Doug Nunn--Coach Teen Workshops Improvisational Theatre & Comedy

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Doug Nunn--Coach Teen Workshops Improvisational Theatre & Comedy Doug Nunn--Coach Teen Workshops Improvisational Theatre & Comedy Doug Nunn has coached improvisation for Mendocino High School on and off since 1992. Since 2000, the MHS Improv Club has had regular improvisational comedy revues in mid-February. Recent shows include 2004's show--"The Slave Labor Comedy Tour presents Come to Beautiful Hawaii" 2005's "That's a Lot of Nuts", and 2006’s “Skips, Skops, Skanks, and Skaliwags”. Nunn has also worked extensively with British and German teenagers from London to Munich and Berlin. He offers basic improvisational workshops, geared toward helping teen groups produce a show within a specific amount of time. A week of full time workshops can lead to a “workshop show” by the end of the week or twice weekly workshops can lead to a basic improvised show within six weeks. For more advanced teen drama groups, Nunn also offers storytelling, genre, and character workshops. Improv Comedy Basic Workshop (2 days to a Week)* In this workshop we will explore the basics of improvised theatre—spontaneity, teamwork, storytelling, character, emotions and status work, and build toward presenting a workshop performance or perhaps even a show! Each day a variety of warm-ups, exercises and improvised games will be presented, games which are the basis of every improv group from Second City to Whose Line is It Anyway? This workshop can be structured for a teen group that wants to learn how to do an improvised show, for a theatre ensemble that wants to add improvisation to its list of talents, or for a group just looking for new inspiration. (*This workshop can also be given over a series of weeks rather than consecutive days.) Poster and cast photo of "That's a Lot of Nuts" and "The Slave Labor Comedy Tour presents Come to Beautiful Hawaii" are below..
Recommended publications
  • Improvisation for the Theater: a Handbook of Teaching and Directing Techniques Pdf, Epub, Ebook
    IMPROVISATION FOR THE THEATER: A HANDBOOK OF TEACHING AND DIRECTING TECHNIQUES PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Paul Sills, Viola Spolin | 416 pages | 28 Jul 1999 | Northwestern University Press | 9780810140080 | English | Evanston, United States Improvisation for the Theater: A Handbook of Teaching and Directing Techniques PDF Book Improvisations move through fear, boredom, laziness, and distraction to a sustained awareness of creative options. It then focuses on how we can use creativity, with a particular focus on co-creativity, to pave the way for new visions of the future and innovative solutions, and explores how storytelling can be applied to teamwork and presentations. With 53 specific, usable tools this book will improve your improv coaching, directing or teaching right away. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world , and other notations in the work. Northwestern University Press , - Performing Arts - pages. My improv training has helped me more in my life and my career than most of my formal training. Improvisation acting journal, perfect to wear to acting class at school, during acting exercises and acting games. This in-depth look at the techniques, principles, theory and ideas behind what they do is both authoritative and entertaining. Max Schaefer is a distinguished full-time teacher, actor, programmer, and president of Underdog Educational Software company. The result is both an ideas book and a fascinating exploration of the nature of spontaneous creativity. Sort order. This new edition of a highly acclaimed handbook, last published in and widely used by theater teachers and directors, is sure to be welcomed by members of the theater profession.
    [Show full text]
  • The Metaphysics of Improvisation
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 2012 The Metaphysics of Improvisation Tobyn C. DeMarco Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/1679 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] THE METAPHYSICS OF IMPROVISATION by TOBYN C. DEMARCO A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Philosophy in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2012 ii © 2012 TOBYN C. DEMARCO All Rights Reserved iii This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Philosophy in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Barbara Gail Montero __________________________________________ _______________ __________________________________________ Date Chair of Examining Committee John Greenwood __________________________________________ _______________ __________________________________________ Date Executive Officer Nickolas Pappas __________________________________________ Steven Ross __________________________________________ Noël Carroll __________________________________________ Supervisory Committee The City University of New York iv Abstract THE METAPHYSICS OF IMPROVISATION by Tobyn C. DeMarco Adviser: Professor Nickolas Pappas In “The Metaphysics of Improvisation,” I criticize wrongheaded metaphysical views of, and theories about, improvisation, and put forward a cogent metaphysical theory of improvisation, which includes action theory, an analysis of the relevant genetic and aesthetic properties, and ontology (work-hood). The dissertation has two Parts. Part I is a survey of the history of many improvisational practices, and of the concept of improvisation.
    [Show full text]
  • The Life Stories Toolkit a Blueprint for Theatre Artists, Educators, and Service Providers
    The Life Stories Toolkit A Blueprint for Theatre Artists, Educators, and Service Providers “When we become the storytellers of our lives, we are no longer victims of circumstance. We are artists — who make things happen, who write the next chapter, who change the ending.” — Theatre Lab Co-Founder Deb Gottesman, from her TEDx Talk on Life Stories The Life Stories Toolkit: A Blueprint for Theatre Artists, Educators, and Service Providers Published by: The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts Authors: Quique Aviles, Deb Gottesman, Ryan Heathcock, Anna Laszlo, Buzz Mauro, Amal Saade, Oran Sandel, and Thomas Workman Designer: Alice Lewis © 2014 The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts All rights reserved The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts 733 8th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 www.theatrelab.org Photo credits: Nicole Boxer, Teresa Castracane, Ryan Heathcock, Colin Hovde, Lauren Kirby, Paul Oberle, Second Glance Photography 2 EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL AND A VOICE THAT DESERVES TO BE HEARD Contents Book1: Is Life Stories for You? What is Life Stories? . 1:2 The Framework of Life Stories .....................................1:2 The Transformative Power of Theatre ...............................1:2 The History and Successes of Life Stories ............................1:3 Who Has Benefited from Life Stories? ..............................1:3 Who Else Could Benefit from Life Stories? ..........................1:4 Life Stories with Homeless Women in Recovery .......................1:5 The Basic Life Stories Model ......................................1:6 Moving Forward ................................................1:6 Book 2: How to Design a Life Stories Program The 5 Ws . 2:2 “Why?” — The Benefits and Rewards of Life Stories Programs ............2:2 “Who?” — The Unique Characteristics of Your Group ..................2:3 “When?” — Finding the Time for Life Stories .........................2:4 “Where?” — Making the Most of Your Surroundings.
    [Show full text]
  • Doug Nunn--Coach Improvisational Theatre/Comedy Workshops
    Doug Nunn--Coach Improvisational Theatre/Comedy Workshops Nunn offers a variety of courses for theatre groups and schools, intended both to provide the basics of improvisational theatre and to help groups dig deeper into a creative topics like storytelling and genre. There are also workshops designed to help ensembles write and present their own comedy revue. Improv Comedy Basic Workshop (2 days to a Week)* In this workshop we will explore the basics of improvised theatre—spontaneity, teamwork, storytelling, character, emotions and status work, and build toward presenting a workshop performance or perhaps even a show! Each day a variety of warm-ups, exercises and improvised games will be presented, games which are the basis of every improv group from Second City to Whose Line is It Anyway? This workshop can be structured for a group that wants to learn how to do an improvised show, for a theatre ensemble that wants to add improvisation to its list of talents, or for a group just looking for new inspiration. (*This workshop can also be given over a series of weeks rather than consecutive days.) Storytelling and Narrative Workshop— 1-3 day Workshop At the root of entertainment is the story, and it is the basis of theatre, movies and literature. Storytelling is an innate and beloved human skill, which is explored in detail over the course of this 2-3 day workshop. We will work with exercises, games, and build scenes meant to develop your inherent abilities as storytellers. We will work from individual stories to group stories to longer stories in a variety of genres.
    [Show full text]
  • PRESS INFORMATION Should I Stay Or Should I Go? 5 Theater Companies - 2 Years - 1 Project
    PRESS INFORMATION Should I stay or should I go? 5 theater companies - 2 years - 1 project Movies, Conference, Workshops, Theatre June 4-7, 2015 “Should I stay or should I go?” is an international project between improvisation and film. Konferenz "Improv and Initiated by the renowed Berlin improvisational theatre group "Die Gorillas" it was realized Movies" together with four partner theatres from Austria, Sweden, Slovenia and France. The final of June 4-7, 2015 this project will be a conference on the topic "Improv and Movies" and the premiere of the ufaFabrik Berlin movie "Should I stay or should I go?" Movies, Conference, Five theater groups from Sweden, France, Germany, Austria and Slovenia asked a question Workshops, Theatre everyone at some point of life asks: “Should I stay or should I go?”, and looked out for many Conference language is different answers from people all over Europe. With the information they received the five English partners collectively created performances, workshops, a book and a feature film surrounding the question why people are staying in or leaving a place. Movie premiere The grand finale of "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" will be a conference on the subject of "Should I stay or should improv and film, with films, lectures, debates, workshops run by and with participation of I go?" all those involved in the project as well as other great experts. It's a conference in a historic June 5, 2015, 8 pm film site, the Ufa-Fabrik in Berlin, and it's for everyone who is interested in the experience Kino in der of this project: film people, theatre people, audience members.
    [Show full text]
  • Varieties of Applied Theatre and Performance PDF Book
    INTERACTIVE AND IMPROVISATIONAL DRAMA: VARIETIES OF APPLIED THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE PDF, EPUB, EBOOK MD Adam Blatner | 383 pages | 13 Feb 2007 | iUniverse | 9780595417506 | English | Bloomington IN, United States Interactive and Improvisational Drama: Varieties of Applied Theatre and Performance PDF Book The Brave New Workshop has been crafting audacious, hilarious, and thought-provoking original comedy, improv and satire in Minneapolis since — longer than any other theatre in the U. Want to Read saving…. Chapter Archived from the original on All Languages. From the actions of the Futurist Movement through to the groundswell in political theatre after the s, radical thought has always been applied to theatrical forms. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Drama in healthcare is drama created in medical contexts, often with the intention of rehabilitation. TheatreSports : David Young describes how improvisation has become an intra-scholastic competitive activity with variants also used in other community settings. Drama is a great field! Museum theatre aims to use theatrical techniques to add emotion and value to the museum experience. This avante-garde theatre group explored political, artistic, and social issues. Goals included social skills-learning and performance as well as bringing socially relevant issues to the community. In order for an improvised scene to be successful, the improvisers involved must work together responsively to define the parameters and action of the scene, in a process of co-creation. Medieval Re-enactments : Tom Stallone discusses the development of medieval re-creation and re-enactment groups over the last few decades and the opportunities they create to take live-action role playing into new areas.
    [Show full text]
  • Public Performance, Personal Story: a Study of Playback Theatre
    Public Performance, Personal Story: A Study of Playback Theatre By Rea Dennis This material is made publicly available by the Centre for Playback Theatre and remains the intellectual property of its author. The Centre for Playback Theatre www.playbackcentre.org Public Performance, Personal Story: A study of Playback Theatre Rea Dennis B.Appl.Sc., Chemistry (Queensland University of Technology) Grad. Dip. Teach, Secondary (Australian Catholic University) Grad. Cert. Arts, Creative Writing (Queensland University of Technology) Research Masters, Social Work & Social Policy (University of Queensland) School of Vocational, Technology & Arts Education Faculty of Education Griffith University This thesis is submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 13 April 2004 The Centre for Playback Theatre www.playbackcentre.org Statement of Originality This work has not been previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the thesis itself. ………………………………………….. 13 / 04 /2004 The Centre for Playback Theatre www.playbackcentre.org Acknowledgements Don't take it too seriously. Hold on tightly, let go lightly. (Peter Brook, 1989). I am indebted to Dawn Byrne for her untiring support and uncompromising belief in me throughout the research journey and in all of my life. Deepest gratitude to the members, past and present, of the Brisbane Playback Theatre Company. Your insight in welcoming and your forbearance in participating in this research are appreciated. To the performers in the eight events: Kris Plowman, Jen Barrkman, Brigid Hirschfeld, Anna Heriot, Rebecca Jones, Hanna Jenkin, Adrian White, Sandra Collins, Ann Bermingham and Bruce Austin.
    [Show full text]
  • A Look at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and Hidden Collections of Improv Comedy
    Never Done Before, Never Seen Again: A Look at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and Hidden Collections of Improv Comedy By Caroline Roll A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Moving Image Archiving and Preservation Program Department of Cinema Studies New York University May 2017 1 Table of Contents Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………… 2 Chapter 1: A History of Improv Comedy ...……………………………………………………... 5 Chapter 2: Improv in Film and Television ...…………………………………………………… 20 Chapter 3: Case Studies: The Second City, The Groundlings, and iO Chicago ...……………... 28 Chapter 4: Assessment of the UCB Collection ……………..………………………………….. 36 5: Recommendations ………..………………………………………………………………….. 52 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………………... 57 Bibliography …………………………………………………………………………………… 60 Acknowledgements …...………………………………………………………………………... 64 2 Introduction All forms of live performance have a certain measure of ephemerality, but no form is more fleeting than an improvised performance, which is conceived in the moment and then never performed again. The most popular contemporary form of improvised performance is improv comedy, which maintains a philosophy that is deeply entrenched in the idea that a show only happens once. The history, principles, and techniques of improv are well documented in texts and in moving images. There are guides on how to improvise, articles and books on its development and cultural impact, and footage of comedians discussing improv in interviews and documentaries. Yet recordings of improv performances are much less prevalent, despite the fact that they could have significant educational, historical, or entertainment value. Unfortunately, improv theatres are concentrated in major cities, and people who live outside of those areas lack access to improv shows. This limits the scope for researchers as well.
    [Show full text]
  • A Glossary of Improv Terms the Following Is a List of Terms Used in Teaching and Discussing Improvisational Theatre
    A Glossary of Improv Terms The following is a list of terms used in teaching and discussing improvisational theatre. Warm-ups Warm-ups have no performance value. These are strictly participatory events. Although they may be mildly amusing to watch, putting them in the context of a performance defeats the purpose of the warm-up. The goal of a warm-up is to generate camaraderie, trust, and joi de vive between the players that are about to do a workshop together, or go on stage together. They rarely develop any particular skill, but allow people to get in the moment and be prepared to take risks with the other players that they are about improvise with. Most of them are down right goofy, and would be equally good icebreakers at a party. Exercises Exercises are improvisational structures that have a place more in the workshop than on the stage. Each exercise has some specific improvisational rule that it exemplifies. Exercises often break other improvisational rules so that players can focus on certain aspects of their craft. There are many exercises that are also good handles. Keep in mind that all the handles develop improv skills as well Handles These are the bread and butter of most improvisational theatre troupes. They all have the crucial audience participation component and they also have built in gimmicks that greatly increase the chance that comedy will happen. Eventually the games wear thin, but as long as the rules of environment, character and story are being maintained any handle should be as entertaining as any other handle.
    [Show full text]
  • Macdonald CV 1
    MacDonald CV 1 IAN ANDREW MACDONALD 32 Rosedale Street Portland, ME 04103-4212 Tel. 717-961-0271 (Cell) Email: [email protected] EDUCATION Ph.D. University of Colorado at Boulder French Literature 2004 Dissertation Title: Structures of Engagement: Theories and Practices in French Theatre from 1949-1985. Dissertation Director: Warren Motte M.A. University of Colorado at Boulder French Literature 1996 B.A. Mount Allison University, Canada Honors French 1993 Certificat Université de Strasbourg, France Etudes Françaises 1991 COURSES TAUGHT AT BOWDOIN COLLEGE, BRUNSWICK, MAINE - Intermediate French I - Literature, Power, and Resistance: 19th to 21st Century Francophone Literature - Francophone Studies Seminar: Texts Talking Back: French Canada Speaking to Itself and to the World through Literature AT THE LANGUAGE EXCHANGE, PORTLAND, MAINE - Beginning French - Faux Beginning French - Advanced Beginning French - Low Intermediate French - Intermediate French - Intermediate French Through Theatre - French Novel Reading and Discussion Group - Workshop on the theatre of Eugène Ionesco - Workshop on Acadian Culture and History - Workshop on French Phonetics and Pronunciation MacDonald CV 2 AT DICKINSON IN FRANCE, TOULOUSE CENTER -Intercultural Seminar AT DICKINSON COLLEGE -First-Year Seminar – Men and Masculinity in Film, Literature and the Media -Elementary French -Intermediate French Grammar Review and Literature -Introduction to French Cultural Analysis -Readings in French and Francophone Studies -Issues in Contemporary France -Special Topics
    [Show full text]
  • Improvisational Theatre
    Improvisational Theatre Improvisation is a state of being and creating action without pre-planning. This can be when an individual or group is acting, dancing, singing, playing musical instruments, talking, creating artworks, problem solving, or reacting in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or new ways to act. Improvisation can be thought of as an "on the spot" or "off the cuff" spontaneous moment of sudden inventiveness that can just come to mind, body and spirit as an inspiration. No preparation or training is needed. However, improvisation in any life or art form can occur more often if it is practiced as a way of encouraging creative behavior. Improvisational Theater, often called improv or impro, is a form of theater where most or all of what is performed is created at the moment it is performed. In its purest form, the dialogue, the action, the story and the characters are created collaboratively by the players as the improvisation unfolds. Improvisational Theater exists in performance as a range of styles of improvisational comedy as well as some non-comedic theatrical performances. It is sometimes used in film and television, both to develop characters and scripts and occasionally as part of the final product. Improvisational techniques are often used extensively in drama programs to train actors for stage, film and television and can be an important part of the rehearsal process. However, the skills and processes of improvisation are used outside of the context of performing arts, as well.
    [Show full text]
  • The Benefits of Using Improvisational Strategies in Real Life Situations
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Croatian Digital Thesis Repository SVEUČILIŠTE JOSIPA JURJA STROSSMAYERA U OSIJEKU FAKULTET ZA ODGOJNE I OBRAZOVNE ZNANOSTI Matea Viljevac THE BENEFITS OF USING IMPROVISATIONAL STRATEGIES IN REAL LIFE SITUATIONS DIPLOMSKI RAD Osijek, 2017. SVEUČILIŠTE JOSIPA JURJA STROSSMAYERA U OSIJEKU FAKULTET ZA ODGOJNE I OBRAZOVNE ZNANOSTI Integrirani preddiplomski i diplomski sveučilišni Učiteljski studij THE BENEFITS OF USING IMPROVISATIONAL STRATEGIES IN REAL LIFE SITUATIONS DIPLOMSKI RAD Predmet: Drama Workshop in English Language Mentor: doc.dr.sc. Ţeljka Flegar Student: Matea Viljevac Matični broj: 2286 Modul: C Osijek travanj, 2017. 1 SUMMARY This thesis encompasses the history of improvisation, the fundamental characteristics of theatrical improvisation and the benefits of engaging in improv that improve one‟s life in a variety of contexts. The main aim of this research was to discover if the students, i.e. the participants of the course Drama Workshop in English Language at the Faculty of Education in Osijek, or some other worldwide improv workshops, benefited in certain areas by using improvisational strategies in their real life situations. Through methods of collecting data by means of a questionnaire, interviews and online sources and analyzing them afterwards, the results confirmed the general hypothesis that students who attended Drama Workshop in English language at the Faculty of Education in Osijek and people taking up an improv class elsewhere in the world did notice the beneficial changes regarding their personality development, their social skills, language skills and communication in their daily life. Key words: improvisational theatre, communication skills, foreign language skills, personal and social development, conversational fluency 2 SAŽETAK Ovaj diplomski rad obuhvaća povijest improvizacije, osnovne karakteristike kazališne improvizacije te prednosti sudjelovanja u improvizacijskom kazalištu koje rezultira pospješivanjem brojnih aspekata ljudskoga ţivota.
    [Show full text]