VIIF Workshops

Improv for beginners workshop with Dave Morris

Sunday, Oct. 4, 12:30pm at Roundhouse Community Centre. Sign up at the VIIF Boxoffice.

The VIIF workshop Package (stage experience required):

EARLY BIRD ticket purchasing: Before the 10th of this month! [click here]

Regular Rate: while spots last! [click here]

WHIZBANG the ultimate in yesAND with Christian Capozzoli

Christian Capozzoli teaches at Armando Diaz's Magnet Theater in New York. He has been studying and performing comedy since 1996, and holds a BFA in Comedy Arts from Emerson College and a Masters in Literature and Education from Harvard University. He performs and tours North America with 4Track (Best New Improv Show 2007 TimeOut NY), and is insanely proud to work and direct both critically acclaimed Statues of Liberty and CRUSH.

Clown for Improvisers with Allyson J. Grant & Briana Rayner

Allyson J. Grant

Allyson brings a deep commitment to integrating The Arts in Community and Educational settings. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Windsor in Ontario. During her final year, she was hired by Fools for Health, Canada's first clown-doctoring charitable programme.

Allyson has been living in Vancouver since 2003, acting in stage performances and many TV commercials. She has extended her passion in merging community and performing arts by creating and participating in several projects which she has both instructed and facilitated, including: Spirit Clowning with the Richmond School Board, Circus Camp at Summer at St. George's, Dramatic Arts Instructor at Westside Montessori Pre-School and within the Vancouver Community Centres. Spirit Clowning workshopping is particularly close to her heart, as Allyson mentors teens to utilize the art of Red Nose performance to connect with their peers and their communities.

Allyson is thrilled to have developed Western Canada’s first clown–doctoring not–for–profit organization, Jest for Joy, which delivered its Pilot Project this past spring to rave reviews. Allyson is ever–grateful for her support network, and makes a habit of smiling and saying hello to strangers every day.

Briana Rayner

Briana is also co-teaching the Marketing, Media, Grants and the Arts Workshop.

The Awesome Power of Commitment - With Mark Sutton.

"There are only two options regarding commitment. You're either in or you're out. There's no such thing as life in-between."
-Pat Riley, NBA Champion Coach

At the moment of commitment most performers hesitate. Why? Because we believe that if we totally commit, if we give ourselve fully to the moment we will lose the freedom to explore. We think that we must keep our options open in order to fully play the scene. In fact, the opposite is true. To fully commit - physically, and emotionally to the scene is to free yourself from worry and see the scene for all that it is and all that it can be.

In this workshop you will explore various avenues of commitment and how they can enhance your scenic and character work on every level. You will discover new options, see more opportunities and be in a better space to explore and heighten. By narrowing your focus you will open your mind and enjoy a greater sense of play. And, you'll see the powerful difference between playing the scene you want to have happen vs. playing the scene that's actually happening.

BIO

Mark Sutton is one of the most respected and sought after teachers in improvisation today. He is a founding member of Chicago's legendary ANNOYANCE THEATER and, for 10 years, was the Theater's managing director. Mark is on the faculty of both ANNOYANCE and The Second City, and has been a featured instructor at comedy festivals across the United States and Canada for the last 16 years. He helped develop the aggressive, personal power style of improvisation pioneered by Mick Napier at The ANNOYANCE. Mark's direct, personal style of teaching has inspired and enlightened thousands of students during his 20 year career. In addition to acting and teaching, Mark is also the Artistic Director of the Chicago Improv Festival.

Marketing and Fundraising with Kaitlin Fontana & Briana Rayner

Kaitlin Fontana

Kaitlin Fontana is an award-winning writer and improviser with over eight years' experience. In addition to being the co-founder of the acclaimed all-female Rosa Parks Improv and one-half of the sketch group Pony Hunters, she's also the Media and Sponsorship Director of VIIF. In her portion of the workshop, Kaitlin will show you how to create a compelling press package for your show or group, and how to get the word out. Please bring some press materials or a proposal to workshop.

Briana Rayner

Briana has spent the last 5 years working in film and theatre production and the last 8 improvising. She is currently the National Administrative Director for the Canadian Improv Games, and Administrative Director of the Vancouver International Improv Festival. In addition to her current work with Rosa Parks Improv, she is also a clown doctor in a palliative care facility. She holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Victoria and completed the Circle in the Square Summer Theatre Workshop in 2006. Briana will show you how to write effective grants and other admin materials. Please bring a grant package you'd like to work on to the workshop.

Musical Improv -with Alan Marriot

Alan Marriott has been freeing minds for over twenty years both in Canada and Europe. His professional career spans many disciplines specifically improv, marketing consultancy, writing teaching, performing on stage, and voice overs.

A Pen High graduate, Alan moved to Vancouver in 1980 to attend the Studio 58 acting school. Alan got his first taste of improvisation with Vancouver Theatresports and as they say, things were never the same again. After four amazing years with V.T.S.L., where Alan worked closely with (among others) Colin Mochrie and Ryan Styles, and also played the character of Aldous Bacon in V.T.S.L.'s original production of 'Suspect' (an improvised murder mystery), Alan moved to London England to complete his formal acting training at The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). Upon finishing LAMDA the impro bug bit again and Alan set to work in London starting London Theatresports and creating and playing in numerous different impro formats including 'Hamlet Improvised', Impro Lear, Impro Lab (London's first 2 act improvised play), The Impro Musical, 'Lust Boulavarde' (an improvised soap opera), and 'Impropera' (a 2 act improvised opera).

An expert improviser, Alan has worked with or taught almost every improvisational theatre group in London including: The Comedy Store Players, Dogs on Holiday, Impro Musical, Impropera, Brickbats Volunteers, South of the River (with Steve Frost and Jeremy Hardy) and, his own current impro troupe, The Crunchy Frog Collective. A list of Alan’s former students reads like a who's who of British comedy and includes Eddie Izzard, Alan Davies, John Sparks, Andy Stanton, Neil Ashdown, Fay Ripley, Rob Rackstraw, Stella Duffy and many more.