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Improvisor's Studio

 I cannot express how proud I am to announce another fantastic round Improviser's Studio workshops at the Playground.

I'm especially excited to announce that veteran director Kat Gotsick will be teaching a class on Making Good Decisions Quickly.  In I Want To Be Like You; Creating Dynamic, Thoughtful Characters, Sabrina Pratt will teach you how to create characters with depth. Learn how to make the most out of the gifts that you miss with John Anderson's Giving & Receiving Gifts.  If you've ever watching a show where someone just barges into a scene for no apparent reason other then delivering a punch line, you'll appreciate Scott Morehead, and Good/Appropriate Walk-Ons; aka When To Edit.  Responding to popular demand, Sommer Austin returns to our studio to teach Monologues, the most important skill for auditioning. Lastly, there is a workshop taught by me, John Abbott, on a topic that I'm very passionate about, surrendering your ego to the group, in Group Work.

These workshops are free, but we ask that you initially sign up for just one class.  We will send out another e-mail if there is still space available after the first round of sign-ups.  At the end of this e-mail, you'll find our registration form.  Fill it out and send it back to us.
Improve your improv skills, and meet new performers.  Welcome to the Improviser's Studio at The Playground.



To register please send the following information to improvisersstudio@the-playground.com

Registration Form:
Class Title -
Class Date -
Last Name -
First Name -
Phone number (Optional) -
Preferred e-mail address -
Age (Optional) -
Do you perform at the Playground? (Yes/No)
Do you want to receive e-mails from us on future Improviser Workshops?  (Yes/No)



Making Good Decisions Quickly - Intermediate intensive
June 13th, 12-3pm - with Director Kat Gotsick

Veteran director Kat Gotsick will help performers to listen better and make choices more quickly.


Kat graduated from iO, Second City's Conservatory, and ComedySportz.  She is an adjunct faculty member of SC, and teaches, performs, and directs at ComedySportz.  She has performed with Storybox and various iO teams including Baby wants Candy.  Currently, she plays with Homey Loves Chachi, Big Yellow Bus, and Cheetara.
Group Work - Intermediate intensive
June 27th, 12:30-3pm – with Director John Abbott

John wants you to let go of control, stop judging, and trust in the group.

John is a graduate of SC Conservatory, iO, and Annoyance.  He was a guest a four day improv faculty training workshop, and a coach of the independent team Ed and Breakfast Mafia.   He performs as half of the duo Photo Shoot, and at the Playground with Wing Night.  John is the organizer the Improviser's Studio at the Playground.



Good/Appropriate Walk-Ons; aka When To Edit - Beginner to Intermediate intensive
July 18th, 12-3pm - Director Scott Morehead

Learn to effectively “diagnosis” a scene to determine if it requires a walk-on, to execute said walk-on, and how to channel the “itch” of a walk-on into something that will add to the piece versus stealing focus. This intensive is for anyone wants to gain tools to be more supportive, while still making strong moves.

Scott has a BA from Iowa State University in Performing Arts with an Emphasis is Acting and Directing. He's trained at iO, Annoyance, and Second City’s Conservatory and has taken Improv Intesives with Dina Facklis, Paul Grondy, Pat O’Brian, Holly Laurent, Craig Uhlir, and Norm Holly.  Scott performs with Counter-Productive Lover, Twisty, and Mission:iMPROVable, and the Playground's Damascus Steel.



I Want To Be Like You; Creating Dynamic, Thoughtful Characters - Beginner Intensive
July 25th, 12:30-3pm -  Director Sabrina Pratt

Sabrina will teach you methods for creating and developing characters that you can stand on; characters that embody vocal, physical and emotional attributes which provide point of view and relationship from the top of the scene.

Sabrina Pratt is a certified Theatre Arts Teacher, a graduate of Winthrop University with honors in directing.  She taught Improv for the Young Actor, Character Studies, and Scene Writing at the Children's Theatre Of Charlotte.  At Charlotte Comedy Theatre, she was a member of the House Ensemble, taught levels 1 & 2, along with corporate workshops.  Sabrina continues her education at Second City's conservatory and iO, performs sketch with Half Naked Productions at Gorilla Tango & Victory Garden, and performs on Night Co. & Tucker Max at the Playground.



Giving & Receiving Gifts - Beginner & Intermediate Intensive
August 15th, 12-3pm - Director John Anderson

React to the gifts that you might have otherwise missed in a scene, and give emotional gifts to your partner.

John started his improv training in 2002 at Four Day Weekend in Fort Worth, Texas. He co-founded TCU's only improv show, Senseless Acts of Comedy, and was also a member of ComedySportz Dallas. John continued his training in Chicago in 2005 at Second City, iO, and the Annoyance Theatre.  He is a coach at The Playground and has taught improv at Francis W. Parker and The Summer Arts Camp at Columbia College. John has performed at The Dallas Comedy Festival, The D.C. Comedy Festival, The Del Close Marathon, Chicago Sketch Fest, the Chicago Improv Festival, and the Raleigh Long Form Improv Festival.  He is currently performing at IO with Mrs. Dad, and at The Playground with Wing Night.



Monologues- Beginner Intensive
Aug. 22nd, 12:30-3pm - Director Sommer Austin

This class will give you the tools that you need to be able to effectively choose a monologue for an audition, as well as introduce you to a specific methodology of rehearsing the monologue in order to bring your personality and life to the audition material.

Sommer Austin holds an MFA in Acting from UW-Madison, is a certified teacher of the Meisner Approach to acting, and has been teaching and coaching actors for the past 9 years, many of whom have gone on to great success in TV, commercials and theatre.  She is a co-founder and teacher at Green Shirt Studio, a Meisner training center, is an alum of iO, and performs at The Playground with The CEO of Everything.