Chicago improv class – Kevin Mullaney.com

Questions, Arguments, and Trying to be Funny

In your first few improv classes you often get very broad guidelines of how to create good improv scenes. For instance, you are taught things like “Always yes-and your scene partner!” or “Never ask questions!” or “Don’t try to be funny!” These rules are often useful, but improvisors tend to hold on to them too long. They judge their scene work against these rules when the rules don’t apply. And these rules get in the way of learning new things.

For instance when I teach people how to discover games in their scenes, I encourage them to ask questions and to disagree with the other character. We talk openly about trying to make the scene more funny, and this frustrates some improvisors. Sometimes it frustrates them so much that they reject the concept of the Game of the Scene altogether, and that is a shame.

Questions

Why do we tell students to avoid questions? Continue reading “Questions, Arguments, and Trying to be Funny”

Behavior is a Game, A Workshop with Kevin Mullaney

Saturday, June 1, 2013
11:00 am – 3:00 pm

At Upstairs Gallery
5219 N Clark
Third Floor
Chicago

A Workshop with Kevin Mullaney

Behavior is a Game

This is a four hour workshop with CIF Artistic Director Kevin Mullaney.

Observe your scene partner, call out their behavior, respond impulsively and let the circumstances tumble out to make a game.

Some of the most fun games to play in a scene come from the emotional interplay of the characters. One player’s behavior inspires an impulsive response in their partner. Patterns of behavior emerge and help form behavior-based games. Justifications bubble up from your unconscious to make sense of what’s happening which leads to more ideas of how to play the game.

For more information about what this class will be about, take a look at the following essays:

This one day intensive class is open to improvisors of all levels.

Only two spots left in the Monday Class

I have a class that begins on Monday. There are only two spots left. This is an 8 week improv class with three performances at Hump Night. More info and instructions on how to apply.

Feedback from recent students

Here is some of the feedback I got from my last Improv Performance Workshop. Robert Carter has been my assistant for the last couple of classes, so some of the notes refer to him as well.

“My favorite thing about the class was that it was focused on ‘doing.’ We spent a lot of time up on our feet, doing scenes and running pieces. In this class I felt like you and Robert struck just the right balance between sharing your point of view as teachers with the class and then allowing us to experience putting your lessons into practice.” –John Sexton

“What did I like? Really, just about everything. I like that we spent most of our time on our feet ‘doing.’ And that exercises seemed to be pulled from a broad spectrum of improv and acting disciplines. And that our notes, whether group or individual, were always reasonable and applicable. And that you and Robert both have (and impart) a real passion for the craft. In short, I derived more from 8 weeks with Kevin Mullaney than I did from 40 weeks at Some Unnamed Chicago Improv Institution.” -Mathew Fenton

“It was a great experience, and I learned so much from you, Robert and everyone else. A lot of the exercises we worked on have really helped inform my process, both as a performer and as a coach; in particular, I think the explanation of how to form a situation at the beginning of a scene let me learn new ways to approach setups and initiations. In addition, the acknowledgement/nodding exercise helped give me new ways to support scenes I didn’t initiate. This has been especially useful for me.” -Phil Caron

“My favorite part of the class was that each week felt like a response to the previous week/most recent show, rather than like it was simply the slave to a rigid preordained curriculum. I loved that our strengths and weaknesses (as both individuals and as a class) were not only being identified and pointed out, but then actually worked on, which is an experience I’ve never had in an improv class before. I genuinely feel like there were concepts that were huge weaknesses for me at the beginning of the class that made legitimate progress towards becoming strengths by the end of it, as opposed to just being vague conceptions of things I should be conscious of in the future, which is what has often happened in other classes I’ve taken.

“Also, I think it’s important to note that this class was really fun. Everyone was really supportive, and I feel like each person’s unique style was celebrated in such a way that it led everyone to do better scenework than they might have done otherwise. I feel like the class—occasionally, at least—brought out the best in me, and that definitely was also one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much (and would love to do it again!).” -Kyle Reinhard

I am offering two more improv performance classes for the new year. The January class on Tuesday nights is sold out, but there is still room in the Monday night class starting in February.

Improvising From the Gut – Weekend Intensive

In this two day intensive class, you will learn how to begin scenes by observing and connecting with your scene partners and trusting your gut. By owning your reactions and provoking reactions in your scene partner, you will build exciting, unpredictable and fun scenes with strong emotional games.

When is the class?

Class meets Saturday January 19th and Sunday January 20th, noon-4pm

Where is the class?

Upstairs Gallery
5219 North Clark Street
Third Floor
Chicago, IL 60640

How much will the class cost?

$65

Applications for this are closed.

Who is Kevin Mullaney?

Kevin Mullaney is the current Artistic Director of the Chicago Improv Festival. He was the original Artistic Director for the UCB Theatre in New York. He was also the first director of their training program. Before that he taught at iO Theatre and directed their touring company, the iO Road Show. He is the host of the Improv Resource Center Podcast and has acted in recent productions by WildClaw Theatre, Caffeine Theatre and Will Act For Food. Find out more about Kevin Mullaney here.

Monday Night Improv Performance Class with Kevin Mullaney

This is an eight week class for intermediate and advanced improv students with some long form improv experience. You will learn how to create fun, interesting, two-person scenes; explore different ways to create second beats from those scenes; and try connecting different threads at the end of your piece. There will be a special focus on game of the scene and developing characters with interesting points of view.

Best of all, the class includes three performances at Strawdog Theatre (in Hugen Hall). Each show will be hosted by your teacher and you will receive notes after the show. The following week, in class, will feature exercises to work on the specific areas of potential improvement identified from the last show.

And it only costs $199!

Click to Apply

Continue reading “Monday Night Improv Performance Class with Kevin Mullaney”

January Improv Performance Class Sold Out

I’ve got enough qualified applicants for the January improv class, so I’m going to list that one as sold out now and figure out the class roster.

If you’d like to be on the waiting list for that class, you can still fill out the application form.

Performance Class Filling Up Fast

The Improv Performance Class that I’m going to start teaching in January has already gotten a lot of applications. I’ve decided to close applications early so that students have plenty of time to plan for their January and February. I’m not sure what day I will cut off applications, but it will be soon. So if you wanted to apply, fill out the application as soon as possible.

I hope to announce other classes soon. Sign up for my newsletter, if you’d like information on future classes.

[SOLD OUT] Tuesday Night Improv Performance Class with Kevin Mullaney

This class is full. You can still get on the waiting list if you fill out the application form. I’ve also opened up a second class on Monday nights which starts in February.

Best of all, the class includes four performances at Strawdog Theatre (in Hugen Hall). Each show will be hosted by your teacher and you will receive notes after the show. The following week, in class, will feature exercises to work on the specific areas of potential improvement identified from the last show.

And it only costs $199!

Click to Apply

Continue reading “[SOLD OUT] Tuesday Night Improv Performance Class with Kevin Mullaney”

New Class: Improv for Black Boxers

Please help me spread the word. I’ll be teaching a special class for Black Box Acting Studio:

This is for students who have completed three levels over at Black Box. We will be using versions of exercises from the acting program and applying them to improvised scenes, as well as pulling in exercises from my years of experience teaching Improvising from the Gut workshops.

This should be a fun playful experience which should make you a better improvisor and perhaps a better actor too: Perfect for the black box actor who wants to try improv or the improvisor who wants to apply their black box skills to improv.

The class will be held on Tuesday nights Nov 6 – Dec 11, 6-9pm at the Den Theater at 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. No class week of Thanksgiving.