Groundlings Intensive
w/ Colleen Smith, Edi Patterson, Stephanie Courtney: Groundlings Basics

An introduction to the Groundlings' approach to improv, with a strong focus on character and emotion-fueled scenes.  Games and scenes that will have students: play against type, play film/theater styles, make huge emotional choices and raise the stakes.  Wear closed toed shoes, cause this shit's gonna be crazy!

Colleen Smith is a Groundlings Sunday Company alum and currently teaches at the Groundlings school. Her television credits include "The Showbiz Show with David Spade" "The Office," "World Cup Comedy," "The Singles Table," "Carpoolers," and "King of the Hill." She is a member On The Jim Henson Co's "Puppet Up!" an improvised puppet show. She is the co-creator of an original series called "Danger Force Five." She is also the co-creator of "DateGarden.com," a fictional dating website, and of "The Smith Brown Project," a two woman show which ran at The Comedy Central Stage and UCB.

Edi Patterson is a member of the Main Company at the famous Groundlings Theatre, and can be seen around LA and all over the world improvising plays with the critically acclaimed IMPRO THEATRE (last year’s headliner at OOB 2007!) You can also catch Edi in the upcoming Dreamworks movie A THOUSAND WORDS starring Eddie Murphy and Allison Janney, and this summer she will be playing Fran in the feature mockumentary THE WIFFLER. Recent television credits include UNHITCHED on Fox, and two different roles on the upcoming Cartoon Network Adult Swim live-action series A YOUNG PERSON’S GUIDE TO HISTORY. She was a recurring correspondent for THE SHOWBIZ SHOW WITH DAVID SPADE on Comedy Central and was a series regular on Damon Wayans’ sketch comedy series THE UNDERGROUND on Showtime.

Stephanie Courtney is a main company member of the Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles. She's appeared in TV shows (Mad Men, Cavemen, Tom Goes To the Mayor), commercials, and films (The Heartbreak Kid, Blades of Glory). She is thrilled to be visiting Austin for the first time!