Workshops
Hone your skills or learn something new!
We offer workshops in acting, directing, improv and other stagecraft throughout the year.
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Note: If registering through PayPal isn't your thing, you can always pay at the first class. However, you do need to contact us to sign up in advance, so we can manage the numbers. Thanks!
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Advanced Improv Scrimmage
coached by Maurissa Afanador & Chopsy Gutt
January 22 through February 26, 2024
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Offers a chance to meet and play with other intermediate and advanced level improvisers in the Santa Cruz area. Content may include scene study, classic games, exercises from the great books of improvisation, and experiments with old and new long forms. Each two-hour session will have an improvisational quality to it -- we may build on the previous week, we may change the exercises up based on an in-the-moment inspiration.
Price is $108 for all 6 sessions, or $25 for drop in.
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Sign up here to be put on the calendar invite.
Coaches will be in touch about payment options.
"Maurissa is an amazing teacher.
She made it a very safe environment for us to fail and learn."
"Her passion for improv was immediately and consistently contagious."
Maurissa Afanador is the owner and lead improv instructor for Greater Than The Sum, a vendor-provider of theater arts classes for The Arts at Google. She is a 30-year improv veteran who has performed on multiple house teams in Chicago and Los Angeles.
Chopsy Gutt was an artistic director and member of Um Gee Um, the longest performing improv troupe in Santa Cruz, which received a Gail Rich award.
She was also a member of Sappho's Lappho's, and recently performed Improvised Shakespeare online with Impro Theater’s Advanced Shakespeare ensemble out of LA and at the BATS theater in San Francisco.
Two Improv Workshops with Patti Stiles
from Good Enough! Improv
Patti Stiles is coming from the land down under to teach two incredible improv workshops in one day! Attend either or both!
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Gifts to Inspire Your Scene Partner
Saturday, October 5, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Improvisers who inspire, surprise and delight their partners are the most fun to play with. How do they do this magic? This workshop explores exercises and techniques to help you delight, surprise and inspire your scene partner: How to change them, affect them, and watch them light up.
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NO Isn't Always a Block: Sometimes the Best YES Is a NO
Saturday, October 5, 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Learning to accept each other’s offers is vital in improvisation. However, many improvisers end up being trained in a ‘Pavlovian’ response to create improvisation through saying yes! to everything without understanding the offer or the story. This workshop will show you that sometimes the best Yes is a NO!
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Maximum of 16 participants per workshop. Price is $60.60 + fees for each.
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Email casey.robinson@gmail.com for more information.
Sign up HERE
"Patti Stiles was one of my mentors."
—Nathan Fillion
Patti Stiles has been called the "queen of improvisation" by the Canadia press. She cut her teeth in an improv apprenticeship under Keith Johnstone at Loose Moose Theatre. With over 40 years of theatre experience, she
is an incredible teacher, as well as co-Artistic Director of Impro Melbourne, Australia. "Patti Stiles was one of my mentors," said Nathan Fillion. Her book "Improvise Freely: Throw away the rulebook and unleash your creativity" has been received with critical acclaim and marked her as a next generation legend.
Good Enough! Improv consists of one part Casey Robinson and one part Lauren Owen, and one dash of love. They teach improv theater in Santa Cruz and host improv workshops like this one! They have been trained by UCB, Second City, Comedy Sportz, Will Hines (Brooklyn 99, Community), BATS, American Improv Theatre and even Laura Hall from Who's Line is it Anyways! They appeared in The World's Greatest Improv Festival, and have performed at venues like Piano Fight and American Improv Theatre. Check them out at Meetup.com/goodenoughimprov
Improv 101: Introduction to Improvisation and Scene Technique
with Maurissa Afanador
July 24 through August 28, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Through scene work and group games that focus on trust, active listening and play, students learn the building blocks of improvisation in this introductory class.
Topics covered: "Yes, and...", scene work fundamentals, being comfortable on stage, and working together.
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Maximum of 16 participants. Price is $180 for the 6-week workshop.
No prior improv or acting experience required.
Email theatregoogs@gmail.com or use the PayPal button below to sign up.
Pre-pay to ensure your spot!
Maurissa Afanador is the owner and lead improv instructor for Greater Than The Sum, a vendor-provider of theater arts classes for The Arts at Google. She is a 30-year improv veteran who has performed on multiple house teams in Chicago and Los Angeles.
"Maurissa is an amazing teacher.
She made it a very safe environment for us to fail and learn."
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"Her passion for improv was immediately and consistently contagious."
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"This was the best course ever."
Bill Peters is a professor emeritus at San Francisco State University where he taught playwriting, acting, directing and Shakespeare performance for many years.
​His directing credits include projects at the Manhattan Theatre Club, The Denver Center, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Jewel Theater in Santa Cruz, and the Magic Theatre in San Francisco. He has directed many times for Actors' Theatre's 8 Tens @ 8 Festival.