Deconstructing Improv through Position Play
How do you push an improv scene forward in a way that meets the needs of the show? It depend on what type of scene you're in. In this workshop, you'll learn Position Play: a theory of improvisation originated at the Pack Theatre in Los Angeles, which breaks down improv into four key types of scenes, each of which have their own toolbox of moves. By mastering position play, you can more confidently answer the following questions: What type of scene am I in? What type of scene does this show need right now? What type of scenes can I turn this scene into? What should I do (and not do) to move this scene forward to meet the need of the show? In this workshop, Dr. Tom Williams will teach the basics of position play, and the signature longform structure they are used in: the Deconstruction.
Dr. Tom Williams is a Denver-based improviser and Human-Robot Interaction researcher. He has been teaching robots how to engage in improvised interactions for 15 years, but caught the human Improv bug while in Bristol in 2023. He performs with three teams in Denver (Minor Adjustments: The Improvised Musical, Subtext, and Denizens of the Orb), primarily at RISE Comedy. The material he will be teaching was taught to him across several workshops by Brian O'Connel of the Pack Theatre. Unfortunately no robots will be making an appearance at this workshop.
