Schedule

Saturday, June 7 @ 10:00am: Endless Characters
Learn how to draw from an endless supply of vibrant characters, rather than just your stock five. Characters can be created immediately, without relying on cliches and stereotypes or lengthy explanations. It's about simple choices, perception and commitment. Throw away that fallback Jamaican pot-smoker and be inspired!

Instructor: Joseph Kyle Rogan began improvising professionally in 1996, when he founded Knock Your Socks Off Improvised Productions (KYSOff) in Salt Lake City, Utah. Since that time, he has traveled throughout North America performing, studying, teaching and directing improvisational theatre. He is most well known as the first half of the international touring long-form improv duo JoKyR and Jesster.

Saturday, June 7 @ 10:00am: Your Show, Your Ensemble and You
This class will focus on the marketing materials you need to help you, your ensemble and your show get to the next level--taught by an expert in all three. Shaun Landry has not only brought her improv group national exposure, she has opened doors for her group and herself to be scouted by television executives, casting directors and talent agents. Her improv group Oui Be Negroes has performed alongside Woody Harrelson and Robin Williams because of Shaun's amazing marketing techniques.

Instructor: Shaun Landry is the Artistic Director of Oui Be Negroes. She is founder of The San Francisco Improv Alliance and producer of The San Francisco Improv Festival. Other credits include The National Touring Company of The Second City, The Second City Children's Theatre Co., the UPN San Francisco television show "Seriously Unusual Television Network," the upcoming Bob Zagone film "Reads You Like a Book," starring Danny Glover, and "The Pursuit of Happyness," starring Will Smith.

Saturday, June 7 @ 12:30pm: Comedy Festival Seminar
A panel of comedy festival producers will discuss the process of festival submissions, how to stand out in a pile and what it takes to put up a festival. A Q&A, handouts and examples will be provided.

The panel will include Bill Binder (The Phoenix Improv Festival), Shaun Landry (The San Francisco Improv Festival), Kevin Patrick Robbins (Toronto Improv Festival), Butch Roy (Twincities Improv Festival), Jim Mendrinos (NY Underground Comedy Festival) and Angie McMahon (Snubfest).

Saturday, June 7 @ 3:00pm: Dialogue Quick Course
Explore a variety of dialogue styles that will enrich all of your character choices. You will learn to economize your dialogue and strip out unnecessary exposition, explanations and justifications. Learn a variety of dialogue techniques that will improve your scene, lead to less conflict-driven and more relationship-driven scenes, and some that just make the scene much cooler.

Instructor: Kevin Patrick Robbins is the artistic director of Toronto's Impatient Theatre Co. and Canada's leading instructor of long-form improvisation. An emerging thought-leader in the art form, his techniques and approach to improvisation have quickly established his company as Canada's most progressive training ground for improv. In six short years, the Impatient Theatre Co. and its players have reached international acclaim, performing and headlining shows at festivals throughout Canada and the U.S.

Sunday, June 8 @ Noon: Starting Out Strong
The beginnings of shows should be more than a chance to create chaos or fulfill some requirement of your format. Those beginning minutes of a show are a chance to check in with your ensemble, to find and agree on the focus and direction of your show, and hopefully, to invite the audience to come on the journey with you rather than confusing them. This workshop uses techniques to unify and strengthen your ensemble's openings.

Instructor: Bill Binder has directed the Phoenix Improv Festival for the last two years and been head of the selection committee. He has also been invited to perform at several Festivals including CIF, Del Close, LA Improv Fest, Out of Bounds, Southern Improv Fest, etc. He has learned that submissions to festivals can be much more likely to be accepted when they define themselves quickly, especially in a pile of tapes. This doesn't necessarily mean doing something crazy right off the bat, but simply using the beginning of your show to define what the viewer is about to see. He feels he has developed some ideas that can help a troupe form their show this way. Actually, beyond festival submissions, he feels this is a great tool for any show for any audience: inviting the viewer in with an anticipation and expectation of what's to come.

Sunday, June 8 @ 2:30pm: Diversity in Improv
Class description to be announced; check the Chemically Imbalanced website for updates.

Instructor: Marz Timms has performed in more than 100 productions across the U.S., and in numerous commercials from McDonald's to Nintendo. Past festivals he has performed in include: Around the Coyote Arts Festival; Del Close Marathon at the UCB Theater in NYC; 6th annual Chicago Improv Festival; Chicago Sketchfest; Austin, Texas Big Stinkin' Improv Festival; Miami Improv Festival; and Kansas City Improv Festival. Timms is the creator of Pimprov, a improv/sketch group that tours all over the U.S. and Canada. As a comedic writer, he has written for standup comics, The Second City, plays and sketch shows, and is working on a television pilot.