WELL ENDOWED
with Joleen Ballendine
Edmonton, AB

To endow and to be endowed, this is the name of the game. Endowment is attributing other players with physical, emotional or other characteristics, it can also be getting them to do something or behave in a particular way. When used well it can lead to detail, specificity and bold offers; but it only ever works if there is trust built between you and the others on stage. In this workshop, we will explore how endowment can improve your prov. This workshop will be unpredictable and thrilling. Join me and relinquish all control! Meet the challenge of making sense of others’ offers and see where your offers land in return. Come prepared with trust and mischief. Let’s go Vancouver, let’s party!

Date: Thursday September 15, 5-7:30pm

Location: In-person at Jim Green House Studio at the Cultch (1895 Venables Street). Masks optional.

Instructor Bio:

Joleen Ballendine is an actor, improviser, writer, mother, and creator based in Edmonton, Treaty 6 Territories.  She’s a two-time Canadian Screen Award nominee for her performance/writing in the canadian sketch comedy Caution May Contain Nuts on APTN. She’s a main stage cast member and the Director of Education at Rapid Fire Theatre. Joleen has toured all over Canada, and Europe performing, teaching, and directing international students and ensembles. In 2020 Joleen and her writing partners Gordie & Joey Lucius were finalists for the (National Screen Insitute’s) Totally Television Award for their half-hour comedy Lupita. The three hope to share the comedy with audiences soon. When Joleen isn’t doing all the above she loves taking pictures of her gorgeous son, road trips, and karaoke.

WELL ENDOWED
with Joleen Ballendine
Edmonton, AB

To endow and to be endowed, this is the name of the game. Endowment is attributing other players with physical, emotional or other characteristics, it can also be getting them to do something or behave in a particular way. When used well it can lead to detail, specificity and bold offers; but it only ever works if there is trust built between you and the others on stage. In this workshop, we will explore how endowment can improve your prov. This workshop will be unpredictable and thrilling. Join me and relinquish all control! Meet the challenge of making sense of others’ offers and see where your offers land in return. Come prepared with trust and mischief. Let’s go Vancouver, let’s party!

Date: Thursday September 15, 5-7:30pm

Location: In-person at Jim Green House Studio at the Cultch (1895 Venables Street). Masks optional.

Instructor Bio:

Joleen is an actor, improviser, writer, mother, and creator based in Edmonton, Treaty 6 Territories.  She’s a two-time Canadian Screen Award nominee for her performance/writing in the canadian sketch comedy Caution May Contain Nuts on APTN. She’s a main stage cast member and the Director of Education at Rapid Fire Theatre. Joleen has toured all over Canada, and Europe performing, teaching, and directing international students and ensembles. In 2020 Joleen and her writing partners Gordie & Joey Lucius were finalists for the (National Screen Insitute’s) Totally Television Award for their half-hour comedy Lupita. The three hope to share the comedy with audiences soon. When Joleen isn’t doing all the above she loves taking pictures of her gorgeous son, road trips, and karaoke.

INTRODUCTION TO SHAKESPEAREAN IMPROVISATION
with Sean McCann
London, UK

Date: Saturday September 17 – 10am-12:30pm

Location: In-person at Jim Green House Studio at the Cultch (1895 Venables Street). Masks optional.

Instructor Bio:

Sean McCann has been improvising since 2005. He is a founding member of the Olivier Award-winnng Showstopper The Improvised Musical, which has had a run in London’s West End, and has toured internationally to Toronto, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brussels, Rome, Mo- I -Rana, Norway, Dublin and Belfast, as well as completed thirteen runs at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Sean is also a founding member of The School Of Night, where he has been touring and devising Shakespearean and esoteric improvisation since April 23rd 2005. Sean teaches improvisation at Mountview Theatre School, London, and Guildford School Of Acting. Sean was the Head of Improvisation at Oxford School Of Drama (2006-2010 / 2012-2019). Sean has been collaborating on a long term research project with Mary Walsh and Memorial University / University of Toronto, using improvisation in therapeutic story-telling. He is also with Birmingham Shakespeare Library and The Shakespeare Institute on a project exploring mediumship, improvisation, and summoning the spirits of the Elizabethans. 

INTRODUCTION TO SHAKESPEAREAN IMPROVISATION
with Sean McCann
London, UK

Date: Saturday September 17 – 10am-12:30pm

Location: In-person at Jim Green House Studio at the Cultch (1895 Venables Street). Masks optional.

Instructor Bio:

Sean McCann has been improvising since 2005. He is a founding member of the Olivier Award-winnng Showstopper The Improvised Musical, which has had a run in London’s West End, and has toured internationally to Toronto, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brussels, Rome, Mo- I -Rana, Norway, Dublin and Belfast, as well as completed thirteen runs at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Sean is also a founding member of The School Of Night, where he has been touring and devising Shakespearean and esoteric improvisation since April 23rd 2005. Sean teaches improvisation at Mountview Theatre School, London, and Guildford School Of Acting. Sean was the Head of Improvisation at Oxford School Of Drama (2006-2010 / 2012-2019). Sean has been collaborating on a long term research project with Mary Walsh and Memorial University / University of Toronto, using improvisation in therapeutic story-telling. He is also with Birmingham Shakespeare Library and The Shakespeare Institute on a project exploring mediumship, improvisation, and summoning the spirits of the Elizabethans. 

IMPROV: ACTS OF CHANGE
with Todd Houseman
Edmonton, AB

What place does improv have in your community? What is your community? Can your artistic/comedic career enhance the world around you? These are some of the questions that will be explored in this workshop. This is an opportunity to gain language around community care and explore tools for becoming more intentional with your improv in relation to your community. Can improv change the world? Probably not… but everything we do has an effect on the world around us. Join Todd in discovering pathways between improv and change, or die trying! Just kidding. This workshop will involve sitting down discussions, playing games on our feet, doing exercises, and sharing personal stories.

Date: Saturday September 17 – 3:30-6pm

Location: In-person at Jim Green House Studio at the Cultch (1895 Venables Street). Masks optional.

Instructor Bio:

Todd Houseman (aka Kaskitew Asiniy) is a cree mixed-blood actor, improviser, and writer from Amiskwaciy (Edmonton). He is a senior member of Edmonton’s Rapid Fire Theatre where he has been performing and teaching since 2009. Todd is also a graduate of the acting program and current teacher at the National Theatre School of canada in Montreal. He is the co-creator of the cultural comedy duo Folk Lordz (with Ben Gorodetsky) which has delighted audiences across the country both live and digitally. In 2021 Todd was awarded a position on the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation’s Top 30 Under 30 list for his work in cultural facilitation and artistic achievement. In recent years, Todd has been developing his written work, with the award winning play Whiteface under his belt and the new play The Children of the Bear in development as a large-scale immersive theatre production. When he’s not writing, improvising or acting Todd can be found on the land, in the mountains and forests of western alberta.

IMPROV: ACTS OF CHANGE
with Todd Houseman
Edmonton, AB

What place does improv have in your community? What is your community? Can your artistic/comedic career enhance the world around you? These are some of the questions that will be explored in this workshop. This is an opportunity to gain language around community care and explore tools for becoming more intentional with your improv in relation to your community. Can improv change the world? Probably not… but everything we do has an effect on the world around us. Join Todd in discovering pathways between improv and change, or die trying! Just kidding. This workshop will involve sitting down discussions, playing games on our feet, doing exercises, and sharing personal stories.

Date: Saturday September 17 – 3:30-6pm

Location: In-person at Jim Green House Studio at the Cultch (1895 Venables Street). Masks optional.

Instructor Bio:

Todd Houseman (aka Kaskitew Asiniy) is a cree mixed-blood actor, improviser, and writer from Amiskwaciy (Edmonton). He is a senior member of Edmonton’s Rapid Fire Theatre where he has been performing and teaching since 2009. Todd is also a graduate of the acting program and current teacher at the National Theatre School of canada in Montreal. He is the co-creator of the cultural comedy duo Folk Lordz (with Ben Gorodetsky) which has delighted audiences across the country both live and digitally. In 2021 Todd was awarded a position on the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation’s Top 30 Under 30 list for his work in cultural facilitation and artistic achievement. In recent years, Todd has been developing his written work, with the award winning play Whiteface under his belt and the new play The Children of the Bear in development as a large-scale immersive theatre production. When he’s not writing, improvising or acting Todd can be found on the land, in the mountains and forests of western alberta.

BOLDNESS 101
with Cassie Barradas
Vancouver, BC

So much of living is to make yourself smaller, to fear failing so much that you apologize even when you have the right answer. This improv workshop is all about taking up space, being assertive in your first choice, and removing the ‘sorry’ from your posture. Through drills, movement exercises, and copious amounts of encouragement, you will walk – nay, strut – away from the experience feeling so much more BOLD. Intro to Improv or equivalent experience required. This workshop is open to women, queer, trans and non-binary improvisers only.

Date: Sunday September 18 – 7-9:30pm

Location: In-person at Jim Green House Studio (1895 Venables Street). Masks optional.

This workshop is open to women, queer, trans and non-binary improvisers only.

Instructor Bio:

Cassie Barradas recently returned to the West Coast after a 6 year stint in Toronto. While there, they taught improv for kids, teens, and adults of all levels and abilities (including specialty courses for those with anxiety, and teens with autism) at The Second City Training Centre. They’ve written for CBC comedy, and at some point developed a fondness for pigeons. Now they’re back where the air is clean and everyone says ‘Thank you’ to the bus driver. Twice published in Reader’s Digest (with a third piece on the way), Cassie is an accomplished maker of mischief, a member of both Queerprov and The Fictionals, and – most importantly – a parent of two beautiful cats.

BOLDNESS 101
with Cassie Barradas
Vancouver, BC

So much of living is to make yourself smaller, to fear failing so much that you apologize even when you have the right answer. This improv workshop is all about taking up space, being assertive in your first choice, and removing the ‘sorry’ from your posture. Through drills, movement exercises, and copious amounts of encouragement, you will walk – nay, strut – away from the experience feeling so much more BOLD. Intro to Improv or equivalent experience required. This workshop is open to women, queer, trans and non-binary improvisers only.

Date: Sunday September 18 – 7-9:30pm

Location: In-person at Jim Green House Studio (1895 Venables Street). Masks optional.

This workshop is open to women, queer, trans and non-binary improvisers only.

Instructor Bio:

Cassie Barradas recently returned to the West Coast after a 6 year stint in Toronto. While there, they taught improv for kids, teens, and adults of all levels and abilities (including specialty courses for those with anxiety, and teens with autism) at The Second City Training Centre. They’ve written for CBC comedy, and at some point developed a fondness for pigeons. Now they’re back where the air is clean and everyone says ‘Thank you’ to the bus driver. Twice published in Reader’s Digest (with a third piece on the way), Cassie is an accomplished maker of mischief, a member of both Queerprov and The Fictionals, and – most importantly – a parent of two beautiful cats.