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In a nutshell: Listen and Support.

Just like most improv theaters, at The HOME Comedy Theater, we use the backbone of any improv-related exercise and game: “Yes, and…”, which provides the basic mindset we encourage all of our students to have and adapt.
“Yes, And…” doesn’t necessarily mean you have to “agree” to and with everything that is presented to you on stage. Think of it this way:

“YES” – Could mean accepting what your scene partner presents to you at face value with simple agreement, and “AND…” could mean finding a way to support that idea by building upon that idea as best as you can. If both people are doing this to one another, magic can happen.

“If I bring a brick, and you bring a brick, we can build a magnificent building TOGETHER.”

Beyond Level 1, we have a progressive training center where each level (1 to 5) is built upon the previous one with a heavy focus on the art of “longform” improvisation and the essential skills needed to perform one of the most innovative improv performance pieces known around the world, “The Harold”, a Chicago-born signature longform structure.

But wait, there’s more! We also offer improv classes for kids (ages 9-12) that help your child step into a world of creativity, collaboration, and confidence, by learning new skills, making new friends, and—most importantly—having fun!

And…! Customizable corporate improv workshops for business professionals and/or businesses looking to improve interpersonal skills like public speaking, team collaboration, and more!

Our approach is one of nurture and structure. We work to ease all of our students into the curriculum based on their individual comfort levels. We understand that everyone is different and may have different ways of learning. So, our renowned improv instructors work with each student to meet them where they learn best and can be the most successful.

Once we’ve established how best to teach our students, it’s then the structure of the class takes over. For example, our Level 1 improv class incorporates fundamental elements of personal growth like enhanced communication and cooperation skills, creativity, and confidence. These are all principles anyone can embrace on day one of an improv workshop or class. When these tools for development are mixed with a supporting and fun environment, our students flourish.

The course structure of our improv classes runs through five levels, each one layering a new approach to performing improv. Here’s the breakdown:

Level 1 – Here you’ll quickly learn our approach to longform improvisation via improv exercises and basic techniques which will be used throughout your training.

Level 2 – Building on the foundation of Level 1, Level 2 will focus on discovering and developing your strengths as a supportive improviser. We’ll teach you aspects of character creation, object/environment work, and most important, how to work as a cohesive and supportive ensemble.

Level 3 – Once we’ve established the groundwork for how to be present on a stage, Level 3 covers scene-work where our expert instructors provide valuable insights and advice for how to develop your on-stage presence and hone your skills.

Level 4 – This level is where you really learn what performing improv in Chicago is all about. We will introduce the intricate structure of The Harold long-form improv technique and teach you how to perform it from beginning to end.

Level 5 – This level is for those who are genuinely focused on mastering the craft of long-form improv and The Harold. We will take an in-depth look and offer tweaks and tips to polish your performance.

At the end of each class term we have a ‘Student Showcase’, where each class gets to perform on stage as a form of celebration and where students get to mingle with other students in our training center.

As we like to say, we all use improvisation in our lives everyday. The uncertainty of the world around us and what we encounter is better met by those who know how to react and learn from it all. In any level of our improv classes you’ll develop essential life skills like public speaking, confidence building, creativity, and the benefits of collaboration, just to name a few. These are all benefits that extend well beyond our theater doors to help make you a more well-rounded both personally and professionally.

If your goal is to work in the entertainment business, then you know that some of the world’s best comedic entertainers, writers, directors, and producers have a background in improvisation, and have attributed a lot of their success to what they’ve learned from improv and from performing in the mecca of improv comedy: Chicago.

But… we’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention how incredibly fun it is to learn and perform improv.

A lot of people were introduced to improv via “short form”, most typically by watching the show “Whose Line is it Anyway” while growing up. As purveyors of “The Harold”, we focus on long-form improv in our classes and workshops, but we still love and respect “short form”.

Short-Form Improv

Short-form improv is structured as quick games of scenes that often last no more than 2-5 minutes per scene. The humor is intended to be fast-paced with pointed jokes and one-liners. In short-from improv you’ll learn how to leverage wordplay and think quickly on your feet while integrating physical comedy throughout.

Long-Form Improv

At The HOME Comedy Theater, we primarily teach long-form improv with a heavy focus on ensemble and support, which are essential skills needed to perform our main performance piece, “The Harold”, a fairly rigid structure of improv performance which utilizes nearly all of the main elements of improv into a single performance. Here, an entire story is built, often from audience suggestions, focusing on character development complete with arcs and emotional depth.

While each of our accomplished improv instructors may have a different approach to help a student conquer stage fright or public speaking, there are a few core principles we’ve found help our students the most in this regard.

Environment – First and foremost, we have created a safe, inclusive, and non-judgemental environment at The HOME Comedy Theater. This is a place where mistakes are valuable and encouraged to be used as a springboard to learning.

Slow Approach – As we work through the class levels, we slowly build on the principles of the previous to ease our students into stage performance with improv games and exercises designed to help solidify confidence in one’s abilities.

Comfort of the Group – In most forms, improv requires more than one person, so it is inherently a group activity. This in itself often helps provide comfort to those who may be apprehensive about performing. At The HOME Comedy Theater, we focus on improving the ensemble as a whole and reminding each student that everyone is there to learn, make mistakes, and work towards improving their improv prowess. Our instructors often share their own experiences with stage fright, which helps students realize they’re not alone and that fear is part of the process.

The skills learned by taking classes and performing improv can help comedy writers build upon their ideas. Concepts covered in our improv classes, like character development and dialogue, help work out that part of our creative brains and translate it to paper… or to a computer, as it were.

Sure. If the goal is to refine an improvised piece into scripted material, then one can memorize, rehearse and perform those refined pieces of written material. One can even do both; have written material for a sketch alongside small windows within that sketch to allow for some improvisation by the performer(s).

We see this in popular shows like Saturday Night Live and Curb Your Enthusiasm. In Curb, a script is loosely drafted and the characters basically improvise their way to a foregone conclusion in most scenes. However, anything that is truly improvised cannot be rehearsed exactly, as that would nullify the very essence of improvisation.

While “improv writing” doesn’t necessarily exist, the skills learned performing improv can help comedy writers build upon their ideas. Concepts covered in our improv classes, like character development and dialogue, help work out that part of our creative brains and translate it to paper… or to a computer, as it were.

Nowadays, the use of improv is used more often in comedy writing rooms, but in a carefully structured way. Oftentimes, a line (or lines) are written for an actor, and after getting a few takes of that line, the actor can sometimes be allowed to improvise alternate lines that can be considered for use later in the editing process. In a less structured way, shows like “Curb Your Enthusiasm” often will use “beats” or initial premises and outcomes for scenes, then the actors are allowed to improvise in between beats.

More often than not, the training learned in improv to build upon ideas and saying “Yes” to an idea or thought can often be helpful to a writer. When creativity is allowed to wander boundlessly through a space, like on an improv stage, there are no guardrails to what a screenwriter or playwright can build a story around.

A written “beat” is often used by writers to help flesh out ideas or scenes on paper. In this case, a “beat” is a significant moment in the script. (ie. In Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, in the First Beat: Pee Wee loses his bike. In the Last Beat: Pee Wee finds his bike).

In an improvised show performed by an ensemble, a “beat” is often referred to as the number of times a storyline or character(s) is revisited in a show. In the improvised performance piece “The Harold”, a “beat” is referred to as part of the structure of this performance piece.

Absolutely. While the HOME Theater focuses on the more popular use of improv for humor, many types of performative art forms use improv for dramatic purposes. One great example of this is the newly conceived performances of “Improvised Shakespeare,” where performers improvise a full play in the style and language of Shakespeare, with the help of audience participation. This “Mad Libs”-esque approach often explores themes like betrayal, love, or ambition over comedy.

“Improv (improvisation) is a form of theater where the storylines, characters, relationships, plot, and dialogue are spontaneously made up on the spot. While improv is typically used as a tool for comedy (as it is at The HOME Comedy Theater), it can also be performed as drama or an experimental performance.”

We believe anyone can learn to improvise. Think about it, you actually use improv in your everyday life. By taking improv classes, we believe one will learn new skills or hone skills you already have to help them navigate through life, on or off stage, in a more positive and impactful way.

The “Yes, And…” philosophy is often called the backbone, or “training wheels” of improv. This renowned improv technique is often used as a sort of “rule” in one’s early training to help train the brain to get used to the idea of building upon the ideas of your scene partner or ensemble. This technique is not meant to imply one “can’t say No” in a scene, it’s more meant to train ourselves to not reject an idea or premise presented by our scene partner(s) over our ‘clever’ idea. Instead, we want to try our best to help make that idea or premise succeed by simply building upon it. It’s also a technique often used in corporate workshops to help professionals have better brainstorming sessions.

Improv training mainly helps improve or build skills like:
– Listening
– Collaboration
– Public Speaking
– Team Building
– Leadership Skills
And there are many more fringe benefits you’ll find that positively impact your life as you learn more about improv.

Although many great improvisers have their favorite go-to characters, an improvised comedy show is never scripted. However, many performers and improv writers use improv to help create scripted material.