Workshop Details

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Take a look at the awesome Workshops to be held during 2018’s TIR!

JILL BERNARD – COUNSELOR

BEING A DREAM PARTNER
Improv is rarely a solo endeavor. This workshop will focus on how you can become the best possible partner your teammates could imagine. Games and exercises showing how to listen to what your partner really wants, and turn them into a rockstar. If we’re all doing this for each other, we’re a team of rockstars and we all win!

TURNING THE CORNER
This workshop is a survey of methods to turn the corner on a scene that has stalled out and is struggling to progress, a look at philosophies and techniques through which we can find what happens next.

SPANISH IMPROV JAM
Let’s do improv in Spanish!
It doesn’t matter if you speak Spanish!
You can do it anyway!
¡Sí se puede!

CRAIG UHLIR – COUNSELOR

See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil
Scenes with an emphasis on the senses of hearing, Speaking, and Eye Contact.
Augment your scene work with simple things that help you connect with your scene partner and make things happen!

Non-Humans
Group scenes and games as non-humans. Learn how to navigate within group scenes and learn about relationship, all as non- human characters the whole time!

RANCE RIZZUTTO – COUNSELOR

Improv Rehab
Looking to get out of your head, create richer environments and stay connected to your group while improvising? Every improviser picks up a bad habit or two along their journey. Improv Rehab targets the big ones and keeps the entire group actively participating throughout.

Look Out(ward)!
When we’re scared our natural instinct is to take care of ourselves. This workshop strives to make you look outward to take care of your partner rather than retreating inward to making moves to save yourself. We’re reprogramming instincts!

MATT HIGBEE – COUNSELOR

Making Up Movies
You’ll make an improvised movie, from concept to editing. We’ll take the concepts of improvisation and put them in front of the camera.

No Adults Allowed
This is recess for adults. Educators believe in the power of play in the learning process, so we’ll play and make-up silly kids games to see if we can’t learn something.

TARA DEFRANCISCO – COUNSELOR

My Status, My Choice
“No one can make you inferior without your consent.” Improvisation tells us to say yes to things, but creative yeses help us avoid traps of low-status or being pigeon-holed. You make choices, you don’t have your right to choices made! Let’s laugh and do the unexpected. (Female-identifying and non-binary players encouraged, but all are welcome.)

Be Here Now
A trippy, bohemian workshop meant to connect people heart to heart and mind to mind. Work and play in presence with one another, the cornerstone in creating beautiful collaborative art. Leave with a new heart connection or two, and remember the importance of centering your troupes back home. A classic of camp!

Show Me Your Song (tentative)
Wondering why you can’t get that passion behind your musical scenes? Let a pro push you through emotion, commitment, and side coach you to musical bliss and freedom of joyful musical improvisation. (Some experience required)

RYAN ARCHIBALD – COUNSELOR

“Imporv to Skortch” with Arch
This workshop will focus on some of the techniques, ideas and exercises used by The Second City for over 50 years to construct quality written material through improvisation. This on your feet workshop lead by Former Second City Actor/Director Ryan Archibald will teach you how to write, rewrite and edit on your feet just like the Pros.

Loving Short Form Improv
You want to earn a pay check improvising? Then you better start mastering Short Form Improvisation. Every professional Improv Theater in the World uses “Theater Games” to entertain their audiences. Having performed for years in Las Vegas, Amsterdam and a half dozen Cruise Ships, Ryan Archibald has “mastered” Short Form and he wants to share this knowledge with you! No shit! This on your feet workshop will not only help you with Games but will improve your audition skill set too!

The History of Chicago Improvisation with Arch (tentative)
This low impact workshop/lecture will explore the history of how Chicago Improv became Chicago Improv. Ryan Archibald will lead a discussion covering many of the techniques, philosophies and personalities that helped shape the most supportive creative community in the World. From Spolin to Napier, the Compass Players to the Shithole, the battle between Bernie and Del and much much more.

ANDEL SUDIK – COUNSELOR

Silence Is Golden
We will explore silence as totality as well as internally inside of spoken scenes. The space in between the words can offer us so much, if only we let it. There will be object work.

MAKE ME!!! : 100% ChallengeProv
95% or improv is giving yourself permission but sometimes it’s nice to grant that permission and be thrown into new choices. This workshop we will dare you into characters, premises and scenes. You’ll get to try on a shitload of new characters and choices you never would’ve thought of yourself. The ultimate improv trust, the ultimate challenge to your comfort zone. Test your ability to ‘let go’ and play.

NNAMDI NGWE – COUNSELOR

Make & Bake A Move
Hesitancy from you or your ensemble kills momentum or an entire piece. But you can overcome this! We’ll explore how you as an individual can make moves that support others and empower you to make positive moves others would love to support.

Improvise your Swag
Lacking confidence in your day to day life and/or improv? Let’s work it out together. Come here, open up, and leave confident af.

JESSICA ROGERS – COUNSELOR

Start in the Middle with You
Ready to get right to the meat of the scene? Let’s dive into the discoveries and hit em’ where it hurts.

Save the Drama
Dramatic Improv. ‘Nuff said.

PATRICK ROWLAND – COUNSELOR

Fast and Funny
This class that teaches folks how to play for quicker pacing, just like the team 3Peat in Chicago. 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.

Showcase Ready (tentative)
Want to be showcase ready for SNL, Just For Laughs, and other showcases when they come around? In this workshop Patrick will give you feedback and personal notes on your material to help create a tighter funnier 5 minutes that shows off your characters and impersonations so you will be showcase ready.

Mono Scene
This workshop will give you the tools to sustain a scene for as long as you want. We’ll work on holding on to character choices, engaging in the environment, and enjoying the silence of scenes. You’ll gain the confidence you need to keep a scene going as well as hold the audiences attention to create deep meaningful work.

DAVID CHRISTOPHER – COUNSELOR

Red Light District
Come take a walk on the dark side of town and explore a side of your improv game that you didn’t know that you had in you, dramatic improvisation! This workshop will push you to the edge in committing to your choices and connecting with your scene partners, verbally, physically and emotionally. Deep, intense and not for the faint of heart, go all in and take a trip to the Red Light District!

Organic Narrative
Getting stuck trying to make honest choices while building a narrative in your improv? Feel like your narrative improv is getting stale? Want to go on journeys as your characters instead of thinking about plot? Organic Narrative is all about making honest character and emotional choices and exploring where they will take you next. With solid beginnings, middles and ends Organic Narrative will get you improvising the greatest stories every told!

Jon Colby – Counselor

Beginnning Musical – I Got the Music In Me
There is something about musical improv that really impresses people. The idea of creating lyrics on the spots is fascinating for some and terrifying for others. It’s not as difficult as most people would believe. In this workshop, participants will learn several tips and tricks to make it improvised singing on stage easier and more fun. Whether you sing on Broadway or just in the shower, this workshop is for you. (Taught with David Schmoll!)

Telling a Story – 4 Minutes or Less!
Do you remember the six points of plot structure from your 8th grade English class? It’s okay. Most people don’t. If you’ve never done improv before or if you’ve ever been in a scene that felt like it had nowhere to go, this workshop will help! In two hours, you’ll be refreshed on what makes a good story and how to “write” one on the fly in a short form improv scene.

DAVID SCHMOLL – Musical Director

Beginners Musical Improv
I’ve Got the Music In Me (Co-taught with Jon Colby)

Show Me Your Song (tentative)
(Co-taught with Tara DeFrancisco)

Beginning Musical Direction
Want to be Musical director for a troupe? This will explore when to play, how to play, and giving simple time signatures for improvisers to find in beginning troupes. Whether it is underscoring or leading a song for which others can sing along, this workshop hits both styles and gives practical tips on how to start or grow!

ASHLEY VICTORIA – Apprentice

Pitch Your Own Show
Always wanted to make a show of your own and create space? Take this workshop for practical tips and direction. Whether it’s making a new space for those underrepresented in your community or pitching a show to a larger theatre that has not yet been done, here’s some tips and tricks.

RENCE NEMEH – Apprentice

Embrace Your Inner Queen
A dream course to lead: living your biggest fantasy on stage (example: for me, who is your inner drag queen – maybe something different for you). The focus here is on attacking big character identities, big emotional filters, and how to use clear, passionate wants and relatable context to make it all stage-worthy. When we all sashay away, we will know how to werrrrrrrrrk it – And make it work for you!

Tara DeFrancisco
Tara DeFrancisco was awarded “Funniest Person in Chicago” by the Free Press, “30 Under 30” in the Windy City Times, and “25 Funniest Females 2009” in Curve Magazine for her ventures in stand up, sketch, and improv. She teaches improv courses and workshops to people of all ages and backgrounds across this nation, and that’s about the most rewarding thing ever – traveling to elementary and high schools, colleges, and offices all over the country as both an introductory instructor and a professional Comedy Consultant.
Rance Rizzutto
Rance Rizzutto has performed, coached, and taught improv for years. Long-form with iO Chicago and other various independent groups. Short-form with ComedySportz and Second City Theatricals (aboard NCL ships). Musical and hip-hop/rap with Here: The Improvised Musical, The Deltones, Baby Wants Candy, and The Beatbox. More random shows like silent improv and Storybox. He’s done improv all over the world (13 countries!). He is also known for his photography, hypnotism, and hosting.
Nnamdi Ngwe
You may have seen Nnamdi in print advertising or commercials for some of your favorite retailers, but what you may not know is this charming man is one of the most humble people in the community. If Nnamdi is not performing in one of his many shows throughout the week, he might just stop into iO or The Playground or wherever just to see who else is performing and offer his support. He is one of the hardest working and talented individuals in this community.
John Sturk
John studied improv at Second City and iO before focusing on the piano since 2009. He's most often seen at the keyboards of Comedysportz and iO, but appears almost everywhere from time to time. John is also an award-winning comedy magician, and a lifetime member of the Society of American Magicians.
Jill Bernard
Jill Bernard has been performing with ComedySportz-Twin Cities since 1993, and is a founding member of HUGE Theater in Uptown Minneapolis. Her one-woman improv piece, Drum Machine, has been featured in over forty improv festivals. She has taught and performed improv in Norway, Australia, Canada, Argentina and over thirty-five of the United States; and also on an episode of MTV “Made.”
Nathan Jansen
Nathan Jansen has been improvising for 12 years. He performs at iO Chicago, The CSz Theater, and does The Improvised Musical with Baby Wants Candy. He teaches all across the nation and writes scripts for businesses that enjoy comedy. He is also a veteran stand up comic, but his heart belongs to pretend.
Ryan Archibald
Ryan Archibald grew up in Barrington, IL and attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where he played football for the Fighting Illini. Ryan has performed with The Second City all over the world, including a stay with their resident company in Las Vegas and aboard Norwegian Epic among others.
Andel Sudik
Andel Sudik moved to Chicago right after high school. She has performed all over the US with the Second City touring co. and all over Europe with Boom Chicago. She lived in Amsterdam for two years and Arizona for two months among other random places. She has been performing and teaching sketch comedy and improvisation for the last 10 years.
Craig Uhlir
After performing with the Second City Touring Company for over two years , including tours in Alaska, Hawaii, Austria, and even Iraq and Kuwait, Craig did more. He went on to perform in Las Vegas for Second City at the Flamingo for another few years. Craig has been teaching and coaching improv for over ten years and performing since 1995. Yes.
Janna Sobel
Janna has an eclectic and diverse background in improv, stage, and storytelling. She brings her talents and a mystic sense of adventure to The Improv Retreat.
Jill Valentine
Jill Valentine is a South Side Chicago native that has worked as an actor, writer, improviser, director and sketch comedian all over town. You may have seen Jill with The Cupid Players, The Deltones, Feminine Gentlemen, or Off Off Broadzway. Jill is the Executive Director of Sketchfest and the Executive Producer of the Chicago Women's Funny Festival. Jill is also a founder of Stage773 in Lakeview and works as the Director of Operations.
David Christopher
David Christopher, with over 20 years of improv and sketch comedy experience, is a founding member and is a co-owner for Miami's home for improv and sketch comedy and 5-time Best of Miami winner, Just The Funny. David is responsible for creating the improvisation and sketch writing curriculum and program at Just The Funny, where he teaches and coaches all five levels of improv acting classes, along with both the Harold workshop and sketch writing classes. He is also the co-creator of The South Florida Improv Jam, and is the executive producer of the Miami Improv Festival.
Stacey Smith
Stacey is a writer, performer, actress and teacher. She can be seen at iO Chicago in The Musical Armando and The Deltones or at ComedySportz Chicago and she just finished a successful run of #DateMe: An OkCupid Experiment at Second City. In addition to performing, she works as an Assistant Producer for the Chicago Improv Festival and the Teen Comedy Festival. Stacey also teaches in both the Youth Program and the A-E program at the Second City.