This listing includes standup comedy workshops and coaches, as well as classes and teachers who use improvisation, comedic or not, as a tool to create characters and develop material. In general we have not included those that use improvisation primarily as an acting exercise, though this distinction is often hard to make definitively. Check other categories for more details.
ACME COMEDY THEATRE
Acme Comedy Theatre, a state-of-the-art 99-Seat theatre designed by renowned architect John Fischer, is host to a critically acclaimed professional sketch comedy troupe managed by producer/director M.D. Sweeney. The Acme Improv & Sketch Comedy School offers classes on five levels, beginning with an introduction to the basics of improvisation, progressing through advanced sketch comedy writing, and offering the potential of moving into Acme's professional performing company. In addition to sketch comedy, Acme also hosts a wide array of comedy shows, including improv variety and solo performance. Those who've performed on its stage include Wayne Brady, Ryan Stiles, Brad Sherwood, Fred Willard, Wil Wheaton, Adam Carolla, Alex Borstein, and Nia Vardolos, who performed her one-woman show My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Members who developed skills at Acme include Emmy-nominated writers of Saturday Night Live, Emmy-winning writer/producers of Warner Bros. animation, writer/producers of Friends, The Simpsons, Norm, 3rd Rock From the Sun, and more. 135 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. www.acmecomedy.com. (323) 525-0233. See ad on page 5-A.
ANGEL CITY IMPROV
Former Twin Cities Improv artistic director and critically lauded actress/singer/songwriter Amy Elizabeth Fisher brings her live improv show, and more than 15 years of performing and teaching experience in NYC and the Twin Cities, to Los Angeles. She says anyone can improvise: We do it daily, and we can become better at it. She creates a non-judgmental environment so participants learn to welcome imagination and creativity. Saturday classes for kids with performance opportunities at Katie's Cabaret ($125/ mo.) and Sunday adult classes ($150/ mo.) begin in October at the Sidewalk Studio Theater, 4150 Riverside Ave., Burbank. (818) 842-0272. www.katiescabaret.freeservers.com. See ad on page 14-A.
BILL APPLEBAUM
Applebaum, a Chicago Second City alumnus, has more than 17 years of acting, writing, and teaching experience in film and TV. He leads an ongoing comedic improv workshop and cold reading class using Meisner techniques for actors and writers, designed to teach students to go "beyond the obvious choices" in their imagination. Auditing is permitted. (818) 790-3413.
bang. IMPROV STUDIO
The studio, which houses both a conservatory and a performance space, offers a continuing, semester-based improv class, taught by Aliza and Peter Murrieta, Evan Gore, Ezra Weisz, Sabrina Hill-Weisz, Darrin Butters, and Theresa Mulligan, focusing on basics, character work, and long-form improvisation. The second half of the program is the master class, which includes a weekly class workout on Tuesdays and a performance every Friday evening for six months in bang's performance space. Aliza stressed that bang offers a "non-competitive workshop, as opposed to showcasing," and "extensive stage time to our students to learn both onstage and off." Class size is limited to 14. The first class is $250 for eight weeks, with discounts for continuing students. 457 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles. www.bangstudio.com. (323) 653-6886. See ad on page 12-A.
CHRIS BARNES' COMEDY DOJO
Named "Best of L.A." in L.A. Magazine, this school offers an eight-week improv class for $250. Barnes' credits include the Second City comedy troupe, HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, a regular role on Saturday Night Live, an ensemble role on The Carol and an appearance on Seinfeld (the Pez dispenser episode). Currently, he is a cast member of Life With Bonnie on ABC. Barnes also offers student performances and a live cabaret performance at Masquer's Theatre in Santa Monica. Two levels, intermediate and advanced, are offered. Private coaching is available for cold reading or auditions. An audit is allowed and no interview is required. www.comedydojo.com. (310) 393-6686. See ad on page 36-A.
TERRY BOLO
Bolo was an original founding member of the Groundlings. "Gary Austin taught us very well, and in that tradition I like to stress the basics," she explained. Her half-day crash course in improv familiarizes actors with the rules and structure, and costs $40. The course is designed for actors at any level, and also to help writers and comics develop material. (323) 650-5968.
JUDY BROWN'S STAND-UP COMEDY WORKSHOP
Brown's workshop is designed to help students learn how to turn their "natural sense of humor into a professional comedy act," as well as to showcase their performance skills. Along the way, she said, they'll learn comedy timing, delivery, and joke writing, and graduate with a comedy monologue (also suitable for auditions) that they'll perform at the Improv in Hollywood. Semi-private classes are $250 for eight sessions and are limited to three students. Brown also offers private coaching. judybrowni@usa.net; (310) 396-8425.
JUDY CARTER'S STAND-UP COMEDY WORKSHOPS
"I tell people, 'Your life doesn't suck, your life is a joke,'" said Carter, a veteran of 55 television shows and author of Standup Comedy (Dell Books) and the new Comedy Bible (Simon & Schuster). In her eight-week workshop on standup technique, co-taught by Diane Nichols (Tonight Show, Letterman, HBO), Carter teaches performers and writers to "turn their problems into punch lines. People learn that all the problems in their life are premises for a standup act, a one-person show, sitcom writing." And, she boasted, her students have had a high success rate in comedy clubs and on writing staffs. Her class is kept small, costs $425, and culminates in a performance at the Improv. It's also available on audiotape. www.comedyworkshops.com. (310) 915-0555 or (800) 4COMICS.
COLD TOFU
This Asian Pacific American-based comedy improv group offers improv classes focusing on improv techniques and games. The beginning class is geared to help performers and non-performers learn the basic skills to gain confidence "in a fun, nurturing environment." It is dedicated to "promoting diverse images of Asian Pacific Americans through comedy and to develop multi-ethnic talent through education and performance." E-mail: coldtofu@hotmail.com; www.coldtofu.com. (213) 739-4142.
COMEDYSPORTZ LOS ANGELES
This approach to improvisation organizes teams of performers in athletic-style competition. L.A.'s own 14-year-old professional team offers beginning, intermediate, and advanced improv workshops, which run in eight-week periods for $250 each and are taught by Pat Dade, James Bailey, Phil Ward, Pablo Marz, and Kurt Scholler. There is a limit on class sizes. www.comedysportzla.com. (323) 871-1193.
COMEDY UNDERGROUND
This Second City-based school of comedy off Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade focuses on getting students to perform improv on their feet both in class and in live performance. The Underground is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday nights, and shows consist of members, including established groups and Second City alumni. Auditing is allowed. www.improvunderground .com. (310) 451-1800.
GREG DEAN'S STAND-UP COMEDY WORKSHOP
"Look at movies and TV sitcoms and you will see standup comedians," Dean pointed out. "Standup is the best acting training, as well as an excellent showcase for your talent." As author of the book Step by Step to Stand-Up Comedy, Dean offers specific techniques for learning comedy, including joke writing, character development, routine construction, and dozens of performance skills. Dean has been a Ringling Bros. clown, street performer in San Francisco, and paid regular at the Comedy Store. He offers his comedy techniques in his beginner's workshop, six-week classes for $350. In the advanced workshop, six-week also $350, students perform their shows at the Comedy Store. Auditing is permitted. Free introductory seminar offered regularly. www.stand-upcomedy.com, gregdean@stand-upcomedy.com. (310) 285-3799.
THE EMPTY STAGE IMPROVISATIONAL COMEDY THEATRE
Improv classes are three hours long and require a $25 registration fee. The basic improv class runs $240 for eight weeks. Intermediate and advanced classes are drop-in, and are $25 per lesson. Instructors are Stan Wells (former Groundlings director and improv teacher for UCLA Extension courses), Chris Hutson, and Terry Hart. There are weekend performances by the groups Waterbrains, Transformers, Perks, Pop, Fortune Room, and Being Human, as well as sketch shows on Sundays featuring members of the improv classes. 2372 Veteran Ave., West L.A., CA 90064. www.emptystage.com. (310) 470-3560.
MR. GAY'S COMEDY IMPROV WORKSHOP
This workshop for lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, and straight actors is led by Mike Player of New York's Shock of the Funny, a graduate of the Warner Bros. Comedy Writer's Workshop. All levels are welcome. Performance opportunities are available in the Student Jam-O-Rama and with The Gay Mafia performance troupe. Classes and performances are held at The Cavern Club Theatre in Silverlake. Sketch writing and standup instruction are also available. E-mail: thegaymafia@yahoo.com. (310) 815-9745.
ANDY GOLDBERG'S IMPROV COMEDY WORKSHOP
A member of the Off the Wall improv group since 1975 and author of Improv Comedy, Goldberg has been teaching for 16 years and is currently teaching at the CBS Studio Center. He also offers an ongoing class applying improv techniques to character development. Goldberg is also author of the book Improv Comedy. (310) 479-1498.
ED GREENBERG'S IMPROWORKS
Veteran Committee actor and Second City director, Greenberg is now a TV director, voiceover actor, and teaches acting at USC Film School. ImproWorks is dedicated to bringing a sense of play to the craft of acting. Greenberg's approach to comedy: honest reponses in bizarre circumstances rather than jokes, play "at the top of your brain," and "follow the fear." Beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. Private coaching available. www.improworks.com. (310) 399-3654. See ad on page 20-A.
THE GROUNDLINGS SCHOOL
This 28-year-old sketch comedy institution, home of the famous Groundlings performing troupe, has a four-tiered training program in improv as a means to develop material. In an ever-shrinking pyramid, students audition for the basic level, then must be invited up to the intermediate class, to the writing lab, and finally into the ongoing advanced workshop. All except the writing lab and the advanced level are 12-week classes (or six weeks, meeting two times per week) for $395. A "pre-beginning-level" class called Introduction to Improv is also available for $200 for six weeks; auditions are not required to join Introduction to Improv, and the classes often include non-actors. 7307 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. www.groundlings.com. (323) 934-4747. See ad on page 31-A.
IMPROV OLYMPIC WEST
Begun in Chicago 20 years ago, the Improv Olympic is best known for its long-form improvisation "The Harold" (and for such alumni as Mike Myers, Andy Dick, Chris Farley, and Andy Richter, to name a few). Artistic director James Grace describes the troupe's approach, based on the work of Del Close: "It's about the truth of the scene. That's where the humor is located. It's about making discoveries rather than trying to make inventions." www.iowest.com. (323) 962-7560. See ad on page 23-A.
STEVE KAPLAN'S COMEDY WEEKEND INTENSIVE
Kaplan offers a 10-week intensive designed for professional actors, writers, and directors that "moves beyond intuition and guesswork" and gives artists "the tools to understand why things are funny, how to adjust when things don't work, and how to make sure that your audition or performance succeeds," said Kaplan. Kaplan created the HBO Workspace and founded New York's famed Manhattan PunchLine, has developed writers such as David Ives, Howard Korder, Peter Tolan, David Crane, Kenneth Lonergan, and Ted Tally, and has directed and coached actors like Mercedes Ruehl, Lauren Tom, and Oliver Platt. He has taught comedy at Yale, NYU, and UCLA. www.comedyintensive.com. E-mail: skcomedy@aol.com (818) 728-6951.
KIP KING
One of the original Groundlings, King has been teaching his unique on-camera acting techniques since the 1980s. He currently holds his class at Westside Casting Studios and allows auditing but encourages participation. Fees are $350 for 10 weeks, and King has a pay-as-you-go policy that allows actors to earn one week free (pay a two-week deposit up front and stay for 11 weeks instead of 10, or pay $350 upfront and stay for 12 weeks). Returning students can enroll at a discount price. Showcases are included. King's son is comedian Chris Kattan from Saturday Night Live. (818) 784-0544.
HARVEY LEMBECK COMEDY WORKSHOP
Emmy-winning director Michael Lembeck and his sister Helaine Lembeck took over these comedy classes 20 years ago, 18 years after the late Harvey Lembeck began the workshop. Now in its 39th year, the workshop has three levels but is aimed for the trained working actor who wants to specialize in comedy. The workshop is designed to teach the actor how to play comedy legitimately in a scene. Uses improv as a tool to enhance comedic skills for sitcoms, TV, and film. The students participate on stage three and four times each night. Audits by arrangement only. Critiques by teacher only. Former students include Robin Williams, Penny Marshall, John Ritter, Jenna Elfman, Bryan Cranston, Kim Cattrall, Alan Rachins, John Larroquette, and Sharon Stone. (310) 271-2831. See ad on page 4-A.
MARK LONOW'S ACTING AND STAND-UP WORKSHOPS
Lonow—actor, producer, writer, director, and co-owner of the Improv Comedy Clubs—teaches two 10-week courses four times a year. The master class is for seasoned standups to fine-tune their act and take it to another level. The second class is for beginning and intermediate students. Lonow's teaching philosophy: "I help the student to find that place inside themselves where more than enough talent and creativity reside. After it's found, I teach them a solid technique to give that talent shape and purpose." There is a free seminar before each session to introduce students to the classes. Taught at the Complex in Hollywood. (323) 936-9550. See ad on page 34-A.
L.A. CONNECTION COMEDY PRODUCTIONS
Artistic director Kent Skov, who trained with the Committee and with Second City, leads this 24-year-old comedy program, with training for all ages. The program offers an adult improv repertory company that provides training and allows members to perform (with pay) before an audience on a weekly basis. It also offers training specific to pilots, and recently signed a deal with Dick Clark Productions. This year the company will regularly perform sketch comedy and loop movies. An audition is required. L.A. Connection also offers weekly comedy improv training for children on Sundays, standup on Thursdays, sketch performance groups on Fridays and Sundays, ongoing dramatic performances, and improvisation groups. Long-form groups are currently being developed for performances starting in November. 13442 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. www.laconnectioncomedy.com. (818) 710-1320.
L.A. THEATRESPORTS
In performance this narrative-based comedy improv technique has teams of performers square off in improvisatory battles for audience approval, but the Theatresports training approach is about storytelling structure, not competition. Theatresports is also well known for its long-form format shows, which include Shakespeare Unscripted, Carnal Peaks, and Improvised Soap Opera. Faculty includes Tracy Burns, Floyd Van Buskirk, Lisa Fredrickson, Robert Covarrubias, Brian Lohmann, and Dan O'Connor. Foundation and Intermediate classes are available, as well as an invite-only advanced class that performs every Sunday night. An eight-week intensive workshop runs $290. Classes are offered at the Ivar Theatre in North Hollywood. www.theatresports.com. (818) 505-6406. See ad on page 20-A.
JACQUIE LOWELL'S IMPROVISATION CLASSES
Lowell has taught improv in San Diego for the last 25 years and has performed with and directed several improvisational comedy performing troupes. She teaches creativity workshops for business and education. Classes are held in Mission Hills and San Diego, and cost $15 for the first class and $115 for a series of seven classes. www.creativeurges .com. (858) 581-0050.
HOWARD MANN
Mann teaches standup comedy from writing to performing. He has been in the business for more than 40 years and has been on The Tonight Show, Seinfeld, and Merv Griffin. Classes or private training are offered. (818) 780-4457.
BARB & STEVE NORTH'S COMEDY WORKSHOP
Steve North ("the Comedy Coach") and his wife Barb's Comedy Workshops offer a complete comedy development environment from beginner to professional, including privates and three levels of workshop/performing groups via the Standup Rep Company at the L.A. Connection Comedy Theatre in Sherman Oaks. Comedians studying with the Norths perform regularly in their "Thursday Nite Live" show, also known as "Beyond Standup" for the road tours. The show and workshops are now in their 12th year, and have been an ongoing home base for standup comedians since 1992. Four "Industry Nights" are offered each year. The workshops and privates teach the North's "Comedic Character" method of training performers to be "comedians" rather than "comics" (a comic says funny things, a comedian is a funny person). Members and alumni of the group have appeared on The Tonight Show, Seinfeld, Rosie O'Donnell, The View, Conan O'Brien, and in clubs all over the world. (818) 347-5098. See ad on page 6-A.
BOBBY POLLACK, A.K.A. THE JOKE MACHINE
Comic, writer, actor, and aspiring guru Bobby Pollack has been performing standup/Improv for more than 20 years, while at the same time presiding as chairman of the board of his own swap meet. Quipped Pollack: "I have studied with every comedy/acting coach conceivable as well as some that were inconceivable. I have assimilated bits of knowledge from all of them. Basically I am a comedy composite. I have taken all that I have learned and combined it with my unique perspective, and am offering it along with my beautiful wife and partner Belle (I want to make it clear that I'm not literally offering my wife Belle) in the form of comedy/ standup, improv/writing classes, both group and private, to other aspiring artists, coaches, and gurus." Pollack has performed with Jerry Seinfeld, Howie Mandell, and Chris Tucker and has written for The Tonight Show and Rodney Dangerfield. Beginning/intermediate levels. Showcase included. www.wackywolf .com. (818) 992-4509. See ad on page 31-A.
PAUL RYAN'S COMEDY STUDIO AT CBS STUDIO CENTER
Ryan said he "stretches the actor in every way to become comedically free through innovative comedy/improv situations and revolutionary comedy scene techniques," thereby helping actors to hone their craft for sitcoms and comedy roles in TV and film. Ryan has been teaching at CBS Studio Center for seven years and worked as a comedy consultant and sitcom director in Europe. He performed regularly with Robin Williams and John Ritter, and his previous students include John Larroquette, Hal Sparks, and Bryan Cranston. Currently, Ryan hosts The Travel Guide With Paul Ryan in syndication and has produced 700 TV shows. He also teaches a two-day TV-hosting workshop once a month. www.paulryanproductions.com. (323) 936-9524.
SECOND CITY
This Chicago staple has opened its newest training center in the Improv on Melrose, offering classes in beginning to advanced improv, as well as programs for television and film writing. It's $300 for an eight-week course. From its historic Chicago and Toronto headquarters, Second City played key roles in the careers of Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Mike Myers, Chris Farley, Jerry Stiller, and Shelley Long. www.secondcity.com. (323) 658-8190. See ad on page 28-A.
STAND-UP PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES FOR OVERCOMING STAGE FRIGHT
Instructor Tim Davis, standup comic for 20 years, has for the past decade coached other standup comedians, performers, and executives at venues such as Juilliard, NYU, and The Stand-Up NY Comedy Club. Davis' techniques have been presented on 48 Hours and The Montel Williams Show, and written about in The New York Times, New York Daily News, and Back Stage. Classes meet Monday nights, Sept. 23-Dec. 9. (310) 825-9971 or (818) 784-7006.
CYNTHIA SZIGETI
Former head of both the Groundlings and the Acme Comedy Theatre schools, Szigeti teaches improv workshops and privately coaches actors and standups for $50-75 an hour. Students have included Lisa Kudrow, Conan O'Brien, Mike Hitchcock, and Julia Sweeney. Basic improv is 10 sessions for $350. Ongoing intermediate classes are $125 per month. (818) 980-7890. See ad on page 28-A.