Improv Masterclass: Show Design

EARLYBIRD: Use code 'HAROLD' for $30 off the course fee. Expires Sunday, 28th August. 

Want to learn how to make a show that's truly unique to you and your fellow players? 

Now's your chance wth this Improv Masterclass! 

Over the course of 7 weeks, Austin Harrison shares his extensive performance experience and knowledge of the gamut of improv styles, in his supportive and fun teaching approach.

Each week will cover different powerful techniques of the craft, as you build towards the end of term Graduation Showcase at The Pow Wow Room, where you'll be able to perform an original format generated from what you've learned over the course of the term. 

Course Elements

Monoscenes: Low and slow, providing specificity and bringing details back later to mold satisfying scenes and relationships in real time.

BAT: Using radio play to explore soundscapes and voicework as you learn a simplified “Harold” format. Exploring how we hold multiple narratives in parallel and inspire each other across scenes that may not directly interact.

Choose Your Own Path: A mid-form format in which we see the first 4-5 mins of multiple scenes, where audiences help choose the journey! Introducing MCs, and audience interaction all while keeping grounded and utilising your Improv Connection training and without the “game”iness of other competition formats you may have seen outside IC.

Create your own: Reflect on these techniques, and generate a show you'd like to perform with your fellow improvisers at the Graduation Showcase on October 31st!

When

The course runs for 7 weeks, from Monday, September 12th to Monday, October 24th 

Class Format

5:30: Arrival (if possible),

5:45 – 7:20: Show Design Course 

7:20–7:30: Break

7:30 – 9:30: Smaller Workout Session with a coach and fellow Improv Connection players at all levels

Workouts

Scenes, scenes, scenes... Reps, reps, reps! Each Weekly Workout is designed to offer variety and to stretch specific skills in your grounded improv toolkit. This is a chance to work in varied groups of improvisers each week, led by coaches that offer encouragement and feedback, alongside their own improv expertise. Workouts are the best way to get in scene practice and put all that learning into practice! 

Shows

There will be no workouts on Monday, October 3rd due to the Midterm Showcase for improvisers in The Art of the Scene and Fundamentals of Improv taking place that evening. There will still be a class and improvisers will then head to The Pow Wow Room to support their fellow improvisers for the show at 8 pm. 

The Graduation Showcase is on Monday, October 31st at The Pow Wow Room. Time TBC. 

About your teacher

Austin, proudly from Ōtautahi/Christchurch, is a professional theatre-maker based in Wellington. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in theatre from Victoria University of Wellington and regularly performs with Playshop, The Improvisers, FIDKarts, and produces independent work. He co-founded VUW’s dedicated improv club mmmpop Improv and created the interactive crime-thriller phenomenon Magnus Steele (nominated  Most Promising Emerging Artist, NZ Fringe 2020).

Austin performs and produces work all over Aotearoa and has been teaching with Improv Connection since February 2022. 

Workouts are co-hosted by Jonathan Mandeno. 

Payment & Refund Policy

To maximise participation, we offer scholarships to those who can not afford to pay the full amount.  If you need a scholarship, please contact us about a scholarship by using the contact form, and we'll try to work something out. We've never turned away a student due to a lack of funds.

We reserve the right to choose the students who are a good fit for our program. If we do accept you into the course, your payment will secure your spot, and you're set to go! If we are unable to accommodate you in the course as an applicant, your fee will be refunded within 24 hours. If you join us in the course, but leave the course after your first class session, your payment is refundable, minus an administration fee of $100. No refunds are offered after the second class session begins. All course fees are GST inclusive.

Covid-19

In the event of COVID-19 making meeting in person unsafe, we will have classes online via zoom. Masks are worn during classes and we encourage students and coaches to stay home if they are feeling sick.