November Workshops
Sunday, November 3
DR. NICO ZAUNBRECHER - SILVERBACKS IMPROV | LAFAYETTE, LA
11:00 am - 1:00 pm: Under the Ha-Ha Hood: The Psychology of Laughter for Improv and Comedy
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Two’s A Crowd - Large Group Scenes for Duo Improv
11/3 Workshops are at the Station Theater Classroom at Sabine Street Studios
Sunday, November 10
REBECCA EAST & SOPHIE HARD - JANE AUSTIN IMPROV | AUSTIN, TX
11:00 am - 1:00 pm: Handling the Hard Stuff
This is a workshop/conversation designed specifically for FEMALE / FEMME identifying improv teachers, students, and community members.2:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Bringing the Heat: Creating Romantic and Sexual Tension Onstage
11/10 Workshops are at Station Theater on Crockett Street
SCROLL DOWN FOR WORKSHOP DETAILS
Sunday, november 3 | 11:00 am- 1:00 pm
Under the Ha-Ha Hood:
The Psychology of Laughter for Improv and comedy
WITH DR. NICO ZAUNBRECHER
SILVERBACKS IMPROV | LAFAYETTE, LA
This two-hour workshop introduces the basics of humor theory in psychology: Why are some things “funny”, and why do people laugh at them? We explore how the brain experiences comedy through processes like Pattern Recognition, Cognitive Dissonance, and Group Identification, and how we can apply these principles both to be “funnier” and to deepen our appreciation of others’ comedy.
Workshop will begin at 11:00 am sharp.
Please arrive by 10:50 am for check-in.
Participants: 12 maximum, 6 minimum
$30 per person
Prerequisite: This workshop does not have a prerequisite, though familiarity with long-form improv is beneficial. Workshop is appropriate for beginner through advanced performers.
Location: Station Theater - Classroom at Sabine Street Studios - 1907 Sabine Street #123, Houston, TX 77007
Sunday, november 3 | 2:00 pm- 4:00 pm
Two’s a Crowd - Large group Scenes for Duo Improv
WITH DR. NICO ZAUNBRECHER
SILVERBACKS IMPROV | LAFAYETTE, LA
A two-hour improv workshop for any performer who has ever wanted to play all the parts at once! Covers the basic techniques of playing multiple characters simultaneously, switching characters with scene partners, and organizing the stage picture for large character arrays: An array of simple ways to fill a whole stage with just two players. For beginner through advanced performers.
Workshop will begin at 2:00 PM sharp.
Please arrive by 1:50 PM for check-in.
Participants: 12 maximum, 6 minimum
$30 per person
Prerequisite: This workshop does not have a prerequisite, though familiarity with long-form improv is beneficial. Workshop is appropriate for beginner through advanced performers.
Location: Station Theater - Classroom at Sabine Street Studios - 1907 Sabine Street #123, Houston, TX 77007
Catch Nico performing with Sarah Brown Rankin in “Two for the Road” on Saturday, 11/2 at 8:00 pm.
About Dr. Nico Zaunbrecher
Dr. Nico Zaunbrecher has performed, directed and taught improvisational theatre in over 400 shows over the last 25 years. Starting with the still-running Cult of the Stage Monkey at University of Louisiana–Lafayette in 1999, he went on to complete a Ph.D. in Performance Studies at Southern Illinois University–Carbondale, focusing on culture, theory and history of improvisation and spontaneity. He has taught communication and performance at Lenoir-Rhyne University, South Louisiana Community College, and Southern University, and published research on improv and social theory in the journals Theatre Topics and Human Studies. He is currently Artistic Director of Silverbacks Improv Theatre and one-half of the improv duos Two for the Road, Lonelycrowd, Antic Disposition and Encounter En-Canto.
Sunday, november 10 | 11:00 am- 1:00 pm
Handling The Hard Stuff
WITH SOPHIE HARD
JANE AUSTIN IMPROV | THE HIDEOUT THEATRE - AUSTIN, TX
This is a workshop/conversation designed specifically for FEMALE / FEMME identifying improv teachers, students, and community members.
In this interactive workshop, you’ll gain practical skills to confidently identify and navigate challenging moments. This workshop will equip you to better handle difficult moments with grace and authority, helping you maintain a supportive environment and build stronger leadership within the improv community.
Participants: 12 max
$25 per person
Prerequisite: This is a workshop/conversation designed specifically for FEMALE / FEMME identifying improv teachers, students, and community members.
Location: Station Theater - 2219 Crockett St #C2 | Houston, TX 77007
Workshop will begin at 11:00 am sharp.
Please arrive by 10:50 am for check-in.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Observe: Common challenging and nuanced scenarios that might occur in the classroom and during community events or hangouts.
Practice: Stepping in and redirecting conversations in a safe, supportive environment.
Set Boundaries: Understand how to establish and maintain boundaries for situations outside the classroom for yourself.
Know When to Seek Help: Learn how to recognize when to involve other trusted community members to navigate difficult situations.
Review Case Studies: Explore case studies of how other communities have managed similar challenges (e.g., handling uncomfortable advances from a student).
Sunday, november 10 | 2:00 – 5:00 pM
Bringing The Heat:
Creating Romantic and Sexual Tension Onstage
WITH REBECCA EAST; ASSISTED BY SOPHIE HARD
JANE AUSTIN IMPROV | THE HIDEOUT THEATRE - AUSTIN, TX
Participants: 18 maximum, 6 minimum
$40 per person
Prerequisite: Completion of Level 2 at Station Theater or an equivalent training program.
Location: Station Theater - 2219 Crockett St #C2 | Houston, TX 77007
Workshop will begin at 2:00 9m sharp.
Please arrive by 1:50 Pm for check-in.
This workshop is broken up into 3 main parts:
Learning the story structure of Romantic Comedies
Warm-up activities to explore common archetypes in Romantic Comedies
Scene work with feedback from the instructors.
We will start by talking about the story structure of a typical Romantic Comedy movie and highlighting the story beats we will be more closely examining - "Meet-Cutes", "Bonding," "All Hope Is Lost," and "The Coming Back Together" scenes. The bulk of this workshop allows participants to improvise moments from these scenes and receive coaching on how to get consent and believably act out grounded moments in improv. We do not shy away from authenticity and vulnerability!
By the end of this workshop participants will walk away feeling more confident not only in improvising Romantic Comedy archetypes and scenes, but feeling more confident as a grounded actor.
REBECCA EAST BIO
Rebecca East (she/her) is from Houston and has been living in Austin since 2016. She came to Austin to pursue her B.F.A. in Theatre Education from the University of Texas and has since taught kids of all ages at Zach Theatre, The Paramount Theatre, and as a middle school teacher in Austin ISD. She has been a performer and theatre artist her whole life but is most passionate about all things improv. She has been practicing improv off and on since 2012 and has been a part of multiple productions at The Hideout as a student, actor, and technician. It is one of the greatest joys of her life to be able to share laughter with others.
SOPHIE HARD BIO
Sophie Hard is from Northern California and grew up unable to ask a question in class without her face turning red. She moved to Los Angeles after college and took an improv class hoping that she could learn to be funny on stage and make new friends along the way. After going through Second City’s program in 2015, she ended up in a professional improv conservatory through Impro Theatre, improvising such genres as romcom, Tennessee Williams, ghost stories, and Jane Austen. She currently directs and performs in Jane Austin Improv, winner of a B. Iden Payne award for best new improv troupe in Austin.