Workshop with Jonathan Pitts
Google form for registration: https://forms.gle/J9b6Wu4oVrJcbbbz7
3 days on the discovery of new formats and approaches from the workshop of Jonathan Pitts. After 5 years gap Jonathan is coming back to Prague to deliver 3 days of workshop with show on day 4.
The whole workshop will take a place on 2-4 May with show on 5th May evening.
· 1 day – Finding strength in vulnerability + Cutting the room
· 2 day – Scene work: The Chicago Way
· 3 day – Collage
· 4 day – show (place will be specified)
Schedule (Thursday to Saturday) 2-4th May
· 9:30 – 10:00 Meeting
· 10:00 – 13:00 First half of the day
· 14:30 – 17:30 Second half of the day
· 17:30 – 18:00 Closing
Sunday 5th May
· 18:00 – 18:30 meeting
· 19:30 Start of the show.
Practical info:
· Capacity 10/12
· Working language: English
· Place: Prague (Specific place will be specified in email)
· 7200 CZK
· Reservation fee 2000 CZK to be paid by 5.4.2024
· Rest of the payment (5200 CZK) by 20.4.2024
· Or whole sum at once.
· Without reservation fee there is no guarantee of the place!
· Payment to be sent to: 1659396028/3030
· In case you need IBAN: CZ1330300000001659396028IBAN
If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at: lucas.zajicek@gmail.com or 721 614 535
Lukáš Zajíček
About workshop:
1st day:
Finding Strength in Vulnerability
Openness on stage is a choice, a powerful choice that make any scene more grounded, intuitive and vital. In this workshop, the improv students will engage in three different theatre exercises designed to develop and heighten their artistic and scenic openness. After the completion of these three exercises, the improvisers will improvise a 2-person scene with their heightened awareness of the strength of choosing to be open.
Openness on stage is a choice, a powerful choice that make any scene more grounded, intuitive and vital. In this workshop, the improv students will engage in three different exercises designed to develop and heighten their artistic and scenic openness.
The Cutting Room.
The Cutting Room is a very fun long form that is easy to play and audiences enjoy it a lot. The way the Cutting Room works is that after getting the first suggestion, the cast performs a series of different scenes of different lengths and different tones, but unlike other long-forms, the only technique allowed is to edit by having one of the performers declare „Cut to…“ and then they describe the location, time, and situation that the next scene takes place, and then the performers make it happen. Also, unlike other long forms, anyone can declare the edit at any time even if they are on stage in a scene. Of course, you can edit back to a previous scene too. The idea is to „world build“ different scenes as far apart as possible, with as many different threads as possible, and then start tying those threads together into a single world. The other advantage about only editing through the „cut to“ process makes the edits faster, more fun, and more impactful. The Cutting Room has been performed around the world, including Bangalore (India), Chicago, Edinburgh, Singapore, and Taipei (Taiwan).
2nd day:
Scene Work: The Chicago Way
Chicago is famous for grounded, honest, relationship-based improvisation scene work that produces deep laughs and deep sighs as the audience is moved to both. This style of work requires acting, listening, openness, patience, and responding through a shared process of give and take. This workshop will feature a deep dive into this process of two-person scene work that will bring improvisers discovery upon discovery. As those shared discoveries pile up, the improvised scene becomes deep, full and funny. It’s the Chicago way.
3rd day:
The Collage
The Collage is a form that can expand or contract to the needs of the performers and the show slot, but in essence it is a long form with lots of short form options. Every style of play and player can fit into this form. The players will learn the process of The Collage as well as several of the different moves that are available to utilize in this very audience friendly form. All players need is a sense of fun and a willingness to jump into any moment as well as support every moment.
In the Collage workshop, the students will learn the power of zig-zag, meaning to go between and back and forth every kind of improv style, tone, and tempo. To do group work and then contrast it with solo scenes or monologues; to go from a serious scene to a physically based comedic one; to incorporate short form games into long form ideals. Every student will gain improvisational artistic flexibility and a better ability to create and discover patterns on the fly.
About Jonathan:
Jonathan Pitts is an award-winning international improv theatre artist and storyteller. He’s performed and/or taught in 26 countries and 104 cities. He’s the former Executive Director of Chicago Improv Productions; Co-Founder/Producer – Chicago Improv Festival; Creator/Producer – College Improv Tournament; Founder/Producer – Teen Comedy Fest; Founder/Producer – Chicago Podcast Festival; Creator/Director of improv theatre productions The Oracle; The Silent Movie; and Storybox Theatre. He taught, coached, and directed at The Second City Training Center for 16 years. He’s a contributing writer to Anne Libera’s book, „The Second City Improv Almanac“. He’s written the forward to two books on improv: Improv Shaman and On Directing Improv. He’s been interviewed for several improv books and been a guest on many podcasts. He’s also the narrator for the feature film He Went That Way which will be released worldwide in September 2023.
Website: www.globalimprovwalkabout.com
Master Artist Ensemble for Moment Improv Festival (Vienna, Austria) [2019]
Guest Master Artist for Alaska State Improv Festival [2018]
Selected 3 times as one of New City’s Top 50 Players in Chicago
Former Theatre/Performance Curator of Around The Coyote Arts Festival [1995-2001] Former Creator/Director/Producer of Kidz Writes [1988-1990]
Creator/Director of improv shows: Double Play; Frames; Lucky Red Dragon Karaoke Night; The Make ‚Em Ups; Maxwell Street; Solo Plus One; Stopwatch; Storybox For Kids; The Thanksgiving Day Family Massacre; Viola Spolin: Woman of Play; World Tales
Creator/Director of performance pieces: The Answer; Balloon Ritual; Chimes Improviser in over 1,200+ performances
Actor/Director/Writer/Producer in 5 sketch comedy revues in Albuquerque and Chicago Actor/Performer in several plays, performance pieces, and theatrical spectacles in Chicago Puppeteer in several adult puppet theatre productions including Redmoon Theatre
Storyteller of 12 different real life stories at various international storytelling showcases Teacher of Applied Improvisation Workshops and International Corporate Workshops Teacher/Director of children and teens with physical and/or cognitive disabilities at Magic City.
COME AND JOIN US ON THIS WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, TAKE YOUR STYLE TO NEXT LEVEL!