Abel Arias
Abel Arias studied at UC Santa Cruz and graduated with honors with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts. He lived in Los Angeles for the past 15 years and studied and performed improvisation at various theaters including The Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB), iO West, and Comedy Sportz (CSz). Abel also performed at Universal Studios Hollywood as an improvisational performer, and has booked many national commercials and a couple of TV shows. One of Abel’s favorite things to introduce to an actor’s approach is embracing failure. Acknowledging that mistakes will happen gives us the freedom to commit more to our work. Emphasizing a sense of play is also extremely valuable. Students are freer, more committed, and more confident when they accept that failure will happen and take in all that the present moment has to offer. These principles help acting, and most importantly, they help students be better people.
Arts Disciplines: Theatre/Drama, Improvisation, Ensemble/Team Building
Core Content Curriculum Areas: Theatre/Drama, Improvisation
Specialized Content Areas: Ensemble/Team Building
Grade Levels: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, University Students
Special Populations: Gifted Students
Pre-Service Learning and Professional Development: Professional Development for K-12 Teachers
Geographic Availability: Metro Atlanta, North Georgia, Middle Georgia
Program Fees:
- Workshop fees – $500.00 + Travel time > 60 minutes will be an additional $20 per hour.
- Residency fees – $1,500.00
Artistic Profile:
I studied at UC Santa Cruz and graduated with honors with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts. I had the privilege of completing the 5th year Graduate Certificate Program, where I got the chance to be a Teacher’s Assistant. This was my first time seeing how curriculum and teacher temperament affected a class from a non-student standpoint.
After graduating, I moved to Los Angeles and was a working actor there for the last 15 years. During that time, I studied and performed improvisation at various theaters including The Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB), iO West, and Comedy Sportz (CSz). I also performed at Universal Studios Hollywood as an improvisational performer. Between all of these venues, the audiences have ranged from ages 1-100. I was also fortunate enough to book multiple national television commercials and a couple of television shows. That, combined with appearing in friends’ projects, I have spent quite a bit of time on stage and in front of a camera.
I believe improvisation can be an actor’s most valuable tool since it emphasizes acceptance, being fully present in the moment, and connecting with those around you. These principles continue to be the foundation for my acting work, and it allows me to flourish in all genres and situations.
Teaching Experience:
I have been teaching consistently since 2010. My focus was improvisation, and as I continued to teach, I understood how effective improv was as an approach to acting. I taught a very diverse age range at ComedySportz (CSz), which allowed me to hone my teaching style and make it more universal. With my experience there, I learned to effectively communicate and teach children from elementary through high school, university-level students, and adults of many different ages.
I was fortunate enough to develop a curriculum for The American Academy of Dramatic Art. Teaching Improv for Actors has brought me great joy and fulfillment. I continue to teach this class for professional actors in Atlanta, and I look forward to continuing to improve the curriculum to better help actors with their approach and technique.
One of my favorite things to introduce to an actor’s approach is embracing failure. Acknowledging that mistakes will happen gives us the freedom to commit more to our work. Emphasizing a sense of play is also extremely valuable. Students are freer, more committed, and more confident when they accept that failure will happen and take in all that the present moment has to offer. These principles help acting, and most importantly, they help students be better people.
Sample Programs:
Improv(e) in Everything’s primary art form is improvisation and can be implemented into theatre, or leadership class. This program is best suited for Grades 10 and up and serves between 10-30 participants. The program lasts approximately three hours or can be an ongoing class depending on its needs.
Students will be on their feet and learning how they function with the help of improv warm-up games and exercises. They will discuss what their thoughts were during the exercises and games. Through the participating of the exercises and the discussions, they will learn more about themselves and others, in turn creating a stronger connection with their peers. A room with ample open space with a chair per person and a couple of portable tables (depending on the number of students) will be needed. All furniture needs to be easy to move so that students can have room to move around the space provided.
Sample Lesson Plans/Study Guides:
- Listing ID: 6050