#Kate Jopson

[theatredirectors]

Kate Jopson

Hometown? 

I am from Etna, CA. Which is a town of 700 people on the Oregon/CA border. 

Where are you now?  

Los Angeles. 

What's your current project? 

I recently become Artistic Director of Circle X Theatre Co. in LA and just opened Hole in the Sky, a piece we commissioned from Octavio Solis about water issues facing my hometown.

Why and how did you get into theatre? 

There was a Broadway actress who fell in love with a cowboy in my area and moved there and started a theatre. I was an emotive child and my scientist parents didn't know what to do with me, so they decided to try sticking me into her annual production of Christmas Carol at 7 years old. Apparently, I ran off into the parking lot in tears after being teased by some older kids and was "put on probation" until I was older (all of 8 years old). I went on to perform in 40 plays by the time I was 17. The theatre became my "home." It gave me an outlet, a way to find discipline and control, a place to grow and become a leader, and a key to finding people who would accept me.  Still, I didn't think it could ever be a profession. So I studied Anthropology and Arabic at UC Berkeley. It wasn't until I was in Egypt and I realized 1) writing papers in academia can't change shit, 2) that the closest bonds I made were thru theatre and 3) theatre could spark real conversations, that I decided to pursue it professionally. 

What is your directing dream project? 

I want to do an epic piece of theatre that lasts hours and maybe people even spend the night. I am currently working on a project like that. It would be adapted from these old Arabic poems that I fell in love with. I tried translating them into monologue form before and it didn't really work. You can't translate them with words, you need to translate them into an experience. My plan is to have people go out into the desert and be immersed in the world of these poems and camp out under the stars. 

What kind of theatre excites you? 

Surprising theatre. I like theatre across genre's and styles. I just like to be surprised by the creativity or the journey. I used to like theatre with poetic texts, now I like theatre better with poetic images, movement, concepts, or experiences. 

What do you want to change about theatre today? 

I wish that there was more experimentation with theatre as a form. Immersive and site-specific theatre is blooming, but I think there are other ways to push theatre too. Some of that is happening, but it is remaining largely on the periphery or in graduate programs. Once you leave school there is pressure to "normalize" so that you become more marketable. Also, it is much more costly to take those risks. There needs to be a lot of mistakes before you reach true innovation.  To that end, I wish there could be greater collaboration between playwrights and directors. I want us to have  honest, hard conversations about plays. It's really difficult. It's vulnerable. But I think new play creation process should be free of the director feeling like they are there to "serve" the playwright, or the playwright feeling like they are there to "serve" the director or the company. I think playwrights and directors should discuss visuals and staging from the beginning and also give hard feedback about text. The director's work shouldn't begin once the play is written and there is the danger of them "imposing" something on the piece that doesn't fit. Or the playwright "freezing" a play before a director has ever been able to get involved and the director being stuck trying to work around something that doesn't fit this individual production of the play. Theatre is a living art form, not a written one. Solutions won't  come from the text alone. Ideas need to arise that suit the specific time, place and production otherwise it becomes what Peter Brooke called "deadly theatre."  I have had one process that was collaborative in the way I am talking about, it was difficult in terms of swallowing ego and taking criticism, but  I was really proud of it. I have also had processes like that fail because people got their feelings hurt. So it is a delicate balance. It requires a great deal of trust and sensitivity without becoming so "careful" that you cease to be honest. 

What is your opinion on getting a directing MFA? 

I am glad I did. I didn't major in theatre in undergrad and so I felt that I needed the training. But it was hard and hardening. On one hand,  I met amazing collaborators, I got to experiment and make mistakes. On the other, it was brutal mentally and physically and it made be so disenchanted with my original goal of finding an academic job, that even though I love teaching, I haven't really pursued it. I don't think it's for everyone. I think people can craft experience out of the "real world" too. But, for myself, I don't regret doing it. 

Who are your theatrical heroes? 

Thomas Ostermeier, Arianne Mnouchkine, Emma Rice, Taylor Mac. 

Any advice for directors just starting out? 

See as much as possible. See theatre in/from other countries. Find ways to travel, or get videos, or see shows when they tour to your city. Often, you don't need to understand the words to have an amazing experience. It helps expand what you think is possible. Then find a way to practice. Your imagination will often be beyond your skill to execute a vision. You need to hone skills in communication, problem solving, producing, management/leadership, time management, budgeting, fundraising etc... All that takes a lot of practice and you will continually make mistakes. It is only in extremely rare moments when the "fates" align to give you the right skills, with the right vision, with enough money, with the right timing to make a beautiful piece that blows people away. But you can find fragments of that experience in many productions and you'll be learning every time to do. 

[opens-up-4-nobody]

The Terror Below Deck AU... An entire ocean of yachts staffed with hot young people and then you have 2 cursed boats with horribly foreboding names, staffed with middle aged men only.

[gullbones]

i’ve shot smaller hawks than you

jopson commission for the lovely kate!! 💙🥰

[ferylcheryl]

OFMD / The Terror crossover ideas that compel me but I probably won’t write:

1) Three different smut fics in which Izzy is dommed by Stanley, Blanky, and Jopson. Jopson is very hands-off and a third is involved, maybe Sol or Little, as Jop’s proxy.

2) Modern AU, freak-folk duo Frenchie and Hodge. Think of a collision between Simon & Garfunkel, Kate Bush, and Philip Glass. They accidentally become a hugely popular one-hit wonder act.

3) Frenchie helping Irving come to grips with his sexuality

4) Adding Lucius to the modern Bridgens-owns-a-used-bookstore AU. Openly, bitchily glares at you if you come in asking for a Nicholas Sparks title.

5) Roach, Jop, and Lucius as a trio of grifters/petty criminals/hustlers on the streets of Victorian London.

6) I don’t know but Sol should wear black leather and black eyeliner and have a sword

[seacollectsrivers]

Hi! For the trope mash-up, tell me about 51. accidentally married and 97. time travel Fitzier please?? 😀

i am. a SUCKER for kate & leopold type situations. so of course i adore that one JFJ is out of time fic, but in this one it's Crozier

Belligerent old Crozier, who is ALSO from the 1850s: this won't bode well for the very open minded (and gender fuckery?? maybe :3c ) JFJ

But the man somehow ends up transported into James' flat, and what is he supposed to do, call the cops??

They don't get along at first. Of course. But then James sees how kind Crozier can be at times, and they visit some graves and memorials together and James learns a bit of his history (Blanky & Sophia, I reckon, and Jopson too), and the trauma of the Arctic

(The whole expedition has happened and everyone is dead. How it shakes out without James is a what-if I'm not ready to deal with).

Slowly they get to know each other. Francis opens up about his love for James Clark Ross. How he feels he is always doomed in love. James, not a scientist in those fields himself, research and tells Francis about the advancements in magnetics, in the several expeditions to the Poles. Francis is charmed, and (gently, gently) corrects his terminology at times.

(When he learns about Ireland, he is unsure what to feel. The famine enrages him, but the Republic and the subsequent Troubles.... James turns him to a few old recordings of Bernadette Devlin, and then a few newer interviews. He keeps his thoughts to himself, but reads up on the history more than anything else).

During the fragile beginnings of their friendship, James takes Francis to... something. An opening for an exhibition at an art gallery? Something social, but not a cafe or a pub. very James.

They meet some of James' friends! they don't know about Francis! oh no!!

James PANICS and goes "This is my..... husband."

Francis, who suffers from chronic Cannot Hide His Feelings Disease, looks surprised but... pleased....?

Dundy (ofc it's Dundy) IMMEDIATELY clocks that James never meant to say that but he thinks this is hysterical and plays along. "Oh, typical James, all peacock until you get married in secret!"

Of course Francis decided to be bloody grumpy about it, but truly only because he cannot believe that such a modern and amazing and beautiful man such as James would want to even pretend to be married.

This is where I would put [DUMB COMMUNICATION CONFLICT HERE].

Francis decides to court James, properly, as in his day. He becomes unsure, and tentatively asks James if he would object to Francis treating him as he would Sophia, when he had hopes of marrying her... James is delighted.

Francis still gets some awful days, born out of a strange kind of survivor's guilt. But he is also so happy, and would never trade this for the world.

(send me 2 tropes + a ship!)

[larryland]

Josies Magical Flute with Laura Patrick, and Not in Charge Come to The Shea

Josies Magical Flute with Laura Patrick, and Not in Charge Come to The Shea

Josies Magical Flute w/Laura Patrick, and Not in Charge November 15 at 7:30 PM The Shea Theater,71 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA Josie’s Magical Flute, special guest Laura Patrick of the Ha-Ha’s, and guest troupe Not in Charge perform a variety of fast-paced high-energy short form scenes and games, as well as Josie’s signature long form “The Ride.”

JOSIE’S MAGICAL FLUTE Josie’s is a long form improv…

[kaemcspadden]

I am so excited to announce that I voice Rita, Shimrit and additionally voices in the English dub of the @hbomax show On The Spectrum! The Israeli show is about three roommates who all have different forms of autism and how they deal with life challenges. Thank you Danubia Faria & Kate Jopson for this amazing opportunity. I was 1 of the 4 students from @exceptionalminds who worked on this show. #voiceacting #voiceover #announcement #hbomax #onthespectrum #hbomaxonthespectrum #onthespectrum #englishdub #englishdubbing https://www.instagram.com/p/CNbv_Nzh4Wh/?igshid=hxl86ps02jou

[jessicajko]

My 1st VO gig! Also my 1st non-theatre job since moving to LA right before lockdown! I got to dub some fun characters, including the high-powered CEO, for the English track version of the Korean Netflix film SWEET & SOUR, which just dropped today! This is even more significant bc this is the first time that every single English language ADR cast member was of Korean descent! 🇰🇷💁🏻‍♀️ Huge thanks to the English voice director Kate Jopson for making sure that happened, as well as being a pleasure to work with! Huge thanks also to Edward Hong, who created the BIPOC/PGM VO actor list in the first place where industry people could find us all in one amazing, grassroots-grown database! I email-blasted this list to many of my BIPOC friends but if it went to spam (as it prob did 😆), go to the Facebook group & sign yourself up! This list is LEGIT. Maybe a few of you are like, “calm down, Jess, it’s just a dubbing gig”... to that I say— Listen, this business is a bumpy rollercoaster ride that constantly gives you whiplash & heart palpitations even without a global pandemic so I will celebrate every win & every joy in order to practice gratitude for every moment in between. As my late acting teacher from RADA Peter Oyston once said “Celebrate yourself in every moment, no matter how small or big. It is in those little celebrations of successes that your confidence builds.” So I will celebrate myself! 💁🏻‍♀️🙌🙏🎉 #celebrateyourself #actorlife #practicinggratitude #VOactor #LAactor #Netflix #KoreanNetflix #SweetAndSour #새콤달콤 (at Los Angeles, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPtS3kpDY-3/?utm_medium=tumblr

[westernmanews]

AMHERST — Local improv company Happier Valley Comedy announced a new branch of its rapidly growing improve-comedy school: kids’ comedy classes. The program launches on Saturday, Dec. 9 with a two-hour workshop called “Family Funnies Improv,” a one-time beginner’s workshop geared toward kids 8-11 and their adults.

Family Funnies Improv gives families the opportunity to laugh with a loved one and bond over improvisational games and exercises, while sampling the offerings of the new Happier Valley Comedy’s kid classes. There’s no experience required to participate, but those with a little experience who want to revisit the beginner’s level are also welcome to join in the fun.

“Improv is a powerful tool for bringing people together in a supportive environment,” said Happier Valley Comedy’s founder, Pam Victor. “Our mission is to make the Happy Valley happier. With the expansion of our kids’ program, now we can bring even more laughter to people of all ages.”

Victor hopes to build Happier Valley Comedy’s kid improv comedy offerings in 2018 with more workshops for various ages and week-long improv camp sessions in the summer. For just over a year, the company has been producing the Happier FAMILY Comedy Show, a monthly improv show for kids 5-11 and their adults, which recently relocated to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst.

The Family Funnies Improv workshop will be held on Dec. 9 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Hadley. It will be taught by Kate Jopson, graduate of the Happier Valley Comedy’s Zen of Improv classes and Happier FAMILY Comedy Show cast member. In addition, every child who is registered in this workshop receives a free ticket to the Happier FAMILY Comedy Show. Registration is available at www.happiervalley.com.

The post Improv Company Expands Offerings with Kids’ Comedy Classes appeared first on BusinessWest.

[theatredirectors]

268 Directors and the end of the blog

This post marks the end of the Ask a Director experiment. I’m so grateful to all who have contributed, supported and engaged with it over the past six and a half years. 

This blog was started at a time when I felt incredibly alone in the directing field. I had always been taught that a director operates solo, that it was a lonely career and above all, it was based on scarcity. This was a style of working and living that didn't fit for me. I wanted to talk to other directors about their practice and thoughts about the field, both national and international. This blog was started as a way to connect, to uplift other directors and to create a conversation about the changing field and practices. 

It's surpassed all of these goals and brought me more joy than I can name. 

I'm now at a moment where my practice and advocacy are taking different and exciting paths and it's time for me to put this site to bed. I remain committed to uplifting other directors, to talking about the practice, to flattening hierarchies, to opening doors for new ways of working, and leading rehearsal rooms, companies, and classrooms away from silos and vacuums. Featuring these 268 different directors was just the beginning. 

I encourage you all to hire them (and others), advocate for them (and others) and choose to work in a system that values connection and generosity. 

Abhishek Majumdar

Adam Fitzgerald

Alice Stanley

Aliza Shane

Amanda McRaven

Amy Corcoran

Amy Jephta

Anisa George

Ana Margineau

Andrew Scoville

Anna Stromberg

Anne Cecelia Haney

Ariel Francoeur

Arpita Mukherjee

Ashley Hollingshead

Ashley Marinaccio

Andrew Neisler

Beng Oh

Ben Randle

Ben Stockman

Benjamin Kamine

Beth Lopes

Bo Powell

Bogdan Georgescu

Bonnie Gabel

Brandon Ivie

Brandon Woolf

Brian Hashimoto

Cait Robinson

Caitlin Ryan O’Connell

Caitlin Sullivan

Catie Davis

Cara Phipps

Carol Ann Tan

Carsen Joenk

Chari Arespacochaga

Cheryl Faraone

Chloe Treat

Christin Eve Cato

Christine Zagrobelny

Christopher Diercksen

Colette Robert

Colleen Hughes

Cyndy Marion

Dado Gyure

Dan Rothenberg

Daniel Irizarry

Danielle Ozymandias

Danny Sharon

Dara Malina

David Charles

Dennis Yueh-Yeh Li

Derek Spencer 

Donald Brenner

Doug Oliphant

Eamon Boylan

Elena Araoz

Emily Lyons

Emma Miller

Eric Kildow

Eric Wallach

Eric Powell Holm

Estefania Fadul

Evelina Stampa

Evren Odcikin

Evi Stamatiou

Francesca Montanile Lyons

Gabriel Vega Weissman

Gian Marco Riccardo Lo Forte 

Graham Schmidt

Gregg Wiggans

Hannah Ryan

Hannah Wolf

Heather Bagnall

Horia Suru

Ilana Becker

Ilana Ransom Toeplitz

Illana Stein

Ioanna Katsarou

Ioli Andreadi

Irina Abraham Chigiryov

Iris Sowlat

Isaac Klein

J Paul Nicholas

Jack Tamburri

Jaclyn Biskup

Jacob Basri

Jake Beckhard

Jaki Bradley

Jamie Watkins

Javier Molina

Jay Stern

Jay Stull

Jenna Rossman

Jenna Worsham

Jennifer Chambers

Jenny Bennett

Jenny Reed

Jeremy Bloom

Jeremy Pickard

Jerrell Henderson

Jess Hutchinson

Jess Shoemaker

Jesse Jou

Jessi D Hill

Jessica Burr

Jessica Holt

Jillian Carucci

Joanne Zipay

Jo Cattell

John Michael Diresta

John Kurzynowski

Joe Hedel

Jonathan Munoz-Proulx

Jose Zayas

Josh Kelley

Josh Sobel

Joshua Kahan Brody

Joshua William Gelb

Julia Sears

Justin Schlabach

Kareem Fahmy

Karen Christina Jones

Kate Bergstrom

Kate Hopkins

Kate Jopson

Kate Moore Heaney

Katherine M. Carter

Katherine Wilkinson

Kathy Gail MacGowan

Katie Chidester

Kendall Cornell 

Kendra Augustin

Kholoud Sawaf

Kimberly Faith Hickmann

Kim Weild

KJ Sanchez

Knud Adams

Kristin Marting

Kristin McCarthy Parker

Kristin Skye Hoffman

Kristy Chambrelli

Kristy Dodson

KT Shorb

Kyle Metzger

Kylie M. Brown

Larissa Fasthorse

Larissa Lury

Laura Brandel

Laura Steinroeder

Lauren Hlubny

Lauren Keating

Lavina Jadhwani

Jenn Haltman

Leta Tremblay

Lila Rachel Becker

Lillian Meredith

Lily Riopelle

Lindsey Hope Pearlman

Lisa Rothe

Lisa Sanaye Dring

Liz Thaler

Lori Wolter Hudson

Lucie Tiberghien

Luke Comer

Luke Tudball

Lyndsay Burch

Lynn Lammers

Mallory Catlett

Manon Manavit

Margarett Perry

Maridee Slater

Marina Bergenstock

Marti Lyons

Martin Jago

Matt Cosper

Matt Ritchey

Max Hunter

Megan Sandberg-Zakian

Megan Weaver

Meghan Finn

Melissa Crespo

Melody Erfani

Michael Alvarez

Michael T. Williams

Michaela Escarcega

Michelle Tattenbaum

Mimi Barcomi

Miranda Haymon

Molly Beach Murphy

Molly Clifford

Molly Noble

Morgan Gould

Morgan Green

Murielle Borst-Tarrant

Nana Dakin

Natalie Novacek

Neal Kowalsky

Nell Bang-Jensen

Nick Benacerraf

Noa Egozi

Norah Elges

Normandy Sherwood

Olivia Lilley

Orly Noa Rabinyan

Oscar Mendoza

Pablo Paz

Padraic Lillis 

Patrick Walsh

Pete Danelski

Pirronne Yousefzadeh

Portia Krieger

Rachel Karp

Rachel Wohlander

Randolph Curtis Rand

Raz Golden

Rebecca Cunningham

Rebecca Martinez

Rebecca Wear

Renee Phillippi

Renee Yeong

Rich Brown

Rick St. Peter

Robert Schneider

Ryan Anthony Nicotra

Sammi Cannold

Sammy Zeisel

Sanaz Ghajar

Sara Holdren

Sara Lyons

Sara Rademacher

Sarah Elizabeth Wansley

Sarah Hughes

Sarah M. Chichester

Sarah Rose Leonard

Sash Bischoff

Scarlett Kim

Seonjae Kim

Seth Pyatt

Sharifa Elkady

Shaun Patrick Tubbs

Sherri Eden Barber

Simon Hanukai

Sophia Watt

Suchan Vodoor

Stephen Cedars

Steven Kopp

Steven Wilson

Talya Klein

Tana Siros

Tara Ahmadinejad

Tara Cioletti

Tara Elliott

Tatiana Pandiani

Taylor Reynolds

TerryandtheCuz

Tommy Schoffler

Tracy Bersley

Trevor Biship

Tyler Mercer

Wednesday Sue Derrico

Will Dagger

Will Davis

Will Detlefsen

Will Steinberger

Yojiro Ichikawa

Yoni Oppenheim

Zi Alikhan

Zoya Kachardurian

[theatredirectors]

250 Directors

Abhishek Majumdar

Adam Fitzgerald

Alice Stanley

Amanda McRaven

Amy Corcoran

Amy Jephta

Anisa George

Ana Margineau

Andrew Scoville

Anna Stromberg

Anne Cecelia Haney

Ariel Francoeur

Arpita Mukherjee

Ashley Hollingshead

Ashley Marinaccio

Andrew Neisler

Beng Oh

Ben Randle

Ben Stockman

Benjamin Kamine

Beth Lopes

Bo Powell

Bogdan Georgescu

Bonnie Gabel

Brandon Ivie

Brandon Woolf

Brian Hashimoto

Cait Robinson

Caitlin Ryan O’Connell

Caitlin Sullivan

Catie Davis

Cara Phipps

Carol Ann Tan

Carsen Joenk

Chari Arespacochaga

Cheryl Faraone

Chloe Treat

Christin Eve Cato

Christine Zagrobelny

Christopher Diercksen

Colette Robert

Colleen Hughes

Dado Gyure

Daniel Irizarry

Danielle Ozymandias

Danny Sharon

Dara Malina

David Charles

Dennis Yueh-Yeh Li

Donald Brenner

Doug Oliphant

Eamon Boylan

Elena Araoz

Emily Lyons

Emma Miller

Eric Kildow

Eric Wallach

Eric Powell Holm

Estefania Fadul

Evelina Stampa

Evren Odcikin

Evi Stamatiou

Francesca Montanile Lyons

Gabriel Vega Weissman

Graham Schmidt

Gregg Wiggans

Hannah Ryan

Hannah Wolf

Heather Bagnall

Horia Suru

Ilana Becker

Ilana Ransom Toeplitz

Illana Stein

Ioanna Katsarou

Ioli Andreadi

Irina Abraham Chigiryov

Iris Sowlat

Isaac Klein

J Paul Nicholas

Jack Tamburri

Jaclyn Biskup

Jacob Basri

Jake Beckhard

Jaki Bradley

Jamie Watkins

Javier Molina

Jay Stern

Jay Stull

Jenna Rossman

Jenna Worsham

Jennifer Chambers

Jenny Bennett

Jenny Reed

Jeremy Bloom

Jeremy Pickard

Jerrell Henderson

Jess Hutchinson

Jess Shoemaker

Jesse Jou

Jessi D Hill

Jessica Burr

Jessica Holt

Jillian Carucci

Joanne Zipay

Jo Cattell

John Michael Diresta

John Kurzynowski

Joe Hedel

Jonathan Munoz-Proulx

Jose Zayas

Josh Kelley

Josh Sobel

Joshua Kahan Brody

Joshua William Gelb

Julia Sears

Justin Schlabach

Kareem Fahmy

Karen Christina Jones

Kate Bergstrom

Kate Hopkins

Kate Jopson

Kate Moore Heaney

Katherine M. Carter

Katherine Wilkinson

Kathy Gail MacGowan

Katie Chidester

Kendra Augustin

Kholoud Sawaf

Kimberly Faith Hickmann

Kim Weild

KJ Sanchez

Knud Adams

Kristin Marting

Kristin McCarthy Parker

Kristin Skye Hoffman

Kristy Chambrelli

Kristy Dodson

KT Shorb

Kyle Metzger

Larissa Fasthorse

Larissa Lury

Laura Brandel

Laura Steinroeder

Lauren Keating

Lavina Jadhwani

Jenn Haltman

Leta Tremblay

Lila Rachel Becker

Lillian Meredith

Lily Riopelle

Lindsey Hope Pearlman

Lisa Rothe

Lisa Sanaye Dring

Liz Thaler

Lori Wolter Hudson

Lucie Tiberghien

Luke Comer

Luke Tudball

Lyndsay Burch

Lynn Lammers

Mallory Catlett

Manon Manavit

Margarett Perry

Maridee Slater

Marina Bergenstock

Marti Lyons

Matt Cosper

Matt Ritchey

Megan Weaver

Melissa Crespo

Melody Erfani

Michael Alvarez

Michael T. Williams

Michelle Tattenbaum

Mimi Barcomi

Molly Beach Murphy

Molly Clifford

Molly Noble

Morgan Gould

Morgan Green

Murielle Borst-Tarrant

Nana Dakin

Natalie Novacek

Neal Kowalsky

Nell Bang-Jensen

Nick Benacerraf

Noa Egozi

Norah Elges

Normandy Sherwood

Olivia Lilley

Orly Noa Rabinyan

Oscar Mendoza

Pablo Paz

Patrick Walsh

Pete Danelski

Pirronne Yousefzadeh

Portia Krieger

Rachel Karp

Rachel Wohlander

Randolph Curtis Rand

Raz Golden

Rebecca Cunningham

Rebecca Martinez

Renee Phillippi

Rich Brown

Rick St. Peter

Robert Schneider

Ryan Anthony Nicotra

Sammi Cannold

Sammy Zeisel

Sanaz Ghajar

Sara Holdren

Sara Lyons

Sara Rademacher

Sarah Elizabeth Wansley

Sarah Hughes

Sarah M. Chichester

Sarah Rose Leonard

Sash Bischoff

Scarlett Kim

Seonjae Kim

Seth Pyatt

Sharifa Elkady

Shaun Patrick Tubbs

Sherri Eden Barber

Simon Hanukai

Sophia Watt

Suchan Vodoor

Stephen Cedars

Steven Kopp

Steven Wilson

Talya Klein

Tana Siros

Tara Ahmadinejad

Tara Cioletti

Tara Elliott

Tatiana Pandiani

Taylor Reynolds

TerryandtheCuz

Tommy Schoffler

Tracy Bersley

Trevor Biship

Tyler Mercer

Wednesday Sue Derrico

Will Dagger

Will Davis

Will Detlefsen

Will Steinberger

Yojiro Ichikawa

Zi Alikhan

Zoya Kachardurian

[westernmanews]

AMHERST — Local improv company Happier Valley Comedy announced a new addition to its Comedy School lineup of classes for the fall. Family Improv is a six-week class held on Sunday afternoons beginning in September and is open to any child-and-adult combo.

Family Improv gives families the opportunity to laugh with a loved one and bond over fun improvisation games and exercises. The Family Improv curriculum is guided by the principles of acceptance, mindfulness, quieting judgment of self and others, and strengthening communication, all while having a blast playing together.

“Improv is a powerful tool for bringing people together in a supportive environment,” said Happier Valley Comedy founder Pam Victor. “I’m thrilled to add this fun class to the Happier Valley Comedy School lineup. Now we can bring even more laughter to people of all ages.”

Family Improv will complement Happier Valley Comedy’s monthly Happier FAMILY Comedy Show, a high-energy, interactive event designed especially for families and kids ages 5-12. “Folks who come to the Happier FAMILY Comedy Show always ask if they can learn how to do some of the games we play onstage,” Victor said. “As of September, the answer is now ‘yes.’”

Any combo of adults and kids who love each other are invited to attend class together, she continued. “Kids can take Family Improv with aunts and uncles, special friends and neighbors, grandparents, or Big Brothers/Big Sisters. We believe love makes a family.”

Registration for Family Improv opens on Friday, Aug. 4 on the Happier Valley Comedy website (www.happiervalley.com), with weekly classes to be held Sept. 10 through Oct. 15 on Sundays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Family Improv will be taught by Kate Jopson, a graduate of the Happier Valley Comedy’s Zen of Improv classes and a Happier FAMILY Comedy Show cast member. Every child who is registered in the class receives a free ticket to the comedy show.

The post Happier Valley Comedy Offers Improv Class for Families appeared first on BusinessWest.