Ensemble Storytelling
with Jon Bolden
Saturday & Sunday, April 1 & 2 (5 hours total)

This two-day workshop will explore improvising short plays / unconventional films that do not have a strong focus on a singular main character. In the spirit of ensemble-oriented worlds such as the plays of Anton Chekhov, Henrik Ibsen, or the films of Richard Linklater, we will work to deliver a simple world of characters. The cast is slowly discovered as a story of people simply living their lives. The results of this approach have been seen in various productions at the Hideout Theatre since 2012 such as Nothing and Everything: Improvised Anton Chekhov Plays, Improvised Summer Camp, and was a headlining spotlight of the 2017 Slapdash Festival in London, UK. The process pulls from a library of exercises, techniques, and overarching principles to create compelling improvisation and nuanced storytelling.

Jon Bolden is a director, instructor, and improvisational actor from Austin, TX currently living in Portland, OR. He has taught throughout the US and internationally in Japan, Mexico, Washington DC, Alaska, and at the Vancouver Theatresports Tournament. Jon specializes in ensemble narrative storytelling and is known for his award-winning productions at The Hideout Theatre. He was also a co-producer of the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival in Austin for six years.

$45-105 (pay-what-you-can) / Two days, 5 hours total / Limited Space / Class is held at the Hideout Theatre downtown