In this workshop, you will learn how to use improv as a tool to develop sketches, solo characters, monologues, plays, and other scripted work
WHEN: Saturday, November 14th; 2:00 - 4:00 PM
PRICE: $40.00
*Limited to 12-14 participants.
**Invoices will be sent out TBD.
WHERE: Passion- The Adult Dance Studio, 473 Main St., Beacon, NY
Logistics: Bring comfortable clothes to move in, water, and an open mind.
Performance: Eligible to perform your workshop piece at any Indie Improv Night or Duke Jam in Cold Spring.
Instructors: Haley Hepworth & Graham Techler
HALEY HEPWORTH and GRAHAM TECHLER are main stage performers, long-time teachers and directors of improv, sketch and solo character comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York. Our live comedy work is regularly featured on the “Characters Welcome” YouTube channel, where it has amassed over 213,000 subscribers and over 79,657,327 views, and we currently perform on UCB’s weekend character team CABAL. We have performed and lead workshops at many notable theaters and festivals, including The Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, The Del Close Marathon in New York and Los Angeles, The Chicago Improv Festival, San Francisco Sketchfest, The Williamstown Theater Festival, Austin Sketchfest, HUGE Improv Theater in Minneapolis, DICE Theatre in Sweden, and Impeerium Teater in Estonia, as well as at New York University and the Stella Adler School of Acting.
They have appeared on THE DAILY SHOW (Comedy Central), JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! (ABC), AMERICAN CLASSIC (MGM+), FAIRVIEW (Comedy Central), OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT (Showtime), and STEPHEN COLBERT’S TOONING OUT THE NEWS (Paramount+). Our satire writing has been published by The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, Hard Drive, and others.
We love connecting with comedians in other cities and are eager to expand our community globally. Leading workshops in new areas has been a highlight of our creative lives, and we find that each opportunity to build relationships with other creatives is incredibly enriching. We would be thrilled at the opportunity to connect with your improv community to share tools and perspectives that we use in our work as well as to learn about your unique community and culture.
With classical theatre training backgrounds, we’ve spent much of our professional careers working in comedy, and have cultivated a unique blend of exercises that bridge the worlds of Theater, Improv, Sketch, Solo Character Work, and even Satire Writing. Because of our diverse working and teaching backgrounds, our workshops are highly adaptable to meet the needs and interests of specific student populations. We guide students through exercises, scene work, ensemble work and enriching discussion with the aim to find the sweet spot between your specific goals and our unique experience. We’ve led workshops that are very much rooted in sharing the “game” philosophy of our home theater, The Upright Citizens Brigade, as well as workshops that use
Contact Caroline at info@dukecomedytheatre.com
Level A: Intro to Dynamic Improv
$160 for 4x 2-hour classes and a performance
That Creative Space, Beacon NY
Our classes focus on improv elements inspired by Reckless Theatre, The Upright Citizens Brigade, and The Annoyance. Classes are taught by improv veteran TJ Del Reno, previously on house teams at Reckless Theatre, Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre NY, and The P.I.T. Curriculum curated by Christian Capozzoli (The Groundlings Theatre L.A., Reckless Theatre, The Magnet, and UCB NY), Tom Kelley (Reckless Theatre, Ernest Improv), and TJ Del Reno (Reckless Theatre, UCB NY, and The P.I.T.).
In this class, you will:
Try our style of improv comedy
Explore relationships and characters
Perform dynamic scene work
Have a class performance for friends and family to show off your new comedy skills!
No prior improv experience needed.
Limited to 12 participants
18+ to participate
Level B: Intermediate Dynamic Improv
$160 for 4x 2-hour classes and a performance
That Creative Space, Beacon NY
The next step for the improviser who's already put in the work and is hungry to keep growing. Four classes and a performance for friends and family. Keep growing and working those dynamic improv muscles with The Duke and take your improv skills to the next level. Inspired heavily by Reckless Theatre.
In this class, you will:
Continue the Duke’s way of improvising through what you learned in Level A
Use new skills to start your scenes
Strengthen the ensemble muscle
Reinforce the Reckless Theatre & Duke’s improv mission
Meet other players to possibly form an indie improv team
Prerequisite: Level A
Limited to 12 participants
18+ to participate
Level C: Advanced Dynamic Improv
T.B.A.
Take what you’ve learned from Level A and B to continue to flex those creative muscles! Tap into your unique strengths to support yourself and others on stage.
In this class, you will:
Focus on engaging scene work
Reinforce the ensemble mindset
Explore relationships and characters
Find patterns and behaviors of your character
Prerequisite: Level A and B
Limited to 16 participants.
Age 18+ to participate
Introduction to Improv Workshop
$40 for a 2-hour workshop
Want to try improv comedy or take what you’ve learned from your past improv theater experiences and continue to flex those creative muscles? Tap into your unique strengths to support yourself and others on stage!
In this workshop, you will:
Strengthen public speaking
Explore relationships and characters
Work with a group
No prior improv experience needed.
Limited to 12 participants
Age 18+ to participate
Workshops are by registration only. Click below to contact us about upcoming workshops!
**WE HAVE PAUSED OUR WORKSHOPS TO FOCUS ON BUILDING OUT OUR OFFERED CLASSES. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR OUR NEW LEVEL B CLASS STARTING THIS SUMMER!