediacy of an improvised scene. Prerequisite: Completion of F2 or by permission of instructor.

This class will:

• Build strong ensemble work
• Ask you to keep the work simple
• Make you realize how little you have to do to be engaging

Prerequisite: Completion of Foundation II or permission by instructor.

Instructor: Lorne Green
When: Saturdays 1 - 3pm
Duration: 6wks
Cost: $120

This class builds on the basic skills learned in Foundation One, and adds a focus on becoming comfortable and articulate with the body.

Areas that will be explored:

• How the body can be a source of inspiration for emotional, character and narrative choices
• How to understand the subtle language of non-verbal communication
• How to instantly “physicalize” choices by dropping into the body and out of the head.

Prerequisite: completion of Foundation I or permission by instructor.

Instructor: Lorne Green
When: Saturdays 1 - 3pm
Duration: 6wks
Cost: $120

A great workshop for someone who has never taken improv, as well as someone who is looking to learn a new improv style. This class focuses on the basics of improv, how to give simple, clear information to get a scene started, how to be changed by information given to you, and mostly to get out of your head, leave your inner critic at the door, and have fun on stage.

There is no pre-requisite for this class.

Instructor: Dan O’Connor and Brian Lohmann (plus other members of the company)
Prerequisite: Invite or Audition Only
Start Date: Wednesday, March 31st
Performance opportunities: Student shows in the workshop space and the potential to perform in a main-stage company show as a guest artist.
Duration: On-Going
Cost: $150/month

This is a master class for improvisers with years of experience under their belt who are looking to take their craft to the next level. This class focuses on long-form narrative and develops the tools needed to improvise full length plays. In this class you will not only learn how to be a better actor, but how to work in the moment as a director and a playwright at the same time. Participants in the master class will learn advanced levels of ensemble play and eventually progress into the core genres that Impro Theatre performs on stage.

New classes start regularly.
Please check back for updates.

Click on the class names for descriptions and instructor bios. Or to find out more about signing up, give us a call at 323.401.6162

On Saturday March 20th, Impro Theatre’s Improv School will be opening up it’s classroom! Impro will be offer a day of free workshops conducted by multiple members of the faculty, the very same improvisers you see on stage. This is a unique opportunity for actors and non-actors alike to learn more about what this school has to offer. Whether you are a seasoned improviser, an actor who wants to go deeper in their craft, or just someone who wants to expand their comfort zone and interpersonal communication skills, Impro Theatre has a class that is right for you. Come take a free sampling of what they have to offer.

E-mail improlosangels@gmail.com to reserve your spot, spaces are limited.

Shakespeare through Improvisation

Instructor: Brian Lohmann
Shakespeare through Improvisation
With Artistic Director Dan O’Connor and Co-Artistic Director Brian Lohmann

This class will explore how Shakespeare can actually help you to be a better actor and a more versatile improviser. Whether it is creating a character or establishing the “where” of a scene, the Bard is a great tool for improvisers. We will also look at how to improvise a play using style and story together and sustaining over 90 minutes without a script. Teachers, actors and directors can deepen their own experiences with rhetorical devices, character motivations and storytelling by adapting techniques that Shakespeare employed in his scripts through the art of spontaneous play.

Brian recently presented a workshop on “Shakespeare through Improvisation” at a conference at NYU, and has taught at the Public Theater’s Shakespeare Lab, the Oregon and Colorado Shakespeare Festivals and was core faculty for the MFA programs at A.C.T. and the Old Globe Theatre/USD.

Dan co-created IT’s Shakespeare UnScripted and has taught genre based narrative improvisation for performers around the world.

Commercial Audition Intensive

Instructor: Jo McGinley
This is an on camera workshop

In this 4 week workshop you will learn the concept of 2nd Circle, proper Breath under pressure, and how to nail a commercial audition.

You will learn improv tools that can save your audition, Slating, Group Scenes, Partner Scenes, speaking to the camera, and Solo Scenes all broken down into how each one is different and what you can do to make them work. We will hone in on the trickiest scenarios and how to slow the ball down and make it work for you. You will see your work on tape throughout the class. Learn the technique of improv so you can build a foundation on which to be spontaneous.

Bio: Jo’s commercial clients include Southwest Airlines, Honeynut Cheerios, Bank of America, Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, Bounty, Merck, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, The Learning Channel, Chrysler, Lending Tree, Progressive Insurance, Ameriquest, Maytag, Primestar, Subway, Nestle Tollhouse, H&R Block, Bell Atlantic, UC Davis Med. Center, Raley’s, Hertz, Nokia and others.

Soap Opera Intensive

with Jessica Jimenez-Perry
(daytime emmy award nominee for Guiding Light)

In this students will learn how to create Classic Soap Characters and improvise
-Classic Soap Storylines
-Soap Themes
-Scene Endings
-Inner Monologues
and the Value of Lies (in the soap genre)

The first four weeks students will learn the art of soap storytelling, soap blocking, and invent strong grounded characters which they will rely on for the remaining four weeks of the course. Week three, students will have the oppotunity to watch and play with cast members of Avalon Terrace in a special class that will focus on show openings and endings. On week four, the class will begin preperation to perform a full episode of a soap they will create in class for their friends and family.

The last Saturday of the course will be a full performance, with wigs, costumes, lights and music.

Teacher Bio: Jessica Jimenez
Jessica appeared on Daytime Television’s The Guiding Light. For two and a half years she starred at Catalina Quesada on the long running daytime soap and in 2002 earned an Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Younger Actress on a Daytime Series. She is currently co-directing the improvised Soap Opera, Avalon Terrace with Jo McGinley.

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323.401.6162

improlosangeles@gmail.com