Italic text are my post workshop comments
So, Soon I have my Improv Workshop
To prepare for this workshop, I created a basic lesson Plan. It follows this.
-Start out with a Basic introduction to Improv
Such as the type of people that perform improv, how improv is beneficial to the mind, the origins of improv and some of the concepts that improv is founded on.
This went well, but a bit faster then I expected, none the less I had the class interested.
-Some Games
We will then play some games, to break the ice and get the mood right. The games would include,
One Word, a game where you create a story using one word inputs from each person in a circle.
Last Letter Roll, Where i say Aardvark, and the next person would say Kansas, and the next could say Sofa and so on.
The games went amazingly and really broke the ice around the workshop. It allowed the class to become more genuine and forwarded the notion that improv can be fun, and that it requires genuine actions to make it believable.
-Basic Improv Idea's
Then we will discuss, and practice the most fundamental part of improv, character creation.
To me, character creation is really the foundation of Improv. I will explain this to the class and hopefully help them create some characters.
It seems most of the class had their own characters preprogrammed, but i encouraged them to break out from that and make a new character on the spot, to enhance the genuine surprise that they could show during class.
-Practice the Characters
Next I'll have the class spend about a minute or two getting into their characters and developing them.This will prepare them for their next task, which is to have a 1 minute monologue/bit where they (while in character) talk about themselves or present a scene.
It seemed that one minute was not enough and i ended up allotting five minutes for character creation, but ti worked better. If you rush the students, it seems that the characters can become flawed. The presentations went well, as well, due tot he extra allotted time.
-Refine the Characters
Now, they will spend another 1-2 minutes refining their characters, and editing the personalities.
I found out that this section
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is best done in solitude, so that the actors can introspect.
-Test those characters
To finalize their characters, I will have them pair up and be given a controversial topic to debate over. This will hopefully put them in a situation they had not prepared for, and make their characters responses more genuine, and less pre-scripted.
This went amazingly, and was by far the best part of the whole workshop. Watching people fight over such topics as same-sex marriage and racism, while in character was spectacular. especially when you realize that these characters were created no more than 20-30 minutes ago.
-Wrap It Up
Go over what they have learned, and what they will use it for.
Every student admitted they learned something from the workshop, and that they enjoyed it. I had a blast with the workshop on the whole, and wouldn't change a thing (except for the time allotted of course). I loved the workshop, and am already thinking about doing another. Also here are some photos that were taken during the workshop.
So, Soon I have my Improv Workshop
To prepare for this workshop, I created a basic lesson Plan. It follows this.
-Start out with a Basic introduction to Improv
Such as the type of people that perform improv, how improv is beneficial to the mind, the origins of improv and some of the concepts that improv is founded on.
This went well, but a bit faster then I expected, none the less I had the class interested.
-Some Games
We will then play some games, to break the ice and get the mood right. The games would include,
One Word, a game where you create a story using one word inputs from each person in a circle.
Last Letter Roll, Where i say Aardvark, and the next person would say Kansas, and the next could say Sofa and so on.
The games went amazingly and really broke the ice around the workshop. It allowed the class to become more genuine and forwarded the notion that improv can be fun, and that it requires genuine actions to make it believable.
-Basic Improv Idea's
Then we will discuss, and practice the most fundamental part of improv, character creation.
To me, character creation is really the foundation of Improv. I will explain this to the class and hopefully help them create some characters.
It seems most of the class had their own characters preprogrammed, but i encouraged them to break out from that and make a new character on the spot, to enhance the genuine surprise that they could show during class.
-Practice the Characters
Next I'll have the class spend about a minute or two getting into their characters and developing them.This will prepare them for their next task, which is to have a 1 minute monologue/bit where they (while in character) talk about themselves or present a scene.
It seemed that one minute was not enough and i ended up allotting five minutes for character creation, but ti worked better. If you rush the students, it seems that the characters can become flawed. The presentations went well, as well, due tot he extra allotted time.
-Refine the Characters
Now, they will spend another 1-2 minutes refining their characters, and editing the personalities.
I found out that this section
-Test those characters
To finalize their characters, I will have them pair up and be given a controversial topic to debate over. This will hopefully put them in a situation they had not prepared for, and make their characters responses more genuine, and less pre-scripted.
This went amazingly, and was by far the best part of the whole workshop. Watching people fight over such topics as same-sex marriage and racism, while in character was spectacular. especially when you realize that these characters were created no more than 20-30 minutes ago.
-Wrap It Up
Go over what they have learned, and what they will use it for.
Every student admitted they learned something from the workshop, and that they enjoyed it. I had a blast with the workshop on the whole, and wouldn't change a thing (except for the time allotted of course). I loved the workshop, and am already thinking about doing another. Also here are some photos that were taken during the workshop.
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