3-Day Intensive with Dan O'Connor

This course will cover Dan's approach to Grace and Grounding, Connection and Presence with plenty of time to put it all into practice.

Expect lots of playing, lots of scenes, and lots of specific, actionable feedback. We’ll identify what’s working, refine what isn’t, and develop the ability to make adjustments in the moment.

Day 1 - Grace and Grounding

How do you show up? Not just in the scene, but in the moments and hours before you improvise?
We'll explores practical ways to reduce anxiety, find focus, and create a grounded, generous presence before you ever step onstage. We’ll work on preparing yourself and your ensemble, relaxing into the moment, orienting the audience, and launching compelling stories with ease and confidence.

Day 2 - Connection & Presence

The most compelling moments onstage happen when we stop trying to perform and start truly connecting.
This workshop explores the foundations of compelling performance: presence, connection, and listening. Through a series of playful, experiential exercises, we’ll explore how to get out of our heads, become more available to the moment, and connect more deeply with our scene partners, the space, and the audience. Connection creates presence. Presence creates possibility.

Day 3 - Put It Into Practice

This is where it all comes together. Building on the work of the first two days, this is an opportunity to bring connection, presence, grounding, and storytelling into the scene. We’ll sharpen the tools we’ve developed, then put them to work through focused scene work, direction, and immediate feedback.

We’ll explore what happens when you trust the work rather than think about the work—staying connected, grounded, responsive, and available while the story unfolds.

Dan O’Connor is the founder of Impro Theatre, a Los Angeles based company renowned for creating full-length, unscripted plays in the style of celebrated authors like Shakespeare, Austen, and Chekhov. Under Dan’s artistic direction, Impro has performed at prestigious venues including the Pasadena Playhouse, A Noise Within, the Wallis Annenberg Center, and internationally from Auckland to Dubai.

With over 30 years of experience, Dan’s unscripted theatre workshops range from focused skill-building to exploring entire forms and genres. His teaching blends classical training from London’s Webber Douglas Academy with decades of work alongside improv pioneer Keith Johnstone. He’s dedicated to helping improvisers become stronger actors—and actors become confident improvisers—through experiential, on-your-feet learning.

In television, Dan directed the critically acclaimed ABC hybrid sitcom Sons and Daughters, Campus Ladies (Oxygen), and co-created NBC/PAX’s World Cup Comedy. He also teaches and consults for Disney and DreamWorks Animation, and has helped develop storytelling tools used in major animated features.

With psychiatrist Dr. Jeff Katzman, Dan co-authored two books—Life UnScripted and Ensemble!—about using improvisation to build deeper connection, confidence, and joy in everyday life.

www.danoconnor.net