The Kinkonauts

Finding True Improv Moments in Movies

Owen — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:47:17 +0000

Here’s a link that comes to us from one of our level two students. In their words:

Originally, I assumed the article was about improvised movie moments which strayed from the original scripts, but it’s actually about an “improv sensibility” in the dialogue and story. I’m thinking of Wes Anderson movies in a whole different way, now.

Us too.

Click here to go to the article: http://splitsider.com/2012/05/finding-true-improv-moments-in-movies/

May: All about The Adventure

April — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:09:28 +0000

We are vibrating like proud, new elephant owners to be presenting our ensemble troupe, The Adventure every Thursday night in May (that’s five Thursdays) at The Area in Inglewood. Just $5 at the door. Show starts at 8pm. Check out their bio below and see you at the shows!

When done right improv has an energy that can’t be replicated. Performers work without a net, constructing scenes and building characters on the fly, while bringing the audience along for the ride. Calgary’s newest improv troupe, The Adventure, is taking this free flowing form of theatre one step further. Instead of opting for quick laughs or games, The Adventure creates improvised worlds as if performing in strange unwritten plays.

The group was formed by Kinkonauts founding member Jason Lewis, who chose 11 of the best and brightest graduates from the improv program he runs with fellow Kinkonaut Owen Chan. These 11 members bring with them a variety of improv, comedy, and acting experience from high school lunch hour performances to international festivals.

Under the artistic guidance of Lewis, The Adventure is discovering it’s own style of long form improvisation. One that challenges improvisers and audiences alike. In the world of improv punch lines only provide endings, the real laughs happen during The Adventure.

IMPROV CLASSES HELP MIND & BUSINESS

April — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 01:29:55 +0000

In Calgary, professionals looking to hone their communication skills need search no longer. Your local longform improv troupe (that’s us) has just what you need. Yes, your friendly neighbourhood improv class is all anyone needs to ensure those meetings, business interviews and staff exchanges are more productive for everyone involved!

How can we, The Kinkonauts help YOU score high points in both your personal & professional environments?

Improv instils 3 valuable keys:

Say YES AND ~ Embrace the Unexpected

One of the main principles of improv is ‘YES, AND’. Many of us are wired to fear the unexpected. Improv teaches players to simply trust themselves, their choices and work without a script, similar to a job hunter in the interview seat. On stage, if someone says “The sky is a crazy color of green today,” as a co-player the goal is to build on that idea, not shut it down by saying “No it’s not…it’s blue.” Being receptive to the unknown and always saying “Yes, and” will lead to bigger and better scenes on stage and in life.

Listen in the Moment

Improv requires all players to be paying attention to details and being in the moment. Anything can fuel the direction of a scene. It’s the same at work. At times, it is very important to pause, watch, and listen. On stage, being in the moment is practiced through storytelling. Although the stories are as wild as a player’s imagination, they learn to convey a conflict and a resolution swiftly and convincingly. Coworkers are not looking for a recap of a resume. They want to hear about your varied successes. They basically hope to be entertained by your story but want it to be logical and credible.

Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

Improv works best when players are willing to look foolish. The more time spent playing and performing in front of a group, the more people loosen up. It is a true confidence builder. The results: being bolder, braver and more upbeat. Naturally, this level of confidence and enhanced communication skills will bring success in so many areas of every day interactions.

So get up and get started on improving through improv!

Intro to Longform Improv: the next6 week session begins on May 1st.

Tuesday nights from 7:30pm to 9:30pm

At the 4Cats Art Studio in Inglewood

Cost: $150.

Have some improv under your belt already?

Level 2: the next session begins on April 25^th

Wednesday nights from 7:30pm to 9:30pm

At the 4Cats Art Studio in Inglewood

Cost: $150

Email April – april@kinkonauts.com

HAMSTERS, PILSNER & A SONG ABOUT MILWAUKEE

April — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:39:31 +0000

Just another amazing weekend with The Kinkonauts is all that means. What an incredible way to celebrate 5 Longform years! Mega thanks to all who came, saw and partied with us! 4 shows and a 3 hour workshop in 72 hours. Takes at least 5 years of ‘playing’ to work up to that kind of stamina…and now we rest. But not for long! Stay tuned for the next chance to join us for some serious laughs. Next show is Sunday, May 6 at the Ironwood. Until then, play on, play on.

WORKSHOP OPP SOAR TO THE TOP

April — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 23:25:18 +0000

Really just wanted to ‘rap’ with that title, not sure what’s come over me. This Saturday, we are pumped with a new Jack swing (figure I’ll just continue this theme) to be offering the chance to workshop with two bad mama jama’s of improv, Lauren & Mandy, From 2p to 5p at The Area in the hizood of Inglewood (oh, am on a roll now!) 14 lucky players will be challenged and schooled! Think you got game? Let me tell you, these two put the chic in psychic ’cause they remember the future yo! See their bios below (written more professionally) & in action with Jason & Owen on Friday, Saturday at the Loose Moose AND Sunday at the Ironwood!

Lauren Cochrane hails from Calgary originally and has been performing since 2001. After high school she moved to Toronto and studied Comedy: Writing and Performance at Humber College. After graduating, she became a company member with the Impatient Theatre Company, and a member of the all-girl improv troupe, Ladystache- who were the 2006 Toronto Cagematch champs.

After Toronto, Lauren went to Los Angeles to study acting for film and Television and then to Chicago, where she studied at iO (improv Olympic). Between her time gallivanting in the United States of America, she was privileged to be 1/4 of the Calgary improv troupe, The Kinkonauts and 1/2 of the duo Rock Awesome. Through the years, Lauren has been fortunate enough to study and/or perform in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and New York.

Currently, she lives in Vancouver where she performs sketch and improv regularly around town with her improv duo Bucko!. Sometimes you can see her in commercials selling things or in film bossing people around. And when she’s not performing or working on her craft, you can catch her playing b-ball or looking at baby animal pictures on the internet.

Mandy Sellers is a graduate of the Second City Conservatory and has been performing improv and sketch comedy for over six years in Toronto and across North America. She started improvising in Toronto in 2005 and co-founded the troupes Rock Awesome and The Kinkonauts when she lived in Calgary from 2006-2008.

She currently performs with the globetrotting trio We’re From Here and duo Mañez, with Second City Faculty Member Paloma Nuñez, and was a member of the all-female juggernaut troupe WDWMKR. She also performs sketch comedy with the duo Two Weird Ladies and was a member of the Second City’s roster of all-star improv talent, The Bench.

Recent credits with The Second City include The Absolutely Positively Completely Made-Up Show!, Miracle on Mercer Street, The Second City Goes BOOM! and the anti-bullying puppet show Stop Punching, Judy! Mandy is one of four founding members of Revel Theatre Collective, and co-produces the weekly show Piece of Garbage Sex Dungeon: A Night of Sophisticated Comedy to much self-actualized critical acclaim.

In 2011, she was nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award for Best Female Improviser.

You Know It’s a Party When…

April — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 06:02:08 +0000

Once again, we’re pumped and heavily salivating about Without Papers Pizza in Inglewood joining forces with us to support our upcoming shows.

Here’s the dish:

DINE AT WITHOUT PAPERS ANYTIME AND BRING THE KINKONAUTS POSTCARD YOU RECEIVE THERE TO ONE OF OUR SHOWS AT THE LOOSE MOOSE FOR A $2.00 DISCOUNT ON YOUR TICKET.

… and that’s not all!

BRING YOUR USED KINKONAUTS SHOW TICKET TO WITHOUT PAPERS AND SCORE A 10% DISCOUNT OFF YOUR PIZZA!

Yeah, our 5 year anniversary weekend is cookin’ up…get the party started at Without Papers for dinner, then take that sweet buzz you got going on over to the Loose Moose Theatre to continue celebrating the night away with The Kinkonauts.

You’ll find Without Papers at 1216 9th Ave SE, Upstairs, Calgary, AB T2G 0T1

REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO KINKONAUTS

April — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:00:10 +0000

The original and fabulous four – Owen, Mandy, Lauren and Jason will be reuniting to celebrate 5 longform years at the end of the month! Time flies when you’re playing. Just how do they intend to celebrate this anniversary? With you, on stage, whittling wood. Ok actual wood may not be involved but the 5 year anniversary ‘thing’ is ‘wood’, with regards to gifts or a theme, like 25 years is ‘silver’. Perhaps they should plant trees together while they’re all here? Environmental and playful! Sorry, back to the celebrations – we’re talking 4 shows and a workshop! Visit us here again to make sure you know where to be when. The party will be out of this world! For now, just remember this date THURSDAY, MARCH 29 and stay tuned.

Countdown is ON

April — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 05:02:16 +0000

T-minus 4 weeks until we kick off our 5 year anniversary! Lauren’s coming over the Rockies and Mandy’s leaping over the Prairies to play and celebrate with Jason & Owen. All kicks off on Thursday, March 29 at the Garden Variety Show, then the party won’t stop until Sunday evening. All the juicy details will be here to ensure you don’t miss the chance to partake in the festivities. Oh, and don’t forget about the sweet workshop opportunity with Lauren and Mandy on Saturday, March 31. Register with April today to secure your spot april@kinkonauts.com

Would also like to give a shout out to Calgary Theatre Services for helping us spread the word. Thanks Deanna & please check them out at https://www.facebook.com/CalgaryTheatre

This Show Will Have Legs

April — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 05:43:56 +0000

but they won’t be the main focus, perhaps more of a highlight of how the players will get on stage this coming Sunday at The Ironwood. The show will start shortly after 3pm and it’s just $5 at the door. The Adventure will be bringing their best for your laugh-buds and the Ironwood has tasty options for your taste-buds. You might also want to bring your good time-buds ’cause laughter is definitely more fun when shared (unlike french fries). See you and your sexy gams there!

Not THIS Sunday but NEXT SUNDAY

April — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:20:02 +0000

We’ll be bringing Oscar-worthy improv performances to the Ironwood Stage in Inglewood on Sunday, March 4 at 3pm. This commercial-free and if we dare say, WAY more entertaining event will be $5 at the door. We will ask ‘who you’re wearing’ but more for curiosity. Pajamas are fine. The more comfortable you are, the more you’ll laugh. The Ironwood serves up great food so why not make it dinner & a show? What a fantastic way to wrap up the weekend! All ages welcome but we do recommend 10 years plus.