"I always call Zach when I have a class or workshop to lead and need advice!" - Kelly Jean, actor/V.O. artist
The Bio
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Zach is an actor and teacher with over twenty years of experience in theatre, musical theatre, and improvisation, as well as other types of performance including clowning and stage combat. His talent was recognized at the age of 17 by Keith Johnstone (a founding father of improvisation, and the author of Impro and Impro for Storytellers), and Keith has been his friend and mentor ever since. Zach has returned to Calgary often over the years to study with Keith at the Loose Moose Theatre Company.
From 1998 - 2008, he trained in Chicago with many teachers, including Charna Halpern at Improv Olympic and Sheldon Patinkin at Columbia College Chicago. He graduated with a degree in acting from Columbia in 2003. He moved to Los Angeles in 2008, and in 2014 he directed his first feature-length film, "Bobbi & Gill," which he was inspired to write by two students he met while teaching at Atlanta Workshop Players. Zach is always on the lookout for talented people with whom to collaborate. |
The Theory
Zach's work is strongly influenced by his years as a protegé of Keith Johnstone. Unlike many methods of improv being taught today, Zach teaches from the original roots of the form. Rather than settling for the quick laugh or the superficial joke, Zach utilizes improvisation as a tool for the actor to explore his or her own psyche and to develop authentic responses onstage. While this often leads to humor (since real life is funny!), it also creates opportunities for dramatic scenes.
This can't be emphasized enough: It's not only valuable but absolutely essential for actors to examine their habits critically, and recognize the ways in which the fear of failure is inhibiting them from delivering their best performances.
If this sounds too super-serious and you're like, "But I want to have fun!" - fear not! Zach is also a master at the fiendish art of generating laughter by getting improvisers out of their heads and completely forgetting those "I'm in front of people" nerves.
Zach reminds his students that all audiences want them to succeed - but that a great way to succeed is to learn how to fail good-naturedly. Mistakes are a great way to learn and should be celebrated accordingly! This improvisational training is a "must" for serious actors, in order to be open to truthfulness onstage, and provide the grounds for an honest response from their partners.
If this sounds too super-serious and you're like, "But I want to have fun!" - fear not! Zach is also a master at the fiendish art of generating laughter by getting improvisers out of their heads and completely forgetting those "I'm in front of people" nerves.
Zach reminds his students that all audiences want them to succeed - but that a great way to succeed is to learn how to fail good-naturedly. Mistakes are a great way to learn and should be celebrated accordingly! This improvisational training is a "must" for serious actors, in order to be open to truthfulness onstage, and provide the grounds for an honest response from their partners.
For a peek at the kind of fun you can have while remaining truthful and connected with your partners, enjoy this video!
The Application
Improvisation can be used in myriad ways! It's great to help kids develop skills such as communication, teamwork, and bravery. It's equally valuable for "grown-ups" to work on those same skills, and to rediscover the lost art of play.
It's a wonderful tool for organizations to use during orientations or corporate retreats to build rapport and trust among coworkers.
Finally, of course, it's an essential tool if you're thinking about becoming an actor... and, if you're already an actor, you should already be in Zach's class!
It's a wonderful tool for organizations to use during orientations or corporate retreats to build rapport and trust among coworkers.
Finally, of course, it's an essential tool if you're thinking about becoming an actor... and, if you're already an actor, you should already be in Zach's class!
