Boost Your Longform with Jacque Arend

*The Slacker: A format using only tag-outs for transitions similar to the LaRhonde with no restrictions to the order of scenes or how many characters an improvisor can play. Creation of the format is associated with Beer Shark Mice, an iO team that had many members who ended up with successful careers as actors. The play is often a roller coaster of fast and slow as the performers expand one limitless world and explore the interesting ideas, finding ways to always come back around without ever sweeping the stage.

**Armando Diaz Experience: Named after improvisor Armando Diaz this format is used by theater’s all over the country to feature not only their best performers, but also a guest monologist to share their personal stories. The improvisors use their stories to create their show. The standard format for a 50 minute show has at least three monologues from the guest, therefore can follow a three “beat” structure. Many other formats have taken from this idea of format by using of different types source material replacing the monologues, such as, news articles, group debates (living room), or twitter feeds. Many groups may also use this idea of monologues from a performer or interviewing an audience member at the top of the show for a shorter performance.

Jacque Arend started improvising in 2005 by attending the iO Chicago Summer Intensive. She co-founded The Torch Theatre (Phoenix, Arizona) in 2007 and was a collaborator on their training program along with the organization’s artistic mission and vision. Jacque was an instructor and administrator for The Torch Theatre’s Training Center from 2007-2019 and lead for their corporate team building program from 2012-2019. Jacque is currently the main instructor for the improv/comedy programs for actors at Arizona Actors Academy, building and maintaining her own program since 2013. She is a senior staff member for Camp Improv Utopia and was an elective instructor at Camp Utopia East in 2017, 2018 and a Master Instructor in 2019. Jacque coaches for local improv teams in Phoenix to improve specific focuses, help build strong ensemble and overall improvement to create more interesting performances. She is a regular performer with a handful of ongoing troupes, such as Light Rail Pirates, JaxN Reed, Birds & Broads, MuChuChu and Skewed News Hour. Jacque has played on main stage of the Phoenix Improv Festival for the last 14 years. She performed at the 2016 District Improv Festival, 2017 Del Close Marathon, the San Diego Improv Festival from 2015-2018, Cactus Flower Comedy Festival 2017-2019 and most recently the Westside Comedy Festival. She was a featured instructor at both DC & 2018 San Diego fest. Jacque’s most influential instructors have been, Miles Stroth, Craig Cackowski, Susan Messing, Jet Evelyth and Bob Fisher.