Stuart Ranson moved to Charlotte in 2021 to become the Director of Training and Development for Charlotte Comedy Theater. Prior to that, he lived and worked in the improv comedy scenes of New York and Chicago. He has performed, taught, and coached improv for over 25 years at institutions such as The Second City, Improv Olympic, Annoyance Theater, and New York’s Magnet and People’s Improv Theater. As a founding member of internationally renowned music improv troupe Baby Wants Candy, Stuart was a pioneer of the burgeoning art of music improv, and contributed to its development in over 1000 completely improvised musicals (with a four piece band!).
In Charlotte, Stuart has grown the CCT training program and community of teams to over 100 participants. He has also taken his experience working with youth and teens and brought it to the Children’s Theater of Charlotte’s School of Theatrical Training, where he now teaches improv classes.
His passion and excitement for improv are as strong today as when he began a quarter of a century ago. With care and patience, Stuart brings the sense of playful imagination and collaborative co-creation of improv to new audiences, training the next generation of improvisers to support each other, create ensembles full of trust, and use play and the “yes, and” spirit of improvisation to evoke laughter and joy.
sturanson@gmail.com
https://charlottecomedytheater.com
1841 West Blvd., Charlotte, NC
Mecklenburg
773-330-3763
Improvisation is a vital tool to help students socialize, build teamwork, co-create within an ensemble, generate trust, and foster empathy and non-judgement. While often hilarious in outcome, improv is at its core about playing well with others while learning how to adapt and react to changing circumstances in real time. In this applied craft, we work with the YesAnd concept to build on each other’s ideas, grow in creative confidence, and find groundedness within uncertainty.
Active and experiential: in our time together, whether it is a 90-minute introductory session, ongoing team coaching, or six week course of study, we apply improv techniques of agreement, teamwork, active listening, and embodiment to contribute to an atmosphere of extreme support for all ideas. In improv, we like to say “There are no mistakes. Only gifts.” All contributions are valued and utilized.
Laughter ensues from the surprise and delight we encounter when we are creatively vulnerable, permeable to new ideas, and ready to leap into the unknown!
Stuart Ranson
7733303763
sturanson@gmail.com
Available most dates, subject to scheduling.
Available for School hours (7:00am-5:00pm) and after school program hours (3:00pm-6:00pm)
Enough open space for the group to form a circle, work in pairs and small groups, and sit and become an audience for performance games.
I can travel to your school or location.
Alternatively, we have a training space available at the VAPA Center (700 N. Tryon St.)
$100 per hour teaching/coaching
6TH GRADE
COMMUNICATION
6.C.1 Use movement, voice, and writing to communicate ideas and feelings.
6 .C .1 .1 Use physical movement and acting skills to express a variety of emotions to an audience .
6 .C .1 .2 Apply appropriate vocal elements of volume, pitch, rate, tone, articulation, and vocal expression .
6 .C .1 .3 Understand how to read and write scripts .
6.C.2 Use performance to communicate ideas and feelings.
6 .C .2 .1 Use improvisation and acting skills to role play various scenarios and given situations . 6 .C .2 .2 Interpret various selections of literature through formal and informal presentations .
ANALYSIS
6.A.1 Analyze literary texts and performances.
6 .A .1 .1 Analyze plays in terms of theme, characters, conflict, and their interrelationships .
6 .A .1 .2 Analyze informal or formal theatre productions in terms of the emotions or thoughts they evoke, characters, settings, and events .
CULTURE
6.CU.1 Analyze theatre in terms of the social, historical, and cultural contexts in which it was created.
6 .CU .1 .1 Understand theatre arts in relationship to the geography, history, and culture of world civilizations and societies from the beginning of human society to the emergence of the First Global Age (1450) .
6 .CU .1 .2 CreatetheatricalworksthatexemplifythestyleandcultureofEuropeandSouthAmerica .
6.CU.2 Understand the traditions, roles, and conventions of theatre as an art form.
6 .CU .2 .1 Summarize the rules and purpose of audience etiquette .
6 .CU .2 .2 Understand the roles of actors and directors in creating performances .
7TH GRADE
COMMUNICATION
7.C.1 Use movement, voice, and writing to communicate ideas and feelings.
7 .C .1 .1 Use physical movement and acting skills to express a variety of characters to an audience .
7 .C .1 .2 Apply appropriate vocal elements, such as pitch, volume, and projection, effectively in formal and informal presentations .
7 .C .1 .3 Use playwriting skills to communicate conflict, plot, and character .
7.C.2 Use performance to communicate ideas and feelings.
7 .C .2 .1 Use acting skills, such as observation, concentration, and characterization, to perform original scenes .
7 .C .2 .2 Interpret a character from literature through formal and informal presentations .
ANALYSIS
7.A.1 Analyze literary texts and performances.
7 .A .1 .1 Analyze plays in terms of theme, characters, conflict, and dialogue . 7 .A .1 .2 Analyze styles of informal and formal theatre productions .
CULTURE
7.CU.1 Analyzetheatreintermsofthesocial,historical,andculturalcontextsinwhichitwas created.
7 .CU .1 .1 Understand theatre arts in relationship to the geography, history, and culture of modern societies from the emergence of the First Global Age (1450) to the present .
7 .CU .1 .2 Create theatrical works that exemplify the style and culture of Africa, Asia, and Australia .
7.CU.2 Understand the traditions, roles, and conventions of theatre as an art form.
7 .CU .2 .1 Compare the rules and expectations of audience etiquette for different venues . 7 .CU .2 .2 Understand the role of the playwright in relation to scripting theatre .
8TH GRADE
COMMUNICATION
8.C.1 Use movement, voice, and writing to communicate ideas and feelings.
8.C.2 Use performance to communicate ideas and feelings.
SEE STANDARDS AT LINK BELOW
1-week Window Cancellation Fee (paid by the School): $50
1-day Window Cancellation Fee (paid by the School): $100