Winner: "Best Improv Class" and "Best Improv Teacher" by the Austin Improv Collective Winner: Austin Critics Table Award 2010
Register for Improv 101 Class Now!
For complete beginners and experienced actors, this workshop teaches the fundamentals of improvisation. The class's interactive exercises build listening and communication skills, heighten awareness and teach you how to be more playful, spontaneous and flexible. Play games like you see on TV's "Whose Line Is It Anyways?" in a fun and safe environment. (Class size limit = 16)
NEWLY ADDED! Improv 101 Class | Tuesdays, 7-9pm, January 24 - March 20th, 2012 (no class Feb. 14th) | with Lauren Zinn | at The Salvage Vanguard Theater, 2803 Manor Rd
Improv 101 Class | Mondays, 6-8pm, January 16 - March 5th, 2012 | with Aden Kirschner | at The Salvage Vanguard Theater, 2803 Manor Rd
Early Bird special $150. Special ends midnight December 31, 2011. Price after December 31, 2011: $175. Note: First teacher listed is lead teacher.
**We offer four internships per two month class cycle. Interns staff the box office and light booth in the Gnap! Theatre Projects shows in exchange for free or reduced workshops. Please contact us at shana@merlin-works.com for more information
Whether you are a total beginner or an experienced performer, our talented staff will teach you how to:
Be more spontaneous and in the moment
Reconnect with your creativity
Be more confident speaking in public
Perform hilarious improv comedy shows
Think faster on your feet
Just have fun! Remember fun?
Make friends, join our community and take our classes.
Songwriters! Want to write better songs faster? Singers! Want to relate to your audience better? Musicians! Want more confidence composing and accompanying? YOU KNOW YOU DO!
This class teaches you new improvisational tools which enable you to find better ideas for your songs.
You'll learn how to create lyrics and hooks that are truly original and more specific to you and your talent.
You'll discover how to write and perform melodies that soar.
Through the process, you'll gain confidence as a singer/songwriter/performer/musical accompanist.
Between each class, you'll have the opportunity for an on-line lyric editing session with your teacher.
Susan Dias' curriculum pulls from her 20+ years experience in NYC writing and performing on and off-Broadway; improvising songs on her nationally syndicated radio show; writing and consulting on scripts/songs for Warner Brothers, Nickelodeon, Sesame Street and Disney, and her songwriting collaborations with award-winning composers such as Alan Menken and Chris Brubeck. (8 meetings. Class size limit = 8-10)
Improvisational Songwriting 101 | Saturdays 4:30 - 6:30 January 14 - March 3, 2012 | with Susan Dias | at The Salvage Vanguard Theater, 2803 Manor Rd
Price: Early Bird Special $225. Special ends midnight December 31, 2011. After December 31, 2011, Price: $250. Duo/Trio/Quartets welcome.
Special Band group rate (4-6) Price: Early Bird Special $255. After midnight December 31, 2011, $280.
Have fun making up your own songs with a live musical improviser every week. We will cover topics such as rhyming, song structure, song styles, song presentation, lyrics, duets, short form singing games, and communicating with the musical improviser. It's like karaoke, but you make up your own words! This is one of our most popular classes and only gets offered once or twice a year. You don't need to be a great singer to take this class, you just need to enjoy singing. (6 meetings. Class size limit = 14)
FULL! Improv Singing 101 | Saturdays 2:15 - 4:15pm January 14 - March 3, 2012| with Aden Kirschner| at The Salvage Vanguard Theater, 2803 Manor Rd
Price: Early Bird special $200. Special ends midnight December 31, 2011. After December 31, 2011, Price: $225. Note: First teacher listed is lead teacher.
ALL CLASSES
Shortform Gameplay Series
IMPROV 101: Tuesdays, 7-9pm, January 24 - March 20th, 2012
Instructors: Lauren Zinn
To register, click here.
IMPROV 201: Saturdays 12pm - 2pm January 14 - March 3, 2012
Instructors: Michael Joplin
To register, click here.
IMPROV 301: Mondays, 8-10pm, January 16 - March 5th, 2012, Graduation Show Sunday March 11, 8pm
Instructors: Ted Rutherford
To register, click here.
Longform Performance Series
IMPROV 401: TBA Spring 2012
Instructors: TBA
To register, click here.
IMPROV 501: Wednesdays, 8-10pm, January 18 - March 7th, 2012 (no class Feb. 14th) Instructors: Lauren Zinn
To register, click here.
IMPROV 601: TBA Spring 2012
Instructors: TBA
To register, click here.
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Shana Merlin is a highly acclaimed performer, teacher, and corporate trainer. Most recently she was awarded "Best Improv Teacher" and "Best Improv Class" and commended for her "Outstanding Contribution to Improv in Austin" by the Austin Improv Collective.
Since 1996, Shana has been a professional improviser, performing from Calgary to San Francisco to Atlanta to Las Vegas to London. Shana graduated with Highest Honors from the prestigious Plan II Honors Program at UT and went on to write and perform her funny and topical one-woman shows. where she was awarded "Best of the Fest" at Frontera Fest. Shana is a founding member of Girls Girls Girls Improvised Musicals, winner of "Best Improv Troupe in Austin" in the Austin Chronicle Reader's Poll and two time winner of "Best of the Week" at FronteraFest, and Get Up, a duo improv troupe with Gnap! Theater Project's Shannon McCormmick.
Shana has trained with some of the top teachers in the field of improvisation including Keith Johnstone, creator of TheatreSports and author of Impro and Impro for Storytellers; Paul Sills, founder of Second City and The Compass and editor of Improvisation for the Theatre; Gary Austin, member of The Committee and founder of The Groundlings; and Charna Halpern founder of Improv Olympic and co-author of Truth in Comedy.
MERLIN WORKS IMPROV MIXER: Along with our regular instructor-led warmup and scene work jam, it will also serve as open auditions for upcoming Gnap! Theater Projects shows and troupes. Held every two months and open to all.
FACEBOOK: Let's be Facebook friends! If you want to get more frequent updates about what shows I'm in or classes I'm teaching, get friendly with me on Facebook.
Have Merlin-Works come to your business or organization and energize them with unique training that will improve communication skills, teamwork, creativity, and presentations skills. Contact me and find out what Merlin-Works can do for you.
Along with our regular instructor-led warmup and scene work jam, it will also serve as open auditions for upcoming Gnap! Theater Projects shows and troupes. Held every two months and open to all.
Let's be Facebook friends! If you want to get more frequent updates about what shows I'm in or classes I'm teaching, get friendly with me on Facebook. 
Gnap! Theater Projects produces improv and scripted comedy shows every Friday and Saturday at 8pm and 10pm. For ticket and show information go 