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play with confidence
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You can feel more confident and comfortable onstage!
Whether you are a regular performer looking to improve your stage presence or a newer student trying to get more comfortable before you step in front of an audience, this is a chance to practice skills that will serve you at all stages of your improv journey.
In this class, you’ll be encouraged to become more aware of your presentation onstage and to learn to project confidence and poise as an actor. Once you can recognize the ways fear can manifest for improvisers - rocking back and forth, speaking quietly, gluing yourself to the back wall - you can develop tools to help counteract these habits. You’ll discover how to confidently enter or start a scene, play with partners, and maintain your improv equilibrium onstage even when something unexpected happens (which of course it will!)
You’ll also work on being conscious of your visual and spatial relationship to your playing partners and to imagine how the scene looks from an audience’s perspective. You’ll learn to use the power of the stage picture as another tool in your improviser’s toolbox! Finally, we'll focus on breathing techniques, voice and articulation exercises, and projecting your voice to the very back row so every audience member can enjoy the performance!
Whether you are a regular performer looking to improve your stage presence or a newer student trying to get more comfortable before you step in front of an audience, this is a chance to practice skills that will serve you at all stages of your improv journey.
In this class, you’ll be encouraged to become more aware of your presentation onstage and to learn to project confidence and poise as an actor. Once you can recognize the ways fear can manifest for improvisers - rocking back and forth, speaking quietly, gluing yourself to the back wall - you can develop tools to help counteract these habits. You’ll discover how to confidently enter or start a scene, play with partners, and maintain your improv equilibrium onstage even when something unexpected happens (which of course it will!)
You’ll also work on being conscious of your visual and spatial relationship to your playing partners and to imagine how the scene looks from an audience’s perspective. You’ll learn to use the power of the stage picture as another tool in your improviser’s toolbox! Finally, we'll focus on breathing techniques, voice and articulation exercises, and projecting your voice to the very back row so every audience member can enjoy the performance!
This class meets the following Mondays 5-7pm:
Dec 1
Dec 8
Dec 15
[No Class Dec 22]
[No Class Dec 29]
Jan 5
Jan 12
Jan 19
Jan 26
Feb 2
Possible make-up date if HVC needs to cancel class: Feb 9
Optional Showcase Date: Friday, January 30th at Community Comedy Night
Students must attend 6 out of 8 classes to move forward.
If you need to miss a class due to the observance of a holiday that takes place during this session, it will not count as an absence against earning credit for this class.
Dec 1
Dec 8
Dec 15
[No Class Dec 22]
[No Class Dec 29]
Jan 5
Jan 12
Jan 19
Jan 26
Feb 2
Possible make-up date if HVC needs to cancel class: Feb 9
Optional Showcase Date: Friday, January 30th at Community Comedy Night
Students must attend 6 out of 8 classes to move forward.
If you need to miss a class due to the observance of a holiday that takes place during this session, it will not count as an absence against earning credit for this class.
About Your Teacher:
Julie Waggoner has taught Character classes, Short Form Improv classes, and Get Your Reps workshops with Happier Valley since 2018. She was a standup comic for 10 years, a member of The Villa Jidiots improv troupe for another 10, and a guest player with The Ha-Ha’s for 5 years. She has acted with Pauline Productions, the 24-Hour Theater Project, and Northampton Playwrights Lab. She is a founding member of the HVC mainstage team Not In Charge.
Julie Waggoner has taught Character classes, Short Form Improv classes, and Get Your Reps workshops with Happier Valley since 2018. She was a standup comic for 10 years, a member of The Villa Jidiots improv troupe for another 10, and a guest player with The Ha-Ha’s for 5 years. She has acted with Pauline Productions, the 24-Hour Theater Project, and Northampton Playwrights Lab. She is a founding member of the HVC mainstage team Not In Charge.
*Happier Valley Comedy rents land that was stolen from Indigenous people, including the Pocumtuc and Nipmuc tribes. A land acknowledgement is not appropriate or adequate to address this injustice that continues to harm people today. Therefore, we have instituted an ongoing process of contributing to the preservation of the lands and cultures of Northeastern Indigenous Peoples. All class fees contain an additional $3 to benefit The Nolumbeka Project, a local nonprofit whose mission is dedicated to these goals.
Learn more about The Nolumbeka Project, including their upcoming events.
Learn more about our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Learn more about The Nolumbeka Project, including their upcoming events.
Learn more about our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Small but Important Fine Print:
*Please note that once you make your purchase, your place in the class is NON-REFUNDABLE unless we have 48 hours notice before first class AND we can get someone to fill your spot.
*Students must attend at least 6 of the 8 classes to graduate to the next level.
*Students must be 18+ years. (In actual years, not maturity. ;)
*Our classes may involve physical activity and we could be on our feet for at least an hour; however, we're able to accommodate for all physical abilities. Please let email us to let us know how we can best fit your needs or if you have any questions about accommodations.
*Please note that once you make your purchase, your place in the class is NON-REFUNDABLE unless we have 48 hours notice before first class AND we can get someone to fill your spot.
*Students must attend at least 6 of the 8 classes to graduate to the next level.
*Students must be 18+ years. (In actual years, not maturity. ;)
*Our classes may involve physical activity and we could be on our feet for at least an hour; however, we're able to accommodate for all physical abilities. Please let email us to let us know how we can best fit your needs or if you have any questions about accommodations.
NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY AS TO STUDENTS
The Happier Valley Comedy School admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religious affiliation, age, ability, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religious affiliation, age, ability, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school-administered programs.
The Happier Valley Comedy School admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religious affiliation, age, ability, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religious affiliation, age, ability, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school-administered programs.
