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Improv 201 — Game of the Scene

Saturdays 12-3pm starting Jun 07, 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 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

No Class July 5th.

Erik Tanouye

tanouye, erik
Erik Tanouye has been improvising and performing in New York since 2001. He has studied with Michael Delaney, Armando Diaz, Kevin Mullaney, Billy Merritt, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and many others. He is currently a member of the UCB house team 1985; he has previously performed in Proceed With Honor, Dillinger, The Shoves, Red Christmas, and The Mosaic NYC. His directing credits include I Eat Pandas and T.J. Monkeys, and he has taught workshops at colleges and high schools up and down the East Coast. Before moving to New York, he improvised with the Dog Day Players at Dartmouth College, where he got a degree in English and creative writing. He also worked for the Telluride Film Festival and has written for and appeared in pilots for Comedy Central and HBO.

Student Feedback

"Erik was a terrific instructor who really fostered a comfortable and supportive environment and was really good with giving smart and articulate suggestions."

"Eric did a fantastic job pushing us to be stronger improvisers. His constructive ideas for improving my craft allowed me to become more confident on stage."

Registration Instructions

Tuition is required in full upon enrollment. Please note that your registration is not complete and your place in class is not reserved until you pay full tuition.

REGISTER ONLINE: Register online using a credit or debit card via PayPal using the link on this page. You will receive an email confirmation from Paypal when you successfully complete the registration process.

REGISTER IN PERSON: To register for class in person, visit our class offices during the hours listed below. In-person registration requires payment via check or cash. We cannot accept credit cards in person at this time.