307 W. 26th Street New York, NY 10001 (212) 366-9176

Join Our Mailing List
Switch to LA Site

Improv 201 — Game of the Scene

Sundays 6:30-9:30pm starting Jul 13, 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 August 10th & 31st.

Zach Woods

woods, zach
Zach Woods is a regular performer and director at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Trained in improvisation at the UCB Theater, he has also studied at the Atlantic Theater Company. Zach has been featured in numerous improv and sketch shows at the UCB and is a member of the Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company. He has appeared on Late Night With Conan O’Brien and has been featured in a number of national commercials. A popular improv coach/director in New York, Zach has also conducted workshops at Columbia University, Duke University, New York University, and Lincoln Center. He currently performs every Friday night with UCB team The Stepfathers.

Student Feedback

"Zach excels at maintaining a relaxed, fun environment while keeping the day's lesson fresh in the minds of the students. He has a gift for teaching improv and helping students new to improv in avoiding bad habits."

"Zach was the perfect teacher, patient and encouraging, but able to clearly identify what we needed work on. From da one, the entire class had fun and most importantly felt comfortable."

"Zach was an amazing person to learn from. He has so many ideas that push you to think beyond the customary, drab cliches. He made us all very comfrotable and set a great, professional tone right from the start."

"Zach's feedback was always helpful and he doesn't move on until the recipient fully understands the point he is making. He is supportive and encouraging."

"Zach created a comfortable environment for learning improv. He was also very knowledgeable regarding improv and always willing to answer our questions even outside of classtime."