User:Kprobbins

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Kevin Patrick Robbins was born November 06, 1973 in Hamilton, Ontario. As the founder and artistic director of the Impatient Theatre Co., Kevin brought longform improvisational comedy to the forefront of the improv and comedy community in Toronto. A supporter of improvisation, Kevin also founded the Toronto International Improv Festival and sits on the board of directors for YESand.com, Inc.. He is the artistic director of the Impatient Theatre Co. and was the first ever artistic director of improv at the Staircase Theatre in Hamilton.

Kevin's highly effective and unorthodox style comes from his incredibly diverse training. He has studied with masters of the craft from all across North America: Toronto, Chicago and Los Angeles. He has studied with Alan Arkin and Micheal Gellman, Mick Napier and Joe Bill, Bob Dassie, Craig Cackowski and Noah Gregoropolis. He puts this style to use onstage, in class and as a director/coach.

Amalgamating his various training experiences and lessons into a style that is rooted in character, relationship, truthfulness and authenticity, Kevin developed the training program at the Impatient Theatre Co., which encourages the empowerment of improvisers within the context of group improvisation.

After completing his BA in Communications from Brock University, with studies in the fields of film production, entrepreneurship, hypertext theory and media writing, Kevin did his post-graduate studies in professional screenwriting.

[edit] Improvisation Training

Kevin is a graduate of the Second City Training Centre conservatory program. The Second City's famed approach to improvisation through voice and satire is rooted in Kevin's training and experience, as this was the main stomping ground and learning epicentre for Kevin's fundamental training. At the Second City Training Centre Kevin studied with Lisa Merchant, Jack Mosshammer, Albert Howell, Moira Dunphy and Ian Ferguson (narrative improv). On occasion, he had the oppotLevely to study with Melody A. Johnson, Jane Luk, and Janet van de Graaf. Kevin has also taken improvisation master classes with famed Second City veterans Michael Gellman and Alan Arkin.

Kevin studied with the Annoyance Theatre, whose approach to scenic improvisation and empowering the individual improviser is a main influence of the Impatient Theatre Co. Already well-versed in the intricacies of longform improvisation, Kevin continued his studies with teachers from the ImprovOlympic, home of the Harold and foundational style of the Impatient Theatre Co.

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