Character Creation – Michael Gellman Workshop

Sunday, June 28, 2020

NOTE: DATE CHANGE.

Characters are at the heart of every improvisation – the DNA of our craft.  We’ll explore the tools needed to develop authentic and unique characters with emotional truth and put them into your performance. Your characters are your friends and guides – let them inspire you.


Enroll in All Four Workshops

Michael Gellman Workshops

In these four Workshops Michael will lead an exploration of the acclaimed “long form” techniques he and Del Close developed in the first year of iO and in his book – Process: An Improviser’s Journey. The participants will gain tools used to create long form improvisation and fully improvised plays as well as tools discovered within Canadas’ collective theatre movement and Second City.

For centuries, Improvisation has been theatre created by actors for actors.   From the days of Commedia dell Arte to modern day performance, Improvisation has become an essential part of an actor’s tool kit.  It is simply acting without a script.

Modern day Improvisation began as a playful method of training actors through the creation of story and the actors’ imagination.

These workshops are designed to bridge Improvised Acting with our traditional training and experience. Participants will be encouraged to expand their potential for creating inspired performance, explore as an ensemble and discover ways to:

  • Play and be truly present in the moment
  • Get out of our own way
  • Find our potential for creating unique characters with emotional and physical truth.
  • Trust ourselves and our characters in rehearsal and performance
  • Find the freedom to react and make discoveries in performance and script development.
  • Be a truly great ensemble member

Exciting and inspired performance comes from the courage to work outside of our comfort zones. Come – Let’s rediscover the play inside the play.