Academy of Performing Arts

Winter Spring Adult Acting Course Description

Mondays 5-6

Taught by Denise Page & Ryan Van Buskirk

SkitProv: Scripted Improv Acting Course, All Levels -Adult

Do you like acting? Do you like laughing? Do you like improv? Do you like to have fun?

If you answered yes to any of these, or even if you didn’t, this class may be for you! Ryan and

Denise are back with a next level Adult Acting course, that’s also suitable for the new actor.

What the heck is SkitProv? We plan on working with one script for most of the 8 week course.

Initially we’ll audition for it (with a lesson on audition prep), learn the words, and block it taking

care to tweak positioning, projection, interpretation, BUT THEN we’ll add in some fresh razzle

dazzle, and flip the structure… After you learn the script/skit (which will be chosen depending

on class size and participants, and depending on how frisky we are, we may just write one

uniquely for the class!) we’ll then play with it and begin to add in the concept of improv! Maybe

we set it in the South, and work on accents with a drawl; maybe we set it in London in the

1800’s and work on a cockney accent? Maybe we decide the upbeat and fun script we make, is

now set at the RMV with the air conditioning broken on a record hot day in August? We are

taking one of our favorite monologue lessons and re-working this into the entirety of the class.

Complete with prop and costume twists to help the student actor understand different

characters; understand how to think on their feet; understand how to pay attention to their stage

partners; understand and work through different acting emotions required for various character

types. We anticipate this to be a very fun way to cover a lot of different acting and stage topics.

For the showcase presentation event, we will work the same script BUT allow the audience to

help decide that day and in the moment, exactly what that script will look like for us, and we’ll be

ready for whatever that may be. Fun, right?!? Bring a sense of play and imagination for this

one and leave your stress at the door.