IMPROV COMEDY WORKSHOPS

CLASS TYPES: IMPROV WRITING ELECTIVES & WORKSHOPS

Improve your play and comedic writing with a range of workshops we offer throughout the year.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR A WORKSHOP TODAY!

WORKSHOPS BY LIZ ALLEN
Sunday, May 12 at 12pm

Liz Allen has performed, coached, and directed improv for the past 32 years, most notably with the Second City and iO Theater (formerly ImprovOlympic). She’s received numerous coaching and directing awards, directed a main stage revue for The Second City at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and coached “The Commune”, the improv ensemble in Mike Birbiglia’s 2016 feature film Don’t Think Twice.

SOME GUTS OF LONG-FORM

Liz shares her methods for attacking long-form to create a fulfilling long-form every time. When a long-form works, the ensemble is connected, callbacks happen seamlessly, connections are unforced, and theme emerges with subtle clarity. It’s a fantastic feeling. When a long-form doesn’t work, the ensemble feels disconnected, clunky, and everyone feels stuck in mud…inevitably someone in the group attempts to ‘save’ the piece, heroically…usually making things worse. It’s a miserable feeling. We’ll examine the strongholds and pitfalls of long-form, what to do when you’re discouraged, and how to stay inspired throughout.

$55

WORKSHOPS BY NORM HOLLY
Starts Sunday, June 9th at 3pm

Norm’s artistic experience includes 25 years as Artistic Director and Conservatory Head at The Second City in Chicago, where he was also a Resident Company and Touring Company Director. He is part of the Columbia College Comedy Studies faculty and the former Asst.Chairman of the Columbia College Theater Dept.

SHOW CREATION

A seven-week workshop creating an original production through improvisation. Character and generation of usable premise are the focus of this class ending in a 30-minute original performance.

$175

WORKSHOPS BY TJ JAGODOWSKI
SOLD OUT

TJ has been performing, teaching or directing improvisation in Chicago for 30 years. He is best known as one half of the improvisational duo TJ and Dave. Although no one knows which half.

MAKE SCENE PLAY EASIER

This 4-hour workshop will focus on making scene play easier by choosing to center on a few small decisions that have over sized impact. It will lead to making scenes more believable, more emotionally based and rooted in point of view.

SOLD OUT

WORKSHOPS BY SUSAN MESSING
Sunday, June 2nd at 12pm

Susan Messing, a New Jersey native and graduate of Northwestern University‘s Theater School, .has been doing improv stuffs for almost 40 years. She is an alumna of the iO Theatre, Second City’s Mainstage, a founding member of Chicago’s infamous Annoyance Theatre, and an Artistic Advisor of The HOME Theater.

FIX IT OR MAKE IT WORSE

It is time to finally get answers to those questions and problems with improvisation that you have thought about forever and just can't crack the code. Let's break improv wide open, take rules out of the picture, and celebrate comedy again. If you're in your head, this'll rip it out. Perfect for people who have studied too much and learned too little.

$55

SPECIAL GUEST WORKSHOP BY KELI SEMELSBERGER
Thursday, June 6th at 7pm

Keli was trained by many of the Chicago improv legends: (Charna Halpern, Susan Messing, Mick Napier, Del Close, Amy Poehler, Joe Bill) and performed in Chicago from 94-2001 when she headed south and founded Charlotte Comedy Theater thus being the first improv theater ever in the area, as well as having the first all female and LGBTQ teams in the deep south.

EVERY SCENE MADE SIMPLE

The 1,2,3 of having and authentic and connected scene immediately from someone who has spent 24 years of weekends on stage. Amazing shortcuts to having powerful scenes.

$55

KELI SEMELSBERGER BIO

Keli fell in love with improv in 1994 when she started taking improv to improve her skills as a corporate trainer, and she has not stopped since. She was trained by many of the Chicago improv legends: (Charna Halpern, Susan Messing, Mick Napier, Del Close, Amy Poehler, Joe Bill) and performed in Chicago from 94-2001 when she headed south and founded Charlotte Comedy Theater thus being the first improv theater ever in the area, as well as having the first all female and LGBTQ teams in the deep south. She has averaged teaching 3 classes and performing in 2 shows a week for the last 23 years. Except for during the pandemic when she focused on her book “Improv Shaman – the transformative journey of Divine Play” and co-founded the Visual and Performing Arts Center of Charlotte, that is now home to over 500 artists including her theater. In 2022 she founded Big Island Comedy Theater and continues facilitate innovative, improv-based team building workshops, instruct and perform improv, and gives lectures about living in the moment and letting go of end outcome at spiritual centers all over the country. Her mission is to radiate joy, and help as many beings as she can through the power of Divine Play.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR A WORKSHOP TODAY!

CONNECT & VISIT!

LOCATION: 2843 N. HALSTED ST.

(312) 488-9528

The Home Comedy Theater is within a short walking distance from the Halsted bus stop (Bus #8), the Diversey Brown & Purple line, the Wellington Brown & Purple line, and the Belmont Red, Brown, & Purple line train stops.

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Chicago’s premier venue for improv comedy and training.