• All students must begin at Level One.
  • Level One: The Principles of Improv - Introduces and explores the fundamental principles of improvisation specific to the Magnet Theater. Exercises in agreement, commitment, spontaneity and listening will help build a valuable foundation for you as a confident performer and human being.
  • Level Two: Intro to Long Form - Apply the principles of improv to the components of long form structures. Exercises in scene work, group games, opening games, second beats, and callbacks will prepare you for various long form structures.
  • Level Three: Long Form Intensive - Master long form components to create the dynamic longform, The Harold.
  • Level Four: Senior Project - The final level of the Magnet core curriculum delves further into the exploration of an advanced form. Senior Projects focus on one form for 8 weeks and culminate in a 4 week run of shows.
  • Completion of Level Four, two Magnet elective classes, and instructor approval are required for admission to the Conservatory classes.
  • Level Five: Improv Revue - This 6-week performance workshop examines The Montage, The Mono Scene, The Time Dash, and Freeze Tag to present them as a compelling 4 week review.
  • Level Six: Team Performance Workshop - Students will be assigned to a team which will perform The Montage, The Mono Scene, The Harold, and Freeze Tag in an 8-week run of shows. The 6-week workshop will focus on group dynamics and the responsibilities of being in an improv ensemble. Learning through the experience of being in an ensemble will empower the group and the individual to present exceptional shows.
  • Magnet electives are generally open to students who have never studied at Magnet, if their prior training is considered equivalent to the class prerequisite.
  • Electives - Magnet offers elective classes in musical improv, sketch writing, solo performing, and much more. Electives allow you to learn new skills, discover unexpected talents, and develop professionally. Some electives require prior experience. See class descriptions for more details.
  • Pilot Workshop: More Than Words with Jon Bander
    Pilot Instructor
    September 12th, 12:00pm-2:00pm
    Pilot Workshop: Where Do I Find Auditions? with David Levin
    Pilot Instructor
    September 19th, 12:00pm-2:00pm
    Pilot Workshop: FACE The Interactive Sound
    Pilot Instructor
    September 26th, 12:00pm-2:00pm
    Level One: The Principles of Improv
    Megan Gray
    Mondays, 7:00pm-10:00pm
    ends September 13th
    Level One: The Principles of Improv
    Megan Gray
    Sundays, 3:00pm-6:00pm
    ends September 26th
    Level One: The Principles of Improv
    Mark Grenier
    Wednesdays, 7:00pm-10:00pm
    ends October 6th
    Level Two: Intro to Long Form
    Louis Kornfeld
    Sundays, 3:00pm-6:00pm
    ends September 26th
    Level Two: Intro to Long Form
    Louis Kornfeld
    Mondays, 7:00pm-10:00pm
    ends September 27th
    Level Three: Long Form Intensive
    Alan Fessenden
    Tuesdays, 7:00pm-10:00pm
    ends September 14th
    Level Four: Senior Project - Evente
    Alex Marino
    Mondays, 7:00pm-10:00pm
    ends October 4th
    Musical Improv Level One
    Tara Copeland
    Wednesdays, 7:00pm-10:00pm
    ends September 15th
    Musical Improv Level One
    Michael Martin
    Saturdays, 2:30pm-5:30pm
    ends October 9th
    Musical Improv Level Three
    Tara Copeland
    Sundays, 3:00pm-6:00pm
    ends October 3rd
    Play Faster & Harder
    James Eason
    Tuesdays, 7:00pm-10:00pm
    ends September 21st
    Sketch Revue
    Armando Diaz
    Sundays, 3:00pm-6:00pm
    ends October 10th
    Sketch Writing Level One
    Armando Diaz
    Sundays, 12:00pm-3:00pm
    ends September 26th
    What A Character!
    James Eason
    Wednesdays, 7:00pm-10:00pm
    ends September 22nd
    Free Intro to Improv
    Never taken an improv class before? Well here is your chance to try it out for free. Magnet offers you the chance to try before you buy with Megan Gray and Mark Grenier. No experience required. Open to all. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Team Taught
    Day: Thursday, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
    Starting: Sep 2, 2010
    Cost: Free

    SOLD OUT!
    Free Intro to Improv
    Never taken an improv class before? Well here is your chance to try it out for free. Magnet offers you the chance to try before you buy with Megan Gray and Mark Grenier. No experience required. Open to all. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Team Taught
    Day: Tuesday, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
    Starting: Sep 7, 2010
    Cost: Free

    Level One: The Principles of Improv
    Introduces and explores the fundamental principles of improvisation specific to the Magnet Theater. Exercises in agreement, commitment, spontaneity and listening will help build a valuable foundation for you as a confident performer and human being. 8 weeks followed by a graduation performance. No experience required. Open to all. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Mark Grenier
    Day: Thursdays, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
    Starting: Sep 9, 2010
    Cost: $299

    SOLD OUT!
    Level One: The Principles of Improv
    Introduces and explores the fundamental principles of improvisation specific to the Magnet Theater. Exercises in agreement, commitment, spontaneity and listening will help build a valuable foundation for you as a confident performer and human being. 8 weeks followed by a graduation performance. No experience required. Open to all. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Mark Grenier
    Day: Saturdays, 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
    Starting: Sep 11, 2010
    Cost: $299

    Only 4 spots remaining!
    Level One: The Principles of Improv
    Introduces and explores the fundamental principles of improvisation specific to the Magnet Theater. Exercises in agreement, commitment, spontaneity and listening will help build a valuable foundation for you as a confident performer and human being. 8 weeks followed by a graduation performance. No experience required. Open to all. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Mark Grenier
    Day: Sundays, 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
    Starting: Sep 19, 2010
    Cost: $299

    Level One: The Principles of Improv
    Introduces and explores the fundamental principles of improvisation specific to the Magnet Theater. Exercises in agreement, commitment, spontaneity and listening will help build a valuable foundation for you as a confident performer and human being. 8 weeks followed by a graduation performance. No experience required. Open to all. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Megan Gray
    Day: Sundays, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
    Starting: Oct 3, 2010
    Cost: $299

    Level One: The Principles of Improv
    Introduces and explores the fundamental principles of improvisation specific to the Magnet Theater. Exercises in agreement, commitment, spontaneity and listening will help build a valuable foundation for you as a confident performer and human being. 8 weeks followed by a graduation performance. No experience required. Open to all. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Megan Gray
    Day: Mondays, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
    Starting: Oct 4, 2010
    Cost: $299

    Level Two: Intro to Long Form
    Apply the principles of improv to the components of long form structures. Exercises in scene work, group games, opening games, second beats, and callbacks will prepare you for various long form structures. 8 weeks followed by a graduation performance. Prerequisite: Magnet Level One. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Louis Kornfeld
    Day: Wednesdays, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
    Starting: Sep 29, 2010
    Cost: $299

    Only 5 spots remaining!
    Level Two: Intro to Long Form
    Apply the principles of improv to the components of long form structures. Exercises in scene work, group games, opening games, second beats, and callbacks will prepare you for various long form structures. 8 weeks followed by a graduation performance. Prerequisite: Magnet Level One. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Louis Kornfeld
    Day: Sundays, 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
    Starting: Oct 10, 2010
    Cost: $299

    Level Three: Long Form Intensive
    Learn advanced scene skills and master long form components to create the dynamic longform, The Harold. 8 weeks followed by a graduation performance. Prerequisite: Magnet Level Two. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Peter McNerney
    Day: Mondays, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
    Starting: Oct 4, 2010
    Cost: $299

    SOLD OUT!
    Level Three: Long Form Intensive
    Learn advanced scene skills and master long form components to create the dynamic longform, The Harold. 8 weeks followed by a graduation performance. Prerequisite: Magnet Level Two. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Peter McNerney
    Day: Sundays, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
    Starting: Oct 10, 2010
    Cost: $299

    Level Four: Senior Project - Choose Your Own Adventure
    The final level of the Magnet core curriculum delves further into the exploration of an advanced form. Senior Projects focus on one form for 8 weeks and culminate in a 4 week run of shows. Choose Your Own Adventure, the form of the Magnet show Sleep Over!, is a character-driven narrative long-form, in which the performers play one character throughout the entire show. Students will gain skills in advanced character development, narrative improv techniques, and more. Prerequisite: Magnet Level Three. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: James Eason
    Day: Tuesdays, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
    Starting: Sep 28, 2010
    Cost: $325

    Level Five: Improv Revue
    This performance workshop examines The Montage, The Mono Scene, The Time Dash, and Freeze Tag to present them as a compelling 4 week review. 6 weeks of class followed by 4 shows. Prerequisite: Magnet Level Four, two Magnet electives, and Instructor Approval. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Armando Diaz
    Day: Saturdays, 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
    Starting: Sep 11, 2010
    Cost: $325

    Level Five: Improv Revue
    This performance workshop examines The Montage, The Mono Scene, The Time Dash, and Freeze Tag to present them as a compelling 4 week review. 6 weeks of class followed by 4 shows. Prerequisite: Magnet Level Four, two Magnet electives, and Instructor Approval. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Armando Diaz
    Day: Tuesdays, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
    Starting: Oct 5, 2010
    Cost: $325

    Auditioning for TV & Commercials
    Put your improv skills to work in the entertainment industry and learn the art and business of auditioning. In other words, learn how to get paid to do what you love. This 8-week class will cover the ABC’s of auditioning. Topics to be covered include auditioning on-camera, working with sides, finding the right monologue, preparation, and the business of the business. Students will work on-camera each week with a special emphasis on commercials, soap operas and prime-time television auditions.

    Students will audition for agents and casting directors in an industry showcase. Limit 12 students.

    Instructor: T.J. Mannix
    Day: Sundays, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
    Starting: Oct 10, 2010
    Cost: $299

    Coaching Class
    This class is for experienced improvisers who want to learn how to coach and teach improv. Students will be lectured on warm-ups, scene exercises, ensemble building techniques, how to give notes, structuring a coaching session, dealing with typical coaching problems, and time management. They will also get practical hands-on experience coaching actual students. 6 weeks. Prerequisite: Level Three or equivalent experience. Limit 12 students.

    Instructor: Armando Diaz
    Day: Saturdays, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
    Starting: Sep 11, 2010
    Cost: $249

    Only 4 spots remaining!
    Improv For Lawyers
    The ability to improvise - no matter what you are confronted with - is the hallmark of a truly effective lawyer. Many parallels exist between good lawyering, trial advocacy and improv comedy. Improvisers have developed tools that can help them draw an audience into a constructed stage reality. Trial lawyers have a similar goal: drawing a jury into a reconstructed version of events. Joey Novick is an attorney and nationally renowned instructor of humor and improv workshops. During this interactive workshop, he will lead you in a series of exercises that will show you how applying improv techniques in various contexts can help you become a more effective attorney, mediator or arbitrator. You’ll also find out how using improv techniques can help you add strength, animation and powerful persuasive techniques in the courtroom, at the settlement table, or when negotiating a wide variety of issues.

    This is a New York State Continuing Legal Education accredited course where participants earn three (3) CLE credits. Limit 20 students.

    Instructor: Joey Novick
    Day: Tuesday, 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
    Starting: Oct 26, 2010
    Cost: $150

    Master Class with Ed Herbstman
    Ed will take advanced improvisors through a series of classes designed to make them aware of good and bad habits, break those habits, and replace them with techniques that will make their work onstage come to life, fueled by spontaneity and built upon a foundation of confidence and ease.

    Ed Herbstman is one of the founders of the Magnet Theater. He performs irregularly in The Mantzoukas Brothers and is an instructor on the Magnet faculty. Ed is also head writer at Dandelion, a firm which creates entertainment sponsored by brands. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and children and dog.

    Prerequisite: Magnet Level Three. Limit 14 students.

    Instructor: Ed Herbstman
    Day: Thursday, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
    Starting: Sep 9, 2010
    Cost: $325

    Only 4 spots remaining!

    Me Me Me: Intro to Solo Performing
    This 6-week class for “improvisers who want to write” explores in-depth development of characters through writing and improvising sessions. Over the course of the class, you’ll develop numerous starting points for creating and developing characters including environment, emotion, context, physicality, and hell, maybe even hats. Gary encourages experimenting, so bring your weird ideas. The focus will be on developing monologues for solo characters – finding that character’s voice and their story. 6 weeks of class followed by a graduation performance. Limit 12 students.

    Instructor: Gary Rudoren
    Day: Mondays, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
    Starting: Oct 11, 2010
    Cost: $249

    Musical Improv Level One
    Now this is something to sing about! Eight weeks of music and improvisation. Learn how to put your thoughts into song and take your scenes to the next level. Whether you are an experienced singer or not, you will learn to master duets, rock opera, charity songs, and more! 8 weeks of class followed by a graduation performance. Prerequisite: Level One or equivalent experience. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Tara Copeland
    Day: Wednesdays, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
    Starting: Sep 29, 2010
    Cost: $325

    Musical Improv Level Three
    Sing it to a whole new level! In this performance intensive workshop, students will be assigned to a musical improv team which will perform a 4-week run of shows. The 8-week workshop will focus on advanced musical improv skills, group dynamic, and the responsibilities of being in a musical improv ensemble. Prerequisite: Musical Improv Level 2 and Instructor Approval. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Tara Copeland
    Day: Tuesdays, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
    Starting: Sep 14, 2010
    Cost: $325

    Short Form Intensive: Improving Long Form With Short Form
    Immerse yourself in short-form improv and discover how it strengthens your long-form skills - expanding the choices you make on stage, helping you be present in your scene work, uncovering new characters, and offering a new perspective on the concept of “game”.

    This very playful 4-week workshop draws heavily on the work of Viola Spolin and Keith Johnstone and will include a wide variety of scenic games, solo exercises, and group work. In addition, everyone will have the opportunity to direct scenes, giving them the chance to simultaneously observe the scene from the perspective of the audience and the performers. 4 weeks of class followed by a graduation performance. Level One or equivalent experience. Limit 16 students.

    Instructor: Caitlin McClure
    Day: Saturdays, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
    Starting: Oct 2, 2010
    Cost: $149

    Sketch Writing Level One
    This class will teach you concrete skills that will help you become a better sketch comedy writer. You will learn how to develop your ideas, clarify your premise, create characters, and understand what makes a good sketch work. The class will consist of lectures, writing assignments, and focused and fun workshops each week. Most of the class will be about the work, but of course some of the class will be devoted to the business, and the improvement (or creation) of your sketch packet. 6 weeks. No experience required. Open to all. Limit 12 students.

    Instructor: Armando Diaz
    Day: Thursdays, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
    Starting: Sep 16, 2010
    Cost: $249

    SOLD OUT!
    Storytelling
    Learn how to take personal experiences from your life and create stories that are universal and identifiable for an audience - you’ll be surprised at how engaging your personal stories can be! In this class, you will learn the basic elements of telling a narrative story, how to take a crowd by surprise and make them care, how to be real and truthful on stage, and how to discover and communicate the real meaning behind your experience. Classes will include verbal and written exercises, examples of performances from some of the finest storytellers, and various techniques and approaches to prepare yourself for a performance of your story. What you’ll get out of the class: at least one polished, six-to-eight minute story, which could be the beginning of a one-person show, and the fundamentals needed to develop future stories. The class concludes with a graduation performance where you will perform your personal story in front of an audience. Limit 12 students.

    Instructor: Adam Wade
    Day: Sundays, 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
    Starting: Sep 12, 2010
    Cost: $249

    SOLD OUT!
    homescheduleclassespeoplemegawattforumaboutcontact

    st
    (C) 2009, MAGNET THEATER
    jm