名城大学にてインプロ・ワークショップ

The younger generation of performers continues to amaze!

Nagoya Players was very grateful to receive an invitation to conduct our Improv Workshop series at Meijo University. Our veteran improv specialist John Ahern led a group of talented youngsters through a set of exercises, games and drills to help them round out their performer’s toolkit. Improv is a very difficult and challenging artform. But these students blew us away with their eagerness and willingness to learn.

We conducted two sessions on the day for third and fourth-year students in Meijo University’s newly established drama program. The program is unique as it is part of the university’s English department. Later this year, these students will perform Oscar Wilde’s famous comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest in both Japanese and English! That is truly an incredible feat!

Some might wonder how improv can be useful for dramatic actors. In actuality, fundamental improv skills can be a great aid to dramatists. The core tenets of improv teaches us how open ourselves to suggestion, deal with sudden change, learn and predict movement, and think quickly and creatively. These are valuable skills for anyone doing live performance. But what improv does more so than anything else is force you to let go of inhibition and embrace the moment.

Nagoya Players was asked to help this group of acting students open themselves up and expand their minds. A very natural tendency with young actors and young Japanese is to remain rigid and to stick to the script. This is what often leads to stale and flat performances. With improv, there is no script.

John Ahern demonstrated how to perform by connecting with the energy of your partner and thinking on your feet. We did a number of exercises and games such as Numbers, Flocking, One-Word, and Presents that train an actor how to predict an action and then continue the scene. The focus of the day, however, was Offering & Accepting. This is the foundation of all improv. You must never say, “No”. Every offer must be met with, “Yes! And…” Any actor that can master offering and accepting is bound to give a dynamic performance.

It was only one day, but it was extremely impressive. These students came in ready, followed instructions, and didn’t give up even when it was difficult. All of them showed the passion and drive it takes to be an actor. We can’t wait to see them take the stage!

We are currently preparing to conduct more workshops at Meijo University. Elocution, Stagecraft, Set Design and Set Construction sessions are in the works. We’re very happy to conduct acting and theater workshops anywhere in Aichi. If your school or university is interested in a Nagoya Players workshop, please email us at NagoyaPlayers@gmail.com.

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