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Improv 101 — Improv Basics

Wednesdays 7-10pm starting Apr 23, 2008
Cost: $300

Students will learn the fundamentals of long-form improvisation. Core concepts covered include using character agreement to make your scenes succeed, developing character, character status, object and environment work, “playing at the top of your intelligence,” and heightening (finding ways to make your scenes get funnier from start to finish).

This course also introduces the specific vocabulary of the UCB Training Center.

This course meets for 8 sessions that are each 3 hours long. 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: 16 Students

Class meets at Lyric Hyperion Theatre in Silverlake

Joel Spence

spence, joel
Joel has been performing improvisational and sketch comedy at UCBTLA since 2005. He's a member of the Harold team Sentimental Lady, as well as the improvised movie team Deep Focus. He's also appeared in America's Best Comic, Dirtiest Sketch Contest, Cleanest Sketch (winner!), Gallery Of Evil, F'ed Up and Illegal Videos, and Freak Dance: The Forbidden Dirty Boogaloo at UCBTLA. He studied improv under Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, Matt Walsh, Seth Morris and many others.

Joel grew up in San Antonio, TX and went to S.M.U. in Dallas where he received a B.F.A. in Acting. After graduating he moved to Minnesota and co-founded The Hidden Theatre. In 1995 he joined Theatre de la Jeune Lune and by 2000 had performed in over 20 productions there. From 2000-01, Joel studied at l’Ecole Philippe Gaulier in London, England and wrote/ co-starred in One Night Only, a comedy that had a successful and critically acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Festival.

Since moving to Los Angeles in 2002 he has appeared on tv shows such as Dirt, The District, Judging Amy, Andy Barker PI, and the upcoming 12 Miles of Bad Road on HBO. He appeared in such features as Killing the Dream, which won Best Film in the 2004 Temecula Film Festival, and Alleyball which won Best Feature at the SoCal Film Festival in September 2006.

Student Feedback

"Joel was funny and always said something positive with a critique which made a very comfortable environment."

"Joel was a fantastic teacher. He created an atmosphere that was fun and supportive. He gave excellent and helpful feedback."