Winter Focus: Improvised Duos Tackling Monoscene

Starts January 6th

This class is an intermediate focus in two person sustainable scenework.

6-Week Intensive in

Improvised Duos Tackling the Monoscene

Craft a single, sustained scene in real time. Build bold characters, deepen a dynamic relationship, and hold the audience for 10–12 unscripted minutes. Duo work that demands presence, endurance, and moment-to-moment mastery.

Dramatic Improv

Improvised Duos: Tackling the Monoscene

6-Week Intensive • Meets January 6th – February 10th
Consecutively on Tuesdays

Time: 8:00 PM – 10:00/10:30 PM (based on class need)

  • Cost: Two Pay – $180/monthly ($360) • $350 Paid in Full

  • AZAA Add On Student Rate: Two Pay – $140/monthly ($280) • $270 Paid in Full

Instructor: Jacque Arend
Showcase: Sunday, February 15th

A focused training ground for improvisors ready to level up their two-person work. Build sustainable scenework, dynamic characters, and a living, breathing environment—all inside one uninterrupted monoscene.

Perfect for intermediate and advanced performers, and bold beginners ready to push themselves.

Register Now

🌟 What You’ll Learn

Monoscene Mechanics: Sustain a single, real-time scene for 10–12 minutes.

Duo Endurance: Build stamina for moment-to-moment scenework with only one partner.

Character Depth: Create grounded, complex characters that can go the distance.

Relationship Dynamics: Develop an evolving, emotionally resonant connection onstage.

Environmental Awareness: Use space, details, and physicality to fuel your world.

Sustainable Choices: Make decisions that keep the scene alive, never stuck, never static.

You want to strengthen long-form chops through focused two-person work.

You’re ready to elevate your performance skills through honest, grounded scenework.

You’re interested in mastering the monoscene—one location, one timeline, infinite depth.

You thrive when challenged, stretched, and pushed to your next level.

The monoscene is an art of presence, patience, and precision. When it’s just you and your partner, every moment counts. This intensive sharpens your instincts, deepens your emotional palette, and teaches you to create unforgettable scenes that breathe.

Open to Register

 Jacque Arend is a visionary leader, performer, and teacher with a passion for the art of improvisation. Trained at Chicago’s renowned iO Theater, Jacque’s deep roots in longform improv have shaped her 15+ years of experience as a performer and educator. As the Associate Artistic Director of Arizona Actors Academy, Jacque leads the Improv and Comedy programs, bringing her expertise to inspire students with creativity and authenticity. She also serves as Executive Director of SAVI Fest, fostering an annual celebration of improvisation, and as Managing Director of the global non-profit Improv Utopia, supporting improvisors around the world. Jacque’s commitment to cultivating community and artistic excellence makes her an invaluable force in the world of improv.

“Jacque is seriously one of the best performers and teachers in the state. Take her workshop and soak up her knowledge!”

Jose Gonzalez

“Learning longform improv with Jacque was not only incredibly fun, but allowed me to develop a formidable array of foundational core skills. From edits, to group games, to themes, and much more, working on the Harold format consistently pushed me and expanded my capabilities as an improviser and as a performer, all while maintaining a sense of freedom and play. Jacque’s skill as a coach enables her to create a class environment that is free of judgment and wonderfully focused on finding the joy in the work. When we finally performed as a group in our showcase at the end of the unit, seeing all the time and effort we’d put in paying off was one of the best feelings I’ve had in my artistic career thus far.”

Andrew Riggs

“She has great depth of knowledge about the art of improv. She challenges you to explore things in new ways. Great enthusiasm and creates a safe space for learning. She goes straight into the excersises. Gives great feedback and able to draw upon strengths.“

Various

“Jacque is one of my favorite instructors. She is always available to talk and is very supportive. She clearly wants her students to succeed and it shows.“

Anonymous

Spring Focus: Improvised Duos Real Drama

Coming in March

This class is an advanced focus and not recommended for beginners.

6-Week Intensive in Unscripted Drama

Dramatic Improv

Improv in the Raw

8-Week Intensive • Meets March 3rd – April 28th
(No class March 17th – Spring Break)
Consecutively on Tuesdays
Time: 8:00 PM – 10:00/10:30 PM (based on class need)
Cost: Two Pay – $240/monthly ($480) • $450 Paid in Full
AZAA Add On Student Rate: Two Pay – $175/monthly
Instructor: Jacque Arend
Showcase: Sunday, May 3rd

Opens in January

A raw, high-intensity training space for performers ready to dive into grounded, realistic improvised drama. Explore emotional truth, relationship conflict, and the hard, human moments that demand vulnerability, bravery, and presence.

Designed for advanced improvisors and actors hungry for depth—and for Monoscene graduates ready to take their work into deeper water.

🌟 What This Intensive Explores

Realistic Improvised Drama

Navigate grounded, emotionally truthful scenework without artifice or shortcuts.

Raw Human Conflict
Engage with the tough stuff: relationship breakdowns, hard confrontations, personal stakes, and emotionally charged material.

Dynamic Duo Work
Develop sustainable two-person scenes built on trust, depth, and real-time evolution.

Character Truth & Vulnerability
Create layered characters who reveal, crack open, hide, defend, and erupt—just like real people.

Moment-to-Moment Reactivity
Stay fully present in high-stakes emotional terrain, allowing honest reactions to drive the story forward.

Advanced improvisors and actors who want to train in grounded, dramatic, emotionally heavy scenework.

Performers hungry to explore realistic conflict, intimacy, and human struggle.

Students prepared to be affected, vulnerable, and brave onstage.

Not recommended for beginners.

Beginners who complete the January Monoscene Intensive are eligible.

Improvised drama demands honesty. When the guard drops, characters become unforgettable and scenes resonate long after they end. This intensive strengthens emotional depth, sharpens instincts, and teaches you how to carry truth with courage—moment to moment, breath to breath.

Register for January Duos

From Tuner to Turbocharger

You’ve got the fundamentals now it’s time to floor it.
High Performance Improv is designed for improvisers who are ready to level up. This class supercharges your existing skills and pushes you into new creative territory with performance-focused training, technical precision, and bold artistic risk-taking.

 

What You’ll Master:

  • 🧩 Synthesis of Skills: Understanding how the parts work together and how to make them sing under pressure

  • 🎭 Longform Improvisation: Build rich, multi-layered narratives with compelling characters and evolving arcs

  • 😂 Sketch, Genre & Short Form: Sharpen comedic instinct and timing while mastering audience-ready structures

  • 💥 Improvised Drama: Deepen emotional stakes and bring raw truth to unscripted performance

  • 🛠️ Performance Craft: Learn how to rehearse, refine, and deliver polished improvised work

How the Program Works:

  • Every intensive features a different focus advancing sills for performance. 
  • Requires prior improv training or instructor approval
  • Best suited for students who have completed three Improv Mechanics modules or equivalent experience
  • Some intensives culminate in a public performance

This is your test track.

High Performance Improv will challenge, transform, and prepare you to take the stage with confidence, skill, and artistry.

Buckle up — some of these rides end with a show.

From Tuner to Turbocharger

You’ve got the fundamentals now it’s time to floor it.
High Performance Improv is designed for improvisers who are ready to level up. This class supercharges your existing skills and pushes you into new creative territory with performance-focused training, technical precision, and bold artistic risk-taking.

What You’ll Master:

  • 🧩 Synthesis of Skills: Understanding how the parts work together and how to make them sing under pressure

  • 🎭 Longform Improvisation: Build rich, multi-layered narratives with compelling characters and evolving arcs

  • 😂 Sketch, Genre & Short Form: Sharpen comedic instinct and timing while mastering audience-ready structures

  • 💥 Improvised Drama: Deepen emotional stakes and bring raw truth to unscripted performance

  • 🛠️ Performance Craft: Learn how to rehearse, refine, and deliver polished improvised work

How the Program Works:

  • Every intensive features a different focus advancing sills for performance. 
  • Requires prior improv training or instructor approval
  • Best suited for students who have completed three Improv Mechanics modules or equivalent experience
  • Some intensives culminate in a public performance

This is your test track.

High Performance Improv will challenge, transform, and prepare you to take the stage with confidence, skill, and artistry.

Buckle up — some of these rides end with a show.

Registration Open

AZAA Registration For HP Improv Programs

High Performance Improv Program

Registration for 2026 Winter Intensive

- IMPROVISED DUOS - MONOSCENE -

All of our communications are through email, please give us your best contact.
Are you currently enrolled in another AZAA class?
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Two-Pay is tuition split between two payments, paid at registration and the remaining balance due on the first of February.

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Terms of Enrollment
• PAYMENT Your total tuition fee will be presented before submitting and charged upon completed registration using the information provided.
• REFUNDS Your payment is non-refundable. Cancellations should be made with at least 48 hours notice to pursue credit for future AZAA classes.
• INSTRUCTOR EMERGENCY In the event of emergency, we will send email notifications if classes are cancelled. Any cancelled classes will be offered a make-up class with ample time to adjust your schedule.
• Class Etiquette

We strive every day to create the safest creative environment for artistic development. This requires a working space of the highest integrity for personal risk taking and artistic exploration, both on and off the stage.

Please review our student expectations.

Class Waiver & Policies

Waiver of Liability:
As a participant in any program or class at Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs (Hotchner Studios LLC), understand and agree that in participating in any acting/voice/movement class, workshop, rehearsal or performance, there is a possibility of physical injury or death. I recognize and acknowledge there are certain risks of physical injury, and I agree to assume the full risk of injuries, including death, damages or loss that I or my minor child may sustain as a result of participating in any activities connected with or associated with such program or class. I agree to waive and relinquish all claims I or my minor child may have as a result of participating in any program or class against Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs. (Hotchner Studios LLC) and its officers, agents, servants, employees and independent contractors. I further agree to indemnify and hold harmless and defend Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs (Hotchner Studios LLC) and it's officers, agents, servants, employees an independent contractors from my claims resulting from injuries including death, damages and losses sustained by me or my minor child that arise out of, in connection with, or in any way associated with the activities of this program.

Optional Waiver:
Please check this waiver if you will permit use of you or your child's image as described below. If you do not check this waiver, we will not use you or your child's image. I understand that Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs (Hotchner Sudios LLC) is a non-profit organization that promotes acting as an art form not only to it's students, but also to the community at large. As such, articles, brochures, videos and websites may be used either promotionally or educationally and may include images of Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs (Hotchner Studios LLC) students or other participants in our programs. I hereby permit the use of my, or my daughter/son's image to be photographed, videotaped or otherwise recorded for the use in Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs (Hotchner Studios LLC) publicity or educational materials. These materials include, but are not limited to, photographs of classes and performances, newsletters, various other school publications, Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs (Hotchner Studios LLC) internet webpage and video of class/performances.

Payment

Terms of Full Focus Monthly Billing

• You will be charged the monthly tuition upon submission and set up for automatic billing on the first every month through July 1st.

• Registration is a commitment to the full program and tuition payments.

• A declined payment will result in a $20.00 fee to reset your automatic billing using our "flexible payment portal".

• Cancellations should be made with at least 48 hours notice of the first class of monthly enrollment to pursue credit for future AZAA classes. Any cancellation beyond that you forfeit all payments.

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