Press Quotable's
Back Stage West, Spotlight on Improv
"Teaching Spontaneity - in the world of improv, choosing the right
instructor can make all the difference."
- article by Jenelle Riley
"Talk to anyone in town who has taken an improv class, and the
odds are strong that you'll hear tales of prima-donnas, bitter has-beens,
and people who get into teaching for all the wrong reasons. That
said, some excellent instructors work in Los Angeles; the trick
is finding them. Back Stage West...came up with this unofficial
guide.. "
excerpts taken from interview with Jenelle Riley
on finding the best classes in LA:
"Screaming Frog offers a free workshop before the start of
every session, so students can find out more about the classes.
'If you wouldn't leave your kids with these people, you probably
wouldn't want to go there either,' said Browning. 'Because that
is what improv is: You're taking your little kid inside of you out...'"
"Perhaps the most important rule is to have fun and embrace
the freedom improv offers...said Browning, 'How often do we give
ourselves the gift of once a week, for two and a half hours, playing?
And if you don't want to improvise, go paint or become a surfer.
Do something for yourself because life is so short. For me, improv
was what I was looking for before I even knew it existed.'"
Backstage West, July 10, 2003
"Members of Screaming Frog are working professionals who have
trained and worked at the best improv theatres in the mecca of improvisation,
Chicago. Now in Los Angeles, they carry on their high commitment
to the art of improvisation, and share with students their experiences
and insights."
Press Release, Backtalk Press, March, 2003
Corporate Recommendations
"Your fun and lively exercises enabled our staff - regardless
of title - to freely interact and improvise in non-threatening ways
...I would gladly recommend you to other businesses that have a
similar goal of bringing staff together in a non-threatening way
to work together, to role play, play games and feel more comfortable
speaking publicly and thinking on their feet."
Golin/Harris, February, 2003
"Thank you for doing such a great job. I was amazed and delighted
at the creativity I saw in people whom I don't normally think of
as very creative. You really know how to draw them out. In a safe
and encouraging environment, you not only gave people who think
of themselves as always drawing inside the lines permission and
encouragement to be creative, you showed them that they have great
wells of creativity that they didn't know were there."
- Alice Clearman, Faculty Member, University of Phoenix
"The workshop was outstanding...and so much fun! Many of [the participants]
told me that they did not expect to have so much fun...but they
did! Also, on a very positive note - they went through recruitment
VERY successfully! Almost tripling the size of the group... just
amazing...and I truly believe part of it was the fact that they
were much more relaxed, once they got going, partially from their
understanding how to improvise."
- Lori Curci-Reed, Ed.D., Educational Consultant, University
of California - Long Beach
"I organized this day for my social group, and it was a great
way to get to know each other. I feel a bit more free to be totally
irreverent and crazy.."
- Ondrea Tye, Social Event Coordinator, LA People Connection
Critic Reviews
"HELLVIS - Recommended"
"Browning's Presley...enters with all the pomp and flare of
a gaudy impersonator, but then allows the man behind the icon to
emerge..."
"McManus' tough-cookie Liz enjoys exposing the weaknesses
of her eternity-mates, while at the same time falling in love with
the needy Stella."
LA Weekly, May, 2002
"After dancing around and acting like a very comical jackass,
Browning's Elvis, or, Big E as he demands to be called, is joined
by the militant yet admirable man-hating lesbian, Liz, played by
Leslie McManus. An excellent role..."
"...the play shines..."
NOHO LA News Magazine, May, 2002 |
