Instructor: Tracy Burns

“Turn Up The Heat” is an exciting workshop for actors and improvisers looking for the challenge of going deeper into their work. Here are some of the benefits of the workshop:

- Puts you in your body
- Integrates your mind and body
- Builds strong ensemble work
- Asks you to keep the work simple
- Makes you realize how little you have to do to be engaging
- Helps you work through blocks by identifying what’s getting in your way and then helping you let it go
- Allows you to get physical with your fellow players in a safe way
- Allows you to connect viscerally in a scene and with your fellow players
- Gets rid of your inhibitions
- Insists you connect emotionally in a scene

Instructor: Jo McGinley
Duration: 4 Sessions over a 3 month Period
Cost: $250/4 Sessions

* Class size very limited.

Quotes from Current Focus Students:

“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.”

“The Focus Class is worth the money and time. It has improved the quality of my life and given me tools that I will use for the rest of my life.”

Your soul and craft need to be fed by the environment around you. The important step is to realize that, more than most other cities, LA lends itself to a pattern of isolation.
There is hope! This class, that takes place once a month, over 4 months, is a way for you to stay on task, committed to the work at hand with a touchstone of commitment.
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. This class is for actors and non-actors alike. 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 four months..
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Bio: Jo has been a professional Organizer and teacher of improvisation for over 17 years. She brings her passion for de-clutterizing, organizing, and intentional breathwork to help clients let go of the mental and physical clutter that keeps them unable to move forward in their lives.

This class balances the art of clearing out held mental energies, taking action and de-clutterizing the home, setting intentions, and moving toward desired goals.
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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 Greene
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 Greene
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 Greene
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: Jo McGinley
Duration: 8 weeks
Cost: $299

Currently in session.

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

Physical Class

Instructor: Stephen Kearin

Space object work need not be a means to an end, but can lead you to a deeper understanding of character and the narrative. Learn what it means to bring silence and stillness to your work as an improviser.
In this workshop, students will learn to re-focus on the physical as a means of slowing down to “see” more clearly onstage.

Commercial Audition Lab

Instructor: Jo McGinley

This is an on camera workshop

Are you auditioning and not getting callbacks?
Are you getting callbacks and not booking the job?
Learn how to connect more to yourself, the room, and others under the pressure of an audition.
Improve your slate, arcs, choices, behaviors, tags and confidence.

This class is designed to show the student how to apply the techniques learned through improvisation to the commercial audition process.

Through the use of improvisation exercises and lessons learned through the instructor’s experiences, the student will feel more comfortable and more confident when auditioning for commercials. The students will work with commercial copy as well, and view their work throughout the class to identify the student’s strengths and weaknesses.

The class will also include discussions on headshots, audition etiquette, and tips on getting a commercial agent.
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Bio: Jo’s commercial clients include 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 more.

Conscious Breathing

Instructor: Jo McGinley

About Conscious Breathing:

Correct breathing causes tension to melt from your body. It clarifies and focuses your mind at the same time, but its first noticeable effect is likely to be an enhanced feeling of well being in your body.

One of the most dramatic applications of conscious breathing is in the emotional realm and can play a major role in the alleviation of depression, stage fright & chronic pain.

In the practice of conscious breathing, you also have the opportunity to look at and deal with the problem of resistance. Many therapists think that resistance is the key psychological problem we must learn to handle. Breathing can be one of the fastest ways to get past resistance. The reason is that resistance exists on the borderline between the unconscious and the conscious and so does breathing. It is one system in your body that you can control with your conscious mind or that you can forget about completely, leaving it to be run by your unconscious.

In this workshop, participants will learn the Conscious Breathing technique and several other tools that they will be able to take home and practice on their own.

Sign up quickly as this workshop has limited space. If you can’t make the workshop but want to learn more about Conscious Breathing, you can have a private consultation with Jo. Call 323.401.6162 to set up your appointment.

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Call the number below or email us at improlosangeles@gmail.com.

323.401.6162