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November '11 Phoenix Workshops

Our workshops are the heart of our method.
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"The aspect I most enjoyed was the non-stop, full-on emotional experience of being hopelessly alive..." Jeanne Trackda

Most Recent National Workshops
(Click here for ongoing, DC-area workshops)
 
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The Improvised Play for the Experienced Improv Troupe
 
Sunday, November 6, 2011, 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm For Chaos Comedy at the Dearing Studio

"Gary is a wealth of knowledge with a unique perspective on the craft. Our troupe will definitely be having him back time and time again! " Mathhew Dearing, Owner/Director Chaos Comedy, Phoenix, Az.

While it takes years to master the art of improvising a great play, this 3-hour workshop does the next, best thing: it provides the principles and tools to kick-start the process. In addition, the workshop is designed to cause a permanent shift in the improvisers' perceptions on stage, a shift that facilitates consistently exciting and rich scene work, and the improvising of entire plays that combine the excitement of short-form improv with the richness and power of a well-written play. 

"This is patient learning. It focuses on real acting with improv. Improv doesn't always have to be about a punch line; it can be about real situations and real characters, and it creates something beautiful and powerful. It is not the same old thing that people are used to seeing." Carrie Benton"We were blown away by what was accomplished with just a few hours! Gary's direction was incredibly helpfil; he was able to immediately pinpoint our troupe's stuggles and steer us in an emotionally honest direction. We can't wait to have him back". Leeann Dearing

Improv-for-Everyone Workshop
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Taught by Gary Jacobs, Artistic Director of the Center for Improvised Plays and Scripts 

"Absolutely terrific class! It went so smooth and I had a blast! I felt like I was able to reach inside and pull emotions out and project them." Jessie Meredith

Where: Center for Divine Awakening 15801 N. 40th Street Phoenix, AZ 85032    602-569-7421
When: Friday night, November 4th, 2011 7-10PM and Saturday, November 5th, 2011 11AM-2PM

This workshop creates a supportive, fun, and playful space to

  • connect with others in profound and unexpected ways
  • exercise your communication skills
  • experience personal growth
  • nurture and release your creative impulses
  • explore how to shape those impulses and connections into art
  • co-create funny and dramatic scenes, a profound act of spiritual transformation

Want a peak inside the workshop? Here are reviews from the most recent class:

"Over the course of 3 hours, we explored a range of emotions, performed in sync, and stretched our imaginations in the workshop. I believe that the mark of an excellent facilitator is the ease and flow of the participants experience; in this respect, Gary is unparalleled. Gary was encouraging and professional. When he participated, his joy and passion for the craft was contagious. After the workshop, I feel confident, energized, and eager to learn and explore more. Thank you for sparking a love of improvisational expression, Gary!" Henry Dodson "The workshop showed me a lot of ways to be more aware of the people I am interacting with. It was my first improv lesson and Iearned just as much from watching as doing". Terry Hall

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Principles of Improvising a Play Workshop 

Taught by Gary Jacobs, Artistic Director of the Center for Improvised Play and Scripts 

"The workshop exposed facets of myself I had never before experienced. Powerfui. I need to do it again" Jonathan Bartlett 

Where: Center for Divine Awakening 15801 N. 40th Street Phoenix, AZ 85032    602-569-7421
When: Saturday, November 5th 2011  Session 1: 2-5PM

This workshop explores the principles for creating great improvised plays. Designed to meld the in-the-moment excitement of the best short-form improv scenes and games with the depth and power of a well-scripted play, workshop focuses on how to achieve consistently great improvised scenes, the basic building block of all good plays. 

Want a peak inside the workshop? Here are reviews from the most recent class:

"Very educational! I learned a lot of valuable techniqes that I will incorporate into my acting and teaching. Fun, enlightening, and interesting." Lauren Antioco"I really felt rejuvinated and refreshed in the simplcity of improv that then forms complex connections and relationships between scene partners." Sarah Harvey
"I felt like I got back to the basics while improving my skills. Sometimes, as an improviser, it's easy to forget the basics and this workshop brought those basics back for me. I had a lot of fun and really loved the message that reaction is more important than planning ahead." Carrie Benton "Thanks, Gary for getting me back to the basics of improv training. Doing film and camera work, this will really help me in my acting training." Cory Henderson