From Premise to Final Draft (Sketch)

Description

Dive deep into the art of sketch comedy in this intensive 4-hour workshop! Led by Ian MacDonald and Chad Moore, this class guides you through the entire writing process, from generating a solid premise to crafting a final draft. While the concepts and process taught will apply to any type of sketch (filmed, social media, etc) our class will focus on sketches to be performed on stage. You'll learn: The step-by-step sketch writing process (idea, draft, table read, revision). Various sketch types (parody, satire, fish-out-of-water, character pieces, and more). Creative writing techniques to spark ideas (mapping, lists, mind maps). Essential sketch elements: identifying the "premise," "the funny," the "game," and crafting effective "beats," "heightening," and "buttons." Tips for smart, impactful comedy writing ("punching up"). Standard sketch formatting. Through analysis of examples, guided exercises, and a significant workshop component involving writing, table reads, and feedback, you will actively develop your own sketch idea. By the end of the session, you'll walk away with a completed sketch in final draft form, ready for the next stage of rehearsal and performance. This class is limited to a small group to ensure personalized attention. About your Instructors: Ian MacDonald, a razor-sharp joke writer, spends his winters, springs, summers, and falls in Brunswick, ME. He’s performed at prestigious comedy festivals like the Boston Comedy Festival, where he was a semi-finalist in 2023 and 2024, and the Blue Ridge Comedy Festival, where he was a semi-finalist in 2024. He’s also a finalist in New England’s Funniest Comedian Competition 2022 and Maine Event Comedy’s Tightest Five Competition. Other festival appearances include the North Carolina Comedy Festival, the 2024 iO Fest in Chicago, and the Portland Maine Comedy Festival. He’s a regular performer at Empire Comedy Club in Portland, ME. His mom says he’s been doing comedy his whole life, while others say his life is absurd, specifically inspired by Camus. As he says in his upcoming book, “I like to hit things with sticks.” Chad Moore was in his mid-twenties when he learned that a hippodrome wasn't a facility that hosted hippopotamus races, as he originally thought. He was crushed by the cruelty of the world. He's since found much joy by being a husband to one, and father to two. He relishes in absurdity as a Sketch and Improv comedian.