IMPROV COMEDY WORKSHOPS
Improve your play and comedic writing with a range of workshops we offer throughout the year.
“HOME Improv Sampler” with MIKE JOHNSON
Thursday, December 5th, 7pm to 9pm. Cost: $25
An improv Workshop for Beginners and Experienced players looking to learn from (and about) the Home Comedy Theater!
Have you ever wanted to take an improv class but weren’t sure about committing to a full 7-week schedule? Are you someone with improv experience yet still curious about our theater and the benefits of taking classes with us? Then our “HOME Improv Sampler” workshop is perfect for you!
If you’ve never taken an Improv class but are curious about what it would be like, this single class will help give you a better understanding of the benefits of taking improv classes for personal growth or for artistic purposes, like comedy, acting, and writing.
In this class you will learn new ways to improve important interpersonal skills, improve confidence, and discover your creative side in a very fun and unique way. Whether or not you end up taking a full improv class after this, at the very least you will learn new skills, meet new friends, and have a blast doing it.
If you already have improv experience, this class will help give you a glimpse into our approach to improv, ”long form” improvisation, and give you a glimpse of our curriculum.
So whether you’re looking to hone your comedic craft, improve interpersonal skills, or simply looking to try something new and make new friends, this class is the perfect fit for you.
…And, if this class gives you that final extra push to go ahead and enroll in a full 7-week course, we will deduct the cost of this class from the total cost of a full 7-week class, AND, give you an extra 20% discount on your registration.
Register for a class today and discover a new world of laughter and creativity with the best improv deal in the city!
“Intro to Commercial Acting” with MATT MILLER
Thursday, November 7th. 1pm to 5pm. Cost: $155
Commercial productions love to cast in Chicago and this one day introductory workshop is perfect for actors with some stage experience who are looking to start working on-camera. Come learn the basics!
This workshop will cover:
- Acting On-Camera vs. Acting On-Stage and how to calibrate a performance for the lens.
- How commercials are made and the typical audition journey for actors.
- How to parse a commercial script.
- 3 mock commercial auditions with review and feedback.
- Q&A about commercial work in Chicago.
This workshop is limited to 12 participants.
INSTRUCTOR BIO
Matt Miller is a Chicago based director and teacher. As a commercial director, his recent work includes campaigns for Lowe’s, TD Ameritrade, Crumbl Cookies, America’s Best Eyeglasses, and Crest to name a few.
Miller started his career as a casting director and in addition to casting hundreds of commercials over the years, his notable film credits include The Amityville Horror, Stranger Than Fiction, Public Enemies and The Break-Up. He was also the co-creator and an executive producer on the TV Land original series Teachers. Stalk him properly at mattmillerdirect.com.
Improv workshop: “The Halfway Point” with LIZ ALLEN
Thursday, November 14th. 7pm to 10pm. Cost: $55
When you’re at the halfway point of a longform piece, then what? Just when the group needs to regroup and recenter itself, the halfway point is often the place where the group pulls apart. Each person has an idea of where this piece is heading and impatiently forces the outcome…THIS is what this longform piece is about! …And, as each person angles to take the piece towards success, …the piece fizzles out.
The thing is, the Halfway Point is the time for individuals to let go of control, allow the form to speak, apply other pattern and collision techniques, and make room for the form to flourish.
In the workshop, we’ll cover getting past the Halfway Point to enjoy all aspects of longform improv.
“2Prov” with NORM HOLLY
Sunday, November 10th . 12pm to 3pm. Cost: $55
In this workshop, you will learn how to sustain and develop a two person scene from a simple 3 minute scene into a full 30 minute piece. Norm will also be providing heavily individualized notes.
“Improv Audition Workshop” with NORM HOLLY
Sunday, November 17th . 12pm to 3pm. Cost: $35
Improv auditions for things like Conservatory and Generals, can often be nerve-racking. This workshop is meant to better prepare you those type of auditions.
Norm Holly has led many of these type of auditions over the past 25 years and has put together a workshop that is designed to help you learn how to sustain and develop a two-person scene from 3 to 30 minutes long. Norm will also be providing heavily individualized notes.
INSTRUCTOR BIO
Norm Holly is a founding member and Artistic Advisor of The Home Theater. His artistic experience includes 25 years as Artistic Director and Conservatory Head at The Second City in Chicago, where he was also a Resident Company and Touring Company Director and Harold Ramis Film School faculty member.
Norm is part of the Columbia College Comedy Studies faculty and the former Asst.Chairman of the Columbia College Theater Dept. He has taught and performed at several theaters in Chicago, most notably as one-half of the long-form comedy duo, “MOLLY”, with Susan Messing.
CONNECT & VISIT!
FOLLOW US FOR NEWS AND UPDATES!LOCATION: 2843 N. HALSTED ST.
(312) 488-9528
The Home Comedy Theater is within a short walking distance from the Halsted bus stop (Bus #8), the Diversey Brown & Purple line, the Wellington Brown & Purple line, and the Belmont Red, Brown, & Purple line train stops.
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