Toledo holds its own when it comes to the arts, but one art form hasn’t been quite as prevalent… until now. Improv, the theatrical technique of creating something with no previous preparation, is making a presence in the community with help from the Toledo Rep.
From Chicago to Toledo
For the past few years the Rep Education division has been kicking around the idea of bringing improvisation to the Toledo area, and last summer this idea became a reality. In October, the Rep offered its first improv course. This six week adult class introduced students of all ages to the foundations and principles of improv, providing a performance opportunity.
Nick Morgan, a former member of the Rep’s board, has experience with Second City and was a natural choice as the program’s instructor. Morgan stated, “I became interested after seeing a show in October of 2001 at Second City [in Chicago] and I knew I wanted to at least try it…it was that impressive”.
Second City has been an improv school for up and coming comedians since the 1950s with a notable list of alumni, including Joan Rivers, John Belushi, Mike Myers, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Steve Carell, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and many more.
Morgan, who was living in Chicago at the time, signed up for a class and has been doing improvisation ever since. He has had experience teaching at the Washington, D.C. Washington Improv Theater in 2010, but explained he was very excited to be teaching here in Northwest Ohio because “people have very little exposure [to improv] here in Toledo, so it’s fun seeing people discover this thing they’ve never seen before.”
Taking it to the stage
The current class session features a Level 1 course for beginners taught by Martin Verni, and a new Level 2 course for those with previous improv experience taught by Morgan, and as classes continue to expand, a Level 3 class will be offered in the future.
For now, however, the improv students will gain performance experience with a showcase at the end of the six week session. Both classes will participate in a 90 minute event performing for an audience. The Level 1 class will focus on short-form improv, similar to the games on “Whose Line is it Anyway”. The intermediate class will be performing longer pieces which Morgan described as being “more theatrical and less structured”. The showcase is free and open to the public.
If interested in joining an improv class, the next set of six week classes will begin soon after the current classes have concluded. Any adult is welcome to sign up. The classes provide a safe zone with no consequences for failing, allowing students to make discoveries. When asked what advice he has for those interested in trying improv Morgan stated, “Do it! …if the idea scares you that means you’re considering it.”
The classes meet once a week at The Toledo Rep for six weeks with a registration fee of $125. The upcoming showcase will take place Monday, March 14.
Any questions about the program can be directed to [email protected]. Information about upcoming classes can be found at toledorep.org.
