MANDY BUTLERWORKSHOP: Phony isn't Funny
Mandy Butler is an Assistant Professor of Speech & Theatre at Newberry College. She holds a BA in Theatre Performance from Georgia College & State University and an MFA in Theatre Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has taught Meisner in Improv master classes at many improv festivals and studios, as well as at the Southeastern Theatre Conference. Mandy earned her Meisner teacher certification through master teacher Larry Silverberg's True Acting Institute at Willamette University.
DAVE DENNISONWORKSHOP: Film Noir without Detectives
Dave's love affair with improvisational theater began at BATS Improv in 1993. He has been a member of the Mainstage Company at BATS since 1998 and served as the Artistic Director from 2005-2008. Dave has played with a number of improv troupes including Scratch Theater, The Particulars and Start Trekkin and as a guest with True Fiction Magazine and the Secret Improv Society to name a few. In 2003, he developed the Family Drama 3 act stage play format at BATS. Dave and Lisa Rowland developed the Awkward Dinner Party format in 2008. He has been teaching Improv for five years at BATS and Stanford University, working with beginning, intermediate and advanced students.
JOSH HARRISWORKSHOP: Developing Killer Comedy Routines
Hailed by Creative Loafing Magazine for "delivering cleverly written punchlines with a raw energy that takes over the room," Josh Harris has been featured on NBC's Stand Up for Diversity, Bill Bellamy's "Who's Got Jokes," and Bounce TV's upcoming comedy show, "Off The Chain." He's written for Cartoon Network and teaches stand up comedy classes that receive rave reviews from agents, sitcom writers, and working comics.
PAUL MARKSWORKSHOP: Sell Yourself Short
Paul began doing improv 6 years ago with the idea of forming his own troupe. Having run a successful business for more than 20 years, Paul was eager to start a 2nd business with improv and formed Over The Counter improv 3 years ago. Since that time Over The Counter improv has gone on to have record sell out crowds at every show for the past year. Every instructional class has sold out too. Paul wants to share his unique improv style and entrepreneur skills to help other troupes.
TIM ORRWORKSHOP: In It Together
Tim has improvised since 1988 with many San Francisco-based groups, including BATS Improv, Rafe Chase's groundbreaking longform troupe Improv Theatre, the renowned True Fiction Magazine, and with the acclaimed troupe 3 For All. In 2009, he founded a new improv group, the Improv Playhouse of San Francisco. He has appeared in numerous plays in the San Francisco Bay Area, and received critical acclaim for his leading roles in the improvised feature films, Suckerfish and Security. With Stephen Kearin, Tim co-wrote, and originated the role of Dirk Manly in, An Evening with Dirk & Blaine. Tim has performed (and taught) improvisation at the American Conservatory Theatre, BATS Improv, Stanford University, and many other venues nationally (Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Austin, Louisville, Atlanta, etc.) and internationally (Amsterdam, Beirut, Helsinki, Leuven, London, Paris, Stockholm). He is currently the Director of the BATS Improv Long-Form Intensive.
JOHN REMAKWORKSHOP: Emotional versus Conceptual
John's a current Company Player and former Artistic Director of San Francisco's BATS Improv. He has also performed with notable troupes such as Flash Family, SNAFU, Those Improv Guys, and True Fiction Magazine. He's appeared in numerous long-form hits, including the daytime drama parodies Liquid Soap and Emotional Hospital (also as director and producer), the semi-scripted murder mystery Bar None, and the improvised sports hero send-up Underdog. John's also a pretty good etch-a-sketch artist and a practicing California attorney in his spare time.
LISA ROWLANDWORKSHOP: Context Is Everything
Lisa began improvising in The Devil Mountain Improv League at her high school in Walnut Creek, CA in 1997. She moved on to become an active member of the Stanford Improvisers at Stanford University and then joined San Francisco's BATS Improv Company in 2005. At BATS, she has directed shows, taught improv classes in dialect and Shakespeare, as well as leading corporate improv trainings. She coaches high school improv teams and is also a regular guest improv coach at Stanford University. She and Dave Dennison developed Awkward Dinner Party in 2008.
REGINA SAISIWORKSHOP: Keeping It Simple
Regina Saisi has been a professional actor/improvisor and teacher for 25 years. Her theatrical experience includes work with such directors as Maria Irene Fornes, Jose Rivera, Darrah Cloud and Gary Leon Hill. The focus of her work throughout her career has been improvisational theatre. She has been deeply involved in the fertile San Francisco improvisation community, helping to start several improv companies including Riot Squad, Improv Theatre, Pulp Playhouse, and her current company True Fiction Magazine. She is currently the Dean of the BATS School of Improv.
MIKE SCHATZWORKSHOP: Writing Comedy or Writing Anything Takes Work, Editing Skills and Self-Loathing
Mike Schatz is the creative director at Blue Sky Agency with clients including the Atlanta Braves and Conan on tbs. Mike has been a member of the Dad's Garage ensemble since 2006 writing a play, acting in several of them and doing improv all the time. He is also a voice over actor with roles on Archer, Squidbillies and as Emory on Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Mike has also contribute sketches to SNL, opened for the late great Mitch Hedberg and was edited out of Major League III: Back to the Minors
GREG TAVARESWORKSHOP: How to Create Awesome Scenes & You + Me = We: Improv Micro-Techniques
Greg co-founded Theatre 99 in Charleston, SC and has been improvising since 1985. He wrote the curriculum taught in Theatre 99's training program and gets as much out of teaching as he does from being on stage. He has a BFA in acting from USC and an MFA in directing from the Univ. of Nebraska, but still has nightmares that he never finished high school. When he is not acting or directing he is hanging out with his best friend and wife Sara. He just finished his book - Improv For Everyone.
JOSH WARRENWORKSHOP: Character Workshop
Josh Warren is an Atlanta native. He studied at the Upright Cotizens Brigade (NY) 2001-2004 completing all levels. He is one of the founders of Atlanta's Village Theatre, and Astronaut University at Relapse. Josh has been an improv instructor for five years. Some of his other work includes "Trouble With The Curve", "Footloose", Atom.com/Comedy Central's "M'Larky". He has worked along side such comedic masterminds as Dan Fogler, Jeffrey Ross, and the legendary Gilbert Gottfried.
