B1 Improv Theatre Course

Kaivalya Plays presents

B1 IMPROV THEATRE COURSE (ONLINE)

Saturdays & Sundays, 2:30pm to 4:30pm IST. Conducted on Zoom.

Starts Saturday, 5th Feb onwards and runs for 4 weeks (5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th Feb)

Learn more and register for the course at the link (kaivalyaplays.org/improvb1)

Course Fees: INR 8000/- for the eight sessions.

• 15% concessionary discount for students, unwaged and financially challenged - use code KPCONCESSION
• 20% early bird discount for purchases made before 1st February 2022 – use code KPEARLYBIRDB1

ABOUT THE COURSE

Over 8 sessions held on weekends, you will learn how to create, rehearse, execute and host an improv performance from scratch. This is an opportunity for experienced improvisers to expand their improv toolbox from that of a performer to that of a show/team director, technical director, moderator and host, understanding the various tasks and responsibilities involved in each role. You will also be introduced to different show formats and styles, managing performers, engaging audiences and creating magical experiences with improv. With a practical and hands-on approach to understanding the elusive 3Ps of an improv show (planning, practicing and perform), you will experience first-hand all the behind-the-scenes preparations and thought needed for an improv show.

The course is split into two types of sessions – you will have a “taught” session wherein you’ll explore specific topics like show structures, introducing games, inviting suggestions etc and a “format masterclass” session wherein you'd explore a specific improv format style with a guest facilitator. For a detailed breakdown of the modules, see the schedule below.

SESSIONS & SCHEDULE

Session 1 - Taught Session (Duos)

Working with a large group of performers, or in rooms with complete strangers, can be a lot of fun but can limit our growth as performers. Sometimes you want to keep building something you found, or work with someone who gets your humour or shares a common background. A duos show can allow you to find your voice and build rapport with a partner to build a “sixth sense” with each other and create compelling shows. Recently, you would have seen Middleditch & Schwartz pioneer the improv variant, but duos are found in comedy from Laurel & Hardy all the way down to Will Ferrell & John C. Reilly.

Session 2 - Masterclass (Duos)

You will be given different partners to try out different games throughout the session. As the session progresses we want you to notice what clicks when you work with someone else, what qualities in a partner make you comfortable, and either what you both do well together and what can someone else bring to your scenes that you can’t try to identify. We also hope to help you find something you really want to talk about in your performance that draws from your real life experiences whether it’s your background, tastes, hobbies or dreams. 

Session 3 - Taught Session (Short-Form & Audiences) 

In order to sustain a performing group over time your improv better be good, but just as important is the thought you put into presenting your performance as a spectacle for an audience. How you engage with your audience, innovate getting their suggestions, recognize who responds the most to your brand of material, and recognize over time what works and what doesn’t will allow you to keep your team together for longer. 

Session 3 - Masterclass (Audiences, Locations & Venues)

In this session, you will learn to think critically about the audiences, locations and venues for whom you are producing a show. You will dive deep into ideas of safety, crowd management, conflict resolution and managing showtime crisis(es)

Session 5 - Taught Session (Narrative/Genre)

So you’ve done long-form. You’ve mastered the flow of the Harold and know your go-to group scene games (“Everybody get in here!). But you can’t get improv into your other type of acting or writing, like a sketch or sit-com. You’re still stuck on things like “structure” and your shows, while fun for the performers, can leave your audiences puzzled and lost. Narrative teams and understanding how to apply genre to your long form shows can allow you to organize your thoughts as a performer and also reach more confidently for the ideas that can make for a story that your audience can follow and satisfy your arc as a performer. 

Session 6 - Masterclass (Execution & Feedback)

The session will explore styles and genres (thematic, locations, intents, events/occasions) but will also introduce best practices for providing feedback to fellow performers. Getting your group dynamics right means being able to tell each other where to improve. We will share how to do this constructively, rather than critically. At the end of this session, you will be encouraged to come up with an original show theme proposal. 

Session 7 - Taught Session (Grounded / Competitive Formats)

Is cracking a joke your defense mechanism when you think the scene is going nowhere? We all know the guy who will suddenly become an alien in the middle of your birthday party, or will take a wedding and try to turn it into a crime scene. Why do we struggle so much to just improvise our scenes like we improvise our life? Maybe it’s because we don’t think the small details, little actions we do are interesting enough. Try slowing things down and reacting naturally and find some of the most powerful improv you can do.

Session 8 - Masterclass (Show Time)

We’re going to slow things down, find how to effectively communicate our show idea to our performers, run rehearsals with shape, safety and mindfulness, and tell our stories together.  You will get 30 minutes to rehearse the show flow and 30 minutes to perform the show. The remaining time shall be used for feedback and observations from the trainer and guest facilitators.

OUR IMPROV TRAINING LEVELS

- Improv A1 Breakthrough: 8-12 hours

- Improv A2 Horizon: 12-18 hours

- Improv B1 Threshold: 16-20 hours

- Improv B2 Vantage: 16-20 hours

- Improv C1 Proficiency: 20-30 hours

- Improv C2 Mastery: 20-30 hours

Improv A-Level - Objective: you can perform in an improv show.

Improv B-Level - You can perform in an improv show, run your own team and build a set.

Improv C-Level - You can perform, run a team, build a show and teach others.

ABOUT KAIVALYA PLAYS

Kaivalya Plays is an Indian performing arts and production organization, led by Varoon P. Anand as Artistic Director and Gaurav Singh Nijjer as General Manager. Their artistic training is grounded in spontaneous improvisation, lying at the intersection of short-form improvisations (for performances and workshop) and applied improvisation (with a focus on mental healthcare, business, education, training). Their improv group CueLess improv was one of Delhi's first improv teams and became the training ground for a generation of improv performers and heads of new teams. Kaivalya Plays' original play 'Unravel' uses improvisational theatre techniques to drive conversations about mental health. Their innovative use of the improv methodology spans different sectors – driving safety conversations in the performing arts, expanding mental health dialogue through their 'Improv for Wellness' program, fostering a global community with their 'Open Space' improv jam, supporting foreign language learning with their 'Improv for Languages' programs in Hindi, Spanish and Punjabi as well as furthering improv as an art form with the multilingual 'India Improv Ensemble' and 'India Improv Sxene' that puts the spotlight on the Indian improvisational theatre community. They are committed to finding new formats and applications to make improv accessible and available to a wider audience.