Crafting Stories on Stage
This workshop is SOLD OUT.
Please sign up for the waitlist. We will reach out to you if a workshop spot opens up or if an additional workshop date is added.
Workshop Description
In this workshop, we’ll explore how storytelling forms the backbone of memorable and captivating scenes. This workshop will take you through a series of exercises and games designed to hone your storytelling skills, helping you build compelling narratives on the spot.
Topics covered in this workshop:
- Establishing strong character connections: Develop characters with distinct personalities, motivations, and relationships, allowing for rich interactions and engaging plotlines.
- Creating dynamic scenes: Discover techniques to initiate scenes that naturally progress, evolve, and build to exciting and unexpected conclusions.
- Embracing the power of conflict and resolution: Keep your audience on the edge of their seats by introducing conflict, suspense, and resolution in your scenes.
- Sharpening your listening and teamwork skills: Effective storytelling in improv relies on active listening and collaboration with your fellow performers.
This workshop is useful for:
Whether you’re a seasoned improviser or just starting your journey, this workshop will elevate your storytelling abilities and boost your confidence on stage - whether it’s by creating characters, relationships, and/or stakes
Prerequisites
Completion of three or more long-form improv classes from an organization’s core curriculum.
Instructor Bio
Krystal has completed the curriculum at Washington Improv Theater. Krystal has taught improv for five plus years and has coached Harold and several indie teams. She can be found performing with WIT ensembles Hellcat, Lena Dunham and Lizard Girl. Krystal does appearances with Puss and Kooch and co-hosts the Ultimate Queer Game show.
Ticketing Page Issues - Troubleshooting Steps
- If the ticketing page doesn't allow you to purchase tickets and appears sold out, it is possible that another customer has those tickets waiting in their cart and we've reached venue capacity. Please return in 15 minutes and those tickets may be available if the other customer did not purchase them.
- If the error code [Object object] appears and prevents you from checking out, this usually means that you are entering some wrong information, likely the address and/or zip code connected to the credit card you are trying to use. Please double check your payment information and try again.
- If you continue to run into issues, please contact walker@railscomedy.com.
Parking & Public Transportation
- If you're driving, we recommend budget 30 MINUTES to drive and park because of heavy traffic in the area.
- The nearest metro is the Columbia Heights Metro Station. The walk to the venue is approximately 15 minutes.
Refund Policy
- All sales are final – refunds are not permitted for this workshop.
Tue Dec 12 2023, 7:00 PM
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Improv Drop-In Class: Fun with Your Environment
This class is SOLD OUT.
Please sign up for the waitlist. We will reach out to you if a class spot opens up or if an additional class date is added.
Class Description
When you take care of your environment, it'll take care of you! This session gives reps on making fun, assertive choices about your surroundings.
Prerequisites
- Students must have taken one introductory long-form improv class.
Instructor Bio
Martin Steger teaches with Rails Comedy and Washington Improv Theater. Game, premise generation, and improviser-to-improviser communication are the focuses of Martin’s teaching style. On the improv stage, Martin is half of the duo Unknown Number, is on the rock comedy team Heavy Rotation, and is a recurring cast member of the shows People of the District and Who Did It? An Improvised Murder Mystery. Martin is also a sketch writer and performer as well as the director of the award-winning scripted comedy Acuña Acuna. Martin’s festival history includes appearances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the New York Musical Improv Festival, and the SteelStacks Improv Comedy Festival.
Class Details & Schedule
This is a one hour class.
Location: DC Arts Center, 2438 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
Date: Thursday, December 14, 6:15pm-7:15pm.
Registration Fee: $5
Class Policies
- Must be 18 years of age or older to enroll.
- All sales are final: classes are non-refundable. Classes are only refundable to students if there are not enough students for the class. Classes are nonrefundable under all other circumstances.
- Masks are optional but not required.
- See Rails Comedy's Student Handbook for full course policies.
Waitlist
- If this class is sold out, please sign up for the waitlist above to be considered in the event of a student cancellation.
Ticketing Page Issues - Troubleshooting Steps
- If the ticketing page doesn't allow you to purchase tickets and appears sold out, it is possible that another customer has those tickets waiting in their cart and we've reached venue capacity. Please return in 15 minutes and those tickets may be available if the other customer did not purchase them.
- If the error code [Object object] appears and prevents you from checking out, this usually means that you are entering some wrong information, likely the address and/or zip code connected to the credit card you are trying to use. Please double check your payment information and try again.
- If you continue to run into issues, please contact walker@railscomedy.com.
Thu Dec 14 2023, 6:15 PM
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The Power of Vulnerability
Workshop Description
“Truth in comedy” is more than just a saying - it’s a guide towards making choices that will engage your teammates and audiences on a deeper, more emotional and intimate level. This workshop will focus on grounding scenes in emotion and believable relationships, authentically existing in whatever world is being created, and utilizing our own experiences in scenes in ways that serve us and our teammates.
Topics covered in this workshop:
- Vulnerable performance
- Emotionally grounded scenes
- Choices rooted in reality and authenticity
- Exploring the urge to “be funny” vs. leaning into choices that can delightfully surprise us
- Creating safe performance spaces for more emotional improv work
This workshop is useful for any improvisers who are looking to explore more emotion/relationship driven improv. Participants will be guided on how to create safe spaces to explore more intimate/vulnerable aspects of our own lives in our improv, how to explore and build such scenes, and more!
Prerequisites
- Completion of three or more long-form improv classes from an organization’s core curriculum.
Instructor Bio
Macey Schiff has been performing improv since 2008, and teaching, coaching, and directing in the DC area for nearly 10 years. She currently performs with the Washington Improv Theater ensemble, Madeline, and is 1/4 of the 2023 Fighting Improv Smackdown Tournament winning team, Moonstruck 2. She has studied improvisational comedy at the The Magnet Theater in New York and at the Washington Improv Theater in Washington. Macey has led improv workshops for individuals and organizations in DC and beyond, including workshops at improv theaters in Brussels and Berlin. Above all else, she tries to build a space where people feel comfortable to experiment, ask questions, and grow. Macey encourages finding the “truth in comedy”, and play that includes elements grounded in reality and emotion, while also leaning into the chaos and following the fun that comes naturally comes from creating something out of nothing. She loves that improv can be a way to explore situations and ideas that we can’t always do “in real life”.
Workshop Details & Schedule
Location: DC Arts Center, 2438 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
Date and Time: Wednesday, October 11, 7pm-9:30pm
Registration Fee: $60
Class Policies
- Must be 18 years of age or older to enroll.
- All sales are final: classes are non-refundable. Classes are only refundable to students if there are not enough students for the workshop. Classes are nonrefundable under all other circumstances.
- Masks are optional but not required.
- See Rails Comedy's Student Handbook for full course policies.
Waitlist
- If this workshop is sold out, please sign up for the waitlist above to be considered in the event of a student cancellation or if an additional workshop is added.
Ticketing Page Issues - Troubleshooting Steps
- If the ticketing page doesn't allow you to purchase tickets and appears sold out, it is possible that another customer has those tickets waiting in their cart and we've reached venue capacity. Please return in 15 minutes and those tickets may be available if the other customer did not purchase them.
- If the error code [Object object] appears and prevents you from checking out, this usually means that you are entering some wrong information, likely the address and/or zip code connected to the credit card you are trying to use. Please double check your payment information and try again.
- If you continue to run into issues, please contact walker@railscomedy.com.
Wed Jan 10 2024, 7:00 PM
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Demystifying the Sketch Writing Process
Class Description
Bad News: It’s hard to sit down and write a great sketch. Good News: It’s much easier to take little steps one at a time that will help you end up with sketches that WORK. By focusing on the process, you can improve the product.
Topics Covered in this Class
- How to get started - brainstorming, starting small, the “one funny thing” you can build around
- Expanding on an idea/building the world
- Honing in the important parts - Identify what’s funny. What don’t you need? Finding clarity and eliminating confusion.
- Developing/enriching characters
- Editing and Rewriting
Who This Class Is For
This class is useful for people who have written a little bit of sketch, some that they like, some that they’d rather the world not see. We will demystify the writing process, give you tools to more consistency and efficiently create material that you’re proud of, and help you evaluate your own work.
Prerequisites
Students should have written or performed sketch comedy.
Instructor Bio
Henrik Blix is a writer, actor, and comedian who has studied sketch/improv at The Second City, iO, and Annoyance theaters. He has performed for the Second City in Chicago and on the road, written and performed several original sketch shows, and is currently a writer for the Emmy-nominated The Problem with Jon Stewart on AppleTV+. He has taught in Chicago and NYC, and believes that writing sketch should start with a little stupid idea that makes you laugh, and then build one brick at a time until it makes sense to other people too.
Class Details & Schedule
This is a virtual 4-week class (2.5 hours per class) and includes an in-person class showcase – this showcase is optional for remote students not located in the DMV.
Location: Classes are held online via Zoom; the showcase is at The DC Arts Center, 2438 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
- CLASS 1: Sunday, January 14, 7pm-9:30pm
- CLASS 2: Sunday, January 21, 7pm-9:30pm
- CLASS 3: Sunday, January 28, 7pm-9:30pm
- CLASS 4: Sunday, February 4, 7pm-9:30pm
- CLASS SHOWCASE: Saturday, February 10, 9pm
Registration Fee: $215
Class Policies
- Students may miss a maximum of 1 class (1 absence) to participate in the class showcase.
- All sales are final: classes are non-refundable. Classes are only refundable to students if there are not enough students for the class. Classes are nonrefundable under all other circumstances.
- Must be 18 years of age or older to enroll.
- See Rails Comedy's Student Handbook for full course policies.
Waitlist
- If this class is sold out, please sign up for the waitlist above to be considered in the event of a student cancellation or if an additional class is added.
Ticketing Page Issues - Troubleshooting Steps
- If the ticketing page doesn't allow you to purchase tickets and appears sold out, it is possible that another customer has those tickets waiting in their cart and we've reached venue capacity. Please return in 15 minutes and those tickets may be available if the other customer did not purchase them.
- If the error code [Object object] appears and prevents you from checking out, this usually means that you are entering some wrong information, likely the address and/or zip code connected to the credit card you are trying to use. Please double check your payment information and try again.
- If you continue to run into issues, please contact walker@railscomedy.com.