Sunday May 29th @ 10:00AM – 1:00PM
Open to all, but it is strongly encouraged to have completed level three improv or higher before enrolling in this workshop
You’ve got a suggestion, participated in an opening, or started from nothing. Then, you initiate a scene. Fun, right? Sometimes… Sometimes your scene gets cut off too early, you get tagged out or you’re left out there way too long. That’s a lot of stress, but it doesn’t have to be.
In this class we’ll break down ways we can empower ourselves to initiate with strong, clear choices and offer you tools that you can use in scenes! Learn to break scenes down into two parts: Verse and Chorus. Information and fun. Together, we’ll create paths to heightening verbally, physically and emotionally. Cause we all like being on stage more, right?
The Backline Podcast is a comedy and improv podcast hosted by Canadian Comedy Award winners Rob Norman and Adam Cawley. Join them for weekly discussions on improv-based topics inspired by a new theme every week. New episodes post every Wednesday – subscribe and listen here!
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS:
Adam Cawley a Los Angeles based improviser originally from Toronto. He is an alumnus of The Second City Mainstage, The Just for Laughs Festival and is a three-time Canadian Comedy Award Winner, including: Best Male Improviser in Canada. He is an actor and writer on the Netflix Original Workin’ Moms as well as a regular on IFC’s Baroness Von Sketch Show. Adam co-hosts the improv tutorial podcast: The Backline with Rob and Adam – Winner of the 2018 National Podcast Award for best educational series. The Backline has allowed him to perform and teach all over Canada, The United States, Australia, Mexico, Norway, The Netherlands, Denmark and more. He is an instructor at The Second City Hollywood and Westside Comedy Theatre in Santa Monica. Adam graduated from the Humber College: Comedy Writing and Performance Program, The Second City Conservatory, The Upright Citizens Brigade, I.O. (Improv Olympic) and studied and performed at The Annoyance Theatre in Chicago.
Rob Norman is a Canadian Screen Award-winning actor, director, improviser, and author of Improvising Now: A Practical Guide to Modern Improv. Rob has worked for The Second City as director of The National Touring Company, Second City at Sea. He currently serves as the Department Head of the Longform Program at the Second City Training Centre. As an improviser, Rob performs with MANTOWN, RN and Cawls, and Filthy: The No Rules Improv Cabaret. Rob currently stars on the CityTV sketch comedy series Sunnyside.
Here’s what improv communities from around the world have to say about Adam & Rob…
“Rob and Adam have a gift for clarity of expressing how to improv well. They make complex concepts really easy to immediately make part of anyone’s improv repertoire. Their positive energy is infectious and they made the ITS improv scene stronger for only having been in Sydney for a week. They’re coming back.” -Cale Bain, Artistic director Improv Theatre Sydney, Australia
“The Backline workshops were an enjoyable and intense introduction to Toronto’s unique take on philosophy of play. They inspired us to harness the musicality of a scene and compose beautiful pieces together. The Amsterdam improv community can’t wait to have them back for an encore of high-octane hilarity!” -Isaac Simon, Artistic Director Impro Ganga Amsterdam.
“Watching Rob and Adam do improv is like witnessing two souls reincarnate through yet another ridiculous life together. They are magicians who don’t keep their tricks to themselves. A workshop with them is a crash course in the principals of improv magic”. -Agniezka Loza, Improv Comedy Copenhagen
“Adam & Rob came to teach in Norway four weeks ago and we are all still talking about it. They make everything so clear, demonstrating the full range of human relationships with nothing but a chair. We were mind blown by their refreshing take on improv and how easy improv becomes when we start with the fun.” -Aree Witoelar, Artistic Director: Improv Neuf, Oslo, Norway
“The Backline’s workshops opened a door for me into modern improv, into ‘game of the scene’ on the highest level. Everything was explained in detail and with good examples, plus the side notes were spot on. The Backline teaches improv in a fun, instructive, modern way.” -Kaspars Silavs, Co-Founder of Improv Comedy Riga
“Rob & Adam killed it in Montreal both on stage and in the classroom. Their show was funny and daring.” -Marc Rowland, Artistic Director Montreal Improv
“During the workshops I started to get separation anxiety with my notebook. Every time I put it down, Adam and Rob created another ‘aha’ moment I had to write down. Adam and Rob’s approach simplifies scenes and answered all my questions with a 45 second example. I’ve had the opportunity to train with amazing instructors over North America. It was a treat to have world-class instructors in my back yard.” -Covy Hollad , The Kinkonauts, The Improv Guild Calgary.
“They were really helpful when tackling our needs to understand and learn longform and an introduction to sketch writing. We had a blast talking about improv and an exchange of different point of views and experiences. We’ll welcome them anytime!” -Sara De Lille, founder Tobogan Improv, Mexico City
“Adam and Rob put on a hilarious, professional improv show that’s accessible to new audiences and a masterclass by itself for watching improvisers. Our students always walk away feeling like they’ve learned something practical.” -Chris Hannay, director at The Improv Embassy (Ottawa)
“Adam & Rob brought so much knowledge and experience when teaching, they are supportive when encouraging their students to take risks or try something new in writing or Improv. And an Amazing show! Grounded, exciting work to watch on stage. They both are seasoned trained professionals, that bring so much to the stage with characters and story!” -Jenna Goldade, AD: Bullskit, Red Deer Alberta