Sketch Writing Foundations

This course is already filled.

COURSE: Sketch Writing Foundations (8 weeks)
WHEN: 6:30-9:30pm, Wednesday 7, 14, 21, 28 February, 7, 14, 21, 28 March 2018.
COST: $349 INC GST
LOCATION: Inner west, Sydney, Australia
TEACHER: Tony Starr

This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of the Chicago style of writing sketch comedy. You’ll create short sketches individually and in small groups using improv techniques and by finding and heightening “the game of the scene”. Working in a writer’s room, you’ll engage in improv and writing exercises that explore different sketch formats using the writing techniques used to create material for stage and T.V. e.g. Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Second City mainstage shows.Writer's room!

As a group, you’ll concentrate on different methods for brainstorming ideas and using them to create solid sketches. You’ll leave the class with an understanding of a variety of sketch formats and a small portfolio of writing. You’ll also have the opportunity to perform or have sketches performed on stage.

No prior sketch writing or improv experience is necessary — the only requirement for this class is a commitment and a desire to write and learn. Students should have access to a computer and printer and be prepared to work outside of class, preparing sketches for presentation and discussion in every class.

This class is a prerequisite for later levels (2-5) of our Sketch Writing curriculum.

About the instructor: Tony Starr is a writer, improvisor, director, and producer who spent many years in the L.A. improv and sketch scene, has been featured on Funny or Die, and has written for weekly shows at IO West, The Second City, and his own stage and video sketch teams. He originally trained at both the Second City and UCB in Hollywood, and now teaches and performs here in Sydney. He was the first teacher of Chicago style sketch in Australia — first with Improv Theatre Company, and later teaching his original 4 levels of sketch training at LMA. He’s the most experienced practitioner in the country, and he’s now returned to ITC to take you to the next level!

Omar Argentino Galván impro workshops Sydney November 2017

This workshop is now closed.

We’re very excited to present an improvisation workshop that‘s a little different. On Saturday 11 November 2017, international guest teacher Omar Argentino Galván will present his popular Impro Big Band Assembly workshop for multiple artistic disciplines, based on the groundbreaking Soundpainting techniques of Walter Thompson.Impro Big Band logo

Come and learn some of these unique directing and performance techniques, and participate in what is effectively part workshop and part improvised multi-disciplinary artistic event, for dancers, singers, poets, improvisors and musicians.

While this workshop is primarily for improvisors, if you play an instrument as well then please bring it along. If you can dance, then make sure you bring your feet.

When: Saturday 11 November, 1pm to 4pm

Where: tbc, Erskineville

Cost: $80 INC GST

Where will you say you were, on the day Omar Argentino Galván came to town?

Soundpainting and improvised conducting

Originally developed in the 1970s and 80s, Walter Thompson created a sign language of more than 200 gestures for composing music in real time with improvising musicians, which he later adapted for other domains such as dance and acting, with audience participation and reincorporation/callbacks. Omar has taken this even further for theatrical improvisation (impro/improv)—improvised scenes, with music, singing, soundscapes, dance and audience interaction.

Who is Omar Argentino Galván?

Omar Argentino Galvan is based in Madrid, and has been touring his improvisation workshops around the world since 2000. His work is characterised by poetic scenes and a magical realism and theatrical narrative not often used in theatrical improvisation. This is his first trip to Australia, and he’ll only be in Sydney for 3 days. This is the only workshop he’s giving.

David Razowsky improv workshops Sydney October 2017

This workshops is no longer available.

Master improvisor and teacher David Razowsky returns one more time to Sydney in late October to present two specially selected workshops. A master improvisor and teacher of theatrical improvisation and acting, David is the most experienced Chicago improvisor ever to teach in Sydney. His first visits to Sydney a few years ago had a huge impact on the community, and this visit will do the same. These will be the only workshops David is doing in Sydney, and will sell out quickly.David Razowsky

David will be giving a full day workshop on Sunday 29 October 2017 consisting of two of his classic workshops: change and the Jerry chart, and sharpening your point of view. This is an amazing opportunity to work with David consistently over a full day.

  • Revelations. A scene doesn’t change unless someone in it changes. How do you know you’ve changed, and how can you spot an emotional change? Get in touch with that inner alert that tells you it’s time to take the next step in the action.
  • Sharpen your Point of View. The very first exchanges of your scene tell you all you need to know about who you are and where to emotionally and energetically go. Are you aware of that? Are you listening to yourself at that time? This workshop will guide you to your point of view, and have you following yourself confidently, bravely, excitedly, and easily. It’s as simple as that!

David will also be giving a 3 hour evening workshop on Wednesday 25 October 2017.

  • Expose your UnderWhere. One of the first things to escape you when you hit that stage is your “where,” the objects around you, and, well, you know why: because you’re thinking about “where to put things.” This workshop’ll connect you to everything that’s already there, freeing you from thinking and encouraging you to see, helping you explore relationships and create characters in ways you’ve never done before.

Each workshop is strictly limited to 16 people so you get more Dave time. (well, 15, because I’ve already bought mine)

The full day workshop is $249 INC GST, and the evening workshop is $129 INC GST. We’re also offering a 15% discount if you book both workshops, for a total cost of only $321 INC GST.

If you want to come to these workshops, then apply using the form below.

David Razowsky was Artistic Director of Second City LA for many years, and has worked as director, performer and in various consultancy roles with companies such as iO, Annoyance, Steppenwolf, Dreamworks, Whose Line Is It Anyway, and Amsterdam’s Boom Chicago. He was also a staff writer for The Simpsons Comic and The Simpsons Sunday, and of course directed and performed with the Second City main stage (with his fellow cast members including Steve Carrel, Stephen Colbert and Jeff Garlin) and Second City touring companies. He’s been called “the guru of improvisation, and an improvisor’s improvisor”, who connects mindfulness with improvisation’s core principals of being in the moment, taking care of your partner, and groundedness. Basically, he rocks, and his CV is way too long.

David Razowsky’s CV

Feel free to send this to anyone else who might be interested. But we recommend only after you’ve booked yourself in first!

Gary Schwartz workshops in Sydney, June 2016

This workshop has now finished.

Gary Schwartz is coming to Sydney in June 2016 for two very special and unique workshops exploring the methods and work of Viola Spolin, who is often called the mother of improvisation. Gary began working with Spolin in 1977, is one of the few remaining people who have worked extensively with her, and is the only teacher endorsed by both Viola Spolin, and her son Paul Sills, founder of the legendary Compass Players and The Second City.

Viola Spolin’s work is often greatly misunderstood as just a bunch of theatre games, so Gary has developed for us an initial 3 hour workshop covering the core principles, techniques and methods of Viola Spolin’s work, followed by a full weekend intensive for those who wish to continue exploring her work in more detail.

  1. Spontaneity & Transformation: Exploring the work of Viola Spolin
    Where: TBC, Alexandria
    When: 7pm, Friday 24 June 2016 (3 hours)
    Cost: $70 INC GST
  2. Excursions into the Intuitive: Further Exploration of the Spolin approach to Improvising
    This workshop follows on from the Spontaneity & Transformation workshop above, which is included in the cost of this workshop.
    Where: TBC, Alexandria & Newtown
    When: 9am-12pm, 1pm-4pm, Saturday 25 June and 10am-1pm, 2pm-5pm, Sunday 26 June 2016 (12 hours)
    Cost: $350 INC GST (cost includes Friday night workshop)

Apply for these workshops at the bottom of this page!

Viola Spolin’s work includes her ground breaking 1963 book Improvisation for the Theater, and many other books on acting, directing and improvisation over the following 30 years. If you’re an actor or improvisor, then you would have used her exercises in acting, improv or team building workshops or played her games on stage or with Theatresports. She made a huge contribution to acting and directing techniques that are used and taught in most acting schools around the world, and many schools even have curriculums based purely on her teachings.

These workshops are a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with the next best thing to Viola Spolin herself, along with Gary’s unique take on his almost 40 years of Spolin training. They will include work on spontaneity, awareness, transformation, point of focus, freeing tension, dealing with subjective preconceptions, relationship, character, concentration, being in the moment and more.

Both workshops are for all levels of experience, from no improvisation experience through to veteran players.

About Gary Schwartz

Gary Schwartz is an award winning TV and film actor, director, and a master improvisational acting coach. His coaching work has helped transform the lives of many, both on and off screen. His long association with Viola Spolin, led to Gary co–founding The Spolin Players in 1988. The group still performs to this day. The Spolin Players were winners 1989 DramaLogue Award for best ensemble and the L.A. Times called their work “brilliant and exhilarating” and “improv as pure and unpredictable as you’ll find.”

He’s a successful long time director and actor of both scripted and improvised works, with performances in the Oscar award winning film Quest for Fire, and 65 episodes of the Emmy winning TV series Zoobilee Zoo. As a voice actor, Gary has worked with directors Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand, Tim Burton, Kenneth Brannagh and many others, as well as voicing hundreds of video games, TV series’ and film.

Gary maintains Spolin Games Online a free internet video library of Spolin’s exercises, a resource for teachers, players and students. Gary’s acting career is detailed on IMDB, and his full bio can be found on his website.

Applying for the workshops

To apply for Spontaneity & Transformation, we require the full $70 INC GST to be paid in order to reserve your place. For Excursions into the Intuitive, we require an initial $70 INC GST deposit to reserve your place, with the remaining $280 INC GST to be paid by 1 June 2016 or your reservation will be cancelled.

Sketch foundations

COURSE: Sketch foundations
WHEN: 6:30-9:30pm, Mondays 2, 9, (no 16), 23, 30 Nov, 7, 14 Dec 2015
COST: $199 INC GST
LOCATION: Inner west, Sydney, Australia
TEACHER: Tony Starr

Hone your sketch comedy writing skills! This 6 week program is designed for writers, actors and improvisors of all experience levels.

Learn basic scene structure, character development, establish action, and learn the styles and genres of comedy. Weekly writing assignments and in-class exercises generate material and establish a regular writing schedule. We’ll create a writer’s room, brainstorm ideas, create environment, write dialogue, work with story, write for the stage, and more.

This course lays the foundation for writing comic scenes in the Chicago style of sketch writing. No previous experience is necessary, but experienced writers and performers will still get a lot out of this course.

The program is lead by Tony Starr, a writer and improvisor who specialises in both written and improvised sketch, having trained in the Conservatory at Second City and UCB. He has spent many years in the L.A. sketch community and has been featured on Funny or Die, and written for iO West’s “Top Story Weekly”, The Second City’s “Second City This Week”, The Second City Show “Pretty in Pink Slips”, and video sketch team, Sketch Federation.

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Sketching writing and development

This workshop is now full, however we will be running another, so please contact us if you’re interested.

COURSE: Sketch writing and development
WHEN: 6:30-9:30pm, Monday 7 September 2015
COST: $30 INC GST
LOCATION: Inner west, Sydney, Australia
TEACHER: Tony Starr

The first of it’s kind in Sydney, in this workshop you’ll learn how to develop sketches in the Chicago style, from improvised scenes to the written page. Learn traditional sketch formats such as “Center and Eccentrics”, “Clash of Context” and “Inappropriate Response” along with premise generation tools to help get the juices flowing to create, define, develop and script complete sketches. In addition to the fundamental core concepts, we’ll explore finding the game of the scene, heightening, finding bits, fleshing out character, and writing for the stage.

The workshop will lead by Tony Starr, a writer and improvisor who specializes in both written and improvised sketch, having trained in the Conservatory at Second City and UCB. He has spent many years in the L.A. sketch community and has been featured on Funny or Die, and written for IO West’s “Top Story Weekly”, The Second City’s “Second City This Week”, The Second City Show “Pretty in Pink Slips”, and video sketch team, Sketch Federation.

Some formal improvisation training is preferred, but contact us if unsure.

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David Razowsky improv workshops Sydney July 2015

Quick link to apply for these workshops through our contact form.

David Razowsky is doing a one off return to Sydney in July for 3 very special improvisation workshops. David is one of the top teachers of theatrical improvisation and acting, and is the most experienced Chicago improvisor ever to teach in Sydney. He had a huge impact on Sydney last year, with a number of groups forming around his work, and our long form community greatly improving in quality as a result of it.

For David’s return visit, we’re offering 3 unique inner west evening workshops.

  1. The Beat Goes on. How can two actors play a 40 minute show in one location? Playing scenes indefinitely, and how awareness and presentness keeps a scene intriguing, full, exciting and ongoing, even when you think it’s finished. — Tuesday 21 July 2015
  2. Shape/Gesture/Tempo: Viewpoints Elements in Action. Creating instant characters, dynamics, and scenes without adding anything but your awareness. David is a specialist in using Anne Bogart’s Viewpoints in improvisation. No previous Viewpoints experience is necessary. — Thursday 23 July 2015
  3. Group Scenes Reduced. Scenes of 3 or more characters have special traits beyond traditional 2 character scene work, and is very rarely taught in Sydney or in books on improvisation. This workshop breaks down the art of the 3 person scene, leading to stronger, challenging, surprising and easy long form scenes. — Friday 24 July 2015

Each workshop is 3 hours long, and is strictly limited to 16 people so you get more Dave time. (technically 15 though, because I’ve already bought mine)

The price is $70 INC GST per workshop. We’re also offering two special deals: 2 workshops for $120 INC GST, and all 3 workshops for $170 INC GST.

These will be the only workshops he’ll be doing, and the only opportunity to work with him while he’s here. They will fill very quickly.

If you want to come to these workshops, then apply through our contact form, or contact Richard Bennett directly. Minimum level of experience is roughly the first few levels of Impro Australia’s courses, or equivalent improvisation in acting experience, but David is pretty flexible. If you’ve done our Inside Long Form Improvisation course then you are uniquely positioned to get the most out of these workshops.

David Razowsky was Artistic Director of Second City LA for many years, and has worked as director, performer and in various consultancy roles with companies such as iO, Annoyance, Steppenwolf, Dreamworks, Whose Line Is It Anyway, and Amsterdam’s Boom Chicago. He was also a staff writer for The Simpsons Comic and The Simpsons Sunday, and of course directed and performed with the Second City main stage (with cast members including Steve Carrel, Stephen Colbert and Jeff Garlin) and Second City touring companies. He’s been called “the guru of improvisation, and an improvisor’s improvisor”, who connects mindfulness with improvisation’s core principals of being in the moment, taking care of your partner, and groundedness. Basically, he rocks, and his CV is way too long.

David Razowsky’s CV

Feel free to send this to anyone else who might be interested. But we recommend only after you’ve booked yourself in first!

Explore the Form: La Ronde – March/April 2015

COURSE: Explore the Form: La Ronde
WHEN: 7-9pm Tuesday evenings 17 March to 28 April 2015 (6 weeks, excluding Easter Tuesday)
COST: $195 INC GST
LOCATION: Inner west, Sydney, Australia
TEACHER: Pete Lead

Apply for this course

This 6 week course will develop your skills in creating characters and relationships with depth, initiating and heightening scenes, and will give you extensive experience experimenting with and performing the La Ronde form. Upon completion, you will have a thorough understanding of the format and will have developed the ability to play deeper and more complex character and relationship focused scenes.

Read more about this course

Inside Long Form Improvisation – Level 1 (Advanced) – Mar/Apr 2015

COURSE: Inside Long Form Improvisation – Level 1 (advanced)
WHEN: 7-10pm Monday evenings 2 March 2015 through 27 April (8 weeks, excluding Easter Monday 6 April)
COST: $245 INC GST
LOCATION: Inner west, Sydney, Australia
TEACHER: Richard Bennett

Apply for this course

This fun and information rich course covers an extensive range of material, and will provide actors and improvisors with a more grounded, holistic and actor based approach to long form improvisation than is taught anywhere else. It will forever change the way you look at improv, even if you’ve already been doing it for years.

Read more about this course