Workshop with Rob Belushi & Tim Stoltenberg
SATURDAY 11am  |  2hrs     SPACE IS LIMITED.     $20
LOCATION: YUCCA VALLEY ARTS CENTER | 58325 CA-62

TAKING IT PERSONALLY: Emotional Vulnerability as a Foundation in Long Form Improvisation. At the core of Improvisation is the idea, ʺtogether we can build something more interesting than I can write on my own.ʺ In this workshop we will look at the importance of emotional resonance in our improv, using a foundation of vulnerability as a means to discovering truly unique scene work that is more satisfying to the audience, but more importantly, to us as artists. The day will be focused around the idea of ʺlosingʺ in the scene, as opposed to winning, or being funny or sounding smart—the focus will revolve around ʺexposure.ʺ We will investigate what it means to expose ourselves to each other, and the audience and further our ability to make choices with impact as well as humor, as opposed to another scene with two priests riding a space pickle, or whatever. The idea that there is a ʺrightʺ choice is sometimes instinctual and leads us to an attitude of control in our scenes, and in this workshop we will try less to ʺcreate,ʺ and more to deal with what is already right in front of us on stage.

Rob and Tim met in Chicago touring for the Second City, exploding comedy all over colleges and mid-range performing arts centers nationwide. Their two-man improvisation show is a theatrically grounded long-form performance blended with new-school Chicago speed. Rob and Tim have been performing since 2008 and have headlined The Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Indianapolis improv Festivals, Out of Bounds Austin, Pittsburgh Comedy Festival, The OKC Improv Fest, Crossroads Comedy Festival. They have performed at IO, IO West, The Annoyance Theater, The Second City Resident Company in Las Vegas, The Second City National Touring Company, Understudied The Second City Main Stage in Chicago, UCB Los Angeles, the Chicago SketchFest, the San Francisco Sketchfest, the Dallas Comedy House, Oklahoma City Improv, Dad's Garage Atlanta and have toured comedy clubs and casinos nationwide doing short form. They have taught improv for the Second City in Chicago, Las Vegas, Detroit and Hollywood and taught workshops at The Torch Theater (Phoenix), The Dallas Comedy House, Oklahoma City Improv, at all of the festivals they have appeared at, The New Movement in New Orleans, Improv Vegas, as well as numerous colleges such as Colgate University, Duke University, University of Minnesota, Ohio State. They have performed and taught for corporations such as Fairmont Hotel Group, Deloitte, AstroZeneca, Tauru University, Terminix, Hillel House, Brentwood School Los Angeles. TV credits include THE OFF SEASON (ABC Digital), BALLERS (HBO), CHICAGO PD (NBC), THE MENTALIST (CBS), AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC), HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (CBS), THE GOODWIN GAMES (FOX) and the JOE SCHMO SHOW (SPIKE), ARMY WIVES. They are both Graduates of the esteemed School at Steppenwolf (Steppenwolf Theater, Chicago) and trained together at IO CHICAGO, The ANNOYANCE THEATER and are graduates of the Second City Conservatory.

Stand-Up Comedy Workshop with Richard Weiss
SATURDAY 11pm  |  2hrs     SPACE IS LIMITED.     $20
LOCATION: BLAK BOX THEATER | 61231 CA-62

This workshop will give you the guiding principles to build a stand up comedy routine. Surprise your friends and family by doing your own Standup Comedy Routine. Topics covered include: Mixing humor with public speaking, Adding comedy to your acting resume, Writing your stage act, performance, How to deal with hecklers, How to be a good Emcee, and Promote yourself and get paid.

Richard Weiss has toured the country doing stand up comedy for ten years in venues including the Laugh Factory, Fantasy Springs Casino, Galaxy Theater, Carolines (N.Y.), Comedy Store, Fox Theater, Copa, and more. When not in California, he’s touring the country in sold-out shows as part of the “Stand Up to Addiction” tour. Richard was voted best stand up comic at the Coachella Valley Improv/Comedy Festival. He has written for dozens of comedians, some going on to win national contests and perform on television. Other writing credits include the comedic play Sketch In The City, National Lampoon, the Humor Times, Stand Up To Addiction, Weiss Cracks & Spaz comics.

Workshop with Justin Michael Terry & Ryan Marsico
SUNDAY 11am  |  2hrs     SPACE IS LIMITED.     $20
LOCATION: YUCCA VALLEY ARTS CENTER | 58325 CA-62

Just like a summer job you don't want. This Workshop will help you BUILD CHARACTER. :)

Exploring elements of Viewpoints, Laban and the teachings of Moni Yakim, redDoor will guide fun, physical explorations that will get you out of your head and into your body, opening up your level of play and broadening your character repertoire beyond funny walks and voices... which you will also probably do. Come ready to move!

Justin Michael Terry and Ryan Marsico met at ComedySportz in Los Angeles doing short form improv and quickly clicked, going on to perform together in Drunkards & Dragons, an improvised role playing/drinking show, Shakespeare Extempore, improvised genre and film based Shakespeare and currently perform with The Resistance, improvised action/adventure movies and collectively they have 30 years of experience and have trained at iO and iO West, UCB LA, Second City, Groundlings, NOW, The Pack and ComedySportz. They played/play on multiple Harold teams and independent teams throughout Los Angeles.