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Improv 101 — Improv Basics

Sundays 3:15-6:15pm starting Aug 09, 2009
Cost: $350

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

No class August 16th or September 6th

Gil Ozeri

ozeri, gil
Gil Ozeri is a comedy writer from New York City as well as a regular performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Gil recently starred as the host of the TV show Starveillance on the E! Network.

Gil can be seen performing alongside Adam Pally and Ben Schwartz in their sketch and improv group, Hot Sauce, who just came back from the 2007 Montreal Comedy Festival where their sketch show was directed by Bob Odenkirk and David Cross. Their performance was written up about in the Hollywood Reporter - "Also, young New York sketch trio Hot Sauce attracted some attention Thursday night, with agents and others lauding their offbeat skits…" TimeOut NY also has said that Hot Sauce "likely has a future in late night." Both their sketch shows, 4th Floor Walk-Up and Hot Sauce Sells Out, were TimeOut NY 'Critic's Pick'. Their digital short "Ysketball" also won Timeout NY's 2006 Short Film of the Year.Check them out at hotsauceacademy.com.

Gil is a member of the improv team Death by Roo Roo. His sketch and improv performances at UCBT also include his one man show Buzzy Shore's Master Class in Comedy, the Harold teams fwand and Killebrew, The Real Real World, Cagematch, host of the Dirtiest Sketch Show in NYC, Sketch Cram, as well as many other shows.

He has studied improvisation under Ian Roberts, Matt Walsh, Armando Diaz, Billy Merritt, Michael Delaney, Anthony King, TJ Jagadowski, Dave Pasquesi and others since 2002. He has a BS in Computer Science with a minor in Studio Art from Binghamton University. He's also appeared on Saturday Night Live and Late Night w/Conan O'Brien.

Student Feedback

"Gil is a great teacher - great constructive criticism, never makes you feel less than very positive."

"I feel like Gil went above and beyond."