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Improv & Sketch Comedy Classes and Shows in Honolulu!

Reflections on Jimmy Carrane 2-Day Workshop

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Anyone who knows me knows I am infatuated with Jimmy Carrane. I ardently recommend his podcast to anyone who will listen and just about lost it when I learned he was visiting us here. I can say with only mild shame that I was starstruck when I met him. Fortunately, that was quick to pass when the workshops began as there was notime to reflect, we had improv to get to

Now that a few weeks have passed since the workshops completed, I wanted to relate my thoughts on his visit and some of the Jimmy Carrane Signaturediscoveries I’ve made with his help. Jimmy’s teaching focuses heavily on being real. We’ve all heard and repeated “Get out of your head!” ad nausem but Jimmy actively forces improvisers to escape the confines of their mind and to be in the scenes. This left virtually no time for notes, so to help reflect, I’ve selected some quotes from my latest reading of his excellent book Improvising Better: A Guide for the Working Improviser and used those as jumping off points.

To begin, we must escape the explicit thought process and stop trying to control. [Read more…]

Bill Binder workshop this weekend

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Sometimes the stars align and a fantastic improv instructor finds himself in the area with just enough time to put on a workshop. This weekend, on Saturday March 7th, Bill Binder will be gracing the Arts at Marks Garage with his presence. There, he’ll be running a workshop titled “Your Character is Not a Joke.” You can see the details on our calendar.
Bill Binder
This is an incredible opportunity, folks. It is hard to bring master-level improvisers to Hawaii, and it’s even harder to do so at a cheap cost. But because Bill is going to be adding Honolulu to an already existing trip, he’s going to be able to offer this 2-hour workshop for a measly $20! That is unheard of pricing.

If you’re curious about Bill Binder, hop on over to the amazing resource that is the National Improv Network, which Bill co-founded a few years ago. While you’re there, register! Heck, you belong in that network!

Improv Techniques from Jimmy Carrane – The Art of Specifics

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Jimmy Carrane is a man who knows his improv. Deeply rooted in the Chicago scene, his knowledge of improv is truly astounding. His recent blog post discusses the art of using specifics and how it can improve the attractiveness of your scenes and characters. As the saying-made-up-for-this-post goes, “There’s nothing funny about a factory worker, but there is instant humor in a toilet paper factory worker suffering from hemorrhoids.” Check out the Art of Specifics here.

And if you’re intrigued by Jimmy Carrane, continue your learning by attending his upcoming workshops right here in Hawaii! Details here!

Master Workshops w/ Rachel Hamilton

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We were so stoked to have Emmy Nominated Writer and Master Improviser Rachel Hamilton in Honolulu for 5 whole days! From an all female “Chickprov” improv class to a 2-day Intensive Workshop filled with some of the island’s best improvisers, participants took full advantage of the time that they had here.rachel_hamilton_group

I was able to watch a little bit of her first two days and hopped in on the intensive. She was by far one of my most favorite teachers to work with. I was so impressed with how much she was able to bring out of students in such a short amount of time. The trust and confidence seem to instantly present itself thanks to Rachel’s knowledge and openness.

She really enjoyed her time here and is already looking forward to coming back in the future. We can’t wait for her return!!