Amnesia Wars Presents“Scenic Dojo” Led by Rob Reese
A six class remote training in improvisational scenework.
All levels and backgrounds are encouraged.
Wednesdays, 7p-9p EDT
PWYC, $20 suggested donation per class.
Our participants are a mix of beginning, intermediate, and experienced improvisers, all learning from each others’ work with familiar and new exercises, techniques, and theories. The Dojo is aimed at creating fun, engaging improvisational scenes most directly associated with longform comedic improvisation, but our techniques are applicable across the spectrum. Each week we’ll reinforce scenework basics as well as focus on a specific area.
Drop ins are welcome. We’ll work on specific, individual goals and techniques with artists attending multiple sessions,
Proceeds from class dues go towards artist’s fees for our next full production.
Weds 8/19 1: Excellence in Exposition!
It’s hard to perform excellent, engaging, emotionally driven scenes if their initiations falter. Amnesia Wars’ trademark technique certainly isn’t the only way to start a scene, but with a decades-long track record of use in dozens of productions and workshops, they’re sure-fire, fail-safe tools that every player should have in their kit.
Weds 8/26 2: Interpreting “The Rules” of Improvisation.
Our focus this week is on deciphering the often confusing and sometimes contradictory “rules” of improvisation. Some can be used as helpful guides, while others can be dismissed entirely.
Weds 9/2 3: Edits and Beats for stage and for Zoom.
We focus on our tempo and rhythm within each scene and in transitioning from one scene to another.
Weds 9/9 4: Powerful choices for powerful scenes.
We work this week on strengthening our shows with varieties in setting, tone, and character choices.
Weds 9/16 5: What do you need?
This week we create and adapt exercises specifically to address challenges and strengths individual participants have been displaying in previous weeks.
Weds 9/23 6: The Scene Grinder, GET PLAYING!
This week is scene after scene after scene with minimal exercises. Our final 30’ will include a performance for an invited audience.
Rob Reese is a New York based Teacher, Director, and Playwright working in improvisation, plays, musicals, opera and performance art. He originally studied improvisation at Chicago’s Second City, Improv Olympic, and Annoyance theaters under Del Close, Mick Napier, Martin DeMaat, and all the other famous names. He was subsequently a faculty member of the Second City Training Center in New York, as well as The education director for The Treehouse Theater and Amnesia Wars Productions. Rob has taught and mounted theater in a score of countries on five continents, and is a member of the Indie Theater Hall of Fame.
Rob was a Featured Director at all of the “First Wave” of U.S. Improv Festivals back in the 1990’s including Kansas City, MO; Austin, TX; and Portland OR; and has taught and directed for subsequent festivals and for groups throughout the United States as well as Amsterdam, The Hague, Paris, Berlin, Stuttgart, London, Oxford, Stockholm, Auckland, Wellington, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, and Zimbabwe.
Reese has created and directed dozens of improvised and scripted productions in New York and elsewhere, and is committed to creating work that is vibrant, fun, engaging, and meaningful for the artists as well as the audience.
hellorobreese.com