::: Jump To :::
IMPROV
One-Time Intro Workshop
Level 1 :: Fundamentals of Improvisation
Level 2A :: Intermediate: Scene-Work
Level 2B :: Intermediate: Ensemble
Level 3A :: Advanced Scene Work
Level 3B :: Long Form Improvisation
Level 4 :: Performance Lab
Special Workshop :: Return of She-Rebel: Women's Improv
Special Workshop :: Vid Sodnik (Slovenia)
Special Workshop :: Be Physical: Simone Schwegler (Switzerland)
STANDUP COMEDY
Introduction to Standup Comedy
Advanced Standup Comedy
SKETCH COMEDY
Sketch Comedy Workshop
Scroll Down for Class Cancellation & Enrollment Deferral Policy, or Click Here
The Brody Theater offers a full course of study in improvisation, including public performance opportunities for dedicated students at the advanced levels. Whether your goal is to perform on the improvised stage, improve spontaneity in your scripted acting, learn the ropes of standup comedy, or simply find a new creative outlet - or inlet - these fun, challenging and rewarding classes are for you. Students receive free admission to our shows, an important and enjoyable adjunct to class work.
From time to time we offer additional 1-day or weekend workshops, some designed for our students, and others open to beginners or improvisers with some experience. These are often announced via email. If you are not on our email list and would like to be, contact classes@brodytheater.com Register online, at the theater, by phone, or by mail.
For beginning improv and standup you can also make a $50 deposit that will reserve your spot. Deposits are not refundable, and early enrollment discounts, when offered, are available only with full payment.
Please see above, or Click Here.
If you need to discuss prerequisite experience for upper level classes or have other questions, email, or phone us at 503.224.2227.
We also teach creativity and team-building workshops for non-performance/business applications, and can design a program to suit your needs and goals. Contact us if an improv-based experience for your business interests you. Our teachers: Marilyn Divine, Tom Johnson, Kerry Leek, Domeka Parker, Chris Williams & Caitlin Kunkel
The Brody Theater
CLASS DEPOSIT
Level 1 & 2 Improv and Standup Class
READ THIS FIRST
Address for enrollment by mail:
PO Box 3835
Portland, OR 97208
Scroll Down for Class Cancellation & Enrollment Deferral Policy, or Click Here
Current Class Offerings
One-Night Intro Improv Workshop
Tuesday June 25 7:00-9:00pm
Tuesday August 27 7:00-9:00pm
This "one-shot" workshop, designed for the beginner or someone who just wants to dip their toe into the waters, will include lots of fun improv games and exercises. No previous theater or improv experience required! This class fills up so grab your spot now!
Prerequisite: None, beginners welcome!
Fee: $35.00
(nominal online service fee applies)
Level 1: Fundamentals of Improvisation
Tuesdays from 7:00-9:00pm starting July 9
Saturdays from 11:00am-1:00pm starting July 13
Tuesdays from 7:00-9:00pm starting September 10
Tuesdays from 7:00-9:00pm starting September 14
This class is an introduction to group improvisation covering spontaneity, group focus and ensemble building, narrative skills, and ways to identify and exploit the patterns and connections between ideas and experiences that help power and integrate our work. This is our entry level class, and is prerequisite to further work in the training program.
Instructors: Kerry Leek (Saturday), Marilyn Divine (Tuesday)
Prerequisite: None, beginners welcome!
Fee: $175.00 for seven 2-hour class sessions
(nominal online service fee applies)
Level 2B: Intermediate: Ensemble
Wednesdays from 7:00-9:00pm starting July 10
Saturdays from 1:30-3:30pm starting July 13
Level 2A: Intermediate: Scene-Work
Wednesdays from 7:00-9:00pm starting September 11
Saturdays from 1:30-3:30pm starting September 14
Level 2 (intermediate) is a 2-class sequence. Level 2A focuses on scene work and 2B focuses on ensemble improvisation. They are offered on a rotating basis, and can be taken in any order. Topics will include scene work, ensemble play, narrative skills, scene-editing and connecting, introductory long form concepts.
Instructors: Domeka Parker (Wednesdays), Kerry Leek (Saturdays)
Prerequisite: Level 1 or Equivalent Training and Permission
Fee: $175.00 for seven 2-hour class sessions.
Students Level 2 and above are eligible to play in our student performance "Fire Drill" on Sunday nights.
Nominal Online Service Fee Applies / For Deposit Info, Click Here
Level 3B Long Form Improvisation
Sundays from 1:30-3:30pm starting June 30 (no meeting July 7)
Level 3A: Advanced Scene Work
Sundays from 1:30-3:30pm starting September 8
Advanced level work in various aspects of improvisation. Level 3A focuses on advanced scene work and 3B focuses on longform ensemble play. They are offered on a rotating basis, and can be taken in any order.
Instructor: Kerry Leek
Prerequisite: Both Brody intermediate sessions 2A & 2B
Fee: $175.00 for seven 2-hour class sessions, plus performance
(nominal online service fee applies)
Enroll in Level 3
Level 4: Performance Lab
Sundays from 4:00-6:00pm starting June 30 (no meeting July 7)
Workshop and performances in long form improvisation
Instructor: TBA
Prerequisite: Level 3 improvisation and permission.
Fee: $175.00 for seven class sessions, plus multiple performances
(nominal online service fee applies)
Return of She-Rebel: Women's Improv Workshop
weekend in June or July TBA soon
This sequel to the highly successful May workshop for women is inspired by the following propostion. "In the community of improvisational theater and comedy, women have tended to follow the lead of man despite their inherit ability to carve their own unique path. Women improvisers have, in general terms, altered their innate senses to match the ebullience of their male peers. This is not the rule, but it is a very real commonality." Domeka Parker leads this three-hour exploration designed to illuminate the strengths of the female improviser and to strengthen her ability to navigate the stage, the story and the partnerships of improvised work.
Domeka Parker is a teacher and ensemble member at the Brody and artistic director of Blank Slate Performance Collective, Domeka has developed and directed several improvisational works, including the Brody's award winning Shakespearean show, Anon & On & On. She recently traveled Europe performing her solo improvisation, Let Me Show You, and has taught in the U.S., Holland, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia.
Prerequisite:Brody Theater Level 1 or beyond, or multi-week improv class experience at another theater or school.
Fee: $40.00 / $35.00 for current Brody Students - use dropdown menu
(nominal online service fee applies)
Storytelling, Hosting and Audience Care: with Vid Sodnik
Saturday June 15 3:45-6:30pm
It is essential as an improviser to remain constantly spontaneous, playful and aware of other players and our audiences. This workshop will explore simple storytelling and building a platform for strong scene-work, taking care of your partner and the balance between offering and accepting. Discover ways of tuning into your audience, understanding their expectations and creating engaging stories for them to enjoy.
Vid Sodnik is director of Improgojnica school of Improvisation and a member of Impro Liga and Instant šov in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Last year he spent 4 months in Calgary, Canada as a part of Loose Moose Residency group.
Prerequisite:Brody Theater Level 1 or beyond, or multi-week improv class experience at another theater or school.
Fee: $40.00 / $35.00 for current Brody Students - use dropdown menu
(nominal online service fee applies)
Be Physical: Improv Workshop with Simone Schwegler
Saturday June 29 1:00-4:00pm
In improv many great moments are ruined by talking. Learn to use and feel your body to build strong characters. Let your body make decisions, fully embrace them, and express them physically in scenes, allowing your audience to connect to your performance more directly and intimately than through dialogue. Find new paths to more authentic characters and relationships-- the core of every good scene. Explore new characters via body, emotions, images, sounds, animals, and more. Find your own personal approach to fill your characters with more life – lovable, hateable, honest, and funny but simply true characters.
Simone Schwegler is artistic director of Harri Olli and a member of Theater Anundpfirsich, two of the most successful improvisational theater groups in Switzerland. Harri Olli is known for its unique style: theatrical, charming, physical and emotional improvisation. Simone has toured and taught in America and Europe, and performed as a resident at Keith Johnstone's Loose Moose Theatre in Calgary, Canada.
Prerequisite:Brody Theater Level 1 or beyond, or multi-week improv class experience at another theater or school.
Fee: $40.00 / $35.00 for current Brody Students - use dropdown menu
(nominal online service fee applies)
Introduction to Standup Comedy
Mondays from 7:00-9:00pm starting July 15, 2013
This workshop will help you develop skills and experience as a standup comedian. We'll focus on writing, performance style and mechanics, point of view, and more in a supportive environment. Performance opportunity in our open mics and a special show by workshop participants. Tom Johnson is artistic director of the Brody Theater, has been a stage comedian for almost 30 years, and has worked professionally all over the country. Several guest comedians will visit classes during the session.
Instructor: Tom Johnson & Guest Comics
Prerequisite: None
Fee: $175.00 for six 2-hour class sessions, plus performance
Nominal Online Service Fee Applies / For Deposit Info, Click Here
Advanced Standup Comedy
Saturdays from 4:00-6:00pm starting June 8
So you have gotten your feet wet in standup, done some open mics-- now what? For those who want to get serious about comedy - this class will increase your comedy presence onstage and improve the quality of your material. Learn to shorten the joke "take off" time, speak clearly and from a real place. Take a forward step in writing powerful compelling material that fully expresses you as an artist. Develop strong positive stage habits, learn how to control the room and shoot down your "inner critic". Learn the power of positive critique among peers.
Instructor: Anatoli Brant
Prerequisite: Introduction to Standup Comedy or standup experience and permission.
Fee: $175.00 for six 2-hour class sessions, plus performance
Nominal Online Service Fee Applies / For Deposit Info, Click Here
Sketch Comedy Writing 1
Returns in September. Times and dates TBA
In this fast-paced class, students will spend seven weeks working on idea generation, character and point-of-view, leaving with an understanding of how to write a well-structured, dynamic sketch. Participants will emerge with three polished sketches that they've rewritten and seen up on their feet. Out of class work is required.
Caitlin Kunkel is a screenwriter and a faculty member at Chicago's Second City Training Center, where she teaches sketch, tv and
film comedy writing. She created the curriculum currently used at The Second City as prerequisite for all their advanced writing
courses. Her short plays and sketch comedy revues have been produced at theaters across Chicago.
Instructor: Caitlin Kunkel
Prerequisite: None, beginners welcome!
Fee: $195.00 for seven 2-hour class sessions plus sketch performance showcase
Nominal Online Service Fee Applies / For Deposit Info, Click Here
Class Cancellation Policy & Enrollment Deferral
Delaying or cancelling enrollment:For all multi- week classes: If something comes up and you cannot join a class, contact us at least 48 hours before the class starts to defer your enrollment, keeping your payment on account to enroll in a future class. Less than 48 hours before the first class there is a $25 fee to defer enrollment.
For the one-night intro improv workshop, you can defer enrollment to a later edition of the workshop if you contact us at least 48 hours before the workshop to make the change. 24-48 hours prior there is a $10 rescheduling fee. If instead you decide to cancel your enrollment:
Fundamentals of Improvisation, Standup Comedy & Intermediate Improvisation: 10 days or more prior to the first class meeting, there is a $25 cancellation fee; 1-9 days prior: $50
All other classes and workshops: 10 days or more prior to the first class meeting: $25 cancellation fee; 6-9 days prior: $40 cancellation fee. One to 5 days before the class or workshop: cancellation fee is 50% of the workshop cost. For workshops costing less than $50 cancellation fee is half the workshop cost, if you cancel more than 24 hours prior to the event.
Your payment, less any cancellation fees, will be refunded within 30 days.
No refunds for cancellation less than 24 hours before any class or workshop start time.