Hi there improvisers! Welcome to the end of November. Or December. When are you reading this? Look at your calendar, see what the month is, and welcome yourself to it.

Let's get to it. I'm sharing a couple new podcast eps, a new class, and an article. Three of these four things are free!

Then continue scrolling for improv class updates, jams, and livestreams!

There are two more podcast eps up on my very new Substack.

Episode 3: Bottom Up Thinking & Plots in Improv
Improvising in plotty or plot-driven sets might not come as naturally to bottom-up thinkers. Let's analyze very specific aspects neurodivergence and improv with copious levels of detail, why don't we. Click here to listen on Substack.

Episode 2: On Being Perceived (on the Improv Stage & In Class)
Learn about contexts in which neurodivergent improvisers might feel uncomfortable being perceived... or comfortable, happy, and in their element. Do you like people seeing you doing stuff? And when? Click here to listen on Substack.

You can also subscribe on your favorite podcast app! Find links on the FlatImprov Substack Page Here. 

I'd love to hear what you think, so feel free to reply to this message. If you think you'd like to submit something for me to read or play on the pod, or come guest on it yourself, let me know using this page.

I turned my notes from the On Being Perceived podcast into a blog post as well. Even though I started the audio podcast "so I wouldn't have to type things." I lied I guess. Sorry*. Read that article here:

• Margot Escott interviewed Daniel Wiener PH.D who recently hosted Rehearsals for Growth: Applying Improvisation to Therapy and Life at a confernece. Give it a listen here.
• Will Hines, comedy star, keeps talking about improv over at his much better Substack. He doesn't need a link, but here's one anyway to something about cheating in improv, I think? 
• Chris Mead brought FACTS about choosing the correct improv form. See it here. 

Do you have articles we should all read? Any article, you don't have to have written it. Just send a link to this email (click Reply), and I'll link to it in a future newsletter.

* Said with a round "o" and hard Canadian "r" sound.

Next class!

Get Setup: Elf on a Shelf Scenes

You get the setup in this class, which means you can just GO at the top of the scene and don't have to worry about the base reality or game. You can get creative, and get out of your head. 

Characters and big choices will be ENCOURAGED. The challenge? Every scene will have an elf that is placed on a shelf in it... somewhere.

Don't know that story? Don't like holidays? THAT'S OKAY! "Whatever that means to you" is key here. It's just improv, and we got your back.

WHEN: Monday Dec 18 11am-1pm PT

Sign up: http://weeg.is/862

New class!

Characters Only: Point of View Drills 

A solid POV will help you play your character’s game. Learn who your character really is and what they really think, quickly, near the top of the scene.

In this class you will do drills that help you practice establishing and communicating your character POV in different ways. Then get reps doing this in scenes.

You will learn to get into your character’s head quickly so you can get out of yours.

WHEN: Sunday Feb 11, 10am-12pm PT

Sign up: weeg.is/903

If you like fun, and you like improv, these classes are for you. Help? Questions? More info? Reply to this email with a message!

There are many new classes at WGIS (Weegis) that were just released. Here are December classes with available spaces at the time this newsletter goes out. There are also new online classes up for Jan and Feb.

December

• Tuesday Dec 5, 5pm PT: Only Group Scenes: Holiday Edition (Shannon O'Neill). Sign Up. 
• Monday Dec 11, 10am PT: Better Support: Walk-Ons & Tags  (Ronnie Adrian). Sign Up. 
• Friday Dec 15, 9am PT: Mall Santas, Mrs Clauses, Elves and the Children That Love Them (Billy Merritt). Sign Up. 
• Sunday Dec 17, 10am PT: Go Ahead - Shit Your Stocking  (Shannon O'Neill). Sign Up.
• Monday Dec 18, 11am PT: Get Setup: Only Elf on a Shelf Scenes (Jen deHaan). Sign Up. 
• Tuesday Dec 19, 10am PT: Calculated Conflict: Only Group Scenes: Holiday Edition (Shannon O'Neill). Sign Up.

These are fun. Fun. Fun fun fun fun. Free stuff. Stay tuned for some holiday jams.

Remember to support the schools/orgs who host any free jams (etc) you attend by going to the odd class at the school or with the host. Supporting their work keeps the jams running and/or free!

• Friday Dec 1, 11am PT: WGIS Long Form Jam (someone is hosting). Zoom link. 
• Friday Dec 1, 5pm PT: WGIS Long Form Jam (someone is hosting). Zoom link. [with a post jam hang]
• Friday Dec 8, 11am PT: WGIS Long Form Jam (someone is hosting). Zoom link. 
• Friday Dec 8, 5pm PT: WGIS Long Form Jam (someone is hosting). Zoom link. [with a post jam hang]

Got one to mention in the next newsletter? You can submit it now. Online. Using this form.

Check out these upcoming livestreams. You can purchase tickets using the links below.

• Monday Nov 27th, 11am PT: Weegis Nov Bitness Class Show on Twitch.
• Tuesday Nov 28th, 10am PT: Weegis Online Team Show on Twitch.
• Tuesday Nov 28th, 4pm PT: Weegis Online Team Show on Twitch.
• Wednesday Nov 29th, 7pm PT: Weegis Online Team Big Tall Energy Show on Twitch.
• Thursday Nov 30th, 4pm PT: Weegis Online Team Casino Boat Show on Twitch.
• Friday Dec 1st, 4pm PT: Weegis Online Team does an Improvised Podcast on Twitch.
• Friday Dec 1st, 8pm PT: WizWorld LIVE on Twitch.
• Monday December 4th, 5pm PT: Weegis Premise Core Class Show on Twitch.
• Monday December 4th, 6pm PT: Queen City Comedy Festive Foxy Fun Improv Show on Facebook.
• Tuesday Dec 4th, 10am PT: Weegis Online Team Show on Twitch.
• Wednesday Dec 5th, 7pm PT: Weegis Online Team Big Tall Energy Show on Twitch.
• Friday Dec 6th, 4pm PT: Weegis Online Team does an Improvised Podcast on Twitch.
• Friday Dec 6th, 8pm PT: WizWorld LIVE on Twitch.

Oh my word THIS LIST, AMIRITE? Got one to mention in the next newsletter? You can submit it now. Online. Using this form.

Check out these upcoming livestreams. You can purchase tickets using the links below.

• Wednesday Nov 29th, 7:30pm PT: ASK US ANYTHING W/ MAE MARTIN, ALANA JOHNSTON, AND STEPHANIE ALLYNNE. Online. Buy Tickets.
• Sunday December 3th, 4:30pm PT: Raaaatscraps. Buy Tickets.
• Thursday Dec 7th, 7pm PT: Holy Shit Improv at UCB (show usually streams on Patreon a couple days later). Patreon.

Got one to mention in the next newsletter? You can submit it now. Online. Using this form.

Please share that this newsletter exists on your social media or... where ever. If you're listing stuff, it gets your stuff get seen by more people in a different place. If you're taking classes, it helps online improv continue as a thing. Which is GOOD STUFF, RIGHT?

Some options:

• Screencap this thing and share it.
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If you know someone who runs classes who might want to promote them, feel free to forward this email to them. We all benefit by knowing about inclusive online improv. More online access is good for us all!

According to Wikipedia and also my fervent fandom, early indie album releases by the most excellent band Hoobastank not only featured a saxaphonist, but utilized sounds that included funk metal and ska punk.

You're welcome for those Hoobafacts.

I guess that's it! Thanks for taking a walk with me. Thanks for reading. Thanks for BEING YOU! Congrats at making it all the way DOWN HERE to the BOTTOM OF THE EMAIL. Look at me slightly changing this sentence so I can say I am adding new content down here this week. Content FTW!

Support this newsletter by sharing it, and/or by taking a class or something to keep online improv alive n kicking. Yay classes! Yay online improv! Online life is real life cause it's all some of us got.

Thanks for taking improv online! I hope to see you in a class or jam soon! But seriously. Reply if you have any questions or just want to chat improv nerd stuff.

xoxo,

Jen.

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