Posted June 24, 2009

SCHENECTADY --- MopCo announces their 2009-2010 Season Class Schedule. The class season starts off with a bang with guest artist, Dion Flynn and continues with classes taught by MopCo Members and nationally known guest improv artists.

All classes 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 440 State St, Schenectady, unless otherwise noted.

SEASON 2009-2010
Table of Contents

1) MASTER CLASS with DION FLYNN
NYC's Extraordinary Improv Coach

2) KIMBERLY MOHNE HILL:
Voice / Dialect Coach Assistant Professor of Acting & Voice at Santa Clara University, San Francisco

3) SEASON 2009-2010 Classes
OVERVIEW of CLASSES
= Small classes.
= All participants have ample time to work, perform & play.
= Building performance skills to improve home and work relationships.

1) MASTER CLASS with DION FLYNN
NYC's Extraordinary Improv Coach
Dion will offer his unique set of philosophies, insights & talents to help us grow on & off the stage.

Dion promises to tailor his work to the needs of the people in the room - we can promise you a way-cool experience filled with fun and learning. If you are an Upstate improviser, do not miss this event!

When: Saturday, June 27 from 1-5 p.m.
Where: Proctors Upstairs (440 State St, Schenectady)
Fee: $47

REGISTER NOW!
email us at classes@mopco.org
or call Kat at (518) 847-9882

BIOGRAPHY
DION FLYNN is a multi-talented artist, spiritual teacher, and life coach. He holds an MFA in acting from NYU's Graduate acting program under Ron Van Lieu ('99). He's performed on the mainstage of the Moth's Storytelling Event in NYC. He's performed in Shakespeare in the Park (Taming of the Shrew w/Allison Janney), The Public (Liev Shrieber's Hamlet) and Guthrie theaters. He co-starred in Rosie O'donnell's Big Gay Sketch Show on LOGO. He's on the faculty at The People's Improv Theater in NYC where he performs regularly. You may have seen him on VH1's Best Week Ever, or in commercials for Sprint or Virgin Mobile. He's done voice-over for radio, television and the internet. Dion co-wrote and appeared in the sketch-comedy TV show Loose Camera with Jimmy Fallon and in the Indie Film "Under Heat" w/Lee Grant. He is a trained facilitator with the Anti-Defamation League's A World of Difference. Dion was half of the improv team of Farahnakian and Flynn with former SNL writer and founder of the People's Improv Theater, Ali Farahnakian as well as a founding member of the improv group The Prince Albert Players with Kevin Scott (Centrailia, Burn Manhattan) and Joe Schiappa. He's performed stand-up comedy all over New York and in the U.S. Army. He's taught improv and acting privately as well as in workshops for Fortune 500 companies and colleges nationwide. Dion leads meditation with seniors where he lives in beautiful South Orange, NJ.

2) KIMBERLY MOHNE HILL: Voice / Dialect Coach
Assistant Professor of Acting & Voice at
Santa Clara University, San Francisco

Using exercises designed to increase the speaker's flexibility, strength and health of the voice, along with lessons in dialect acquisition, participants in this workshop will leave with a series of steps to incorporate into their speaking lives for whatever their occupations or performances demand.

When: Saturday, August 8 from 10-1 p.m.
Where: Proctors Upstairs (440 State St, Schenectady)
Fee: $47

REGISTER NOW!
email us at classes@mopco.org
or call Kat at (518) 847-9882

During the workshop, participants can expect:
. Physically - stretching, moving in character, and improvising with physical restrictions.
. Vocally - breathing and sighing, humming and resonating, and, of course, using new dialects in improvised scenes or monologues.
There will be handouts and ample time for questions, direction and reflection. Dress comfortably in clothes that will enable the greatest movement possibilities.

BIOGRAPHY
KIMBERLY MOHNE HILL has been teaching, coaching and acting in the Bay Area for over 15 years. After receiving her Master's degree in Acting from A.C.T. in San Francisco, Kimberly went on to teach in all of the training programs A.C.T. offers - Studio A.C.T., the Young Conservatory, the Summer Training Congress and the Master's Program.

Along with teaching at Santa Clara University, she has taught at Notre Dame de Namur University, Academy of Art University, and she continues to teach occasionally at A.C.T. She spends her summers teaching Acting in the Broadway by the Bay/Notre Dame de Namur Summer Music Conservatory. Also a noted Voice & Dialect Coach, Kimberly has coached over 50 productions at most of the major Bay Area theater companies, including coaching Carroll O'Connor in his self-written world premiere of A Certain Labor Day She continues to coach shows for such companies as San Jose Repertory Theater, TheatreWorks, AmericanMusical Theater of San Jose, Stanford Summer Theater, and San Jose Stage Company among others. Additionally, she has published two books for Young Actors on the subject of dialects: Monologues in Dialect for Young Actors and Scenes in Dialect for Young Actors, and she is working on Volumes II of each of the books.

A professional actress as well, some favorite roles she has performed include: "Maggie" in Dancing at Lughnasa, "Julie" in Miss Julie, "Eva Braun" in Summit Conference, "Chrissy" in Love of a Pig and the understudy role of "Josie" in A Certain Labor Day.

3) SEASON 2009-2010 Classes
OVERVIEW of CLASSES
= Small classes.
= All participants have ample time to work, perform & play.
= Building performance skills to improve home and work relationships.

All classes 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 440 State St., Schenectady, unless otherwise noted.

CLASSES:
o Back to Basics (required pre-requisite for all other classes listed below. It is also highly recommended as a "brush up" for more advanced students.)
July 8, 15, 22, 29
Nov 9, 16, 23, 30
Feb 1, 8, 15, 22
Jun 2, 9, 16, 23

o Scenework
September 9, 16, 23, 30
Feb 22, March 1, 8, 15

o Narrative Structure
Oct 7, 14, 21, 28

o Longform Study
Nov 11, 18, Dec 2, 9

o Musical Improv
February 3, 10, 17, 24

o Environment & Character
March 3, 10, 17, 24

o Strengthen Your Weaknesses: Individual Focus
May 5, 12, 19, 26

TUITION: $90, $75 for volunteers and previously enrolled students.
Special tuition offers may be available, check www.mopco.org regularly!

Special Sessions:
MASTER CLASS in Advanced Spacework: July 25 from 1-5 pm (MopCo Space)
Instructor: Michael Burns

Back to Basics: Mondays -- Oct 19, 26, Nov 2, 9 (Art Center of Capital Region, Troy)
Instructor: Katie Haverly

For more information or questions about these programs, email us at classes@mopco.org or call Kat at (518) 847-9882.

NOTE: MopCo improv classes are intended for adults; youths from 16-18 may enroll with permission of instructor. Contact classes@mopco.org for more information.

MISSION
. To further the development of improvisational theater through teaching and collaboration
. To help individuals delight themselves and others using the craft of improvisation
. To develop professional improvisational performers . To grow the interest, participation, and support of improv theater in the Capital District of New York and beyond.

CORE VALUES
. Support
. Respect
. Collaboration
. Listening
. Taking risks
. Having fun
. Creative stimulation
. Genuine interaction with audiences
. Storytelling
. Teamwork

THE MOP & BUCKET IMPROV THEATRE CO.
Who are we?
The Mop & Bucket Co. (MopCo) is the Capital District's premiere improvisational theatre company. The company has been in existence in its present form since 2005. MopCo is a resident company at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady, NY. The company performs, teaches, and trains at venues around the region, as well as nationally and internationally.

MISSION STATEMENT
Live performance fills a central, universal need of humankind. This need cannot be met by passive reception of electronic or virtual paths, but must be experienced with all five senses. MopCo believes that the best theatre comes out of an active collaboration between performer and audience. We constantly expand, refine, and redefine our own concept of what improvisation in performance is. This is because the company acts on the assumption that that which is unchanging is probably dead, and will therefore begin to stink soon, if it doesn't already.

The company uses improvisation as a direct form of entertainment in performance; as a developmental tool that helps individuals in their own personal development, and as an interactive training tool for businesses and nonprofits.

Back to Gail Sez home.