What to learn acting techniques to level up your improv? Want to learn improv techniques to help your script analysis and your acting? In this workshop we plan to do both. 

Anytime you are on stage you are doing some form of acting whether scripted or unscripted,  playing close to yourself or a larger than life character you are acting. I will guide you through exercises that help you find your want in a scene, keep your characters believable, explore subtext, and staying engaged and present with your scene partner. When we get to the script analysis section of the workshop I will be primarily be using Richard Brestoff and Uta Hagen acting principles. If any of this sounds like something you love come on by and take this workshop! For this workshop I will say you will need at least one year of improv or acting training and/or performance experience to get the most out of this.

Instructor: Toby Yount  (They/He) is an actor/improviser from Denver, Colorado. Toby blends over a decade of improv experience and training from Bovine Theater, Annoyance, and IO in Chicago, with an MFA in Acting from Savannah College Art of Design. Toby uses their acting-improv fusion techniques to create absurd and grounded characters - often at the same time. In addition to winning Season 7 of Denver's Next Improv Star at the Bovine Theater, they have performed in Bad Play Done Terribly, does a solo improv show Toybox, and are proud to be the second half of the Denver-grown improv duo Chocolate Thunder and Vanilla Lightning. Toby has also worked as a professional actor for companies such as Phamaly Theater Company, Curious Theater Company, and toured internationally as a performer for the True Colors Festival in Japan and written his own one man show SIlicon Soul that he performed in the Denver Fringe Festival. Through following his dreams and aspirations of becoming a professional voice actor, actor, writer, and comedian, Toby has discovered a passion for teaching improv that they’d be honored to share with you all. 

Financial Assistance

We understand that financial circumstances can sometimes make participation challenging. Please know that your presence, voice and contributions are valued here, and we are committed to making our programs as accessible as possible.

We have a few ways to help folks experience our classes. First off, all of our volunteers can take up to one full level class every term. Our volunteers learn positions at the theater and agree to a regular schedule at either our box office, tech booth, or our HM position which helps get the shows started on time. If you have a skill or trade or item that could be of benefit the theater, we're open to talking to you about it. We also offer payment plans for more flexibility, look into them at check out.

If those options aren't helpful, we offer an inclusion scholarship that will help Rise best reflect Denver. If you feel that you have a perspective and experience that Rise could benefit from we offer scholarships each term for our leveled classes. Apply below.

Link to Scholarship Program: https://risecomedy.com/rise-comedy-inclusion-scholarship/

If you have circumstances beyond these options or would like more details on any of them please reach out to [email protected] with the subject "Financial Assistance"