Levels One Through Six at the Hideout Theatre
Posted: November 14th, 2013, 12:10 pm
We've got classes scheduled through January for the Hideout's class series, running non-stop in Austin since 1999. The first three levels are a fantastic, low-pressure introduction to improvisation on stage and in life. Even if you have training from other schools, the Hideout's basic philosophy is unique and worth checking out.
The upper levels are for performers looking to get more stage time and individual feedback. We work through scene and game diagnostics, specific formats and narrative longform.
LEVEL ONE: PLAYING WITH RISK
Have fun, meet new people and learn to improvise in the Hideout’s low-pressure classes. This six-week workshop is designed for anyone who wants to loosen up, be more spontaneous and learn to take risks on stage and in life. Each week you’ll play games and explore a challenging variety of improv exercises that unleash your natural creativity and humor. Our work is inspired by Canadian improv guru Keith Johnstone (author of Impro) so even if you’ve done some improv in the past, you’ll find the Hideout’s approach uniquely inspiring. Whether you’re just looking for a fun experience, or you think improv might just be your new thing, Level One is the perfect place to get started. Classes meet for six weeks, three hours each week, limit 16 students. $189 (People with prior improv training can take our Level One at half the cost)
LEVEL TWO: PLAYING WITH RULES
You took Level One and you’re intrigued. You had fun, risked failure gracefully and gave yourself permission to not try so hard. This second workshop in our introductory series continues your playful exploration of improvisation and invites you to embrace the structure, boundaries and rules that help us us improvise better faster. We’ll investigate the fundamental elements that make scenes and games work — with emphasis on how to bravely initiate scenes and present yourself with confidence throughout. Classes meet six times for three hours each week, limit 16 students. Level Two culminates in a brief student showcase for friends and family in the Sunday Weekender. $195
LEVEL THREE: PLAYING WITH PERFORMANCE
In the final level of our introductory series you’ll discover techniques for knocking out satisfying scenes and games (beginning, middle and end) without stress or effort. Learn to tell a story with a compelling platform and a killer tilt. Learn to find the game, heighten and explore. Learn to nail the ending with a callback or counter-tilt. Learn lots of improv jargon. Classes meet six times for three hours each week, limit 14 students. Level Three culminates in a student showcase, and after Level Three students are eligible to play in the Hideout’s Saturday night show Maestro. $195
LEVEL FOUR: PERFORMING THE SCENE
So you’ve decided that this improv thing is for you. The first level of our performance series is an advanced scene study class, building on the foundation you acquired in Levels One through Three and exploring advanced techniques and strategies for getting out of your own way, keeping the audience in the palm of your hand, making strong choices in games, scenes and longer formats, and recognizing the difference between genuine delight and politely muddling through. Level Four includes a strong direct feedback component. Classes run once a week (three hours) for six weeks, limit 12 students. Level Four culminates in a student showcase in the Sunday Weekender for friends and family. $195
LEVEL FIVE: PERFORMING THE SHOW
You’ve got all the building blocks of improv and now it’s time to put it all together in a run of self-directed shows. Throughout the year we offer a variety of different Level Five classes exploring different formats. Produce your own shortform show with games and scenes in Theatresports. Or try a Montage class and discover not just how to transition between connected scenes, but also WHEN and WHY. Or dabble with narrative longform in Six Degrees. Whatever the format, we’ll continue to work on sustaining the playfulness and effortlessness that makes it all worthwhile. Classes run once a week (three hours) for six weeks, limit 10 students. Level Five culminates in a two-week run of student shows in the Weekender. $195
LEVEL SIX: PERFORMING THE STORY
In the third class in our performance series you’ll dive headfirst into what might be the most difficult work we do at the Hideout — long form narrative. Through games, exercises and training formats, you’ll learn the basic elements of improvising a thirty-minute story: who is the story about, what kind of story is it, when to chill out and when to be changed, etc. Classes run once a week (three hours) for six weeks, limit 10 students. Level Six culminates in a three-week run of student shows in the Sunday Weekender.$195
The upper levels are for performers looking to get more stage time and individual feedback. We work through scene and game diagnostics, specific formats and narrative longform.
LEVEL ONE: PLAYING WITH RISK
Have fun, meet new people and learn to improvise in the Hideout’s low-pressure classes. This six-week workshop is designed for anyone who wants to loosen up, be more spontaneous and learn to take risks on stage and in life. Each week you’ll play games and explore a challenging variety of improv exercises that unleash your natural creativity and humor. Our work is inspired by Canadian improv guru Keith Johnstone (author of Impro) so even if you’ve done some improv in the past, you’ll find the Hideout’s approach uniquely inspiring. Whether you’re just looking for a fun experience, or you think improv might just be your new thing, Level One is the perfect place to get started. Classes meet for six weeks, three hours each week, limit 16 students. $189 (People with prior improv training can take our Level One at half the cost)
- Mon. Nov 25th, 7pm-10pm with Jon Bolden (six weeks, skipping Dec. 23 and 30)
Wed. Jan 8th, 1pm-3pm with Andy Crouch (**DAYTIME CLASS** eight weeks)
Mon. Jan 13th, 7pm-10pm with Andy Crouch (six weeks)
Sun. Jan 26th, 1pm-4pm with Valerie Ward (six weeks)
LEVEL TWO: PLAYING WITH RULES
You took Level One and you’re intrigued. You had fun, risked failure gracefully and gave yourself permission to not try so hard. This second workshop in our introductory series continues your playful exploration of improvisation and invites you to embrace the structure, boundaries and rules that help us us improvise better faster. We’ll investigate the fundamental elements that make scenes and games work — with emphasis on how to bravely initiate scenes and present yourself with confidence throughout. Classes meet six times for three hours each week, limit 16 students. Level Two culminates in a brief student showcase for friends and family in the Sunday Weekender. $195
- Thu. Nov 7th, 7pm-10pm with Troy Miller (six weeks, skipping Thanksgiving)
Tue. Dec 3rd, 7pm-10pm with Jessica Arjet (six weeks, skipping Dec 24 & 31)
Sat. Jan 4th, 1pm-4pm with Andy Crouch (six weeks)
Mon. Jan 20th, 7pm-10pm with Jon Bolden (six weeks)
LEVEL THREE: PLAYING WITH PERFORMANCE
In the final level of our introductory series you’ll discover techniques for knocking out satisfying scenes and games (beginning, middle and end) without stress or effort. Learn to tell a story with a compelling platform and a killer tilt. Learn to find the game, heighten and explore. Learn to nail the ending with a callback or counter-tilt. Learn lots of improv jargon. Classes meet six times for three hours each week, limit 14 students. Level Three culminates in a student showcase, and after Level Three students are eligible to play in the Hideout’s Saturday night show Maestro. $195
- Mon. Nov 11th, 7pm-10pm with Andy Crouch (six weeks)
Sat. Nov 30th, 1pm-4pm with Ruby Willmann (six weeks, skipping Dec 21 & 28)
Thu. Jan 9th, 7pm-10pm with Troy Miller (six weeks)
Tue. Jan 28th, 7pm-10pm with Jessica Arjet (six weeks)
LEVEL FOUR: PERFORMING THE SCENE
So you’ve decided that this improv thing is for you. The first level of our performance series is an advanced scene study class, building on the foundation you acquired in Levels One through Three and exploring advanced techniques and strategies for getting out of your own way, keeping the audience in the palm of your hand, making strong choices in games, scenes and longer formats, and recognizing the difference between genuine delight and politely muddling through. Level Four includes a strong direct feedback component. Classes run once a week (three hours) for six weeks, limit 12 students. Level Four culminates in a student showcase in the Sunday Weekender for friends and family. $195
- Tue. Dec 10th, 7pm-10pm with Troy Miller (six weeks, skipping Dec 24 & 31)
Mon. Jan 6th, 7pm-10pm with instructor TBA (six weeks)
Sat. Jan 25th, 7pm-10pm with instructor TBA (six weeks)
LEVEL FIVE: PERFORMING THE SHOW
You’ve got all the building blocks of improv and now it’s time to put it all together in a run of self-directed shows. Throughout the year we offer a variety of different Level Five classes exploring different formats. Produce your own shortform show with games and scenes in Theatresports. Or try a Montage class and discover not just how to transition between connected scenes, but also WHEN and WHY. Or dabble with narrative longform in Six Degrees. Whatever the format, we’ll continue to work on sustaining the playfulness and effortlessness that makes it all worthwhile. Classes run once a week (three hours) for six weeks, limit 10 students. Level Five culminates in a two-week run of student shows in the Weekender. $195
- Tue. Nov 12th, 7pm-10pm with instructor Valerie Ward (six weeks)
Tue. Jan 28th, 7pm-10pm with instructor TBA (six weeks)
LEVEL SIX: PERFORMING THE STORY
In the third class in our performance series you’ll dive headfirst into what might be the most difficult work we do at the Hideout — long form narrative. Through games, exercises and training formats, you’ll learn the basic elements of improvising a thirty-minute story: who is the story about, what kind of story is it, when to chill out and when to be changed, etc. Classes run once a week (three hours) for six weeks, limit 10 students. Level Six culminates in a three-week run of student shows in the Sunday Weekender.$195
- Sun. Dec 1st, 1pm-4pm with Jon Bolden and Troy Miller (six weeks)
Tue. Jan 7th, 7pm-10pm with Andy Crouch (six weeks)
Sat. Jan 25th, 1pm-4pm with Troy Miller (six weeks)