Workshops

All of Avner’s trainings will be online for the foreseeable future.

See Schedule below for upcoming workshops.


The workshop was amazing. Now everything is different on stage, it is a new feeling…wonderful.

Peter Leonhard, Germany 2006


I found that I gained more directly applicable knowledge from working with you for three or four hours than in other places where I have spent years learning.

Benjamin Corey Feinblum, Motionfest 2003


I want to thank you yet again because there has truely been a before and after and I will never be the same on stage again.

Caroline Dream, Barcelona 2006


No other workshops have given me so many directly applicable techniques to fuel the development of my art. I will be back!

Henrik Rasmussen, Sweden 2015


I learned more from your class than most of the workshops and classes I have taken in the past five years combined!

Rick Osann, high school drama techer


More…

Eccentric Principles Online Workshop

See Schedule below for upcoming online workshops.


The workshops meet online using Zoom for six weekly 2-hour sessions.

Each of the six sessions has four components:

  1. A presentation by Avner based on the Eccentric Principles
  2. Exercises, either in the group or with a partner in a breakout room
  3. An assignment to prepare a short, 1-2 minute, video on a theme to be viewed by the group at the next session
  4. A viewing of last week’s videos with notes and comments by Avner

Each session will be recorded and will be available for review for one week.

If you are thinking of registering for one of these workshops, please look at a few of my videos on YouTube. All of the principles are derived from my performing work and you can get a sense of my approach.

Our online workshops, organized by theater schools, festivals, and former students, have had participants from 36 countries.

Interested, not Interesting

Based on the Eccentric Principles, Eccentric Performing for theater professionals is a physical approach to acting and comedy.

Avner EisenbergThe workshop addresses two areas: creating rapport with the audience in the first two seconds you are on stage, and problem solving as a method of creating material for performance. After this introduction, we will explore ways of creating material and finding character. The focus is on activating the internal emotional state of the audience and helping the actor to always be interested rather than interesting.

Avner is one of the world’s leading teachers of physical comedy. He is on the permanent faculty of the Celebration Barn Theater, Maine’s International School for the Performing Arts. He has taught Eccentric Performing and Clown workshops in the US, Switzerland, France, Germany, Finland, Spain, Mexico, and Japan. Avner graduated from École Jacques Lecoq in Paris. You may even recognize him as the Jewel from the movie, The Jewel of the Nile. Avner has been performing his one-man show, Exceptions to Gravity, for over 30 years.

This intriguing workshop will give participants a firm grounding in physical comedy techniques. For the working professional this is a unique opportunity to take a fresh look at old habits and hone advanced skills.

The workshop addresses two areas: creating rapport with the audience in the first two seconds you are on stage, and problem solving as a method of creating material for performance.

Schedule

Residency Elon University

Elon, NC,

February 16-18, 2024

Contact Prof. Kevin Otos for details: kotos@elon.edu

Private magic convention

Tapalpa, Mexico

March 8-10, 2024

Moisture Festival

Seattle, Washington USA

March 21-24, 2024

Weekend Workshop in Los Angeles

Presented by The Clown School LA

April 20-21, 2024

Email for details: administrator@theclownschool.com

Limited number of students

LA Intensive Workshop

Presented by JJ Gym

6232 Mary Ellen Ave. Van Nuys, CA 91401

April 15-18, 2024

Email for details: Jeri at JJ Gym: jeri@kalvan.net

Limited number of students

Festival des Clowns de Montréal

Montreal, Canada

April 25-28, 2024

Private magic convention

New York

May 4, 2024

Mayo Street Arts

Portland, Maine

June 1, 2024

Featuring Peter Boie magician, David Worobec with his amazing Top Hat Toy Theater, and Avner

Intro to Eccentric Principles 5-day Workshop

Registration opens in January

July 7-13, 2024

Presented by Celebration Barn Theater

Email for details: info@celebrationbarn.com

Limited class size

In-person 4-day Workshop

Presented by Tamala Clown Academie, in Konstanz, Germany

August 1-4, 2024

Registration and details

Limited number of students