Come test out your material at the PIT Stop Open Mic! Try out your characters, stand up jokes, & more!
$30 COST: $10 ONLINE(plus taxes/fees)/$20 CASH
We ARE OFFERING IN-PERSON CLASSES AGAIN!! DROP-IN Classes are meant for improvisers of all levels to come into one community & practice exercises that develop into masterful scenes!
There’s nothing more exhilarating than performing stand up comedy, it can be intimidating. More of a guide than a conventional class, this goal-oriented program will get you up there doing stand up for the first time. You will come out of this class with disciplined writing tools, informative personal feedback and important advice, as you begin your stand up comedy journey. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced in other walks of comedy life, this class is for you. Class culminates in an online stand-up show, where students present their first 3 minutes of material.
This course is designed to give womxn+ the opportunity to securely develop their comedy chops in a safe, engaging & supportive environment. Classes will serve as a laboratory for creating original stand-up material while discovering your truth and voice. Students will learn how to translate their ideas into a crafted 5 minute set through proper joke structure, writing & editing techniques, all while developing a commitment to their own, unique sense of humor! Students are encouraged to experiment outside their comfort zone and take risks by being specific, vulnerable and having a strong point of view. This class is NOT anti-male nor should it be used to surpass months of open mics. But it will give you the tools you need to both build confidence in the choices you make & in your creative ideas on and off the stage. Course is open to all levels & beginners are welcome!
We all find ourselves using the same couple of voices and characters in every show!Well, character is more than a weird voice or a wacky catchphrase. By using speech, movement & attitude, this workshop will build up your creative character-building muscles and help you expand on your instincts. Change the way you view character work and become uniquely wonderful the moment you hit the stage. Our hope is to help you find at least one new character in our time.
There’s nothing more exhilarating than performing stand up comedy, it can be intimidating. More of a guide than a conventional class, this goal-oriented program will get you up there doing stand up for the first time. You will come out of this class with disciplined writing tools, informative personal feedback and important advice, as you begin your stand up comedy journey. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced in other walks of comedy life, this class is for you. Class culminates in an online stand-up show, where students present their first 3 minutes of material.
Improv teaches us how to say “yes, and”, relate to others as geniuses, and make bold statements to keep things moving forward.
What if you could apply these principles to every aspect of your life and business?
Life and business coach Taren Sterry, PCC, will show you how. In this class we’ll combine the fundamentals of improv with the fundamentals of professional coaching in order to move your life and business forward.
You’ll learn:
How to create opportunities (not “find” them).
How to use fear as fuel.
How to make powerful choices (even when the future is uncertain).
How to get unstuck in your projects and goals.
This class will help students take the basic elements of the IMPROV YOUR LIFE™ philosophy learned in Level One and apply them toward building great scenes that engage an audience. Students will leave this level with an understanding of how to make strong initiations, establish who/what/where, heighten the funniest choices and edit scenes.
Students will learn and practice techniques for starting scenes, enhancing and enriching scenes, finding yourself when you feel lost, and creating characters that are completely unique. There will be a final graduation performance at The PIT for friends, family and others.
(Please note all instructors are subject to change without notice)
No pressure Improv. Dip your toe into the joyous pool of improv- 0% fear, 100% fun. This is the perfect place for absolute beginners to get acquainted with the art of longform improvisation. Every week you will play in a safe and positive class environment with group exercises and scenework. It’s the perfect spoonful of improv, come have a taste! Please note that there is no graduation show for this class.
In Sketch Writing Level 1: The Basics of Sketch, students will develop the fundamental skills they need to start writing original comedy sketches. Build your sketch toolkit with the essentials - how to come up with a sketch idea, how to employ classic sketch structure, how to create memorable characters, how to clearly communicate your ideas to your audience.
Students will write multiple sketches during the course of this class, with PIT Teacher will guide them through every step of the process with positive, hands-on instruction.
Feedback and collaboration are central to this class that is appropriate for brand new sketch writers, writers who have already completed "Joy of Sketch," or writers with some sketch experience who want to get back to basics.
THIS CLASS WILL MEET AT STUDIOS 353.
In this class you will use scene work and group exercises to explore the joy of improvisation, be more confident, trusting and graceful on stage. Learn “Yes, and…!” until you have to say “No, thank you”. Focus on positive choices to initiate scenes, real-life and character monologues grounded in TRUTH!
The PIT’s Intro to Improv class creates a rich and nurturing environment that will benefit your physical, emotional and mental health. A final, remote, graduation performance at the PIT for friends, family, and others.” Spread the Word!
Do people tell you you're a funny kid? Then this workshop is for you! Learn from a professional comedian how to write & perform funny stories.
In level 2 you will continue to focus on strong listening and reacting without interrupting your scene partner. Making sure “the beginning of your sentence doesn’t get in the way of the middle of theirs”. You will reinforce saying “Yes, and...!” Until you have to say “no thank you”. The goal will be to be able to do a first and second beat of a 2 person scene using the tool of a “time-dash” either going forward or backward in time. Personal, truthful, monologues will also be part of the tool box that will benefit all aspects of life and performance. Editing will be introduced so performers know when it’s time to enter a scene and edit a scene with walk on’s and sweep edits.
Level 3 is perfect for experienced Improvisers who didn't practice during the pandemic & for the online students who want to begin transitioning their skills to in-person. In level 3 you will continue to focus on strong listening and reacting without interrupting your scene partner. Making sure “the beginning of your sentence doesn’t get in the way of the middle of theirs.” You will reinforce saying “Yes, and...!” Until you have to say “no thank you.” Work on the first, second and third beats of two-person scenes as well as continuing to focus on editing by following your foot connected to your gut and heart to edit scenes at the height. Learn how to “heighten and tighten” a scene organically glued in reality to create “win-win” fun scenes to play to entertain yourself and others while “treating your partner like a genius”