Improv Classes
Improv Foundations: Theory, History and Getting Comfortable on Stage
Instructor: Patrick Gozur
Sundays, 1:00PM to 3:00PM
January 7 - February 25
Price: $200
Improv Foundations is written and designed around the big question, "What is improv?" Learners of all improv stages will enjoy this improv class that's part theory, part history, and part practice, and part homework! Each week discusses a unique core tenant of improvisational theatre, such as listening & agreement, relationships, and wants. Students will break down the elements of beginning scene work, become familiar with theatre games, and get comfortable on stage. Improv Foundations provides students with a common understanding of the craft, a shared vocabulary, and frameworks to begin the Core Four curriculum at The Box.
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Experience: All levels welcome.
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Patrick Gozur is an Actor/Improviser from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He studied acting at the University of New Mexico. Since then, he has gone on to study and teach improvisation and stand up comedy. While he mainly focuses on improvisation and comedic acting, he has not shied away from the occasional dramatic role.
Improv One: Empowering Creativity and Deconstructing the Rules
Instructor: Fill Jeantete
Mondays, 6:00PM to 8:00PM
January 8 - February 26
Price: $200
Improv One is designed to go in-depth on some of the most popular rules of improvisational theatre. Students will unpack rules (yes and, give and take, confidence, no questions, no arguing or transaction scenes); exploring what each rule is designed to do, and how it can be effectively broken. Additionally, Improv 1 encourages each student to think critically about their personal relationship to improvisation. Students will be empowered to discover their unique voice and playing style, and to be in charge of the choices they make on stage.
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Experience: All students should have completed 'Improv Foundations' at The Box before joining 'Improv One'.
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Fill Jeantete has been an active member of The Box community for over 8 years. In such time he has graduated from the curriculum, directed several in-house teams and is currently an active member of The Show. Fill is also one half of the comedy duo Fill & Wes. The two have enjoyed touring their brand of free-form comedy across the southwest.
Improv Two: Emotional Honesty and Authentic Scenes/Characters
Instructor: Jeanette Cerami
Tuesdays, 6:00PM to 8:00PM
January 9 - February 27
Price: $200
We’ve covered the basics…now what? Improv Two is all about connecting with a scene partner and co-developing emotionally authentic scenarios. Improv 2 puts a magnifying glass on understanding human emotions, authentic reactions, and not letting gifts pass us by. Students are encouraged to ditch being funny, and to really comprehend the complex condition of being human. But don’t worry, the funny will happen along the way. Promise!
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Experience: All students should have completed 'Improv Foundations' and 'Improv One' at The Box before joining 'Improv Two'.
Jeanette Cerami started her improv training in Denver, then advanced her improv, stand-up, and sketch training in Chicago (Second City, iO, Annoyance) and sketch writing in LA at UCB. She recently moved back to her birthplace of Albuquerque and teaches and performs regularly on The Show at The Box.
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Improv Three: Breaking Bad Habits & Strengthening Choices
Instructor: Wes Swedenburg
Wednesdays, 6:00PM to 8:00PM
January 20 - February 28
Price: $200
Improv Three challenges players to identify their personal improv habits, and strategize with the instructor on how to intentionally strengthen choices. Classes address taking care of yourself on stage, being non-commital, characters, status, and more. Improv Three is lots of scene work bolstered by personal, positive, and intentional feedback.
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Experience: All students should have completed 'Improv Foundations', 'Improv One' and 'Improv Two' at The Box before joining 'Improv Three'.
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Wes was first introduced to improv in middle school and has been hooked ever since. In college he joined a sketch comedy group and started performing regularly at The Box. The Florfquerker was born during this time. He joined The Show as music director and took all the classes available at The Box, later joining Steam the student improv team. He was asked to join The Hive, the in-house long form team. He started a two man improv team with his good friend Fill and went on to win 2019’s best of Burque. They’ve since performed in multiple cities in the southwest. He joined The Show in 2018 where he has been performing since.
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Improv Four: Skill Application & Polished Performance
Instructor: Alex Knight
Sundays, 6:00PM to 8:00PM
January 7 - February 25
Price: $200
The final course in our "Core Four" Improv Curriculum challenges students to apply their learned skills in the best way: performance! Four weeks of class helps finalize and prepare students for 4 weeks of performing in a student showcase. Instructors assist students in building and running their own unique format or show structure.
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4 weeks of class 6-8PM
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4 weeks of performance 6-8PM
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Performances on 2/4, 2/11, 2/18 & 2/25 at 7pm
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Experience: All students should have completed 'Improv Foundations', 'Improv One' and 'Improv Two' and ' Improv Three' at The Box before joining 'Improv Four'.
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Alex Knight graduated from the University of New Mexico with a BFA in theatre. Alex has spent the last 20 years directing, teaching and performing improv across the globe. After a successful stint with the Los Angeles improv community, he is now the artistic director of The Box Improv Theater in Albuquerque NM. Alex is a comedian and can be seen improvising in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, or on the now dusty but still amazing, Enter the Dojo on Youtube. Despite his comedy chops, he continues getting work as a serious actor and you can see him play bad men in Preacher, Big Sky and Narcos Mexico. On the legitimate stage, he has performed original (devised) theater in countries around the world including Poland, Canada, Uganda, Ukraine, Colombia, Scotland and Serbia.
In addition to performing, Alex Knight is a professional painter (mostly watercolors), amateur volleyball player and all around nice human.
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