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Improv 201 — Game of the Scene

Tuesdays 6-9pm starting May 06, 2008
Prerequisites: Completion of Improv 101
Cost: $325

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 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

Curtis Gwinn

gwinn, curtis
Curtis Gwinn is a mainstay of the New York comedy scene. He has studied improv under Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, Michael Delaney, Andy Secunda, and Armando Diaz.

His credits include writing for the Onion, Comedy Central and FOX Seachlight Pictures. He's currently starring in and producing a pilot with his partner John Gemberling for the popular Adult Swim on Cartoon Network.

Curtis can be seen in lots of other great comedy shows. He performs every Friday night with his improv ensemble, Death by Roo Roo, every month in the storytelling show, The Nights of Our Lives and every now and again with his sketch group The Brighter Side

Student Feedback

"Curtis an excellent instructor."

"Curtis' approach challenged me to be a more alert improvisor. Tough but good."

"This class and Curtis really took us to the next level. I learned a lot and felt like Curtis pushed me to be a better performer."

"Curtis is a tough teacher, with worthwhile comments and suggestions that really show he wants to make students better writers. I am totally impressed."