GRAB THE ROOM: Presence, Connection, Laughter - Archived

  • March 2, 2024 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Portland Dance Studio

    232 Southeast Oak Street
    Portland, Oregon 97214
Ticket Price $43.14-$80.00 Join the waitlist
Description

SEASONED PERFORMERS & NOVICES WELCOME - NO PREREQUISITES

Saturday 1-5pm with a short break in the middle

SLIDING SCALE $40-$80 // $60 Suggested

 

How do you engage an audience from the moment you walk on stage? 

How can you get a laugh before you’ve even said anything? 

What happens before the words that can help build the foundation for authentic comedy, capitalize on every laugh and make your written material hit even harder?

 


In this half-day intensive, we will apply physical comedy and clowning principles to ground your stage presence, create an instant and continuous connection with your audience, and build confidence in your comedic skills beyond the written word. After ensemble warm-ups, this workshops primarily focuses on individual exercises, giving you plenty of real practice in front of an audience of your classmates. Duos and trios also welcome!

 

Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just wanting to get more comfortable in front of a crowd, Anne Zander’s supportive teaching style and professional experience will push you to take bigger risks, deepen audience connection, and build authentically hilarious performances. 

 

“Anne’s teaching gives me access to a grounded, primal, less judgmental version of myself."

— Haley Klarfeld: standup comic & clown

DEEP FOCUS: 

  • Grounding in our bodies in the present moment WITH the audience
  • Developing self-awareness around habits and mannerisms
  • Capitalizing on every laugh!

 

PRACTICALITIES:

  • We will be moving our bodies and working up a sweat in the first half of class, so wear what feels good to move in, and bring water!
  • There are no street shoes allowed in the studio, and we will be working barefoot. If your access needs or preferences prevent this, please wear grippy socks or clean shoes you can move in.
  • COVID-19 PRACTICES:
    • Limited class size
    • Masks welcome (but not required) and will not impede the physical comedy work


BIO:

Anne Zander is a “completely ridiculous… completely vulnerable” actor, clown, solo-character creator and physical comedy teacher with an MA in devised, physical theater (Theatre Lab) from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. She studied clowning there and beyond with the award-winning Peta Lily. Zander’s “painfully funny” debut solo show — JUICEBOX — took Portland by storm in 2019 and was Official Selection 2020 at Chicago Sketchfest, Dallas Comedy Festival and HBO’s Women in Comedy Festival (Boston).

Date & Time

Sat, Mar 2, 2024 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Venue Details

Portland Dance Studio

232 Southeast Oak Street
Portland, Oregon 97214 Portland Dance Studio
Le Why Not Productions

 Mission Statement:

 

 Le Why Not Productions embraces the intersection of the grotesque and the beautiful, the vulnerable and the powerful, the fringe and the familiar. Our mission is to dissolve barriers between audience and performers, shine laughter into the dark corners of the human experience, and create a space where these contrasts collide and harmonize through the art of comedy.

 

About:

 

Le Why Not specializes in live clown-character shows, where the absence of the fourth wall creates a unique, living audience experience. Our core principles - vulnerability, connection, precision and presence - are the cornerstones of our performances and classes, inviting our audiences and students to move from waves of laughter to profound recognition and back again.

 

Named after a quirky bar in a small French town with a dark but irreverent atmosphere, our company is inspired by the blending of cultures, the joy of crossing linguistic and artistic boundaries, and the ‘Why not?’ spirit that ignites playful complicity and laughter.

 

In addition to our live theater productions, we also offer classes in clowning and physical comedy. More than just a space to learn an art form, these classes will challenge your habits and inhibitions, push you to take risks, and create a space for self-discovery, play, discipline and liberation. 


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