IMPROV UTOPIA West
WHEN
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND May 26th - 29th, 2023
WHERE
WHAT
Cambria, CA at Camp Ocean Pines
Our annual camp is a three-night retreat for adults 21 and over and happens every Memorial Day Weekend in May. It takes place at Camp Ocean Pines, nestled on the Central California Coast in Cambria, near San Luis Obispo. Improvisers from all over the country come together and learn improv from nationally renowned teachers. This three-night camping experience includes improv workshops, camp activities like archery and axe throwing, cabin camping with private showers and bathrooms, all your meals and much more. Camp is a relaxed environment to learn while experiencing camaraderie, community and nature.
WEST CAMP
Join the Waitlist
Prices Include: Camp is all inclusive, Co-ed cabin-camping (Single-sex cabins upon request), 8 meals, workshops and all camp activities are included in your tuition.
- $675 Tuition - All Inclusive - Meals, Lodging, Workshops and more!
- $690 Payment Plan Available - 2 Pay Plan
- $300 Deposit and then in 30 days you pay the remainder
- Only available up to 60 days before camp.
There is a one time non-refundable Camp Network fee of $3.99 and processing fees equal to 3.95 % + $0.30 added to your tuition.
*COVID-19 Update: Improv Utopia will follow all CDC, State and City COVID19 Guidelines and will update campers of any changes or restrictions that will be enforced during the time of camp. Vaccines are required at camp.
CAMP TUITION INCLUDES
Tuition is All-Inclusive! You get:
- Workshops: Over 10 hours of workshops from master improv teachers!
- Performances: Improv jams and shows with your cabinmates!
- Camp Activities: Archery, axe throwing, hiking, campfires and so much more!
- Lodging: Shared cabins with bunk beds, private bathrooms, showers and electricity.
- Food: All meals are included and prepared by professional kitchen staff. Special dietary and allergy-friendly meals are available, too!
- Improv Summit: An opportunity to ask our expert panel any questions regarding improv, business, legal, marketing and more!
- Community: Meet improvisors from all over the world... community, camaraderie in nature!
Workshop: Improv Triage:
A treatment lab for your improv challenges.
with Diana Brown
Workshop
Diana Brown will create/curate exercises on the spot to address whatever is challenging the improvisor in the moment.
This 2.5 hour workshop will:
- Help you respond to your scene-partner in a deeply visceral and truthful way.
- Explore where your current choices lead you and help you make choices that are even more satisfying to play out.
- Increase your trust in your own instincts.
This fun and focused lab will expand your confidence and creativity and help you make more intentional choices.
About Diana
Diana Brown is an improv artist, teaching artist, actor, producer, director and voiceover talent. She was voted Most Valuable Mentor and Teacher at the San Francisco Improv Festival. Diana leads beginning, intermediate and advanced improv at Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s School of Theatre. She's an instructor and part of the leadership team with Leela Improv in San Francisco.
Diana’s had the privilege of leading Improv workshops, intensives/master classes in San Francisco, at Salt Lake City DuoFest, 2nd Best Comedy Fest, New Orleans Improv Festival, Denver Improv Festival, Tucson Comedy Arts Festival, Queen City Comedy, 2022 Vintage Improv Festival (with Jane Morris and Jeff Michalski).
Diana is half of the nationally touring improv comedy duo Bingewatch. Bingewatch was awarded "Best Improv" at the Fringe Festival of Pittsburgh.
Diana appears with Speechless Live in San Francisco at Club Fugazi as both a presenter and on the judges panel. And serves as part of Speechless/FLS+ corporate coaching division. She also plays in the improvised Shakespeare trio Gamesome Frolic. And with Past Our Prime Time Players.
In addition to improv, Diana has appeared in theatre festivals and productions in New York, Los Angeles, Charleston, Washington, D.C., & San Francisco. Diana is Co-Producer of the Southern Railroad Theatre Company and an Associate Artist with 3Girls Theatre Company. Recently, Diana was invited to join Killing My Lobster, San Francisco’s premier sketch comedy company, as a performer. She delights in creating and performing memorable characters.
Workshop: Shhh… A Listening workshop
with Chris Alvarado
Workshop
Often our brains run are running a million miles a minute during improv scenes. We spin through our mental Rolodex to find the right things to say without truly listening to our scene partners. In this workshop, we will focus on quieting the mind during scenes with hyper-listening.
About Chris
Chris Alvarado has been performing improvisation for over 25 years. He’s trained and performed at The Second City Chicago and Hollywood, iO West, UCB LA, the Westside Comedy Theater, and more.
He teaches, coaches, and performs at The Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica, CA. and can be seen playing with “Heyday” and “Pretty, Pretty Pony.”
Chris was a founding cast member of the fully improvised podcast “Alchemy This” alongside Kevin Pollak and Craig Cackowski.
Three years ago Chris created the Chris Alvarado Improv Workshops where the focus is on honest and meaningful work.
Workshop: Recapture the Joy
with Alrinthea Carter
Workshop
Are you an improvisor who feels like you’ve lost that improv lovin’ feelin’, that joy you felt after your first class show when you realized that you were in love with improv comedy? This workshop will help you recapture the silliness and fun by getting back to basics and fundamentals - Yes, And, Passing (and Sharing) the Energy, Character Work, and JOY.
About Alrinthea
Workshop: Finding Character 2: Character Harder
with TJ Penrod
Workshop
The Gift of Character
When you're onstage there are many gifts that you can give and receive. Character is one of those gifts and it can help you get to the meat of the scene fast. This workshop will help you to utilize character to both gift and be gifted some awesome presents in your scene work.
About TJ
TJ is an improvisor/actor/director that resides in Cedar City Utah. In 2007 he earned his degree in Acting/Directing from Southern Utah University. He is an adjunct faculty at SUU and teaches courses on improvisation. He has been doing improv since he was in 10th grade and has had the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the business.
TJ helped start OTC Comedy in January of 2004 and helped open The OTC Comedy Improv Training Center in September of 2011.
Workshop: The Tao of Improv
with Jet Eveleth
Workshop
Find ease in improv by entering a flow state and creating balance. This workshop is for students of the art who feel stuck in their heads. Created for performers who are looking to be more honest and active in their work. This workshop explores clown's relationship to improvisation with a focus on being present, finding emotional depth and presence. Open to all levels because the techniques will be new to everyone. It offers a totally different approach to long-form work that invites you to dream and to let go of the inner judge.
About Jet
Jet is an improvisor and director based out of Los Angeles. She is a founding member of The Reckoning at the iO Theater and performs in the show Adsit & Eveleth with Scott Adsit. She runs an open workshop called Clown Church that offers local artists an opportunity to reimagine comedy. She directs The Highland Park Clowns, an ensemble that explores new angles on modern clowning. She created and performed a role in the cirque show Absinthe, called the greatest show in Vegas history by Las Vegas Weekly. She performed at the Andy Kaufman Awards and was part of New City Magazine top performers. She toured Europe performing with The Second City and has studied with Paola Coletto and Philippe Gaulier. She was faculty at The Second City Conservatory and is the former artistic director of the Chicago Improv Festival. She taught physical theater and clown at Columbia College and is faculty at Mount Saint Mary's University. She has received a Masters in Interdisciplinary Arts, a Masters in Traditional Chinese Medicine and a Doctorate in Integrative Medicine.
Camp is one of the best improv experiences that I could have had. To be in a place where everyone loves improv as much as you do is such a rush. The teachers are supportive and are invested in your learning. The view is awe striking and I always wanted seconds at meal times. You truly do make amazing friends and memories there.
Christina L - Los Angeles, CA