Improv Revolution presents
The Coup de Comedy Festival Workshops
FREE reservations recommended as space is limited. (First Come First Served!)
If the event is not filled to capacity, we will allow “walk ups” to attend the workshops.
A reservation and arriving on time guarantees your space.
FESTIVAL DAY 3: Friday, May 9, 2014
Sketch Comedy Writing Workshop
Instructor: Cherie Kerr
When: Festival Day 3: Friday, May 9 – 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Where: Studio 4
Instructor Bio:
Cherie Kerr, founder and Artistic Director for the Orange County Crazies, OC’s premier sketch and improv comedy organization, founded in 1990, is also a founding member of the world-famous Groundlings (Will Farrell, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Chris Kattan and many others).
Kerr has written two books that deal with comedy: “Build to Laugh: How to Construct Sketch Comedy With the Fast and Funny Formula,” and “Who’s There?: How to Conceive, Create and Develop Original Characters.” The former is used as a training manual at Second City in Chicago colleges and sketch groups across the country.
Kerr has segued her decades of experience as an improv performer and comedy writer into the indie film world. Her first indie film, “We’ve Got Balls,” is currently seeking distribution. Her new film, “Small Claims,” is in pre-production. “Balls” was the winner of 7 major awards in the festival circuit last year including “Best Comedy.” Kerr was named “Filmmaker of the Year” at the Action on Sports International Film Festival.”
She regularly teaches improv and writing courses to students throughout Southern California.
LIMITED WALK-UP ADMISSIONS: A small number of seats will be available for those who were unable to reserve advance tickets online. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. In addition, any unclaimed seats at 10 minutes prior to the event will be reassigned. All available seats will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. *
Reserve your FREE spot at the show on Wednesday, April 9, 2014!
The Art of Clowning Workshop
Instructor: Eli Simon
When: Festival Day 3: Friday, May 9 – 1-3 pm
Where: Studio 4
Instructor Bio:
Eli Simon is a professor of drama at UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts and the author of The Art of Clowning: More Paths to Your Inner Clown, which illuminates a complete system of clowning that encourages the exploration, expansion, and fortification of your distinct clown persona. A natural result of these investigations will be the development of original clown routines performed alone or in partnership with other clowns. If you are interested in exploring and inhabiting your unique clown persona, the techniques described herein demystify the process, yielding swift and deep access to the clown in you.
LIMITED WALK-UP ADMISSIONS: A small number of seats will be available for those who were unable to reserve advance tickets online. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. In addition, any unclaimed seats at 10 minutes prior to the event will be reassigned. All available seats will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. *
Reserve your FREE spot at the show on Wednesday, April 9, 2014!
Tao of Comedy Stand-up Workshop
Instructor: Bobbie Oliver
When: Festival Day 3: Friday, May 9: 1-3 pm
Where: Nixon Theatre
Instructor Bio:
Bobbie Oliver is a 25-year veteran stand-up comic. She has been teaching comedy for 10 years. Over 700 comics have worked with her and her Tao of Comedy Workshops are the number one stand-up workshops in Los Angeles. Bobbie is the author of The Tao of Comedy: Embrace the Pause and just opened Tao Comedy Studio in Los Angeles.
LIMITED WALK-UP ADMISSIONS: A small number of seats will be available for those who were unable to reserve advance tickets online. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. In addition, any unclaimed seats at 10 minutes prior to the event will be reassigned. All available seats will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. *
Reserve your FREE spot at the show on Wednesday, April 9, 2014!
Group Scenes Reduced
Instructor: Dave Razowsky
When: Festival Day 3: Friday, May 9 – 3-5 pm
Where: Studio 4
Instructor Bio:
David Razowsky is one of the top teachers of theatrical improvisation and acting. He has been called “the guru of improvisation, an improviser’s improviser,” who connects the mindfulness of Buddhism with improvisation’s core principals of being in the moment, taking care of your partner, and groundedness. In his 25-year improvisation career David has worked with The Second City, iO West, The Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Dreamworks, BBC’s Whose Line Is It Anyway, and Amsterdam’s Boom Chicago Theatre. He was Artistic Director of The Second City Training Center Los Angeles, has been honored with an INNY award for Best Improv Coach, and is adjunct faculty in the California State University system. He has been a featured performer and lecturer at the Chicago Improv Festival, The San Francisco Improv Festival, the Vancouver Improv Festival, and The Kennedy Center. David continues to act and direct professionally in Los Angeles.
LIMITED WALK-UP ADMISSIONS: A small number of seats will be available for those who were unable to reserve advance tickets online. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. In addition, any unclaimed seats at 10 minutes prior to the event will be reassigned. All available seats will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. *
Reserve your FREE spot at the show on Wednesday, April 9, 2014!
Musical Improvisation
Instructor: James Thomas Bailey
When: Festival Day 3: Friday, May 9 – 3-5 pm
Where: Little Theater
Instructor Bio:
James Thomas Bailey is the Artistic Director of the National Comedy Theatre in Hollywood, and producer of LA’s longest-running show, ComedySport®z, now in its 25th year. In addition to ComedySportz, he also directs two current shows: Chickspeare (all-female improvised Shakespeare) and U-sical, (an improvised musical based on the life of an audience member). Mr. Bailey created The High School League® in southern California, the largest teen improv program in the United States. For his work in education, Mr. Bailey was inducted in the California Thespians Hall of Fame and received the lifetime achievement Medallion from the California Educational Theatre Association. He is the author of the new book Teaching Improv: A Practical Classroom Guide for the Theatre Educator. Mr. Bailey is also in demand as a corporate trainer and consultant, having taught such powerhouses at Walt Disney, ABC Television, Nestle, Coca-Cola and many more. He is also a consultant for the US State Department and recently returned from working with the American embassy and Ministry of Culture in Cyprus, teaching more than seven hundred theatre educators and actors across Cyprus.
LIMITED WALK-UP ADMISSIONS: A small number of seats will be available for those who were unable to reserve advance tickets online. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. In addition, any unclaimed seats at 10 minutes prior to the event will be reassigned. All available seats will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. *
Reserve your FREE spot at the show on Wednesday, April 9, 2014!
The Power of your Presence Premium Workshop – SOLD OUT
Instructor: Dave Razowsky
When: Festival Day 3: Friday, May 9 – 5:00 -7:00 pm
Where: Studio 4
Instructor Bio:
David Razowsky is one of the top teachers of theatrical improvisation and acting. He has been called “the guru of improvisation, an improviser’s improviser,” who connects the mindfulness of Buddhism with improvisation’s core principals of being in the moment, taking care of your partner, and groundedness. In his 25-year improvisation career David has worked with The Second City, iO West, The Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Dreamworks, BBC’s Whose Line Is It Anyway, and Amsterdam’s Boom Chicago Theatre. He was Artistic Director of The Second City Training Center Los Angeles, has been honored with an INNY award for Best Improv Coach, and is adjunct faculty in the California State University system. He has been a featured performer and lecturer at the Chicago Improv Festival, The San Francisco Improv Festival, the Vancouver Improv Festival, and The Kennedy Center. David continues to act and direct professionally in Los Angeles.
FESTIVAL DAY 3: Saturday, May 10, 2014
Musical Improv Workshop
Instructor: Allen Simpson
When: Festival Day 4: Saturday, May 10 – 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Where: The Nixon Theatre
Instructor Bio:
Allen Simpson‘s Musical Improv Workshop makes improv singing fun and exciting. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner or an experienced singer, Allen’s workshop has something for everyone. Taught in an encouraging and supportive atmosphere, Allen provides participants with many tools for improvising songs, including song structure, rhyming techniques, how to end a song, different music styles and more. One of the best aspects of the workshop is the confidence that players will take with them not only into their musical improv but also into all areas of their performing.
Allen Simpson is an L.A.-based composer and songwriter and recently wrote the song “High to be Loathed” for FOX’s The Simpsons, sung by Harry Shearer as Mr. Burns (in the episode “Gorgeous Grandpa”). He was also composer and co-lyricist for the Saturn Award winning musical Fellowship!, a musical parody of The Fellowship of the Ring. He’s written songs for writer/director David Zucker (Airplane!, Police Squad!) and has has created music for the The Sarah Silverman Program, VH-1’s Acceptable TV and the DVD for Jack Black’s Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny. He’s collaborated with directors/producers Dan Harmon (Community, Monster House) and Rob Schrab (The Sarah Silverman Program, Children’s Hospital) numerous times, and he’s had music on ABC, VH-1, Comedy Central, FX, PAX-TV, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, The Wayne Brady Show and many other shows and films. He also plays live keyboards and guitar for many comedy groups around L.A., including The Groundlings, ComedySportz, Theatresports, Impro Theatre, Second City and I.O. West.
LIMITED WALK-UP ADMISSIONS: A small number of seats will be available for those who were unable to reserve advance tickets online. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. In addition, any unclaimed seats at 10 minutes prior to the event will be reassigned. All available seats will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. *
Creating Characters for Improv Workshop
Instructor: Tracy Burns
When: Festival Day 4: Saturday, May 10 – 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Where: The Little Theatre
Instructor Bio:
In this fun and exciting character intensive, participants will have the opportunity to create many diverse characters — from huge and exaggerated to small and subtle. Students will learn how to use gestures, rhythms, ticks, quirks, postures and other physical attributes to quickly develop a variety of fully realized and distinct characters. While physicality is obviously emphasized, Tracy also teaches how to stay emotionally invested even while playing big and wacky characters. Whether participants consider themselves to be highly cerebral and analytical or more physical and movement-oriented, Creating Characters For Improv has something for everyone.
Tracy Burns is an actor/improviser and has been teaching and performing internationally for more years than she’s willing to tell you. With credits in film, television and theater, Tracy has done everything from acting and directing to voiceover and casting. Back Stage L.A. recently named her one of the top improv instructors in Los Angeles. She teaches acting and improv at Pepperdine University and acting (to animation students) at Chapman University. She also teaches improv to animators and other other artists at Pixar and DreamWorks. Tracy teaches and performs with many groups such as Second City, ACME Comedy Theatre, ComedySportz, BATS improv and the award-winning Impro Theatre. She has performed regularly with Fred Willard, Wayne Brady, Micheal McShane and has also played to enthusiastic Klingons and Romulans at Star Trek conventions with The Earnest Borg-9, starring Wil Wheaton.
LIMITED WALK-UP ADMISSIONS: A small number of seats will be available for those who were unable to reserve advance tickets online. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. In addition, any unclaimed seats at 10 minutes prior to the event will be reassigned. All available seats will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. *
Reserve your FREE spot at the show on Wednesday, April 9, 2014!
Starting Scenes with Confidence
Instructor: Dan O’Connor
When: Festival Day 4: Saturday, May 10 – 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Where: TBA
Instructor Bio:
Dan O’Connor has been teaching, directing, and performing improvisation for over 20 years. He is an internationally recognized teacher and improvisation innovator. He is a co-founder of BATS Improv in San Francisco and L.A.Theatresports. He is currently the Artistic Director of Impro Theatre in Los Angeles. For Impro Theatre, he was directed and performed in Jane Austen Unscripted (Oregon Shakespeare Festival Green Show, Broad Stage, Throckmorton Theatre, Theatre Asylum, North Coast Rep); Sondheim Unscripted (Melbourne Fringe, Theatre Asylum, Theatre/Theater); Chekhov Unscripted (Odyssey Theatre, Edge Fest, North Coast Rep); and Shakespeare Unscripted (OSF Green Show, Athenaeum Theatre: Chicago, Little Fish Theatre, Theater of Arts and currently at the Carrie Hamilton Theatre upstairs at the Pasadena Playhouse).
LIMITED WALK-UP ADMISSIONS: A small number of seats will be available for those who were unable to reserve advance tickets online. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. In addition, any unclaimed seats at 10 minutes prior to the event will be reassigned. All available seats will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. *
Reserve your FREE spot at the show on Wednesday, April 9, 2014!
Stand Up with Barry Weisenberg
Instructor: Barry Weisenberg
When: Festival Day 4: Saturday, May 10 – 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Where: TBA
Instructor Bio:
Barry Weisenberg has been teaching stand-up comedy at West Los Angeles Community College for over 10 years. He is also a comedy instructor at the DePietro Performance Center in Orange County, California. He has released a CD entitled ‘Extreme Comedy’ and he also writes comedy material for many comedians who are performing in Southern California. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Barry has been doing standup comedy since December 1991, after taking a beginning comedy class from Steve Klasky, who was Will Ferrell’s first comedy coach. Barry’s many accomplishments are below:
- 2006: winner, Las Vegas comedy festival, winner
- 2007: second place finish in the Comedy Idol competition at the Ontario Mills Improv
- 2011: second place finish (one point behind first place) at the 2011 Orange County’s Funniest Person Competition (2009 and 2010: 3rd place finish)
- Finalist, 4 years in a row, O.C.’s Funniest Person Contest
- 2011: I was also in the finals of the Rickies One Liner Contest at the Comedy Store Hollywood in October of 2011.
Barry performs at numerous comedy clubs, benefits, many clean and corporate shows, and colleges. He regularly appears monthly at the Irvine Improv, as well as spots at the Ontario Mills Improv, and The Jon Lovitz comedy club at Universal Citywalk.
LIMITED WALK-UP ADMISSIONS: A small number of seats will be available for those who were unable to reserve advance tickets online. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. In addition, any unclaimed seats at 10 minutes prior to the event will be reassigned. All available seats will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. *
Long Form Improvisation Workshop
Instructor: Donovan Scott
When: Festival Day 4: Saturday, May 10 – 2-5 pm
Where: TBA
Instructor Bio:
Donovan Scott (born September 29, 1946) is an American character film actor best known for his role of cadet Leslie Barbara in the 1984 film Police Academy starring together with Steve Guttenberg. He also appeared in the music video for Olivia Newton-John’s 1981 hit “Physical”, and co-starred in Lucille Ball’s 1986 ABC-TV series Life with Lucy.
Donovan Scott’s 3 hour, Long form (or Harold), improv workshop, promises laughs and an instant hands on experience into the realm of improvisation. Through comedy and improv techniques. Donovan will, while Sharing his skills as a Comedia and improv performer, maneuver you through the basic techniques to successfully perform a Harold. You will warm-up, play a few short form games, to evaluate your skills and quickly start to build your awareness and Sharpen your skills of listening and responding quickly to your partners ideas and needs. Improv is not about how clever you speak and think. It’s about awareness of you surroundings (who, what, where), and how to use those elements to help you perform instantly. It about trusting you instincts, instead of your head, it’s about freedom Long form is about how to join into a situation and how to get out of a situation. We will create many situations and learn the basic trick of SURVIVAL. The greatest skill you will need for this class is commitment to take a chance and be willing to be wrong. There is no judgment in this class, only positive support and a great sense of humor. Lets have some fun. The more mistakes we can make the closer to genius our paths will take us.
LIMITED WALK-UP ADMISSIONS: A small number of seats will be available for those who were unable to reserve advance tickets online. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. In addition, any unclaimed seats at 10 minutes prior to the event will be reassigned. All available seats will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. *
Reserve your FREE spot at the show on Wednesday, April 9, 2014!
Sketch Comedy Workshop
Instructor: Marc Warzecha
When: Festival Day 4: Saturday, May 10 – 3-6 pm
Where: TBA
Instructor Bio:
Marc Warzecha lives in Los Angeles where he appeared on MAD TV and Reno 911. He has worked with The Second City as an actor, writer, and director, most recently co-writing and directing Can You Be More Pacific? at the Laguna Playhouse and directing A Christmas Carol: Twist Your Dickens at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Other recent SoCal directing credits include SCC’s An Evening with Martin Short; BarackStars at the Woolly Mammoth theatre in Washington, DC; The Art of Satire, a collaboration with The Economist Magazine; Pratfall of Civilization (The Second City ETC – Joseph Jefferson nominee: “Best Director”); War! Now in it’s 4th Smash Year! (Second City Chicago Mainstage- Joseph Jefferson nominee: Best Director, Best Revue, Best Ensemble); and Second City resident shows in Las Vegas and Michigan. Marc served as writer/director for last year’s political satire Kwame a River: The Chronicles of Detroit’s Hip Hop Mayor, a 2009 Wilde Award nominee for “Best New Script” and its follow-up show Kwame a River 2: The Wrath of Conyers. Marc’s work as a satirist has been featured on ABC’s Nightline, Newsweek, and in the Washington Post. He has also been a guest on CNN’s Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and NPR’s All Things Considered.
LIMITED WALK-UP ADMISSIONS: A small number of seats will be available for those who were unable to reserve advance tickets online. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. In addition, any unclaimed seats at 10 minutes prior to the event will be reassigned. All available seats will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. *
Reserve your FREE spot at the show on Wednesday, April 9, 2014!
Hope to see you at one or more of our exciting workshops!
Improv Revolution 