This is a great game, invented by Kenn Adams. We call it Biography. The audience volunteer (Henry) is helping Laura Valpey & Mike Durkin improvise the story of his life. When they get something right (or when he just likes what they do) he rings a bell. When it's wrong, He honks a horn. We do this game a lot in our school shows. After leaving Freestyle Rep, Kenn has gone on to, among other things, write a book based on a show he created with us, "How to Improvise a Full Length Play, the Art of Spontaneous Theatre, " which you can find at www.amazon.com/How-Improvise-Full-Length-Play-Spontaneous....
Monday, September 24, 2012
Family Improv at the Gallery Players, September 2012
An audience member (about 9 years old) suggested "The Toilet" as a title. Laura Valpey created a wonderful situation, a homeless woman living in a subway bathroom, where her only friend is the toilet (played by Mike Durkin). The girl playing the old woman studies improv with us at PS321. Her portayal was terrific, nuanced, she moved the story along. The boy played a tranist cop, who demanded that the woman clear out of the bathroom. Then he fell on the subway tracks! After the homeless woman recues him, he comes up with closing line we'll all remember. "You saved my life. You can sit on the toitlet as long as you want to."
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Theatre classes start at Spoke the Hub
People have been asking us for years. They came to see our family improv show at the Gallery Players. Their child had a Freestyle Rep residency at school. We did an auditorium show at their school. Somewhere, somehow they got a taste of theatre ala Freestyle Rep. Their kids got excited, got interested, wanted more. And the question would always come, "Where can my child do more of this? Where do you teach?"
Now we have an answer!
Mike Durkin and Laura Livingston are teaching theatre at Spoke the Hub Re-creation center in Park Slope, Brooklyn, for children 8 years and older, on Fridays at 4:30. We're doing improvisation, of course. But we won't stop there. This class will introduce serious young thespians to the world of the classical actor's training and trade through stage movement and vocal exercises, scene study, character development, theater games and much more! All we ask is that kids come equipped with a desire to learn and a sense of fun and adventure. This will be a theatrical experience they won't want to miss!
For more information and to sign up, go to www.spokethehub.org/classes/schedule/ and scroll down to "Friday." Or call them at 718-408-3234.
See you there!
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