Samurai in the Classroom

Four String Samurai will teach a series of FOUR improv workshops in the span of three weeks. Drawing on seasoned improv experience, including UCB and iO influences, the workshops' fresh perspectives aim to strengthen improvisation for Triangle improvisers and newcomers alike. Students will receive specific notes on exercises targeted to help them immediately.

Each class: $25
All Four classes: $75


Please email fourstringimprov@gmail.com or call Ryan Locante at 773.339.2878 to reserve your spot(s).

To ensure the best experience for each student, class size is limited to 15.

Saturday, May 31, 2008
Order and Chaos!
Taught by Chris Conklin
11am-2pm

Sunday, June 1, 2008
Redefine Your Comfort
Taught by Ryan Locante
11am-2pm

Sunday, June 8, 2008
Play it Straight
Taught by Bret Runestad
11am-2pm

Sunday, June 15, 2008
Have an Opinion
Taught by Paul Overton
11am-2pm


All classes will be held at Common Ground Theatre in Durham.

$10

Have an Opinion

Sunday, June 15, 2008
11:00am - 2:00pm
Common Ground Theatre

Have an Opinion taught by Paul Overton

If you rely too heavily on "gifts" from your scene partners in order to form ideas about your characters, you'll find yourself playing the same characters over and over again. This is due to a lack of strong opinions. Experience guided exercises and experiment with scene play that will ultimately lead you to developing stronger characters with purpose and personality.

Paul began improvising during the Cretaceous period and has studied mostly in North Carolina. He is an original member of Four String Samurai.


Please email fourstringimprov@gmail.com or call Ryan Locante at 773.339.2878 to reserve your spot(s).

To ensure the best experience for each student, class size is limited to 12.

Play it Straight

Sunday, June 8, 2008
11:00am - 2:00pm
Common Ground Theatre

Play it Straight taught by Bret Runestad

In the eyes of many, improv is that silly thing you can do where you go on stage and "act wacky." Yet every improv scene worth watching grounds that limitless creativity in honest, truthful performance. Learn to root your improv in honest characterizations and truthful reactions, regardless of where you might find yourself in a scene.

Bret started improvising seriously in college, playing alongside the founding members of Duke University Improv, and not so seriously in a cave in 10,000 BC. From there he went on to study and perform at the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre in New York City. Upon returning to North Carolina he regularly performed and coached at the DSI Comedy Theater.


Please email fourstringimprov@gmail.com or call Ryan Locante at 773.339.2878 to reserve your spot(s).

To ensure the best experience for each student, class size is limited to 12.

Redefine Your Comfort

Sunday, June 1, 2008
11:00am - 2:00pm
Common Ground Theatre

Redefine Your Comfort taught by Ryan Locante

You’re never going to improve if you continue to improvise safely. Ryan will take you by the hand and walk you along the border of your Comfort Zone, and then for an [un]expected twist, you’ll be kicked into the foreign land of Uncomfortable. Stretch yourself and challenge yourself to play boldly, competently, and without judgment. Discover new characters, moves, and ideas simply by being asked to take chances with your improv.

Ryan got his improv start in Salt Lake City with Knock Your Socks Off (KYSOff) in 2001. He is a graduate of the iO Training Center in Chicago and has worked alongside a broad range of artists including those who have trained, performed, and taught at iO Chicago, Second City, iO West, UCB, DSI, and elsewhere. He has also killed a Wooly Mammoth.


Please email fourstringimprov@gmail.com or call Ryan Locante at 773.339.2878 to reserve your spot(s).

To ensure the best experience for each student, class size is limited to 12.

Order and Chaos!

Saturday, May 31, 2008
11:00am - 2:00pm
Common Ground Theatre

Order and Chaos! taught by Christopher Conklin

Don't just stand there and look confused when things start getting weird or else the show will fall apart around you. Find the ebb and flow of your scenes and shows. Figure out how what you've done influences what's to come. Learn to have fun when you don't know what's going on.

Christopher began improvising at the dawn of time and enjoys it immensely. He has studied at UCBT in New York and DSI in North Carolina.


Please email fourstringimprov@gmail.com or call Ryan Locante at 773.339.2878 to reserve your spot(s).

To ensure the best experience for each student, class size is limited to 12.

Capuchin

Austin Nava has an illegal monkey...

So, I was totally over at Casa de Juevos the other day, shooting the brahzeeze with Big Reader, when I saw something moving around in the back yard. I was all like, what's that? And he was all like, "nothing". Yeahs right! It was totally something and since the only something that looks like nothing is Predator anyway and since it's probably not Predator (although that would be totally kick ass to have Predator in your backyard), it's something else. So, I was all like, "screw this!" and went out in the yard. He tried to stop me, but I totally neutralized his ass with my ghetto stare, and proceeded out of doors. I didn't see anything at first, but then I tripped on some metal object and when I looked down, I saw, to my amazement, what looked like a solid gold chain. Well, I followed that shit alls the way to the bar-b-que and sitting behind the Weber, licking the inside of a Heinz 57 bottle, was an skinny-ass Capuchin monkey. So, I was all like, "WTF? Where the hezell did you get that monkey?" And he was all like,"I ordered it off the internet and they sent me that shit in a box. It's part of my experiment. I let my ladies put make up on him and I just feed him steak sauce." So, I was like, "WTF kind of experiment are you runnin' MF? That fuckin' monkey looks sick. And he was all like,"Nah,that MF ate a book and drank some motor oil last night and he's still goin' strong. He's just jonesin' cuz I ain't given him his cigarette yet. That's the other part of my experiment, Nicotine Deprivation. 'Course I had to get the little bastard addicted first and it took damned near forever." Well, that was it for P-dog. I left his mad scientist ass standin' in the backyard with his "experiment" and went home to take a shower. That shit creeped me the F out. So, if you got a monkey, don't tell me. I don't want to know. And if he ever runs for any kind of office, don't vote for his ass. That MF tortures some monkeys.

Omen

Today when I showed up at work (a music software company/recording studio that doesn't usually have visitors), Miss America 2006 was hanging out in the kitchen while her husband played our piano (poorly). I take that to be an omen that this Saturday's show will be beautiful and also stop world hunger.

My 13 month old son's 5 favorite Clash songs

1. Janie Jones
   
2. I'm So Bored with the USA
   
3. Career Opportunities
   
4. Rudie Can't Fail
   
5. Train in Vain

He doesn't really care for any of Combat Rock.

"

He was the ultimate keeper of secrets, lurking in the shadows of American history. He toppled banana republics, planned the Bay of Pigs invasion and led the Watergate break-in. Now he would reveal what he'd always kept hidden: who killed JFK"

- Rolling Stone

Four String should do a show called "death bed confessions". That's all.

my creative genius can finally flourish

EDITED TO ADD: PLEASE READ THIS

PLEASE DON'T READ THIS you will die in seven days if you don't post this comment on 10 videos in the next hour. if you do, tomorrow will be the best day of your life


I accidentally read this and so I had to post it again--is it okay that I put it in a blog and not a video?

Fan Art

We get lots of mail here at Samurai headquarters, but nothing is as totally cool as the pictures that our fans send us. This one comes from Josh Bezwick in New Brunswick, NJ and he writes:

"Deer four String Samuray!
I saw you at a comedy show in Long Iland last yeer. I thought you were reely funny except for the tall, preppy guy, but he was a good rock, so its ok. Please send me any stickers or buttons you guys have!!

Sinceerly,
Josh Bezwick"

Thanks Josh! We don't have any stickers or buttons but we're sending you an official 4 String Samurai cigarette lighter and a throwing star just for writing in.

Yours in Comedy,

Paul

About Us...

Four String Samurai is a world-renowned improv super group that began in the woods way back in 2004, performing a style of improvisation unlike anything you may have seen before. The goal is to balance what you think you’re thinking with what you thought you thought. They’ve been performing all over the Triangle for the last three and a half years, and usually can be found lurking in Durham, NC. Four String Samurai opened up the 2006 Dirty South Improv Festival as well as played alongside the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater at the Philadelphia Improv Festival in 2004.

Blending styles of Connecticut, New York, California, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, and Chicago, none of them are actually from North Carolina, but they all call it home and they’ll entertain you like they’re your cousins.

Wrong Number...

Okay, so, all is pretty well in Samurailand this week. Rettb and I had it out and I think he now understands his "role" in the team. We had a good practice on Sunday and we are all excited for our upcoming huge gig. Which brings me to my concern this week. Our gig is on April 28th, not the 14th, even though it says the 14th in the sidebar, just to the right of this post. Everytime I visit this blog, which is, like, a bazillion times a day, I see that date and I desperately want to change it. But, guess what? I can't. I don't have "access". Who does, you ask?

Mr. C.J. Conklin, who is, by the way, a liar.

CJ Conklin started this blog and asked us all to "contribute". I'm the creative one in the group, so I immediately started coming up with a "look" for the blog. I found an 8-bit picture of a ninja on the net and repeated it in photoshop, like a million times, and then mirrored half of the ninjas, so it looks like half a million ninjas fighting half a million other ninjas. In other words, AWESOME! I also found this really cool stop-motion animation movie of this guy who is riding this other guy like a skateboard and does kickflips and ollies and no-hander backside 900s and I was totally gonna put it in the sidebar 'cuz it would give people something to look at and it wouldn't be annoying at all. Well, after doing all that work (six hours), I logged on to the blogger (ten minutes. I have dial-up.), only to be told that I wasn't "allowed" to make changes to the template. Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!! I confronted CJ Conklin about this on Sunday and he assured me that HE would make all the changes when he got home. So, I sent him all my awesome design files (2 hours. Dial-up) with specific instructions about placement and colors and stuff and well, do YOU see any Ninjas? No. Is the date of our gig correct? Also, no. Are you enjoying the really cool stop-motion animation movie of this guy who is riding this other guy like a skateboard and does kickflips and ollies and no-hander backside 900s? No numero tres.

Dear CJ Conklin,
Webmaster does NOT mean "Master of the Universe and all the people in it". Please stop hurting the team with your power trip.

Yours in Comedy,

Paul

More than just food...

Okay, so apparently the person that I wrote about in my last post somehow figured out I was talking about him. Thanks to whoever told him! NOT. That was a private blog post about an issue in OUR team, not your stupid life. Jerk. And thanks to you, he's now super-mad at me. When we met on Sunday he came late (on purpose I'm sure 'cause he was thinking of ways to avoid talking to me) and when he arrived, there was a silence that could only be described as "stony" (stoney?). Anyways, when he did talk, he just made fun of my motorcycle safety apparel and was totally snarky about everything. The rest of us were all super-psyched because we have a huge gig booked for the 14th of April and then he was all, like: "Sorry guys, I'm going to Costa Rica." WHA? Over a blog post? Geez. Okay, Big baby-man, if you feel like you need to go all the way to Europe to get away from me, fine. But don't hurt the team. I know you said you were going to see a "friend", but come on, we know there isn't anybody there and that this is just your way of saying: "I may not be as smart and funny as you guys, but I've got enough money to fly around the world, so, suck on that, bitches."

Look, we wouldn't have you on the team if we didn't like you. You are just as much a part of us "winning" at improv as anybody else. Like a mascot or cheerleader or the guy who cleans up the spilled Gatorade after a victory. Like the beaver who runs on the field at Oregon State games and does flips and stuff, and who doesn't love that beaver? Please reconsider your "travel" plans and show some support for the rest of us.

Yours in Comedy,

Paul

Paul's rehearsal wrap up...

It's pretty normal for Chris and Austin and me to be hilarious all the time. Our coach is always pulling us aside and telling us how cool our choices are and how our object work is all, like, good and stuff. We can pretty much hit a comedy home run every time we step up to the plate. In fact, we can step up to the plate and point to the outfield wall like that old baseball guy did and pretty much hit a home run to any part of the park that we just pointed at. Like I could be all pointing at left field and say, like: "I'm gonna make the audience laugh so hard that they literally crap themselves.", then BAM!!!!!!!!!! Going, going, gone. You get the idea. We're really funny.

There's also a fourth member of the team. I don't want to use his name here 'cause I don't want to hurt his feelings, so we'll just call him Rettb. Rettb is a really nice guy. He's also really tall, so it's awesome to use him as an object in scenes. Like last week I was an Indian scout in one scene and I was all like: "Hey, I'm gonna wait for the cowboys behind this rock." and he was totally the rock, you know? Awesome. The problem is, even though he makes a really good rock/telephone pole/stop sign/big, speechless monster, he's just not that funny usually. Like last week, I had this scene that I wanted to do all planned out in my head about these MONKEYS WHO LIVE IN A BANANA SHAPED SPACE STATION. Right? Right? So, I came on stage and was all, like: "Good morning corporal. Anything new on the radar?" and he was all: " I have not seen any submarines all morning sir." DAMMIT! I tried to steer him back to my idea by saying:"Aren't you hungry for another banana yet? I sure work up an appetite out here in SPACE." But he was just all, like:"Sure I'll have a banana." WTF?

Anyway, stuff like that happens all the time. I'll think about a totally hilarious scenario all the way over to practice in the car, then when I get onstage with him, it totally turns in to something different, which really throws me. I like to have a plan when I improvise and I don't like that plan to change. It's not really Rettb's fault. He's just not as good at listening as the rest of us. So, instead of playing the blame game, I'm gonna try something new this week. I'm just gonna say as much information as I can right at the beginning of the scene and see if he can catch on. For instance, I've been working on this totally hilarious scenario in my head where there's this blind guy sitting on a park bench and a mime comes by and starts to make fun of him, except the blind guy can't see him and the mime can't talk. Awesome! So, I'm gonna be the blind guy and say things like: "Is that a mime I smell?" and "Hey, you're not making fun of me, are you?" I hope it works. Wish me luck.

Yours in comedy,

Paul

Bret Runestand

Bret started improvising seriously in college, playing alongside the founding members of Duke University Improv. From there he went on to study and perform at the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre in New York City. Upon returning to North Carolina he regularly performed and coached at the DSI Comedy Theater.

Paul Overton

To say Paul Overton is a Renaissance man might be overstating things a bit, but he has done lots of stuff and plans to do a lot more stuff before he dies. He has produced radio documentaries for NPR, traveled the world as a swing dance teacher, taught in the public school system, been in a theatrical union, taught himself to knit, plays ukulele, oh, you get the point. Paul cut his teeth on improv in 2004 and has been a part of several teams in the Triangle area. His favorite and longest lasting relationship has been with Four String Samurai.

Eric Hirsh

Eric Hirsh is the mysterious "5th Beatle" of Four String Samurai. Brought into the group in March of '07 as an accompanist, not as an actor, Hirsh has been experimenting with the role of musical interplay in longform improv ever since.
When not creating whimsical merriment with the FourString boys, Hirsh spends his time as a professional musician. As a composer, he is a three-time winner of the ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composers Award. As a pianist he has turned heads playing in ensembles across a variety of genres: Beast Reality, Orquesta GarDel, The Remix Project, The ESP Trio, PrimeraJazz, and the John Brown Quintet. As a producer he has recorded albums for Bazungu, Full of Stars, and, of course, the Samurai Hour Theme Song.

Ryan Locante

Just like with food, improv is often commodified into a fast-food version of itself, relying on a safe, familiar recipe. However, if you seek it out, there's a not-so-hidden culture of improvisers who'd rather not serve you up the same thing you had in a strip mall in Omaha. Ryan is one of those improvisers.

Ryan got his improv start in Salt Lake City with Knock Your Socks Off (KYSOff) in 2001. He is a graduate of the iO Training Center in Chicago and has worked alongside a broad range of artists including those who have trained, performed, and taught at iO Chicago, Second City, iO West, UCB, DSI, and elsewhere.

There's a secret buried beneath Ryan's improvisation and it lies in his motive: to echo ideas off as many people as possible. To achieve this, he performs, coaches, directs, practices, takes classes, and teaches whenever he gets the chance.

He also has a Terrible Towel above his front door.

Ben Birken

Ben Birken started studying improvisation with the many talented individuals at the DSI Comedy Theater after moving to North Carolina in 2004, thus fulfilling a self-made promise that would try to rediscover the creative spark that obtaining a graduate degree had effectively beaten into submission. He joined Four String Samurai as a free agent pickup after clearing waivers in the summer of 2007.

Back in his California Dreamin’ days, Ben edited and wrote for The Heuristic Squelch, UC Berkeley’s award-winning humor magazine. He also performed stand-up comedy in the SF Bay Area in many prestigious locations, including a Laundromat/coffee bar hybrid that still gives him nightmares.

Ben and his wife live in Chapel Hill, where they enjoy judging reality show contestants and marveling at how much nicer people are in North Carolina.

Christopher Conklin

Christopher Conklin has been improvising since 2000. He was a founding member of Haverford College's The Throng and the Philadelphia troupe Rare Bird Show. Since moving to North Carolina, Christopher has performed in numerous shows and ensembles and has directed several others. He served in many capacities at the DSI Comedy Theater, including sitting on the Artistic Committee, working as School Manager, and teaching for the Training Center. In his various ensembles, Christopher has played the Del Close Marathon, the Philadelphia Improv Festival, the Black Box Improv Festival in Atlanta, and the Dirty South Improv Festival in Chapel Hill/Carrboro; he also taught workshops at the latter two fests.

Christopher lives in Carrboro with his wife and son; they enjoy organic produce and human rights, as is the Carrboro way. He works in web advertising. If for some reason his several posts per week on the Four String blog do not satiate you, Gentle Reader, please check out Christopher's Twittter feed and personal blog.