Canadian Improv Showcase - Interactive / Educational Programmes

TEACHER DESIGNED & DEVELOPED

Interactive / Educational Programmes

The Canadian Improv Showcase has been offering educational workshops for more than 8 years and have had the pleasure of working with more than 200 schools across Ontario. We offer a wide variety of programmes for both elementary and secondary school levels.

For letters of recommendation in regards to these programmes see the bottom of this page.

Elementary School Workshops:
The interactive and educational programme has been individually customized for grades 4 through 8. These workshops meet a wide variety of Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum expectations and help students learn a broad range of skills. Here is a list of some of the skills learned through their programmes and a list of the curriculum areas they touch upon:
• Self Confidence
• Team Building
• Listening Skills
• Respect for Self & Others
• Concentration & Focus
• Risk Taking
• Creative Thinking
• Problem Solving
• Enhanced Presentation Skills
• Leadership

• Drama & Dance
• Visual Arts
• Language Arts
• Health & Physical Education

Introduction to Improvisation:
This is the programme that started it all! It allows students to learn the basic improv skills in this interactive experience. The workshop starts off with an introduction as to what improvisation is, engaging students and finding out their level of understanding and experience. From there students get to act as the audience as the cast performs, providing the various suggestions that are pivotal to a good show. Following that there is a short question and answer period, then the students get a chance to perform with the cast and experience the joys of improv first hand. Following the workshop students can ask individual questions and teachers are left with a contingency programme so that they can continue to explore the world of improv with their students.

Improv Level 1 ~ Certificate Programme:
The certificate programme is geared to students who already have a basic understanding of improv and general drama knowledge. The programme is designed to give students as much one-on-one time as possible. At level 1 the students are divided into smaller groups who each have one instructor. The instructors will have students work on a variety of exercises designed to expose students to all the different elements of improv and drama. This will allow for the instructors to view the participants on a more individual basis and help them improve their individual skills as well as their group work. At the end of the workshop participants will be awarded with a certificate of completion for level 1.

Improv Level 2 ~ Certificate Programme:
As mentioned above, the certificate programme is geared towards one-on-one instruction. At this level students will again be divided into small groups for instruction and evaluation, but at the end of the workshop each team will be given the opportunity to perform in front of the whole group. This will give students not only the chance to improve individually, but also to show how their team work skills have flourished and expose them to the thrill of performing in front of a live audience. Completion of this level is rewarded with a level 2 certificate.

Improv Level 3 ~ Certificate Programme:
Once students get to level 3, things get more specific. Students are still divided into small groups for instruction, but now the groups will rotate and spend a patch of time with each instructor who will be focusing on specific disciplines like stage presence, scene integrity, movement and other areas that will be determined with the help of the teachers. At the end of the session students will perform, but not necessarily in their own groups, different members from each team will interact and perform with one another to see how successful they are at various team work aspects. A certificate signifying the completion of the entire programme is awarded at the end of the workshop.

Secondary School Workshops:

Improv Intensive:
The improv intensive programme is designed to give secondary school drama students, and/or teams, a safe outlet for improvement by allowing them to work with industry professionals. All members of the Canadian Improv Showcase are professional actors with their own unique skills and training. Your students will have the privilege of learning from this blend of talent and experience. Currently there are 12 members of the Canadian Improv Showcase and the improv intensive programme would utilize 4 to 6 of those actors depending on availability. A musician may also be available, should your students be interested in exploring musical improvisation. Shakespearian improvisation is another area that can be touched upon at the teacher’s request.

The workshop is structured in such away that students and professionals will interact in an open and creative format. The workshop starts out by going over the unwritten rules of improv as well as examining the experience level of the students and finding out as much as possible about what they want to learn, what their past problems and issues on stage have been and any other pertinent information. From there, following a brief improv warm-up, the workshop is broken down into short segments addressing those issues and problems. The students would be given the opportunity to perform for the actors and then the actors would get a chance to make suggestions and offer assistance. The actors would then do a similar scene and allow students the opportunity to voice their opinions. Constructive criticism is key to growth and this programme does just that by not only telling students how to improve and solve problems, but by also showing them how and hopefully expanding their horizons along the way. Overall the workshop is about give and take, an integral part of any form of theatre but especially the unscripted world of improvisation.

The workshop does not have a set length and can be done for large or small groups. It can be combined with other programmes to create a full day of theatre, perhaps combining a workshop in the morning followed by a performance in the afternoon and even an evening fundraiser - the sky is the limit!

Musical Improvisation:
Once students have learned the art of improvisation and are itching to challenge themselves, the next logical step is to explore the world of musical improvisation. This form of improv challenges participants not only to create a scene with little preparation but to also include the world of music in either the form of accompaniment for the actors to sing along with, or in the form of setting the mood using background music for the actors to respond to accordingly. Either form takes a great deal of practice and the professional actors that make up the Canadian Improv Showcase offer a fantastic workshop to explore this world in a constructive and encouraging format. This programme can be presented separately or as part of another programme, just ask for details.

This workshop is done in an improv intensive format, offering the participants to first see musical improv while acting as the audience and then being given the opportunity to try themselves. Throughout the workshop constructive critiquing and advice is provided allowing the participants to learn while not feeling harshly judged or singled out.

Improv Shakespeare:
The famous words of William Shakespeare can be a joy and a burden. For students who do not understand the language, Shakespeare can turn them away from literature all together. For actors trying to learn their craft, Shakespeare can be an exercise in frustration while trying to depict the proper emotion and delivering a long lost language. The Improv Shakespeare workshop offered by the Canadian Improv Showcase is designed to help alleviate any stresses the Bard may have inadvertently created by making meaning of the language and familiarizing the setting.

The workshop is mostly based on discussion and presentation. The actors will discuss with the audience their issues with Shakespeare and follow that up by working out simple scenes improvising Shakespearean dialogue. Audience members who are so inclined will also be given the chance to display what they have learned on stage, but it is not mandatory. This workshop, like the Musical Improvisation programme, can be added to other programmes to create a full day of improvisation.

If you are looking for an improv based workshop, but are not an organized educational institution please contact us directly, we would be happy to customize a programme for your specific needs.

Letters of Recommendation:

• Letter 1 • Letter 2 • Letter 3 • Letter 4 • Letter 5 • Letter 6