Improv Classes
Experience the power of play, and the fun of improvisational comedy in a fun and safe environment with Made Up Theatre’s improv classes. We offer a complete training program, providing students with a strong foundation in improvisation that promotes creativity and personal growth. Learn improv today!
Check out our testimonials to hear what our students are saying!
Please note, our venue at 4000 Bay Street, Fremont, CA is located on the 2nd floor of a historical building and does not have an elevator.
Click the tabs below for more info and registration.
Course Description:
Are you interested in taking an improv class but want to see what it’s all about first? Well, come out to the Sampler Class to learn some improvisational skills in a fun, safe environment! This is a one-time commitment, and if you are interested, you can continue your journey by registering for our full Intro to Improv course.
Upcoming Dates:
Saturday October 14 • 4:30pm – 6:30pm
Saturday November 4 • 4:30pm – 6:30pm
Tuition: $20
Instructor: Sean Taylor
Sean is one of the principal owners of Made Up Theatre. Sean has been performing in both long form and short form improvised shows for over 15 years, including in the award-winning group 5 Play. He has training with Comedysportz, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, The Second City, and iO Chicago. In addition to teaching topics, such as introductory fundamentals, short form games, and musical improv, he is also the host of Made Up Theatre’s YouTube series MUT Improv Tips, a weekly video series with over 100 episodes.
Ages: 18+
20 Student Limit
Prerequisite: None
*Up to date vaccinations and masks are highly encouraged.
Course Description:
Explore the Elements of Improv in our introductory course. You will learn the core fundamentals and principles of improv, focusing on various games and exercises that encourage trust, communication, agreement (“yes and”); active listening, character, status, and making your scene partner look good. After that, you’ll start to apply these concepts into fully improvised scenes.
OPTION 1: 8 Week Course
Dates: October 16th – December 11th
No class on November 20th
Times: Mondays, 7:30pm – 9:30pm (2 hours weekly)
OPTION 2: 5 Week Course
Dates: November 11th – December 16th
No class on November 25th
Times: Saturdays, 1:00pm – 4:00pm (3 hours weekly)
Instructor: Sean Taylor
Sean is one of the principal owners of Made Up Theatre. Sean has been performing in both long form and short form improvised shows for over 15 years, including in the award-winning group 5 Play. He has training with Comedysportz, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, The Second City, and iO Chicago. In addition to teaching topics, such as introductory fundamentals, short form games, and musical improv, he is also the host of Made Up Theatre’s YouTube series MUT Improv Tips, a weekly video series with over 100 episodes.
Ages: 18+
16 Student Limit
Prerequisite: None
*Classes meet once a week.
Please note, unless otherwise noted, all new students are required to start at Intro to Improv.
*Up to date vaccinations and masks are highly encouraged.
Course Description:
Now that you’ve learned some of the core fundamentals of improv, it’s time to explore the methods used to sustain a scene beyond the first few lines. Delve into character and relationship work, “heightening,” making bold choices, and using offers to enhance your scene. In addition, you’ll learn various long form formats that will be used in your first improvised showcase for family & friends on the final class.
8 Week Course
Dates: Thursdays, October 12th – December 7th (2 hours weekly)
No class on November 23rd.
Show on Final Class.
Times: 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Tuition: $219
Instructor: Linh Huynh
Linh Huynh started her training in improv in 2018 at Pointless Brewery & Theatre in Ann Arbor, MI. She became a member of the 2020 Pointless launch troupe, Community Garden Party and also regularly performed with Sporadically Susan and her duo, Bad Brunchers. You can catch Linh on stage as member of the MUT cast!
Ages: 18+
16 Student Limit
Prerequisite: Intro to Improv or equivalent experience at outside school.
*Classes meet once a week.
*Up to date vaccinations and masks are highly encouraged.
Elective Class: Whose Game Is It, Anyway?
You know the show! Now, learn the games! You’ll learn the games made popular on the hit TV show “Whose Line Is It, Anyway?”. Games like Party Quirks, Weird Newscasters, Hollywood Director, and so much more! Through challenging improv games, you’ll learn all about committing to characters, embracing rather than fearing failure, trimming out the fat of your improv scenes, and getting to the FUN!
7 Week Course
Dates: Tuesdays, October 17 – December 12th
No class on October 31 & November 21st
Times: 7:30pm – 10:00pm
Tuition: $239
Pre-requisite: Completion of Intro to Improv
Instructor: Sean Taylor
Sean Taylor is one of the founders and co-owners of Made Up Theatre and has been performing and teaching improvisation since 2005. Sean has received training from Comedysportz, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, iO Chicago, and Armando Diaz. He also trained in the art of musical improvisation in The Second City Training Center. He’s excited to finally offer this class!
Ages: 18+
14 Student Limit
*Classes meet once a week.
*Up to date vaccinations and masks are highly encouraged.
Course Description:
This class explores short form improvisation as seen in our Laugh Track City show and the hit TV show, “Whose Line Is It, Anyway?”. Students will learn how to act quickly, while applying improvisational skills towards fast-paced scenes, on-the-fly challenges, and impressive guessing games! Students will also be able to showcase their talent in a showcase for family and friends.
8 Week Course
Dates: TBD
Show on Final Class.
Times: 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Tuition: $219
Instructor: TBD
Ages: 18+
14 Students
Prerequisite: Intro to Improv or equivalent experience at outside school.
*Classes meet once a week.
*Up to date vaccinations and masks are highly encouraged.
Class Topic: TBD
Course Description: TBD
8 Week Course
Dates: TBD
Show on final day
Times: TBD
Tuition: $239
Instructor: TBD
Ages: 18+
14 Students
Prerequisite: Intro to Improv & Scene Study or equivalent at outside school.
*Classes meet once a week.
*Up to date vaccinations and masks are highly encouraged.
Take a one-day deep-dive in a specific concept of improvisation! Check below for specific details on topics and timing.
Date: TBD
Ages: 18+
Prerequisite: Intro to Improv or equivalent at outside venue.
*Up to date vaccinations and masks are highly encouraged.
Musical Improv 1: Fundamentals
There’s nothing more fun than musical improv! In this class, you’ll learn the fundamentals of improvising song, including stage presence, projection, taking focus with confidence, and rhyming through set-up/pay-off technique. Through pre-recorded accompaniment, you’ll apply song structure to both short form games and long form formats. Get ready to sing loud and proud! Can’t sing? Sing louder! This class is open to singers and non-singers alike!
6 Week Course
Dates: TBD
Times: TBD
Tuition: $219
Pre-requisite: Completion of Intro to Improv or equivalent at outside venue. (Improv Scene Study is recommended but not required).
Instructor: Sean Taylor
Sean Taylor is one of the founders and co-owners of Made Up Theatre and has been performing and teaching improvisation since 2005. Sean has received training from Comedysportz, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, iO Chicago, and Armando Diaz. He also trained in the art of musical improvisation in The Second City Training Center. He’s excited to finally offer this class!
Ages: 18+
14 Student Limit
*Classes meet once a week.
*Up to date vaccinations and masks are highly encouraged.
Musical Improv 2: The Improvised Musical
You’ve learned the tools, now let’s have some fun! In this class, you’ll take the musical improv fundamentals and apply them to an improvised Broadway musical! You’ll continue to hone your skills while learning about long form musical structure, such as openers, finales, story arcs, and MORE! Plus, you’ll improvise songs along with a live accompanist! The class culminates with a show for family and friends!
8 Week Course
Dates: TBD
Times: TBD
Tuition: $299
Pre-requisite: Completion of Musical Improv 1A or equivalent experience at outside venue.
Instructor: Shawn Amaro
Accompanist: Grant Ewing
Ages: 18+
14 Student Limit
*Classes meet once a week.
*Up to date vaccinations and masks are highly encouraged.
We are happy to address some Frequently Asked Questions about our improv classes. Do you have other questions?
Feel free to send us a message and we’ll respond as soon as possible.
What is improv?
Improv is a style of acting, where the performers do not have scripts or pre-planning. They improvise material on the spot, usually based on suggestions or inspiration from the audience. Two types of improv exist: short form and long form. Short form improv is a fast-paced style that includes games and skits that have pre-determined rules attached to them. Short form improv is commonly seen on the TV show “Whose Line Is It, Anyway?” or our main stage show Laugh Track City. Long form improv features longer formats that range from a series of scenes inspired by a specific opener to the show to improvised plays, movies, and musicals.
Why should I take an improv class?
Improv classes have many benefits! You might think only comedians or actors take improv class, and sure, they do but most people learn improvisation for other reasons. Here are a few of the biggest benefits of learning the art of improvisation.
- Improve public speaking skills.
- Learn to think quickly and get out of your head.
- Overcome shyness or anxiety.
- Become a better and more active listener.
- Meet new friends.
- Discover new things about yourself.
What can I expect from my first improv class?
Improv classes might seem intimidating, because you do not know what to expect. You might think, “Oh no! Am I going to have to go onstage on the first class? Do I have to be funny?” However, we are here to relieve stress and anxiety and give you some info on what to expect. Here’s what to expect on the first day.
- You’ll play warm-up games and exercises. Our instructors do not want to put anyone on the spot, and we recognize that new students may come to the 1st session with anxiety. The beginning of the first day of class involves warm up games and exercises that are done as a group. The games focus on getting outside of your head, being OKAY with making mistakes, bonding with your new classmates, and just having FUN.
- You do not need to be funny. Sure, improv is associated with comedy, but we consider comedy a byproduct of improv and not the goal. The goal of improv is collaboration, acceptance, and fun. If you think you’re going to have to tell jokes or be funny, don’t worry! In fact, we discourage intentionally trying to be funny. You will naturally be funny by following the fundamentals of improvisation.
- You will fail a lot. This sounds like a negative, but it is one of the biggest positives of improv. People naturally fear failure, and it can even discourage us from trying. But in improv, we encourage failure! There are no scripts in improv, so we treat mistakes as gifts rather than shortcomings. In short, failure is fun in our class system!
- You will have fun. Enough said! Many students have told us that improv is the highlight of their week. Join the FUN!
Do I need any performance/comedy experience?
Nope! Our beginning improv classes are aimed at those who have never done improv before. Most students in our beginning classes have no performance experience, so do not fret!
Are there any perks for taking improv classes at Made Up Theatre?
Yes! Each time you register to one of our improv classes, you’ll receive a few free tickets to check out our shows.
What is your current COVID-19 Policy?
At the present time, up-to-date vaccinations and masks are highly encouraged. This policy is subject to change.
Looking for some pointers on improv?
Well, we’ve produced 100+ instructional videos called “MUT Improv Tips”
Subscribe to our channel
