Some Assembly Required - Workshop - January 15, 2003



1. Introductions

	- Brief history
	- Ideals of improv
		i. Supportive
		ii. Co-operative
		iii. Make each other look great!
		iv. Stress-relief
	v. Fun!
	- Quick introductions

2. Breathing, stretching, moment of meditation
	- Expel worries of the day
	- Focus on the workshop
	- Summon energy, creativity, trust
	- Relaxation 

3. Basic stagecraft
	- Playing upstage
		i. Define upstage, downstage, stage left, stage right
	- Cheating
		i. Demonstrate cheating out when talking to other actors
	- Projection
		i. Arms, head, chest, diaphragm
	- Crossing  behind
	- Distribution
	- Establish settings
		i. Restaurant (cheating out)
		ii. Bus stop (cheating out, distribution)
		iii. School auditorium (cheating, distribution, projection)

4. Principles of improv
	- Make offers, accept everything, Be positive
	- Tell, don't ask
	- Exercises

		i. Yes-And
		ii. Blind offers (P. 170 Ulitmate Improv)
		iii. Physical Positions (p.119 Improv Starters)


5. Blocking
	- Define blocking
	- Demonstrate
	- Couple rounds of blocked offers
	- Emphasize that this is generally a bad thing

6. Tell, don't ask, make logical connections
	- Exercises
		i. Transform the object
			1. Stand in circle, each will hand an object to the next.  
			Recipient will identify what the object is, 
			manipulate it, then hand it to the next person.  
			Next person will accept, but the object will have 
			changed so something physically similar
		ii. Gift-giving game

7. Basic Improv Games
	- Laundry List
		i. Three players, get a setting, allow scene to start, 
		then rattle off random words which must be incorporated by one player
	- Freeze Tag
		i. Voluntary - Allow each player to call freeze on their own
		ii. Involuntary - Anyone can call freeze, then name another player
	- Superheroes
		i. Four players
		ii. First gets a superhero name, and a problem
		iii. Each player enters, given a name by previous 
		player and must behave according to given attribute
	- Lines
		i. Emphasize that each line is an offer which must be accepted
		ii. Go with instincts, and play big!