Impro Theatre Announces New Online Classes

The award-winning Impro Theatre has not only moved their existing classes online, but we have developed all new online classes to boot! We recognize that in this difficult time, people need to connect with each other virtually more than ever. Our online classes provide a chance for people to share ideas, learn a new skill, and have some fun.

Our new online classes are designed to promote and support Impro Theatre's mission that we can change the world through joyful artistic engagement and expanding storytelling through unscripted theatre. The Impro Theatre School is the home of Narrative Improv in Los Angeles. The school focuses on teaching artful storytelling, finding truth in the moment, and allowing comedy to arise out of it. A wide variety of classes exploring different elements of narrative improv are available to students of all levels. The instructors provide a welcome, safe place for students of every age, background, and profession to discover the joys of improv.

The new classes vary in length from 2-6 weeks and are mostly two hours in length. All of the teachers are from our Main Company. Impro Theatre's Main Company creates completely improvised, full-length plays in the styles of the world's greatest playwrights, authors and composers. In southern California, the Impro Main Company has performed sold-out shows at South Coast Repertory, The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, North Coast Repertory in San Diego, Falcon Theatre in Burbank, and The Pasadena Playhouse, as well as venues around the world including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, The Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago, The Melbourne Fringe, Det Andre Teatret in Oslo and Theatre Adyar in Paris. Impro Theatre's Main Company has received multiple Critics' Picks in the Los Angeles Times, BackStage West and L.A. Weekly, and many shows have been Ovation Recommended. The Los Angeles Times calls them, "Amazing! One of the funniest evenings in town. The troupe spins an entire play into comedy gold right before your eyes." Stage & Cinema says, "As high a degree of general excellence in writing, acting, and direction as I have seen in any theater company in America."

The following are the list of new classes that we are offering nationally and internationally. We hope to attract students from all over the world now that all classes are online and inherently more accessible.

Intro to Narrative Improv

Teacher: Lisa Frederickson

Starting Sunday April 19th:

8 weeks from 10:30 am-12:30 pm

Price: $260

This is where your Impro story begins. In this 8-week introductory workshop, you will learn the skills to prepare for the Impro CORE Program. Intro to Narrative is a supportive and fun start for those with zero to little experience or for those orienting themselves to Impro's style. Whether you have some experience or none at all, our teachers are skilled at tailoring the workshop to challenge each individual at his or her level. In Intro to Narrative, you'll learn the foundations of improv with skills like "Yes and!", make your partner look good, and mistakes are gifts. You will learn Impro's fundamentals of narrative improv by creating scenes with C.O.R.E. - character, relationship, objective, environment.

Improvised Puppetry for Storytelling

Teacher: Brian Jones

Starting Thursday April 23rd:

4 weeks from 7-9pm

Price: $130

Brian Jones, (Brian Henson's Puppet Up, The Muppets on ABC, Muppets Most Wanted and Impro Main Co member) teaches puppetry for improvised storytelling. All puppetry skill levels welcome. Learn to breathe life into your characters with a focus on emotional animation. Each week will focus on a specific skill set that can be used in all narrative genre improvisations. Online class includes lessons on physicality, emotional animation, ensemble storytelling and music. Dress ready to move and bring your own hand/rod puppet and 6' - 8' tripod.

Improvising Shakespeare Workout

Teacher: Brian Lohmann

Starting Sunday April 26th

4 weeks from 2-4pm

Price: $130

Brian Lohmann (A.C.T., Old Globe Theatre, co-founder Bay Area Theatresports, Los Angeles Shakespeare Institute, Oregon Shakespeare Festival; author of "Shakespeare's Secret Superpowers") teaches a weekly workout in the technique of improvising Shakespeare. Open to all levels. Learn to use imagery, poetry, puns, while improvising Shakespearean and monologues, scenes. Make your scripted Shakespeare seem spontaneous and your improvised Shakespeare deeper and wiser.

Agency in a "Yes And" World

Teacher: Madi Goff

Starting Monday April 27th

Four classes, two classes/week: Mondays and Wednesdays 10:30am-12:30pm

Price: $130

Saying "yes and" is a key part of improvisation. "Yes" to the reality that your scene partner offered. "And" to add information! However, holding yourself prisoner to "yes and" can lead to a scene, a character, a situation, that is problematic or simply not something you wish to explore. In this class, students will explore techniques to maintain agency in the "Yes And" world of improvisation. Of course we want to be spontaneous and say "yes" to things outside our comfort zone. But at the same time, part of safety is knowing you have the power to explore the stories you're excited to explore and to dive into the type of discomfort that will help you grow!

Declutter Your Improv

Teacher: Mike Rock

Starting Wednesday April 29

Four classes, two classes/week: Wednesdays and Fridays 4-6pm

Price: $130

This class uses exercises, scene work and eventually improvised one-act plays to give participants tools and guidance for simplifying, slowing down and staying present for a clearer and more fulfilling experience.