***This course is now full. Please sign up to be informed when we open the next one!***
Short description (scroll down for longer version):
Learn to improvise with our wonderful instructor and school manager, Colin Willox. We’re excited to open one of our popular Intro to Improvised Theater cohorts—no experience is necessary (really, none). So come and meet some new people, move around and get out of your head! If you’ve got a bit of experience and want a refresher, that’s also great. What matters is that you’re open-minded, excited about storytelling, and wanna have lots of fun in a safe space with like-minded friends. If so, this course is for you!
*
Quick Details:
Intro to Improvisational Theater • 8 weeks • Thursday evenings from Feb 9, 2023 – Mar 30, 2023 • 19:00 (7PM) - 21:30 (9:30PM) • Franz-Mehring Platz 1 • English fluency (or near) is required • 14 spots available • Cost = 210 EUR earlybird or 240 EUR starting Jan 30 (plz let us know if you’re a student or asylum seeker and we can discuss a discount) • Instructor: Colin Willox
*
To secure your spot now, please do TWO things: email colin@scratchtheater.com to let us know you're signing up AND pay the appropriate fee to the following account:
Colin Willox
N26 Bank
IBAN: DE65 1001 1001 2621 3619 52
BIC: NTSBDEB1XXX
Note: "Intro course Feb 2023"
Your spot is secure once your payment is visible in the bank account. Send a screenshot if you want us to be sure we know you’ve paid in time, since sometimes banks in other countries can take more time than those in Germany to make the transfer. Note that if we are forced to cancel any classes due to a government-enforced lockdown, we will retain your payment on record to ensure you get make-up classes once we re-open. By signing up, you agree to our school policies.
*
Long description
This course will reignite your sense of discovery. It's time to jump in and play in a safe environment with a few special people as open-minded as you, eager, and willing to get silly and emotional without fear of judgement. It's a fun introduction to impro whether you're an artist, public speaker, storyteller, or none of those fancy things. You’ll learn to use impro in scenes and in your everyday life.
We start with impro games and slowly begin diving into emotions and storytelling. There is no emphasis on being funny in this course. We believe humour derives from the moment, vulnerable and real. In this safe environment we will celebrate failing, empowering you to find your voice.
Over 8 weeks you'll work together with others to create something never done before – you’ll learn to be an improviser.
Trust, collaboration, and honesty between players is the biggest strength a group of improvisers has. We really believe this. Everyone will get loads of time to play and try things out. And of course, we strive to create a space everyone can feel safe to explore in.
You’ll learn the basics of:
* Failing with confidence and excitement
* Looking after your fellow players and dropping any ego
* Moving forward by saying “yes, and…” to others’ ideas
* Creating original and believable characters
* Building real relationships using the complexity of everyday life
* Striving towards a clear objective with your characters
* Imagining and really seeing where you are and what is there
* Working with high and low status to create contrast in relationships
* Using emotions to add colour and believability to scenes
… and much more!
****
We’re humbled to have had some students say nice things:
“I enjoyed just having a safe space to be a kid again and to give into imagination and impulses.”
“I liked that we started slowly… learning to build characters and stories by first focusing on body language, tone of voice, mirroring emotions and then putting it all together.”
“I learned not only about improv, but about myself. I gained some skills for everyday life.”
“Everyone was a noob, so didn't feel like I was on the spot.”
"Starting with Scratch was one of my highlights of the year!"
*
We’re looking forward to it! If you have questions, please message Colin: colin@scratchtheater.com.
——
About the instructor:
Colin’s style of teaching and performing is based on playing together—honouring the fun that underlies great scenes and stories. When players trust each other and themselves, they let down their guard and go with the flow. This leads to touching stories with moments of laughter that are born organically rather than reaching for jokes. Having improvised regularly for almost 10 years, Colin is now a mainstay on various Berlin stages showcasing long-form improvisation. He performs with Scratch Theater on a monthly basis. Otherwise, he performs with Lee White and Inbal Lori as part of the !HOW CONVENIENT! cast at Berlin’s permiere improv stage, the Ratibor Theater. Recently, he founded a new group with Joanna Jourdan, Lee White, and Scratch Theater’s Naomi Blakeslee known as The Marbelles. Colin has trained for years with Robert Rodgers and other instructors from around the world: Stacy Abrams, Daniel Orrantia, Tim Orr and more. He manages the Scratch Impro School.