Course Descriptions

Advanced Agreement

Will Hines of UCB Theatre runs a series of exercise to practice deeper, more active listening and agreement in your improv scenes. Time is 12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. Cost is $40.

ADVANCED SCENEWORK WORKSHOP: SHOOT FIRST & JUSTIFY LATER

This scenework workshop will emphasize making the honest move instead of the "improv move", starting from the gut and then making sense of things by committing and justifying. Time is 12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. on Monday, June 3. Cost is $40.

Level 1 Intro to Improv

7 Class Meetings and one class recital. Starts Tuesday, June 18 at 7PM Cost is $165

This class introduces the Theatre 99 method to create improvised scenes based on audience suggestion. Students in level 1 will participate in group games and exercises that help everyone remember how to play. The focus will be on having fun and learning how to start an improv scene. You will learn some of the improv games that we perform here at Theatre 99 and get to do them for your friends and family during the recital. As a bonus, every student receives free tickets to any Wednesday and Friday show while they are a student. Class cost is $165. MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER TO TAKE THIS CLASS.

Level 3: 5 Scenic Elements, relationship and Longform

7 Class Meetings, 1 recital, Max. class size 14, Cost: $175

This 7-week class introduces the Theatre 99 method of relationship based scene work and the concept of long form improvisation. You hear it during every class: "Improv scenes are about the relationship." But what is a relationship? This class breaks the relationship between characters into 4 components (point of view, physicality, history & status). Exercises taught during the class help students make offers based on relationship components. This class will also introduce the idea of scenes inspired by other scenes or long form improv. The recital for level 3 will be 100% scenes, no improv games. Every student receives free tickets to any Wednesday and Friday show for the duration of the class. MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER TO TAKE THIS CLASS

Openings and Group Games

Practice ways to generate ideas off of different unique openings in order to set up a long-form improv show and learn to play different styles of group scenes common in The Harold. Time is 12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5. Cost is $30.

Storytelling for Performance

In this fun workshop, we'll work on stories from within your own life, crafting them with an eye for performance. We'll focus on how to establish your story's stakes, where its entry and exit points are, and how best to keep clear its emotional through-line and plot structure. With an eye towards what sort of stories work best on stage, we'll look at ways to establish an immediate emotional connection with the audience as we turn your personal story into a mini-performance piece. No need to prepare anything beforehand, we'll figure it all out together! Time is 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 1. Cost is $30.

Storytelling Master class

In this class, Kevin Allison (founder of The Story Studio, RISK! and member of The State) will teach you the skills to wow a crowd with your story. You'll learn how to select compelling story topics, use the "five beat" structure to build suspense, and tap into the larger thematic meaning of your ideas. This class encourages participation: everyone will be given the opportunity to apply storytelling techniques to one of their own stories. A few students will be given the opportunity to share aspects of their story live on stage, and receive criticism so that we all can learn together. Each participant will leave with a 3-minute story that builds upon the principals taught during the class. Time is 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 25. Cost is $40.