Instant Theater is a technique/practice designed not as a form for self gratification, but as an instrument to stimulate internal centers of perception transcending normal receptivity. Instant Theater is an improvisation method that can be practiced and developed by anyone regardless of lifestyle, education, occupation, vocation, physical, emotional or mental disabilities, experience in the performing arts, or social, cultural, or economic background or conditions.
Instant Theater utilizes one's natural abilities while boosting weaker areas through positive reinforcement, in order to encourage finding the reality of yourself. Instant Theater is a study that incorporates self-observation and self-study in a genuine comfortable environment. It increases self-awareness by stripping away the outer layers of limited thinking, misconceptions, and social conditioning, to disclose the kernel that lies beneath. It reorganizes human mentation so that it is more sensitive to things that are there anyway by intuition, insight, and experience. It can involve spontaneous, modern, visual, abstract, and even orchestral art and performance.
Instant Theater begins with breathing and listening. Then to movement and sound then to movement and narrative. It is a practical method of performance study and self expression that involves improvisation techniques developed from Action Theater and Keith Johnstone combined with a hybrid blend of original concepts. The study and practice of these revolutionary techniques make the learning, developing, and discovery process fun and always interesting. Every student and participant will develop at his or her own level adding his or her unique ingredients to the performance soup. Instant Theater can be an oasis of congenial instruction for those tired or discouraged by ordinary theater, musical or improvisational study, practice or performance.
Instant Theater shakes things up and challenges your imagination. Instant Theater can add dignity of your own presence and enable you to transcend any false culture. It can be studied, developed and practiced in any space, in any environment, alone or with others, and during one’s usual daily routine within any life situation. Instant Theater means polishing life's adventure to produce a higher quality of performance. It expands and strengthens one’s capabilities and possibilities naturally and organically to the point where the ordinary can be exciting. Self-developmental theater and honest human interaction create genuine and authentic performances.
Instant Theater encourages developing original characters. Interacting and blending with other students will help create dynamics that produce natural and genuine drama and expression and enhanced sensitivity, giving life a fresh spin. Instant Theater may be experimental or it may be conventional. Instant Theater is rejuvenating. Interest, involvement and commitment to the practice of Instant Theater, like any sincere endeavor, can give your life meaning and significance.
Instant Theater can reveal the essence of reality. It is a radical approach to combining theater, improvisation and music, art and film. Building bridges between cultures and transcending regional boundaries helps develop a sense of priorities and belonging to the human community. It is plain to see how self-absorption and isolation in one’s daily life produces a dearth of activities that could connect and expand one's identity. Instant Theater brings a shift from the exclusive experience of a separate self to a more balanced and connected self. It permits a deeper experience of reality in its fundamental holistic aspect, for a healthy life with flexibility of consciousness. It shifts the guiding intent from self-centered motivations, allowing things to happen spontaneously to increase one’s knowledge of one’s larger, connected identity.
The creative impulse is something everyone possesses. Instant Theater is designed to enable students to make discoveries and develop at their own pace, with the assistance of prescribed exercises given by the instructor according to their level of interest and commitment to the study. Students will be encouraged to develop original characters that may be incorporated and integrated into a current or future productions, exhibitions, or class exercises. Instant Theater involves teaching students in a way that they can learn by non-traditional approaches. It illustrates in sometimes exaggerated form the kind of fallacious thinking that prevents more sophisticated uses of the mind, and increases the students’ ability to absorb new or undiscovered levels of creative expression. Instant Theater may relieve self-centered suffering and convert manic energy into creativity. Intuitive communication unites people through collective innovation and performance.
In Instant Theater the studies are always kept interesting, so the process has the most momentum and the students remain energized involved. Instant Theater is a study that is practiced during ordinary everyday life activities. Instant Theater is a form of self expression that includes the study of Listening, Sound, Movement, Motion,
Narrative, Storytelling, and Improvisational Music are all parts of Instant Theater. Instant Theater can help anyone looking to free up suppressed creative energy, whether they are actors, musicians, artists, or anyone involved or interested in the performing arts. Its a unique and original performance training technique that can be developed and operated by anyone regardless of social or educational background, or previous level of formal instruction in the arts. For those who feel crippled in mind and spirit, Instant Theater can take off the hard edges and enhance one’s enjoyment of life’s folly.
Sometimes primal, some times futuristic, Instant Theater is always innovative and inventive, while still operating within its social, study or practice situation. No experience is required. Instant Theater makes your reality more exciting, and helps you recognize the truth about yourself. Instant Theater gets beyond the social masks, to reveal new ideas and methods for discovery.
Shake things up. Challenge your imagination. Make what's important. Give a voice to people you wouldn't normally hear. Emerge from the culture of the false. Find the dignity of your own presence.
Lenny Hall has had extensive training in both theater and improvisation and has been involved with the theater and improvisation for over ten years. Studying at Southwick Studio for Theater Arts and Expression with Andrea Southwick, Curt Miller, Craig Foley and other notable teachers from the Boston and Greater New England Area. He has done everything from scene study and improvisation to storytelling and acting technique workshops and has appeared in several summer productions. The following are the most memorable:
Improv Study/Teachers
Collinge/Pickman 1995
Mass College of Art 1996
Keith Johnstone Work Shop 1996
Marjorie Burren 1996-1998
Jeannie Lindheim (Clown Workshop) 1997
Curt Miller (Southwick Studio) 1999
Sarah Hickler (Action Theater) 1999-present
Ruth Zaporah (Action Theater) 1998-present
Stage Performances
Rhimers of Eldridge as Josh Johnson
Traveling Show as George
Cementville as Eddie
Richard the Third as Lord Rivers
Mad Woman of Chaillot as The Sewerman
The Dining Room as Charlie and Ben
The Tempest as Caliban
The Marriage Proposal as Lomov
Music
1975-1977
Began writing lyrics and home recordings using bass, guitar, keyboard and vocals.
1977-1980
Moved to Lowell Mass. Continued developing his unique musical style and skills. Jammed and recorded with local musicians. Focused on Guitar, Keyboards and vocals
1981-1983
Started renting practice space at The Rialto. Began performing at local club in Lowell, The Front Page as Lance Gargoyle as a one man band. Performed on bills with Alternative Bands. Began four track recordings.
1984-1987
Began performing at other local clubs including the Downtown. Continued home recordings, jams and refining his musical persona Lance Gargoyle 1991-1998 Began composing with Korg Keyboard Work stations 01Wfd, i-3, and i-30. Started recording massive music library. Started performing at Don Juan's
1999-2003
Continued recording. Joined MP3. com with band sites Lance Gargoyle, The Other Orchestra, The Flugnoids, Captain Weirdo, Invisible Theater. and Henry Riddle. Over 1400 songs uploaded. Over 165, 000 plays or downloads. Covering all musical styles including Jazz, Classical, Rock, Country, New Age, Alternative, Experimental.
Produced Frank Zappa Tribute CD with Other MP3. com artists.
Current CDs produced: June Smith, Serenity, The Children of Invention, Music Only A Mother Could Love, The Other Orchestra, Optimistic Opportunities. Released CDs of MP3s:Handsome Hornpout Records vol 1, 2, 3. Van Gogh Records vol 1, 2, 3. Laughing Dervish Records vol 1-7. Cheapness Records vol 1 and 2. (Altogether 20 CDS with some 2000 titles.)
Started web site www. laughingdervish. com showcasing Music, Art, Stories and other media.
Art
1995- 2004
Began creating sculptures from ocean vegetation, lobster traps, and seaweed. 1999-2005 Began developing digital art with Fireworks. Currently using ZBrush. Developed Liquid Mandalas-Digital Painting for storyboards and music His Digital Library has over 2000 unique and original Images.
Film/Video
1984-1987
Video recorded local blues bands in Lowell, Boston and Eastern Mass and performance company in Boston, Massachusetts.
1991-1993
Video recorded Jazz bands around Boston and New England.
1998-2003
Video Recorded Action Theater work shop, several Stage productions, Documentary Footage of performance company and local and out of state Jazz and Rock bands. Camera person for local cable T.V.
2003-present
Released DVD series Liquid Visions, a visual/musical showcase of music by The Other Orchestra, The Flugnoids, and Lance Gargoyle. Developed Liquid Images series for Film and Music Visual project. Started Golden Eagle Films to release current and past video project on DVD.
Literary Pursuits
Lenny has written many short stories about Lowell, Ma and many e-mail exchanges. A sampling can be found at http://www.laughingdervish.com/stories.shtml .
The Institute was formed to offer quality instruction with sincerity for a reasonable tuition to the community of the greater Lowell area and the Merrimack Valley.
Developing a creative atmosphere designed not only for the elite but for the regular person has never really been accomplished with any genuine lasting community value or significance - until now, with the Institute for Creative Expression. The Institute provides quality studies in many areas of creative interest, from improvisation workshops (including Instant Theater) to study groups in significant acting techniques (including the Sanford Meisner method).
Our goals is to take the best from the best and making the best of it. Since we have some of the greatest minds of this century involved with our operation, we have the luxury of keeping up with the main stream and the independent currents, and backing production projects that are years ahead of their time. We invite the participation of anyone who wants the opportunity to be involved with the world of creative expression in whatever form they find comfortable and natural. We conduct our programs so that creative development can sprout and find its expression with the full support of staff and students/participants, and without fear of rejection or lack of encouragement.
The Institute welcomes anyone unfamiliar with or uncomfortable in conventional theater, music, art, film, or performance art, who wishes to explore original user-friendly exercises and techniques that can be practiced and developed both in a performance art setting, and during ordinary life routines and activities. We welcome people who are left outside the mainstream culture for whatever reason and offer instruction for a reduced rate. We find that sometimes the most interesting art is produced by those who for one reason or another are automatically left outside the culture or who are perceived to have limited means of expression.
Volunteers and interns are welcome. Cost of any workshop will be waved for anyone interested. No experience needed - training will be provided.
Help needed : Video Cataloging - Audio Cataloguing - Web Page Maintenance
The House of Improv is here to study and practice Improvisational Music, Performance, and digital art and present performances by students and rep cast in original unique productions. The objective of the House Of Improv is to study the Art of Performance through improv techniques, original music, and art, which stress the community involvement of people who would not normally have the opportunity to be involved in the Theater, Music, Art or the Performing Arts. Reality Theater and Hybrid Theater will be developed. The performance company or players may be called The Flugnoids and a theme developed according to the cast involved to create a melting pot of creativity. A new era of multi media entertainment. Studies will include: Warm-up exercises, Action Theater Basics, Theater Games, and what I call the Orchestra of Sounds (the observation of sound and its textures ). Korg Keyboard Workstations 01wFD, i-30 and Karma series will be included in the study and performance of the Performance Company that will develop. All music styles will be utilized including Classical, Jazz, Rock, Blues, Country, New Age, Electronic, Experimental and others. The performance Company will develop characters and original script outlines from exercises, games and studies
Introduction to Instant Theater
Tuesday,July 19 th & Wendsday, July 21 nd 7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Free Admission.
No Experience Needed
with Lenny Hall
Every Tuesday and Thursday starting July 26th till September 1st
7:00 p.m.- 9:30 p.m.
with LennyHall
12 sessions $240.00
Performance TBA
Wednesday July 20th
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
with Sidney Hipple
OPEN STUDIO
Wendsday July 27th
7:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.
with Lance Gargoyle
OPEN STUDIO
Forbidden Zone
Saturday July 30th
8:00 p.m.
Free Admission - Donations Welcome
Future Movies
Passing Stones - Monster Road - Dark Backward
Street Trash - Doctor Caligari - Desperate Living
Future Study Programs :
Storytellers open mic - Society of Serious Whistlers -
Improvisational Screen writing - Exploring Sanford Meisner
The House of Improv is located at
26 Arlington Ave. Dracut, Ma. 01826
telephone: 978-441-1789
e-mail: laughingdervish@sprynet.com
web site:www.laughingdervish.com