Synopsis:
Tired of “talking heads” in your improv scenes? Theatre relies on physical motion of the performers to convey the story. In this class, performers will experiment through various physical improv techniques including mime, contact improv dance, wordless storytelling, scene pictures, emotional improvised movement, and kinesthetic reactions.
The class will provide an improved physical awareness, concentration, connection to scene partners, developing creativity, environment work, mindfulness, and working off of impulse. This workshop is a dive into physicality techniques developed for intermediate to advanced improvisers. Topics include staging, facial expressions, macro-environment work, micro-object work, improvising with the body, and fully wordless improv scenes.
On the same night, students in the workshop will culminate in a performance of ‘The Movement’ - an improvised show of physical improvisation, music, and imagination.
Important information:
All workshop participants will be invited to perform in a related show.
‘The Movement’ show is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 28th September, 9:30pm at The Theatre Practice Black Box. Please note that the instructor(s) has the final say on who will be performing.
Requirements:
You must have performed a show in the past, in any country, in any language
As the performance is mostly physical - and the workshop is largely wordless, there should be no language barrier for anyone
A good understanding of long-form improv scene work is required
Participants of all physical abilities are welcome to join
About the Teachers - Prescott Gaylord (USA / Singapore) and Sabrina Manansala (Philippines)
Prescott Gaylord is the former Artistic Director of the Baltimore Improv Group, and creator of ‘Unscripted – an improvised play in two acts,’ a show that has enjoyed sold out runs in Baltimore over 7 years. He has directed large and small scale improvised projects in several cities in the US including, ‘Skinesthesia - Body Painted Improv’, Improvised Burlesque (with Gilded Lily Burlesque), and ‘Secrets’ (improvised storytelling and secret sharing), and "The Movement" - a collaboration of physical improv comedy and modern dance. He has performed in and directed shows in improv festivals in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Bethlehem, Washington DC, Austin, New York, Shanghai, Hanoi, and Chicago. He has led workshops in improvisation and comedy for many organizations including Johns Hopkins University, Linkedin, Paypal, Expedia, Gensler, DBS, and more. He is a performing member of the New Kitten Party in Singapore.
Sabrina Manansala is an artist, host, performer, and marketing professional, who ignites her creativity by merging theatre, dance, music, and spoken word poetry. She brings her experiences from movement and performing arts since 2010 to her performances with her improv groups: Housekeeping Improv, Buwan ng Wika Improv, and the Improverts. She expresses her creative spark by blending different art forms and binding communities together. With these, she believes that movement and physicality can narrate and weave stories together, to create a kinetic dance, where every move and gesture weaves a tale of warmth and adventure.