Mother Road Productions’ InRoads Adult Education Program Presents
Improv Workshop with Second City Veteran Dan Bakkedahl
One Day Only, Space is limited!
‘Whether in front of the camera or on stage, improv skills are a necessary component in the actor’s toolbox.’
When: Saturday, May 31, 10am-3pm
Where: The Filling Station, 1024 4th St. SW, Albuquerque, corner of 4th & Pacific
Cost: $50.
Info & Reservations: Call Mother Road, 505-243-0596.
Dan Bakkedahl has been teaching and performing Long-Form Improv for over 12 years. He spent 10 years in Chicago working at the iO (formerly Improv Olympic) where he studied with the legends, Del Close and Mick Napier. While in Chicago he also worked with the world renowned sketch and improv theatre The Second City. In 2001 Dan traveled with The Second City on their maiden USO tour to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Dubai. Once again in 2003 Dan set out with The Second City on their sophomore USO tour to Kosovo, Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Upon finishing his time at The Second City in 2004, after writing and performing in their 90th Mainstage Revue “Doors Open on the Right”, Dan moved to New York where he was a correspondent on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”. He continued sharpening his improv skills while playing the New York City’s UCB Theatre. He is currently in Albuquerque working on the Warner Brothers feature film Observe and Report and is thrilled to have the chance to share some of his vast improv knowledge with the actors and improvisers of Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Improv as Art
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with one of the best and most worldly actors in the improv community. Dan will begin the workshop by focusing on the most important aspect of scenework, the beginning, learning to make the space really come alive through believable object work and hammering those listening skills. Moving onward and upward you will focus on mastering two of the biggest pitfalls in scene work, absurdity and being attacked. And finally, you will move on by learning two new and exciting long-forms…….
The first is “Under The Influence”. The form focuses on getting our inspiration for scenes from poems. We will learn how to pull out the details and use them as our bedrock. The second form is called “Gravid Water”. This show is breaking very exciting and impressive ground in New York where its flagship group has been running for over two years at the UCB Theatre. “Gravid Water” is a ½ improve, ½ scripted show. A group of scenes are selected from popular theatre. One person memorizes their lines and the other improvises. A true graduate degree in listening and responding.
*Mother Road Productions, Inc. is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) New Mexico corporation.