The Happy Valley XL Improv Festival
Schedule
Thu, 19 May, 2022 at 12:00 pm to Sat, 21 May, 2022 at 11:00 pm
Location
Blue Brick Theatre | State College, PA
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Open to improvisers and spectators from around the globe, this 3-day festival will truly be a Happy Valley Improv Festival. In addition to an evening of shows, you'll have the opportunity to tour Penn State's campus, visit bucolic sites, experience downtown State College, and more! For more information on all that the area has to offer, visit the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau website www.happyvalley.com--------------------------------
Thursday
Workshops and Community Events
12:00pm - 4:00pm | Performer Registration | The Blue Brick Theatre
4:30pm - 6:00pm | Kelly Buttermore and Justin Peters Workshop | The Blue Brick Theatre
Shows
7:00pm - 8:00pm | Youth Program & Youth Program Teachers | The Blue Brick Theatre
8:00pm - 9:30pm | From Justin to Kelly & Festival Jam I | The Blue Brick Theatre
9:30pm - ?? | After Party | The Hyatt Lounge
Friday
Workshops and Community Events
8:00am - 4:00pm | Performer Registration | The Blue Brick Theatre
11:00am - 1:00pm | Carla Cackowski Workshop | The Blue Brick Theatre
11:00am - 1:00pm | Walk Through the Arboretum at Penn State | The Arboretum at Penn State
2:00pm - 4:00pm | Nick Armstrong Workshop | The Blue Brick Theatre
2:00pm - 4:00pm | A Walk to the Penn State Creamery | Meet at The Blue Brick Theatre
Shows
6:00pm - 7:00pm | TVunscripted & Mouth Stuff | The Blue Brick Theatre
7:00pm - 8:00pm | I Am the Show & Propane | The Blue Brick Theatre
8:00pm - 9:30pm | Festival Ensemble & Local Spot & Festival Jam II | The Blue Brick Theatre
9:30pm - ?? | After Party | Café 210
Saturday
Workshops and Community Events
8:00am - 4:00pm | Performer Registration | The Blue Brick Theatre
8:00am - 9:00am | HIIT Workout with F45 State College | F45 State College
9:15am - 10:15am | Downtown State College Scavenger Hunt | Meet at The Blue Brick Theatre
11:00am - 1:00pm | Jill Bernard Workshop | The Blue Brick Theatre
11:00am - 1:00pm | Walk Through the Arboretum at Penn State | The Arboretum at Penn State
2:00pm - 4:00pm | Jaimie Moyer Workshop | The Blue Brick Theatre
2:00pm - 4:00pm | A Walk to the Penn State Creamery | Meet at The Blue Brick Theatre
Shows
6:00pm - 7:30pm | Doggie Daycare & Instructors' Show | The Blue Brick Theatre
8:00pm - 9:30pm | The Wet Bandits & Alone in a Church | The Blue Brick Theatre
9:30pm - ?? | After Party | Bill Pickle's Taproom
Sunday
Workshops and Community Events
9:00am - 10:30am | Hike | Spring Creek Canyon
11:00am - 1:00pm | Brunch | TBD
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Confirmed Workshop Teachers
Kelly Buttermore & Justin Peters
Love the One You're With (Thursday at 4:30pm)
Conflict and emotional distance can work their way into one’s play over time until they become dominant choices. But what if instead of choosing conflict, we choose love instead? Making a conscious decision to appreciate and collaborate with your scene partner can take your scenework in unexpected and wonderful directions. In this workshop, we will introduce techniques for finding meaningful connections with your scene partner, and explore the virtues of playing from a standpoint of total agreement. When you choose to embrace your scene partners rather than resist them, the possibilities for your scenework are truly limitless.
As the duo From Justin to Kelly, they spend most of their time on tour, performing and teaching at theaters and festivals around the country; since 2014, they have performed and taught nearly 300 shows and workshops in 28 different states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and international waters. Their signature form is the Walter, a minimalistic monoscene that emphasizes silence, eye contact, and total commitment to the moment.
Off stage, they promote a DIY ethos that encourages improvisers to find their own voices and own their own work. They are based in New York City, where they are the founders of Countdown Theater, a roaming pop-up comedy space. They also run the annual Countdown Improv Festival in Tampa, Florida. They spend a lot of time in the car, talking about the radio. They encourage you to love the pain.
Carla Cackowski
Your Promise to the Audience (Friday at 11am)
Your character’s point of view is the funnel through which they view the world. Having a strong point of view simplifies your choices so you can focus on your partner as opposed to scanning your brain for the millions of possible “right” things to say. Your first character choice is what you promise the audience and following through on that promise is your objective. Carla will take you through a number of exercises on initiating, exploring, and heightening point of view so you can relax and let your character’s voice do all the heavy lifting.
Carla Cackowski is an improviser and writer in Los Angeles. She tours all over the world teaching and performing with her two person improv show, "Orange Tuxedo". Carla has taught improvisation and directed sketch comedy at The Second City LA for the past twelve years and was most recently the Artistic Director at Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica. www.carlacackowski.com
Nick Armstrong
Playing Improvised Genre - Characters and Style (Friday at 2 pm)
Nick will have the improviser explore a different side of long-form improvisation. In this workshop, improvisers will find how to successfully play genre-style improv and learn how to create rich and unforgettable characters. Stage picture, characters and environment all come together to create what we want the audience to think is a scripted piece.
Nick is an Actor, Improvisor, Director and Writer. On TV, Nick has been on the Emmy-Award winning shows The Office and Grey’s Anatomy. He has also made appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live, New Girl, Stan Against Evil, Young Sheldon, Brooklyn Nine Nine and Parks and Recreation.
While in Los Angeles, Nick trained at the World-famous Groundlings Theater where he was a member of the prestigious Sunday Company who’s alumni include Will Ferrell, Heidi Gardner, Phil Hartman and many more. There he would study and teach improv and sketch comedy. He also studied at iO where he learned and taught Long Form Improvisation and performed on the critically acclaimed teams King Ten, COG and Kind Strangers. He was also former Artistic Director of M.I’s Westside Comedy Theater. where he taught and performed as well. Nick has taught workshops all over the world and has performed and headlined in over 60 festivals throughout the world.
Currently, Nick is the Co-Owner and Managing Director of RISE Comedy in Denver, Colorado and Founder and Executive Director of Improv Utopia a Non-profit improv camp for adults held annually that gives back to the improv community and other arts related charities.
For more information visit: http://risecomedy.com, http://www.nickarmstrong.com or http://www.improvutopia.com
Jill Bernard
THE FIREBALL THEORY (Saturday at 11 am)
This workshop presents Jill Bernard's Fireball Theory and offers exercises to help you improvise faster and harder than you can judge yourself. You will learn to metaphorically hit the scene running and outrun the explosion of self-loathing and doubt like an action movie hero outruns a fireball thus defying the laws of physics. Please wear closed toe shoes to this workshop.
Jill Bernard (she/her) has been performing with ComedySportz-Twin Cities since 1993, and is a founding member of HUGE Theater in Minneapolis. Her one-woman improv piece, Drum Machine, has been featured in over forty improv festivals. She has taught and performed improv in Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and in over forty of the United States; and also on an episode of MTV “Made.”
Jaime Moyer
Work That Scene (Work) (Saturday at 2pm)
What are some elements that really make a scene work? In this workshop, Jaime will help remind you of the fun within the environment, object work, and unique relationships between characters. This is the mixture for success! There will be exercises to remind you of the fun within the specific location of each scene, and also relationship exercises to keep things fresh with even the most basic character pairing suggestions. A must-take if you've forgotten the fun in the environment, space work, and utilizing partners' gifts! Let's get to work!
Jaime Moyer is an actress, writer, and instructor who currently resides in Los Angeles. Jaime is a proud member of the acting unions SAG-AFTRA and AEA, and she has taught (and performed) all over the country including workshops at Washington Improv Theater, Dallas Comedy House, Asheville Improv Collective, The Arcade Theater, Go! Comedy, Dosage Improv Workshops, Unscrewed Theater, The Siren Theater, Planet Ant Theater, The Sketch School, The Second City, Camp Improv Utopia, Angel Comedy in the UK, ICC Theater in Denmark, and many others. Jaime has also facilitated corporate workshops and been a teacher with The Second City since 2002. On camera Jaime has voiced two characters on Bob's Burgers, has guest starred on the new Fox animation The Great North, and has recurring roles on many sitcoms including: AP Bio, Netflix series The Big Show Show, Modern Family, and Disney's hit show KC Undercover. Jaime also appeared on Parks and Recreation, 2 Broke Girls, Jennifer Falls, Detroiters, Future Man, and more. Jaime wrote for three seasons of Nickelodeon's LEGO City Adventures, where she helped create many memorable original characters. Jaime has a lifelong love affair with live theater and has numerous stage credits. She is also an alum of The Second City - Detroit where she wrote and starred in original revues. Jaime occasionally appears as Guillermo's wife on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE. Follow her on Twitter @Jaime_Moyer.
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Festival Sponsors
Happy Valley Adventure Bureau
Happy Valley Improv
The Blue Brick Theatre
F45 State College
Signature & Engraving
Urish & Popeck Accountants
AW Rebels
Penn State Federal Credit Union
Pub Trivia Nerds
The Kingshipp-Carter/Hanahan Group
Interested in being a sponsor? Contact [email protected]
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Where is it happening?
Blue Brick Theatre, 209 W Calder Way,State College,PA,United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
