The 3^rd Annual Improv Festival Oklahoma!

9:00am – 10:30am, THE DANGER ROOM, with Jose Gonzalez - $20SOLD OUT
9:00am – 10:30am, STARTING OUT STRONG, with Bill Binder - $20SOLD OUT
10:30am – 3:00pm (w/ 30 min break), SOLO IMPROV, with Jill Bernard - $60
10:30am – 3:00pm (w/ 30 min break), ORGANIC ENSEMBLE Play, with Zach Ward - $60

About the Instructors & Workshop Descriptions

Zach Ward

Zach Ward
Zach Ward has been performing and directing comedy professionally for over 15 years. Zach currently serves as Managing Director for ImprovBoston (Cambridge, MA). Zach is the Founder of DSI Comedy Theater (Carrboro, NC) and the North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival, where he continues to serve as Executive Producer. In the world of comedy, Zach has been employed by the Chicago Improv Festival (Associate Producer), Toronto Improv Festival (Producer), Richmond Improv Festival (Producer) and ComedySportz Chicago. Zach has received critical acclaim from the Chicago Reader and the Chicago Tribune for his performances with DUAL EXHAUST (Critic's Choice, INDY PICK, Top 10 "Most Influential Comedy Duos of the Past Decade") and THE BEATBOX (Critic's Choice, Best Bet, "Top 5 Latenight Shows in Chicago").

Zach has studied the art of improvisation with Todd Stashwick (Burn Mahattan), Mick Napier and Susan Messing (Annoyance), Bob Dassie, Craig Cackowski and TJ Jagodowski (ImprovOlympic), Matt Besser (Upright Citizens Brigade), Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live), Michael Gelman (Second City), and with every student he teaches.

Zach Ward's Workshops:

Harold Workshop
Drill Harold, the most widely performed scenic improv structure. After our workshop the way you watch improv will change. You will fully understand beats, the rhythm and pace of edits, and techniques like tag outs, swinging doors and more will help you heighten your work on stage and explore Harold. Learn "The Spread" to go deeper into the world of the characters you create so you can make morepowerful connections with your scenes. Be prepared to learn a strict foundation that focuses on patterns and GAME OF THE SCENE. Maximum number of participants: 16.

Improv Coaching and Directing
What does it mean to coach improv? What does it mean to direct? What role does a coach or directorplay in the development of a team, show or short-term comedy project? Being in the moment duringrehearsals can be as much an Art as the work that happens on stage. And since your direction can be crucial to the success of an improv project, maybe we should ALL rehearse for that part too! Train to communicate constructive criticism (NOTES!) effectively and concisely.

Organic Ensemble Play
“When the group meshes to the point that a group mind emerges, it's almost as if there's a spirit holding it all together. And, from inside the experience, it's quite powerful because you're able to predict the future.” - Del Close. Learn to let the scene lead you while you improvise, trust the spirit of play behind each move. You will push past your (very reasonable) fear of not knowing the next step and, as a group, you will start to see and Know the TRUTH in every comedic moment. It's there. What you're supposed to do or say next. It's all right there.

Jill Bernard

Jill Bernard
Jill Bernard has been performing with ComedySportz-Twin Cities since 1993, and is a founding member of HUGE Theater in Uptown Minneapolis. Her one-woman improv piece, Drum Machine, has been featured in over forty improv festivals, including the Chicago Improv Festival, the Toronto Improv Jamboree, the Miami Improv Festival, Philadelphia Improv Festival, and the ComedySportz National Tournament, among others. She has taught and performed improv in Norway, Canada, and over thirty of these United States, in cities that include Juneau, AK; Spokane and Seattle, WA; Washington DC; Bowling Green, KY; Phoenix, AZ; and also on an episode of MTV “Made.” She is one-half of the duo SCRAM with Joe Bill of the Annoyance Theater and an Artistic Associate of the Chicago Improv Festival. She's also the voice of God, the Holy Ghost, the Virgin Mary and other religious figures in a series of confirmation videos for Sparkhouse.

Jill Bernard's Workshops:

If It Makes You Happy
Too often improv feels like a chore, filled with right decisions and good and bad choices. In this session with Jill Bernard, participants will learn the joy and success that follows doing exactly what tickles them. Please wear closed toe shoes to this workshop.

The Fireball Theory
This workshop presents Jill Bernard's Fireball Theory and offers exercises to help you improvise faster and harder than you can judge yourself. You will learn to metaphorically hit the scene running and outrun the explosion of self-loathing and doubt like an action movie hero outruns a fireball thus defying the laws of physics. Please wear closed toe shoes to this workshop.

Solo Improv
There are no "schools" of improv - we are each our own school, which means your solo piece is the ultimate expression of that school. Work with Jill to practice the skills that are universal to most solo pieces - character snapping, stage pictures, and aggressive choices - and also tease out what will make your solo piece unique. Even if you do not plan to do solo improv, this class is great to build upon character work that will shine in any improv format. Maximum number of participants: 16.

Les McGehee

Les McGehee
Les is a comedian, author, and improv pioneer who has performed thousands of shows across the U.S. and in 13 other countries. Les works with famous and not-so-famous stars of stage and screen, and writes. Les’ book Plays Well With Others (A Grown-up Handbook of Improvisation and Play) has sold thousands of copies and is going to second edition. It tells the story of his career, and shares many insights about playing and uses of improvisation. Les was a founding member of the original Comedy League of America, member of the World Comedy League, owner of a ComedySportz business, winner of a National Championship, past owner of several comedy theaters and bars, and is one of the most prolific champions of the battle to take the improv message to the masses.

Les McGehee's Workshops:

Shortform Master Class
Short form shows are a long form product made with good short form pieces. Short formers have to be able to play with gusto and be familiar with comedy technique, in addition to improv core values. In this workshop we’ll review short form shows for remotes, private events, and tours, as well as developing your own show in your own venue. Learn the mercenary side of killer short form technique from Les, who has done short form in his own theaters, won the ComedySportz National Championship, toured overseas with National Comedy Theatre, played across the US and in a dozen other countries for over two and a half decades. Workshop includes lots of playing plus review of 50+ games.

The Business and Mission of Improv
Your mission, should you decide to accept… What we do as improvisers is important and should be done well. Realize your mission and power to take improv to the masses in multiple ways. Add 1 and 2-person shows, training, speaking events, writing, larger paychecks, and more to your improv mission. Learn insider secrets about how to get such jobs. Be a force for positive change by better realizing your improv dreams. Help the world through your successful improv mission, the world needs you.

Dan Grimm & Tina Jackson

Dan Grimm & Tina Jackson
Dan Grimm has been performing in both Texas and Chicago for nearly 17 years. He is a graduate of iO Chicago, 1st Year Conservatory Training at Second City Chicago, and has workshopped and coached numerous improv and student groups. Currently, Dan performs and teaches at The New Movement in Austin and works with the Latino Comedy Project.

Tina Jackson has been performing for the past 10 years - in Chicago, New York, L.A., Austin, Toronto, Raleigh and all over the Midwest. Since moving to Chicago during the summer of 2007, Jackson has trained at iO Chicago and with the Cook County Social Club. She has written and produced three plays as a resident playwright for The American Red Cross and performed in almost 20 improv and sketch festivals.

Dan & Tina's Workshop:

Focus on Relationships
Your best work onstage happens when you know exactly what's going on and you have the freedom to operate within the confines of your created reality. Knowing who you and your partner are to each other is the key ingredient to allowing this to happen. This workshop will help you deepen your relationships with your scene partners in a real way without ham-fisting or monologuing exposition at the top of your scene. Useful to any performer, this workshop will be especially helpful for those involved in 2-person shows.

Amanda Austin

Amanda Austin
Amanda Austin is co-owner/director of Dallas Comedy House, where she serves as director of the training center. Amanda is a co-producer of the Dallas Comedy Festival (2010, 2011). She currently performs with DCH house troupes: Roadside Couch, Manick, and Local Honey, and toured with the Megaphone Comedy Tour in the spring of 2010. Amanda coaches DCH house troupe Captain Donkeyface and Mr. Ponytail. She has performed and/or taught at Improv Festival Oklahoma, Hawaii Improv Festival, Dallas Comedy Festival, and the Megaphone Marathon (Dallas/New Orleans). Amanda was selected as a panelist for Using Improv to Improve Your Script at the 2010 Austin Film Festival. She has studied at the Second City (Los Angeles) and with instructors from iO (Chicago), The PIT (NYC), The New Movement (Austin), The Annoyance (Chicago). Amanda holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and a minor in Business from Texas A&M University. She is represented by the Kim Dawson Agency.

Amanda Austin's Workshop:

Heightening through Devices
We’ve found the funny, now what? There’s so much comedy gold at the top of every scene, and recognizing it and knowing HOW and WHEN to heighten these comedy nuggets is what takes a good show to an amazing show! This workshop will dissect the heightening of patters within a scene and show through the proper use of walk-ons, tap-outs, split scenes, and side support.

Bill Binder

Bill Binder
Bill Binder is a Michigan native whose start in improv began with The Troupe. From 2002-2004, Bill trained at The ImprovOlympic West Conservatory in Hollywood, CA. He is the director of the Phoenix Improv Festival and has performed and taught at festivals in Denver, New Orleans, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles and Toronto. He currently teaches at The Torch Theatre.

Bill Binder's Workshop:

Starting Out Strong SOLD OUT
The beginnings of shows should be more than a chance to create chaos or fulfill some requirement of your format. Those beginning minutes of a show are a chance to check in with your ensemble, to find and agree on the focus and direction of your show, and hopefully, to invite the audience to come on the journey with you rather than confusing them. This workshop uses techniques to unify and strengthen your ensemble’s openings. Maximum number of participants: 8.

Jose Gonzalez

Jose Gonzalez
Jose Gonzalez is a Phoenix native who received his start in acting & performance under bree williams (lower-case letters intentional). In addition to being the co-director of Galapagos, Jose occasionally partakes in solo performances and has a couple of other improvisational projects in the works. Jose helped develop & produce the Barrow Gang's Scattershot Tour & Hovercraft, a musical improv duo, and is an Associate Producer of the Phoenix Improv Festival. Jose performs with Galapagos, The Remainders and the musical duo Dangerville. He currently teaches at The Torch Theatre.

Jose Gonzalez's Workshop:

The Danger Room
The Danger Room is essentially an exploration of the art of improvisation and your role within it as an artist. Packed with challenging exercises rooted in various non-improv art forms, The Danger Room will prepare you for tackling scenes that are so much more than just people standing around on stage being clever & witty. This class is limited to eight participants.