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May 22

iO West offers a variety of writing classes including Alternative Comedy Writing and Sketch for Stage. Check out the full list of classes and take the chance to stretch your creative muscles. http://ioimprov.com/west/classes/registration

May 21

Hey TEENS! iO West wants YOU!!!

iO West is offering TWO 5-day improv workshops - JUST FOR TEENS!!!  AWESOME!

Are you a high school student between the ages of 13 & 18?  Are you the funniest person in class?  Do you love the stage?  Do you love IMPROV???  Then check out our summertime Teen Improv Workshop!!!

More info when you read below!

Teen Improv Workshop (5 days) – $250

iO West’s Teens classes introduce the fundamental skills of improvisational comedy, the hilarious art form that sparked the success of comedians like Tina Fey, Jason Sudeikis, Seth Meyers, Amy Poehler and many more! Classes will focus on teamwork, characters, storytelling, and truthful comedy through imaginative games and scene work. Through their study of improv, students will learn valuable skills that are not only must-haves for television, film, and commercials but for performing, comedy, and life. All classes culminate in a final performance where they will have the chance to show off their improv chops on the iO West Mainstage!

Classes are Monday - Friday from 1pm - 4pm with a class show on Saturday. Sign up for one or both weeks!

Begins 06/17/13 – 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM – DCT – Tiffani Mills
Begins 06/24/13 – 1:00 PM - 4:00PM – DCT – Tiffani Mills

Hurry, hurry!  Classes are filling up fast!  SIGN UP HERE TODAY!!!

May 20

“With improv, it’s a combination of listening and not trying to be funny.” — Kristen Wiig 

May 19

Harold Night! Wednesday, May 22nd 8:30-11:30pm

May 18

“Many people have the idea that to improvise you have to get up on a stage and ‘make it up.’ While it’s true that that’s the bulk of it, it could also be said that the bulk of driving is pointing the car, so let’s allow five-year-olds to do it. Bad idea. To master the art of improv can take many years, and a great understanding, not just of improv’s tenets, but those of many different disciplines. Because there are fewer parameters than any other performing art, one must be prepared for anything that comes your way. That includes forays into the worlds of writing, directing, design, dance, music, singing, mime, stage combat, and especially acting. Once you’ve got all of these down, then you can say that improv is easy.” — Jeff Catanese, Improv Review

May 16

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May 15

Brian James O’Connell’s Level 4 Notes

iO’s Craig Cackowski (Quartet) normally teaches the bulk of Level 4 classes.  Right now, he’s off being awesome in film and tv.  So we had even more instructors to choose from!  One of the Level 4 classes is being taught by iO Performer and Instructor Brian O’Connell (Dr. God).  I have the pleasure of taking this class, and bringing you as much as I can interpret from my last few pages of hurried note-taking. I present you with a few of my favorite BOC Nuggets of Wisdom, courtesy of iO West, Level 4, and Brian O’Connell.

A Helpful Note:  Level 4 at iO focuses on advanced scene work.  Thus far, that has meant taking all the small details of any given scene: body language, object work, dialogue, game, stage work, transitions, editing, call backs, emotional and character commitment, breathing— and digging in ten times deeper.  It’s amazing and so freeing.

- Characters should be an inch wide, and a mile deep.  Thus, play off the little information that you have for your character so far, and keep digging deeper and deeper into their history, habits and eccentricities.

                - Additionally, commit emotionally to every character and scene. 

                - It’s better to have an ocean that fits in your pocket than a planet sized scene.

                - Try using own word instead of six for what you’re saying.  Make your statements poignant, don’t overexplain.

                -  Let there be a MacGuffin in your scenes if need be, but let it just be that.  Focus on the relationships in the scene, not the objects.

          Mac·Guf·fin - noun \mə-ˈgə-fən\ : an object, event, or character in a film or story that serves to set and keep the plot in motion despite usually lacking intrinsic importance.

            Example: The briefcase in Pulp Fiction.

- Scenes always have to do with the 5 things revolving around The Human Condition:

            - Mortality

            - Sexuality

            - Political

            - Religion

            - Social Structure

- Keep in mind:

            - Who am I?

            - Who are you?

            - How do I feel about myself?

            - How do I feel about you?

            - What is it about these 2 people that will make them live unhappy and unfulfilled?

            - Why would I watch this?

And finally,

            - Where are we?

            - What are we doing?

The quote I hear most often from Brian is “You are not allowed to use this art form to feel bad about yourself.”  Which tells you a bit of what kind of instructor he is, and probably what kind of neurotic student I am.  In any case, you can see Brian perform at io with teams Dr. God and The Armando Show.  He also performs and teaches at the Miles Stroth Workshop located at The Complex.  

By Maria Oviedo

May 13

“The truth is you can acquire any quality you want by acting as though you already
have it.” —  Joseph Murphy

May 07

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