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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
