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Improv 301 — Harold Structure

Saturdays 3-6pm starting Apr 19, 2008
Prerequisites: Completion of Improv 201
Cost: $300

This course introduces students to the long form improvisation structure known as “The Harold,” developed by Del Close.

In the first four weeks, students will study “Group Games”, scenes that involve multiple performers. Instruction will focus on teaching students a number of different ways to approach performing these group scenes. They will also study a variety of “Openings”, which are stylized methods of using an audience’s suggestion to generate enough content to support a half hour long improvised performance piece.

In the second four weeks of the course, students will put all of the techniques learned in Improvisation 101, 201, and the first four weeks of 301 into action by putting together fully formed Harolds.

This course meets for three hours a week for eight sessions. At the end of the course, students will take part in a class performance at the UCB Theatre. Graduation is also contingent upon students seeing at least two improvised shows at the UCB Theater before the end of the course.

Class Size: 14 Students

NO CLASS MAY 24

Class meets at MetaTheatre in West Hollywood

Sean Conroy

conroy, sean
Sean Conroy has studied improvisation with every member of the Upright Citizens Brigade as well as Armando Diaz and Kevin Mullaney. He has performed stand-up comedy on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Late Friday on NBC. His one-man show, Taught, was selected for the 2001 HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado. He has written for the Comedy Central show Shorties Watching Shorties as well as Comedy Central's Crossballs. He has appeared in the feature films Happy Hour, Martin and Orloff, The Untitled Onion Sketch Movie and Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story. He improvised with Chicago City Limits in national tours and as a mainstage player in their Off-Broadway show. Sean is also a founding member of the longform improv group, The Swarm. He currently performs every Saturday and Sunday in ASSSSCAT.

Student Feedback

"Sean is an excellent instructor. He provided honest, valuable feedback in a constructive and encouraging manner. Sean communicated his knowledge of and experience with the craft in a relevant and entertaining fashion."

"He's just a really smart person who's good at explaining stuff... His copius note taking and follow-up commentary was extremely helpful."

"Sean Conroy is amazing, an unbeatable Harold instructor. His comments are so astute, but he also understands how to engender creativity and a love of performing."