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16 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday February 25, 2009 www.oakvillebeaver.com Artscene · WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2009 By Tanya Kostiw SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Sign up now for guitar, bass, drums, and piano OAKVILLE'S MUSIC STORE 324 Kerr St. 905-339-3515 w w w. g e a r m u s i c . n e t New comedy program giving kids confidence A princess has been pushed off a balcony, a giraffe in a wheelchair is attacking people, and pre-teens are winning big at a casino. It's just another class at Comedy Kids, a new improvisation program in Oakville for children. Comedy Kids helps students lose their inhibitions, use their imagination and problem-solve. "This is an environment where they can just be themselves," said general manager Mike Larkin, "and feel good about who they are." "You can't be wrong in here," said instructor Jeremy Knight. "You can't fail at this." The class begins with some warm-up games. Students walk around the room and embody whatever emotion or verb the instructor calls out, such as sad, excited or busy. For eight-year-old Fiona Pirie, one of the youngest students, these warm-up games are her favourite part of the class. Sydney Hobbes likes the game typewriter. Someone starts to write a story, and then students act it out. She likes it because girls can be boys and vice versa. "It's just funny to see how they act being a different gender." Sydney said she has learned "it's okay to be goofy sometimes." The students are preparing for their performance on the final week of class. It will be a combination of improvisation and scripted work. For last week's homework, students were asked to come up with a funny sceWhile some students are mini-actors, some parents enrol their children to help them come out of their shells, Larkin said. Ryan Poirier wants to be a comedian when he grows up. He said the program is helping him reach this goal. "I want to be funny," he said. "I want to make people laugh." Griffin Barnicutt's favourite activity is wax museum, a game most students are eager to play. One person acts as the janitor, while the other students are statues that try to move when the janitor isn't watching. If the janitor catches you moving, you're out. Griffin came in second place. Larkin hopes the students will take away a sense of confidence. She also hopes they learn that "using your imagination is never wrong and there shouldn't be a place where you can't be imaginative and have fun." The Comedy Kids team hopes to run five to six sessions a year and is preparing for their summer camps. Because of the nature of learning improvisation, Mike hopes students will come back. "It's not accumulative," said Knight. "It's much more of a muscle that you have to constantly flex." Larkin and Knight both graduated from the comedy theatre conservatory program at Second City. Because of her positive experience there, Larkin decided to start a similar program for children. "Anything we can pass on is rewarding for us too," she said. For information on Comedy Kids, visit their website at www.comedykids.ca. RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER MAKING FACES: Kyle Donnell makes a face at Sydney Hobbes during a class at Comedy Kids, a new improvisation program in Oakville for children. nario that could be used for the show. One suggestion that had everyone laughing was about a president who wasn't potty-trained. Other ideas were a man being attacked by a mime, and killer light bulbs from outer space. "They don't even realize that they're doing work," laughed Chelsea Larkin, creative director and head instructor.