This intensive is limited to 16 students.

Levels 2 & 3: Free Your Mind & Advanced Scenes

Let’s love the hell out of what’s happening onstage and we’re bound to create fun and fearless improvisation.

In the first half of this intensive, we’re cutting the naysaying voices in your head and slapping you out of whatever may be holding you back. We will look at how we sometimes bail on our choices out of a fear of making the “right or wrong choice" and to instead approach improv with a "fuck it / love it" mentality (because improv is one of the most wonderful things in the world if you don't treat it too seriously). We encourage your artistic freedom with methods to initiate scenes with an emotional point of view, to be specific and surprising in your choices, to support your scene partner, and to confidently navigate the vocabulary and concepts of long-form improv.

For the second half of this intensive we’ll be layering more complicated improv techniques onto fearless play. Techniques like authentically grounding your characters so they feel believable or using curve balls to keep scenes surprising. We’ll explore the dynamics that make up three-person and group scenes, and learn to stay out of our heads while balancing it all. Students will learn how to be versatile ensemble players who can build long-form pieces organically while keeping the show and audience's experience in mind. This intensive isn’t just about learning technical skills, it will also teach you to own what makes you unique as a performer by exploring the areas you shy away from through personal notes and challenges.

It all culminates in a performance for the public.

Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 1 Improv OR students who have taken at least one full-length course at a major comedy theater (UCB, PIT, Magnet, Squirrel, Second City, iO, Annoyance, etc.) or have similar prior training can begin at this level. Please write your prior experience in the form when registering.

1-Week Intensive: June 24-29

Monday - Thurs, 6:30 - 10:00 PM

Friday - OFF

Saturday, 12:00 - 6:00 PM (with break for lunch)

Where: The BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St, Brooklyn)

Class Show: Saturday, June 29 @ 8:30 PM @ BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum Street)

Teachers: Maya Sharma, Philip Markle, & Julian Hernandez

Bio:

Maya Sharma is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer, and improviser. Since graduating from Oberlin, Maya has studied comedy at The Annoyance, UCB, Second City, and The Brooklyn Comedy Collective, and performs her absurd semi-standup all around Brooklyn. She is a member of The Ladies Who Ranch (LWR), a comedy group that has been written up in Vulture, Buzzfeed, TimeOut and more. LWR have been developing a half-hour animated sitcom with the production company Cowboy Bear Ninja for the past year. In 2019, Maya wrote for and co-hosted The Chris Gethard Presents Podcast (Earwolf). She has co-starred in Tony Zaret’s Relatable Content, as well as Sophie Zucker’s short film Best All Around. She’s also the Programming Director for The Brooklyn Comedy Collective.

Philip Markle is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Brooklyn Comedy Collective. Philip graduated from Northwestern University and trained in improv in Chicago at The Annoyance, iO, and Second City before moving to NYC in 2013 to launch The Annoyance Theater NY, where he acted as its Director for four years.. As a storyteller, he has performed at The Moth and The Paper Machete - and is a writer on Medium.com with 500k+ reads. He executive produced, wrote, and acted in the digital shorts series "The Annoyance Presents" on IFC's Comedy Crib. Philip first performed his show SPARKLE HOUR to rave reviews in the 2013 NY International Fringe Festival and has regularly produced it since, including at Joe's Pub and twice in the NY Comedy Festival. You can listen to his album of queer comedy songs “AT THE GAY BATHHOUSE” on the streaming music platform that brings you the most joy. Follow him on socials @philipsparkle.

Julian Hernandez is a regular boy from Clearwater, FL. He’s studied improv in Chicago and New York at iO, UCB, and The Annoyance. Julian has studied clown and physical comedy with Virginia Scott (blow at him and see what happens). He’s performed experimental theatre at St. Ann’s Warehouse & The 14th Street Y. He’s been on shows like Search Party (TBS) and has taught comedy students in New York and Tallahassee, FL. He writes, directs, and acts in jooby, and also hosts the monthly variety show Jooby & Friends. Julian hopes to explore new forms and performance styles to help make comedy that is entertaining, pejorative to none, and out of its fucking mind. Julian likes to do other things too: laugh, piss, etc. How can you describe the actions of a real human being doing their best? Follow him on Twitter: @thethongsong. Follow him in real life if you can.

Read student testimonials here.

If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.