As we get closer to camp, you will have a chance to schedule your programming. With seven counselors, two apprentices, and even keynote engagements – you’ll pick from an assortment of courses of your own design. Then, you’ll share the same experiences of shows, jams, and activities with larger groups. Registration holds your place at camp, and scheduling courses comes in early May, 2022. Until then, here’s some workshop descriptions that are being held at The Improv Retreat 2022 so far!
OPEN OFFERINGS (FIRST-COME FIRST SERVE ON-SITE)
TBA
WORKSHOPS TO SCHEDULE INDIVIDUALLY (pre-camp arrival, scheduled by you Mid-May)
SWISS-ARMY IMPROVISER with Rance Rizzutto
Break your habits and face your fears! This will be all longform and all steered by Rance Rizzutto. Are you always the ____ person (editor, initiator, etc) on your team? Do you hang back and wait until you have a clear picture? Not any more!
MUSICAL IMPROV 1 with John Sturk
Learn the fundamentals of improvising with singing! We’ll work on some rhyming exercises, rhythm, timing, and a few short-form games to get your on your path to singprov! No previous experience in musical improv is necessary.
MUSICAL IMPROV 2 with John Sturk
Create a long-form narrative musical, Broadway-style! We’ll focus on ensemble work, finding a form, and storytelling through song. Previous experience is helpful, but not completely necessary.
PRETTY FLOWER with Tara DeFrancisco
This beautiful form satisfies group work in one nucleus scene that then inspires off-shoots of character dashes and tag runs to further solidify worlds and possibilities. Fun and playful, but a great step into grounded group scenes to launch pure potential. Pretty Flower is used primarily in the UK & US, and popularized by teams like Beer Shark Mice here in the states. Try it with guidance and take it home to your team!
YOU + ME = MAGIC with Tara DeFrancisco
The royal yes and is more than saying yes, it’s agreement between actors and pure connection with characters, leaning into whatever magic is found between them for the 3-5 minutes we share. If we are missing connection with our partner, what has this all been for? This workshop will focus on two person scenework (and positive connection tactics that happen backstage) to set us up for trust and enrichment of the window of time we get each scene together onstage. Acting and play within slowed-down scenes with side-coaching along the way, with an eye on what-to-do when we look for larger team opportunities.
PLAYING FAST & FUNNY with Patrick Rowland
This class teaches you how to play for quicker pacing, like the award-winning sketch/improv team 3Peat. How tight can you be as an ensemble? If you trust each other enough and have the energy to play hard, you can guarantee you are able to both come together and sustain a fast, high-energy show.
WRITING FOR LATE NIGHT with Patrick Rowland
Learn the ins and outs of writing for late-night television. This workshop will help you with monologue jokes, desk pieces, sketches, and how to format them for late-night. Please bring something to take notes with.
MINDFUL IMPROV with Jill Bernard
This workshop will focus on making your mind calm and clear before you step onstage and again when things get wild, so that you can listen, react and choose with focus. The brain chemical Cortisol is activated by stress, and is designed to keep us alive in danger. It’s the first phase of fight or flight. Serotonin is activated when you’re feeling valued, feeling pride, and makes you feel good. Playing from a calm, clear, happy mindset sets you up for success.
MUSICAL GAMES COMPENDIUM with John Sturk
We’ll go through a whirlwind of short and medium-length musical improv games. There might be some old favorites you recognize, and a few you may not. Warm up your vocals – this one will be a workout! Must have Music Improv 1 or 2 at camp or 1 year of Musical Improv Experience.
PLAYING TO LOSE with Jill Bernard
Improvisors accidentally bring their own egos onstage, frequently, which makes it hard for them to lose even when the scene requires it. The story of the Lord of the Rings if Frodo never loses is: Frodo walks up a mountain and throws in a ring. That saves about 500,000 words but makes the story a hell of a lot less compelling. In this workshop we will practice losing and loving it.
GLORIFIED EXTRA with Rance Rizzutto
Create visually interesting and immersive environments while keeping the focus on the main characters. Support what exists and instead resist derailing a scene. If you aren’t Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Monica, Joey or Chandler, just drink your coffee and read. Lots of practice, lots of fun.
DUMB AF with Matt Higbee
Let go of RGHT & WRONG, this workshop unlocks the power of being silly. Focus is placed on supporting, playing, and pushing the silliness to unlock the power in being dumb together. We’ll get smart about being dumb.
ACTION! with Matt Higbee
Bring action to your scenes. We’ll get your scenes unstuck and moving toward greater fun. Exercises focus on progressing relationships while exploring and changing location. No more talking heads… these scenes gotta MOVE!
COOPERATIVE NARRATIVE IMPROV with Nathan Jansen
We don’t get second drafts, so we have to give our choices twice the thought in a fraction of the time. Learn tools to set your improvised narratives up for success and finish strong.
DIY SHORTFORM with Nathan Jansen
We’re always looking for new ways to package old games or create new ones. This workshop offers a simple template for quickly developing short-form show concepts and strategies for modifying games or creating new ones.
DANCE LIKE EVERYONE’S WATCHING with Nathan Jansen
This will be a full workshop devoted to “dancing in an improv show that people played money to see.” We’ll make it fun, we’ll make it beautiful, we’ll make it watchable. Wear comfortable clothes.