CANMORE – The Mountain Improv Alliance is launching into 2019 with its first show Improvaggedon and a five-week workshop for beginners to the comedic craft.
Improvaggedon will take place Saturday (Feb. 23) at artsPlace and MIA organizer Rob Murray said the format will include classic short-form improv for those looking to laugh.
“It is those fun games played where an actor has to jump through a hoop, or an obstacle to overcome, to get through a scene,” Murray said. “The second act is long form, so we get a suggestion from the audience and we try to spin that into a 30 to 40 minute show about something we make up on the spot.”
Murray has been performing improv with MIA for several years and is also teaching a five-week course on the basics of improvised comedy at artsPlace.
“Improv surprises me all the time, because you never know what is going to come out,” Murray said. “There are lots of rules and structure going on in the improvisers head behind the scenes and if you follow those rules and other actors follow that structure, you can get confidently up there and have a good time.”
The course will start with the very basics of improv and cover basic skills like listening, timing, collaborating, building confidence and communication skills. Murray said the most important thing for an improv actor to understand is how to accept an offer and build upon it.
In this style of comedy, by accepting what another actor is putting forward it is easier to build an entire scene than it would be to reject the premise on offer. The study of improv can also include character and scene development, stage performance basics and being funny.
“The lovely thing about improv and a class setting like this is it is very safe and we are all there for a good reason,” Murray said.
No Risk Improv starts on Monday (Feb. 25) at artsPlace and goes until March 25 at artsPlace from 7-9 p.m. Program registration costs $80, or $68 for members. Go to artsplacecanmore.com for more details.
MIA hosts a weekly Wednesday drop-in session from 7-9 p.m. at the Mystic Springs Chalets on Kananaskis Way. Go to mountainimprov.ca for more details.
Both the MIA weekly drop-in and the workshops are open to all ages.
