FST Announces Workshop Offerings at 13th Annual Sarasota Improv Festival

June 9, 2023 – Sarasota

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is pleased to announce the workshop lineup for the 13th Annual Sarasota Improv Festival (July 20-22, 2023). Now in its 13^th year, the Sarasota Improv Festival is the premier festival of its kind in the Southeast United States, bringing together top talent in improv comedy from across the nation and around the world. In addition to 29 performances featuring over 80 artists, Festival attendees will have 16 opportunities to learn from the experts through intimate workshop offerings led by Festival artists. Workshops will cover a wide range of topics, from how to build memorable characters and applications for physical comedy to an introduction to musical improvisation and the building blocks of freestyle rap. All workshops take place Saturday, July 22, and run two hours. Workshops are now on sale for $35 each, or $90 for a three-workshop package at sarasotaimprovfestival.com or by calling 941.366.9000. 

“The Sarasota Improv Festival allows us the very special opportunity to bring some of the best improv artists and instructors in the world right here to our local community,” said FST’s Director of Improvisation Will Luera. “While we, at the Florida Studio Theatre School, pride ourselves on offering excellent improv classes led by FST’s Teaching Artists year-round, this chance to learn from some of the most exceptional artists in the industry from as far away as Los Angeles, New York, Canada, and the United Kingdom,is such an amazing treat for Sarasota area improvisers of all levels.” 

Troupes Ripley (Los Angeles, CA) and 2-MAN NO-SHOW (Toronto, Canada) will lead workshops focused on making strong physical choices and connecting with the body and voice. Julliard alum Mary Chieffo will lead the workshop for Ripley alongside Madi Goff, who is also a member of Los Angeles’ Impro Theatre and The Groundlings. In this workshop, students will explore tools to develop stage presence, enhance their relationships with fellow performers, and learn how connection, emotion, and movement are integral to improvised storytelling. 2-MAN NO-SHOW will introduce students to their signature blend of improvisation, which they call “ClownProv,” combining elements of clown, mask work, and physical theatre to create hyper-physical performances.  

For the musically inclined, HERE: The (Improvised) Musical (Columbus, OH), creators of one of the most celebrated shows in the art form, and North Coast (New York City, NY), one of the top hip-hop comedy troupes in the country, will each lead workshopsdiving into the exciting world of musical improv. In these sessions, students will learn how to create show-stopping duets, expand their use of rhythm, and make bold choices with hip hop hooks. This year’s Festival headliner, MC Hammersmith (United Kingdom) will lead “Intro to Improvised Rap,” covering the basic building blocks of freestyle rapping. Students will learn how to successfully rhyme and land punchlines in improvised songs within a relaxed and supportive environment. 

Orange Tuxedo (Los Angeles, CA) will teach two workshops on Saturday, July 22, both of which are dedicated to making decisive choices onstage, gaining confidence, and helping move scenes forward. Orange Tuxedo is a husband-and-wife comedy duo comprised of Craig Cackowski and Carla Cackowski, each bringing extensive experience performing and teaching improv. Craig has appeared numerous times on Comedy Central’s Drunk History, and had recurring characters on Community, Bajillion Dollar Properties, and Veep. Carla has toured all over Europe, Alaska, and the Caribbean with The Second City, America’s legendary home of sketch comedy and improv. Participants who attend this workshop will receive top-notch training—Craig is the three-time winner of the Del Close Award as Teacher of the Year at iO West, which was the Western branch of Chicago’s famous improv comedy center, iO Theater. 

The 13^th Annual Sarasota Improv Festival is produced by Florida Studio Theatre and takes place July 20, 21, and 22, 2023. A complete list of all 16 workshop offerings follows this release. Festival workshops are now on sale at sarasotaimprovfestival.com or by calling the Florida Studio Theatre Box Office at 941.366.9000. All workshops are two hours in length and can be purchased for $35 each, or $90 for a three-workshop package. Boxed lunches can be added to workshop packages for an additional $14.95 and include a sandwich, potato chips, sugar cookie, and a bottle of water. Festival workshop locations are subject to change. All participants should meet in Florida Studio Theatre’s Keating lobby (located at 1241 N. Palm Avenue) to be taken to workshop locations on Saturday, July 22. 13^th ANNUAL SARASOTA IMPROV FESTIVALWORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCESaturday, July 22 9:00 – 11:00AM WORKSHOPS

• Commitment to Character
• Be Your Own Action Hero!
• Intro to Improvised Rap
• Deft Theft: Character Archetypes
• The Wonder of Silence in Improv
• Acting Chops for Improv
• ClownProv

11:30AM – 1:30PM WORKSHOPS

• Dr. Cacky’s Improv Cleansing
• Be Here Now: Joy & Presence in Improv
• Movement for Actors & Improvisers
• Villainy: Being Bad on Stage
• Intermediate Hip Hop Improv

2:00 – 4:00PM WORKSHOPS

• Improvised Environments
• Sketch Writing
• Beginning Musical Improvisation
• Getting to Know Will (Shakespeare)