International Improv All-Star Showcase – February 8-10 in Toronto
Full Disclosure: I am one of the organizers of this show and workshop. But it’s awesome and I wanted to write about it. The show will be packed, and the workshop is selling well, so sign up now if you are a Toronto improviser or actor and are interested!
TORONTO, ONTARIO January 28, 2013… Tickets are now on sale for the February 9th exclusive All-Star Showcase performance by top theatre improvisation artists from Los Angeles, Toronto, New York and Chicago. The lineup includes four improv sets: “I Like Smantsky” with Jess Grant, Pat Smith, and David Razowsky; “Goerlich and Razowsky” with Amey Goerlich and David Razowsky; “Betamax” with Aurora Browne, Trevor Martin and Ashley Botting, and featuring Amey Goerlich; and, “Mansical” with Stephanie McCullough Vlcek, Matthew Van Colton, Christopher DeRose, Brian Finlay, Michael Girts, Zephian Michaels, Israel Pederson and Andrew Ritter. The All-Star Showcase, produced by Opening Night Theatre, a Toronto-based musical theatre improv company, starts at 10 p.m. at the Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor Street West, Toronto. Show tickets are $12 per person and are available at the door only, the evening of the performance. The improv all stars are offering workshops February 8 – 10, with a variety of options ranging in price from $29 – $249. For further information about the showcase and workshops, and to register for workshops, please visit www.openingnighttheatre.com.
Opening Night Theatre’s Josh Bowman invites the public to an evening dedicated to the art of spontaneity presented by world-class talent, and to a weekend of scheduled improv workshops: “Improvisation has evolved to an art form in many North American cities, including my hometown of Toronto. These performers who have graced the stages of the I/O (ImprovOlympic), UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade), The Second City, or UCB West have found their way onto Spin City, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Corner Gas, and countless other films, shows, and stages.” These performances and auxiliary workshops provide a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and are an important project for Opening Night Theatre, a musical theatre improv company established in 2011.
In addition to the “All Star Showcase” performance on Saturday, February 9, 8 p.m., the public is invited to register for weekend workshops. From February 8 – 10, concentrated training sessions are being offered: Intro to Music Improv; Music Improv Your Mansicals Off!; What Is A Mansical?; and, What Is A Krompf?. The workshops are presented at Aluna Theatre (1 Wiltshire Avenue, Unit 123, Toronto) and include the full weekend package of $249 (plus HST) or individual workshops ranging from $149 (plus HST) to $29 (plus HST). To register for the All-Stars workshops, please send an email to co-producers Josh Bowman ([email protected]) or Steve Cole ([email protected]) or register online at http://www.openingnighttheatre.com/workshops.php. For more information, visit www.openingnighttheatre.com.
Artist photos and biographies: available upon request
Backgrounder: February 8 – 10, 2013 Workshop Schedule
Media Contact: Josh Bowman, Co-Producer of Opening Night Theatre
Email: [email protected]
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
Workshop: INTRO TO MUSICAL IMPROV
Instructor: Aurora Browne
Date: Friday, February 8th, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Location: Aluna Theatre, 1 Wiltshire Ave. Unit 123, Toronto, ON, M6N 2V7
Note: Pre-registration is required. No Latecomers admitted. Sorry, but no refunds.
Cost: $29
Capacity: 14
Acclaimed improv instructor and Second City Toronto Alum Aurora Browne (Corner Gas, Comedy Inc., Plan Live! From Outer Space, Insanity Fair) provides a hard and fast introduction to the art of musical improvisation. As the coach of the former powerhouse musical improv troupe Smash Hit and current member of all-star musical improv group BetaMax, Aurora has an incredible musical and performance skill set to share. If you have any interest in learning about improvising a musical or want to improve your current improv skill set, this is the class to take. This workshop will focus on song forms and styles, introduction to narrative, and letting strong emotional discoveries guide the song.
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Workshop: MUSIC IMPROV YOUR MANSICALS OFF!
Instructors: Chicago-based Mansical (Stephanie McCullough Vlcek, Matthew Van Colton, Christopher DeRose, Brian Finlay, Michael Girts, Zephian Michaels, Israel Pederson, Andrew Ritter).
Date: Saturday February 9th, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
(incl. 1 hour lunch break and featuring two workshops in one)
Location: Aluna Theatre, 1 Wiltshire Ave. Unit 123, Toronto, ON, M6N 2V7
Note 1: Pre-registration is required. No Latecomers admitted. Sorry, but no refunds.
Cost: $149 (includes admission to the All-Star Showcase)
Capacity: 14
This is a two-in one!
Part One is an introduction to the basics of music improv that covers all of the essential skills needed to succeed in creating improvised songs and musical scenes. Strengthen your vocal technique, improve your musicianship, utilize and strengthen your existing improv skills, and learn to create songs on the fly. This portion will be taught by Andrew Ritter and Stephanie McCullough Vlcek.
Part Two starts after the lunch break. The rest of Mansical (members of cast have performed with Wayne Brady, and appeared in One Night Only, WCIU’s You and Me This Morning, Infinite Sundaes, Kate & Mike: The Musical, Reset List, and have performed on every major improv stage in Chicago) will join Ritter and Vlcek to examine the essence of performing a “Mansical.” Exercises will unleash the improvised power of Free Play, Game Play, Character Choice, Agreement, Musicality, Rhyming, Group Mind and Old School Fun wrapped into a form you make up on the fly! THIS WORKSHOP IS OPEN & USEFUL FOR PEOPLE OF ANY GENDER.
What Is A Mansical?
Inspired by one audience member’s suggestion, the seven charming men of Chicago-based Mansical improvise a vivid tapestry of scenes and songs that are driven by massive amounts of agreement, musicality, dancing, rapping and wigs. Learn more about the format and the members here.
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Workshop: KROMPF: Stripping, Expanding, and Melding the Game
Instructor: Amey Goerlich
Date: Sunday, February 10th, 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. (incl. 1 hour lunch break)
Location: Aluna Theatre, 1 Wiltshire Ave. Unit 123, Toronto, ON, M6N 2V7
Note: Pre-registration is required. No Latecomers admitted. Sorry, but no refunds.
Cost: $149 (includes admission to the All-Star Spectacular)
Capacity: 14
For the first time ever, acclaimed New-York based UCB improviser and teacher Amey Goerlich (producer ofover 200 children’s short films, has performed at UCB with Armando Diaz, Ian Roberts, Kevin Mullaney, Michael Delaney, and more) is in Toronto to teach a Krompf class. This is fast-paced and high-level, and will make you a better improviser. Krompf is an Indie improv team that was formed in 2002 (by Amey Goerlich, Neil Casey, Joe Wengert & Ryan Karels) in NYC, trained at the UCB and that has been Krompfing ever since.
What Is A Krompf?
The Krompf form is a fast paced high energy game based opening with an exploration of those games through a montage of scenes and beats that merge together to form the perfect pizza, gator or Krompf. Learn new exercises that will get you used to the fast dynamic play that is Krompf. Learn to let your game go from the simple state to the experimental/extraordinary state.