2 hour Masterclass with Susan Messing:
Improv sounded like a good idea at the time- Playing is fun! People are awesome! Then you got bogged down with rules and got in your head and now you ‘hope’ you have a good time and you have weird questions no one ever answered. Enter your new friend, Susan, who will answer those questions and show you tools that will immediately get you back on the joy ride. You deserve it.
Followed by a one hour Q&A with John Lehr:
EP, creator and star of three completely improvised hybrid TV shows: “10 Items or Less” (TBS), “Quickdraw” (Hulu) and “Jailbait” (Sony/Crackle) will explain structure, filming and the casting process from submission to set. John will field questions about the state of improv in Hollywood including pitching and selling your own work.
A?bout Susan:
Susan Messing, a NJ native and graduate of Northwestern University’s Theatre School, has been an improviser and comedian for thirty 34 years. She is an alumna of the iO Theatre, Second City’s Mainstage, and a founding member of Chicago’s infamous Annoyance Theatre. Susan created and has taught her curriculum at iO and iO West, The Annoyance Theatre, The Second City, and around the globe. Susan has been an adjunct instructor for Loyola University, DePaul University, The School at Steppenwolf, and currently teaches for The University of Chicago. Susan has been named:
A?bout John:
John Lehr is the star/creator/writer for “10 Items or Less” (TBS), “JailBait” (Sony/Crackle) and “Quickdraw” (Hulu). He created/produced pilots for Fox (“Team McPhearson”), TBS (“John Lehr’s Movie Club”) and Comedy Central (“Let it Ride”). Script/development deals include “Retreat” (NBC), “The Loop” (HBO), Troubadour (MTV), “Life on Mars” (Sony/BBC), “King of Beers” (EUE/Sokolow), “Tommy Chong’s Pipe Dreams” (TBS). Lehr is one of the original Geico Cavemen from the wildly successful commercial campaign. He appeared in dozens of spots, including the first commercial as a caveman boom operator, the caveman in therapy with Talia Shire, the tennis spot with Billy Jean King, Superbowl spots with Phil Simms and many more. John has appeared in numerous television series, including “Friends” and was a series regular on “Jesse,”. His feature film roles include “The Sweetest Thing,” and three Noah Baumbach films,“Kicking and Screaming,” “Mr. Jealousy,” and “Highball.” He is also a respected improvisational performer having worked at the Organic Theater and Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago, the Montreal Comedy Festival, Chicago Improvisational Festival and multiple venues in Los Angeles and New York.
Students are welcome to stay for any portion of the workshop they would prefer.
At the request of the guest instructors, students must be vaccinated to participate in this masterclass. All sales are final. Classes are non-refundable but enrollment can be deferred to a future term. All students must adhere to policies in the Stomping Ground Student Handbook. Must be 18 years or older to enroll.