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About Pan Theater -
Comedy Improv Theater
Pan Theater
2135
Broadway
Oakland, CA 94612
(between 21st and 22nd - one block from 19th Street BART)
415-724-2433 |
pantheater@comcast.net
Pan Theater Video and Picture site :
www.pantheater.shutterfly.com
(see Awkward Face, guest performing
groups, alumni and Pan students in action)
Pan Theater is:
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A place to become
part of an improv ensemble
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A community
improv theater
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An IMPROV Theater
dedicated to relationship based scene work
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A training ground
for new improv performers and ensembles
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A place to perform
in and watch
improv jams (second
Friday of every month)
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Pan Theater is a company
member of Theater Bay Area
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Home to guest improv troupes from
both the Bay Area and nationally
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Home of Pan's: Awkward Face Improv
Troupe
Pan Theater
has:
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Performed for Chemex, Giga
Information Group, Wells Fargo Asset Management, the Drew School
and various other
organizations
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Pan Theater has sponsored Bay Area
performances by: Oui Be Negroes, Irish Mutts, Harvard's
Immediate Gratification Players, the Upright Citizens Brigade
Touring Company, Five Play, Shades of Grey and various other
improv troupes
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Pan Theater has given improv
workshops for: the Northern California Screen Actors Guild
(SAG), IGP from Harvard, and various other local and national
groups
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Has created and sponsored two sold
out play festivals: Anything Can Happen in Ten Minutes I and II
Pan Theater
is an
Oakland, California Improv Theater that creates improv comedy and
improv drama shows for the San Francisco Bay Area. We perform at 2135
Broadway in Oakland (one block from BART).
Pan
Theater is dedicated to exploring the art of improvisational theater (improv)
by providing shows for the San Francisco Bay Area. Pan Theater is a
place for performers to learn, study, practice and perform
improvisational theater. Pan Theater is committed to creating, fostering
and providing a home for improv ensembles.
Pan Theater's
main performing troupe: Awkward Face performs weekly on Saturdays at
8pm and 9:10pm.
Current troupe members have studied and trained at: ImprovAsylum, Improv
Boston, Second City, Improv Olympics, Bay Area Theater Sports (BATS), SF
Comedy College and of course Pan Theater. Our performers have also
studied at: American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Rep., the Bay Area
Acting Studio, UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University.
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Pan's Awkward Face has been coached by directors from: Second City
LA (David Razosky), IO West (Shulie Cohen), Flash Family (Doug
Kassel), the UCB Touring Company (Will and Kevin Hines), and LA
Connection (Al Bowen).
For pictures
and Video of the Pan Theater community visit:
www.pantheater.shutterfly.com
Our Beliefs:
We believe Improv is both life-affirming and growth-promoting, whether
it’s used as an occasional pastime or as training for serious work in
theater or film. Our goal is to create work that is grounded in solid
acting technique. Our work strives for truthful performances that
stretch the limits of the performers.
Improv teaches
teamwork, support, leadership and followership, risk taking and
acceptance of failure (and hence resilience). We push ourselves to find,
accept and play the truth of the moment.
Our work includes training in the Johnstone, Spolin, and Close schools
of improv, among others. We also study traditional theater
exercises developed by Meisner, Stanislavski, and Chekhov, as well as
vocal and physical theater techniques. Our work is most heavily
influenced by Meisner Technique, Spolin
Technique and the long form
techniques and work of Del Close and Charna Halpern.
Join our email list to
receive Pan Theater class, show and audition updates. List
members also get free intro to improv classes, and free
articles on improv theater, and free and discounted show
ticket offers.
Our History
Pan Theater was founded in February of 2002. Depending on who you
ask, “Pan” refers to either "Pick a Name Theater" or Pan, the Greek god
of goatherds and shepherds. Pan Theater slowly evolved to a core group
of improvisers. We began our rehearsals and shows at the 21 Grand
Performance Space and Art Gallery in downtown Oakland.
During 2003 we leased a fulltime rehearsal space and began plans for
adding additional performing troupes. 2004 brought the addition of a
second performing troupe and regular performances at the Blue Bear
Theater in San Francisco and at the EGYPT performance space in Oakland.
During 2007 we moved to our new rehearsal space and our East Bay
performance space.
Pan has been
performing and practicing for eight years.
Our Style:
We strive to create improvisational theater that focuses on the moment and the
truth it brings. We avoid andfight against comedy that arises
from actor anxiety or attempts to be the star performer. Ensemble and
teamwork are what has allowed Pan Theater to grow, and to continue.
Pan Theater's Directors:
David Alger
(Pan Theater Producer/Director )
David Alger was
one of original founding members of Pan Theater in the 21 Grand days. He
has performed with the Greater Public Theater of Fort Lauderdale and has
also performed with Too Tall Stories and the Flying Apples Improv
Troupe.
His improv
training includes classes with LifePlays, Comedy Sportz, BATS, classes
at U.C. Berkeley Extension, IO West and private instruction with Doug
Kassel- a direct student of Viola Spolin.
David's teaching and
directing style is heavily influenced by by
Spolin and
Meisner
techniques. David
studied Meisner Technique with Christy Butchers of the
Bay Area Acting Studio.
Christy was one of Sanford Meisner's last direct students. His
education includes an BA in Theater from Florida Atlantic University and
an M.B.A. from the University of Rhode Island.
David teaches Pan
Theater's Improv Basics classes on a regular basis. For reviews of
David's teaching style and methods visit this link:
testimonials.
Ralph Thomas
(Director/Teacher for Pan
Theater )
Ralph has been
playing and performing with Pan Theater since 2004. He has done
additional training at
BATS in SF
in both short form and long form improv. Ralph has also studied Meisner
Technique with Christy Butchers of Bay Area Acting Studio.
Ralph brings over 20 years of experience in both teaching and coaching
to his work with improv students and troupes to ensure players have a
rich environment to take risks and grow as improvisers. Ralph works days
doing Life Coaching where he
incorporates many of the skills of improv into his work with clients.
Theresa Allocco
(Director/Teacher for Pan Theater )
Theresa has
been playing and performing with Pan Theater since November of 2005.
She has also trained at Chicago's renowned
Second City Theater where she
completed their basic improv training program in October of 2003.
Theresa has had
over four years of voice training in Chicago and at The Peabody School
of Music in Baltimore, Maryland. By day Theresa is a mental health
therapist at an alternative high school in Oakland where she says improv
skills come in hella handy.
Improv
Articles:
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receive Pan Theater class, show and audition updates.
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