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Improv 201 — Game of the Scene

Tuesdays 7-10pm starting Apr 22, 2008
Prerequisites: Completion of Improv 101
Cost: $300

The UCB Theatre Training Center bases their curriculum around the idea that all quality individual comedic scenes focus in on one central comedic idea – this idea is referred to as “The Game” of the scene.

This course will focus on teaching students how to use the idea of “The Game” to create their improvised scenes. Students will be taught how to identify “games” within their scenes, and how to use the concept of heightening to properly play out their scenes once they have them. (Heightening is finding new ways to make your scenes get funnier from start to finish.) The class will heavily focus on learning how to use patterns to fill out comedic scenes based around one central “game.”

Students will also be introduced to the idea of “second beats,” or returning to scenes, characters, and concepts from earlier in an improvised piece.

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: 14 Students

Improv 201 - Game of the Scene

Students will learn to create great scenes by finding and playing the game and explore these games through second beats, laying the foundation for performing the Harold.

Prerequisite: Improv 101 or previous improv training from IO

Maximum class size is 14

Class meets at Lyric Hyperion in Silverlake

Will McLaughlin

mclaughlin, will
Will has been a perfomer at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre since the year 2000, before apes were our masters. He has appeared in several shows at the UCB Theatre including Anydayville, Crime Scene Improv and Piledriver, which he broke a rib for.

Will has performed with the NY Harold Teams Renegade 77, America!, Grenade vs. Washing Machine and Police Chief Rumble. The latter Harold Team won the Emerging Comics of New York award for best sketch show, Piece of Bullsh*t Pie. He is also the creator of Wake Up With Buff Trumuscle, another ECNY nominated show.

Will has appeared in several national commercials, TV shows such as Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Law & Order: SVU, Third Watch and MTV's Damage Control. He has also played featured roles in the films Spandex: A Father's Tale and Terrorists! starring the UCB's Ian Roberts.

He is thrilled to be teaching at the UCB Theatre LA.

Student Feedback

"Will provided us with great knowledge. He always kept it fresh, fun and new. He is hilarious."

"Will was awesome, always prepared and gave great feedback and criticism."

"Will is intelligent and well-versed in the ways of improv."