Musical Short Form Improv Weekend Intensive at Highwire Improv – Baltimore, MD

About this class:
Musical improv involves making up spectacular songs on the spot. Short form improv involves fast-paced games with specific quirks. What happens when you combine the two? Come find out in this 6-week class as you get acquainted with quickly making up song lyrics and approaching games in ways that make them pop. Though it seems intimidating, we promise that with all the skills you’ll learn, you will end up feeling like a musical improv rockstar!

In this class, you will get well acquainted with many musical short-form improv games. You will also become familiar with the skills that make these games more fun and entertaining. Emphasis will be placed on skills such as stage presence, expressing ideas confidently, storytelling, and rhyming, among others. No matter your singing background, you will walk away with the tools to help you succeed in these games and others!

Schedule:

Saturday 10am-5pm (with 1 hour lunch break)

Sunday 10am-8pm (with 1 hour lunch break, 1 hour dinner break) - showcase is 7pm!

Prerequisites: A level 1 improv class is recommended (for students from other improv schools - any level 1 class is likely good, but particularly helpful if you've done short-form improv games in that class).

Schedule Details:

Saturday:
Session 1: Getting Comfortable

• Introduction to Class
• Musical Warmups
• Universal and Particular Game Skills
• Musical Group Games

Session 2: Solo Free Singing Games

• Musical Warmups, Story Telling
• In The Studio
• Greatest Hits
• Replay Games

Session 3: Shared Free Singing Games

• Musical Warmups, Story Telling
• Half-Life Musical
• Tag Team Song
• Replay Games

Sunday:

Session 4: Solo Structured Singing Games

• Musical Warmups, Story Telling, Rhyme & Time
• Hoedown
• Solidarity Forever
• Replay Games

Session 5: Shared Structured Singing Games

• Musical Warmups, Story Telling, Rhyme & Time
• Da Doo Ron Ron
• Irish Drinking Song
• Replay Games

Session 6: Making It A Show

• Musical Warmups, Story Telling, Rhyme & Time, Endings
• Play Show Games

Class Showcase

• Pre-Show Warmups
• Show!

About your facilitator and accompanist:
Alex Roberts (he/him): My improv journey started in college where I was the president of the improv club and was part of the college's performing troupe. After a bit of a break, I got back into it in 2022 and eventually completed the improv curriculum at the Baltimore Improv Group. Since then, I have performed in a variety of troupes doing a variety of improv forms, all of which I've found to be so much fun. I am also an organizer and facilitator for Baltimore Musical Improv!

Stuart Kenny (he/him): Though my vocation is college English instructor, my avocation is musicals. In high school, I wrote my first musical, an adaptation of A Christmas Carol. I've written over half a dozen musicals since then, two of which have gone on national tour and one of which is published and has been performed internationally (in Canada). Improv is my new way of exploring musicals and music games.