ARTS AND PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT THEATRE DIVISION
Prof. Teresa Rojas
Office No. 1602 Thursdays and Tuesdays 5 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.
and by appointment
Phone: 305. 237-3263 fax: 305.237-3975
E-mail: trojas@mdcc.edu
IMPROVISATION
(TPP 1120)
11 Acting is like holding a bird in the hand: if you close your hand too tightlyn the bird u/ill be killedi if you open it too much the bird u/ill fly au/ay-” Hichel Saint-Denis-
Improvising is as natural as talking or moving. During this class we will examine how this natural activity can be understood and developed. Improvisation has been applied in many different areas and in a variety of programs for actors, in business and vocational courses, in the training of teachers, in psychotherapy and in many facets of education as well as a mean of supplying ideas and techniques for a wide range of plays. Our artistic approach will be dynamic and creative. We will utilize the two elements from everyday life improvisation: The spontaneous response to the unfolding of an unexpected situation, and the ingenuity called on to deal with the situation, both of these in order to gain insight into problems presented.
Improvisation is a word much used these days in the discussion of drama but it has a long history, as long as the history of man himself ranging from primitive ritual to present-day “happenings.” It can be traced back to Commedia dell’Arte troupes in the medieval times. All art forms have begun with improvisation, and the early narrative epics like The Odyssey and The Iliad began as improvised storytelling. Song, dance and early dramatic ritual took more formal shape after long periods of improvisation. In this class the artistic approach will be dynamic, funny, wise, practical and provocative. We will perform scenes made up on the spot rather than rehearsed like a play performance. The student-actor will be making up and acting out, without prior planning of a scene, a story with a beginning, middle and end, a conflict and a resolution.
Improvisation deals with security, openness, and spontaneity; its purpose is to develop the creative abilities and talents in acting. The course is designed to lead the student-actor gradually from simple and enjoyable games through exercises aimed at building and portraying characters and scenes.
