Event Details
Dates: 5/27, 6/3, 6/10, 6/17, 6/24, 7/1
Wednesdays 7-9pm (PST)
6 Weeks + Online Showcase
Prerequisites: IMPROV 601
Restrictions: 18 & Over
Close Quarters is a long form that was born in the nineties by an improv group out of Chicago. The original production ran for four months at The Second City ETC and was directed by Noah Gregoropoulos. The entire piece takes place in one main location (ex. Hospital), with each subsequent scene exploring adjacent areas in that space (i.e. emergency room, ladies restroom, nurses station, janitor’s closet, morgue, etc.). Each scene in the adjacent space takes place at the same time, so there are opportunities to see the same sound effects, character walk-ons, and other elements play out with a new meaning or importance in each scene. Carla’s duo “Orange Tuxedo” performs a modified version of this form in festivals across the country and she recently directed a Close Quarters format with the Festival Ensemble in 2018’s Westside Comedy Fest. She will be working with the group based on her own experiences doing the form, as well as adding in other unique elements that the ensemble creates together in rehearsal, all for a new kind of online performance experience in our digital world! Class culminates in an online showcase to be streamed on the theater’s Twitch channel.
Instructor Bio: Carla Cackowski is an improviser, writer, podcaster, and nap-lover. She toured all over Europe, Alaska, and the Caribbean performing comedy with The Second City. She’s a member of SAG-AFTRA and has done voiceover work on shows for ABC Family, TBS, and Disney. She wrote and performed five solo shows that were produced in Los Angeles and her comedic monologues were published in anthologies by APPLAUSE BOOKS. Carla hosts “Improv Yak”, a shop-talk podcast about improv comedy. When they’re not touring their two person improv show “Orange Tuxedo”, she and her husband Craig Cackowski co-host a podcast called “Craig’s List”. Most recently, Carla has written for sketch shows on PBS Kids and Dreamworks TV. She taught improvisation and directed sketch shows at The Second City Hollywood for eight years before relocating to the Pacific Northwest to accept the position of Co-Artistic Director at Curious Comedy Theater for a year. She’s currently the Artistic Director at Mi’s Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica, California.
All of our courses are taught by veteran instructors who are also long-time performers. Classes meet online via Zoom.
Class sizes are limited. Enrollment is dependent upon availability. For enrolled students a confirmation welcome email will be sent 24 before the start of the first class. There are no refunds or transfers on tuition.
****YOU MUST HAVE GRADUATED IMPROV 601 TO TAKE THIS CLASS****
Thank you!