Animate, Inanimate Objects

This workshop is all about playing non-sentient beings in improv, injecting them with honest, human emotion. How does an old sock feel when it’s forgotten and collecting dust behind the dryer? What about a computer with a loud fan at a library, or a go-to favorite shirt that is often worn as soon as it’s washed?
We’ll focus on how objects would move (if they moved on their own), and grounding non-human things with honest human feelings. By focusing on the acting and treating objects with the respect they deserve, we’ll have beautiful, hilarious scenes that are as believable as they are fun!

Sun, June 7, 10 am – 1 pm

Registration: $40

Email Maggie Cady at cady@thecontemporarytheater.com for financial aid. We want everyone to be able to enjoy workshops!

About Maria…

Maria Nally (she/her) is an improviser, coach, and actor who has been performing in New York City for several years. In 2025, she made her Off-Broadway debut in The Others of Oz: The Improvised Musical, and performs musical improv regularly at The Magnet Theater with her house team Houndstooth. Maria has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Missouri State University, where she studied with Lisa Brescia, Ann Marie Daehn, and Robert Westenberg, amongst others. Past roles (in case you’re curious) have included Sister Act (Sister Mary Robert), Legally Blonde (Vivienne Kensington), and lots of other classic high belters.
Offstage, she is a huge fan of Robert Caro. If you’ve read his books, she would love to talk with you about them. If you haven’t read his books, she highly recommends them.