Improv Classes

Bring your improvised scenes to life and experience what it means to fully inhabit the characters you create.

This four-session course is designed to give improvisers space to practice simple acting techniques that help develop authenticity in improvised scenes and games. Bringing these skills to improv also builds connection between characters and helps form more compelling stories for the audience. We will practice staying present, look closely at moving from moment-to-moment, and make sure our actions allow space for reaction. Becoming aware of how we use our mind, our body, and our heart while improvising is essential. These skills are a must for improvisers who want to reach for more meaningful characters and stories.

Dates: 4 Thursdays March 12, 19, 26 and April 2nd
Time: 7-9:30pm
Location: Unexpected Productions Improv School, Georgetown Studios, 650 South Orcas, Suite 101 Seattle, WA 98108 https://goo.gl/CMCRQp
Maximum Students: 14
Cost: $150
Prerequisite: Improv 200 or equivalent or by teacher approval
Ages: 18+
Instructor: Cynthia Lair began her life as an actress with a B.A. in theater. From there, she became an acting apprentice at the Actors Theater of Louisville, followed by professional roles in regional theaters. After moving to NYC, she continued her training with Uta Hagen and performed on-stage roles and on-camera roles in numerous national commercials. Some of her favorite theater roles, The Kathy & Mo Show, The Glass Menagerie, and Hard Times, came after moving to Seattle. Her theater work, combined with improv training, has led to much fun in improvised plays such as Four Hearts, Shakespeare Unexpected, Atomic Sci Fi, A Shadow in the Doorway, and Austen Unbound. Cynthia has been an ensemble member and teacher at Unexpected Productions since 2015.

Explore bold theatrical styles through improv, from classical and heightened to physical, melodramatic, and contemporary. Come play.

This class invites improvisers to explore a wide range of theatrical styles and performance traditions, using improvisation as the engine for discovery. While Shakespeare provides one historical foundation, the emphasis is on learning how different styles shape character, language, movement, and storytelling—and how to shift between them with confidence and play.

This is a practical, hands-on class focused on experimentation, adaptability, and joyful risk-taking.
What You’ll Do
Explore a variety of theatrical styles through improvisation, including
Classical and heightened theatre
Shakespeare-inspired performance
Melodrama and farce
Physical and movement-based theatre
Contemporary and genre-based stage styles
Learn how style affects character, language, physicality, and emotional stakes
Practice transforming the same scene by changing theatrical style
Perform improvised scenes and monologues with clear stylistic choices
Build versatility, confidence, and range as a theatrical improviser
This class is ideal for students who want to expand their expressive toolbox, deepen their understanding of theatrical storytelling, and become more adaptable performers. Whether you’re interested in classical forms, bold physical comedy, modern realism, or stylized stage work, this class offers a playful, supportive space to explore how style shapes the stories we tell.

Unexpected Productions Improv School is thrilled to bring our newest Eastside improv classes to Issaquah, serving the communities of the Sammamish Plateau, East Renton, Bellevue, Snoqualmie Valley, North Bend, and beyond.

Dates: Four (4) Tuesdays
Time: 7:00 pm–9:00 pm
Location: Unexpected Productions – Issaquah
1315 NW Mall Street, Suite 4, Issaquah, WA 98027 (next to the Gaslamp Bar and Grill)
Maximum Students: 16
Cost: $270
Prerequisite: Improv 100 or equivalent
Instructor: Alan Hawkins is an improviser from Los Angeles and Chicago with over two decades of performance and teaching experience. A graduate of The Second City Conservatory, The Second City Musical Conservatory, iO West, Comedysportz Chicago, and The Annoyance, Alan has performed across the U.S. and internationally with the acclaimed trio Extra Shelves and as a guest with Grand Theft Improv in London. He has taught and directed for numerous programs, including the Teen Comedy Festival in Chicago.
Alan is an ensemble member of Unexpected Productions—America’s longest-running Theatresports company—and the author of “YOU CAN’T LEARN IMPROV FROM A BOOK.” His classes are known for being energetic, supportive, and deeply fun.

Find Your Voice, Build Your Confidence, and Create Songs on the Spot!

Now at Unexpected Productions’ new Issaquah location, unlock your creativity in a supportive, playful, and joy-filled class designed for anyone who’s ever hummed in the car, belted in the shower, or wondered, “How do musical improvisers make that magic happen?”

Whether you’re a seasoned improviser or stepping into musical improv for the first time, this course welcomes you with open arms—no prior singing experience required.
What You’ll Learn

This intensive, dynamic class explores the foundational skills of musical improvisation through hands-on practice and group collaboration. You’ll learn how to:
Create songs and stories in the moment
Understand classic song forms and how they apply to improv
Strengthen your sense of timing, rhythm, and rhyme
Turn simple prompts into memorable choruses
Build lyrics that feel poetic, emotional, or downright hilarious
Jump confidently between styles—from Broadway to jazz, pop to chants

It’s fun, supportive, and incredibly energizing. You’ll be surprised at what you can create with your classmates—often within minutes. Unexpected Productions Improv School is thrilled to bring our newest Eastside improv classes to Issaquah, serving the communities of the Sammamish Plateau, East Renton, Bellevue, Snoqualmie Valley, Northbend and beyond.
Class Details
Dates: Four (4) Wednesdays
Time: 7:00pm–9:00pm
Location: Unexpected Productions – Issaquah
1315 NW Mall Street, Suite 4, Issaquah, WA 98027 (next to the Gaslamp Bar and Grill)
Maximum Students: 16
Cost: $270
Instructor:Ron Hippe joined Unexpected Productions in 1990 and has performed globally—from San Francisco to London and Vienna. He has appeared on Broadway in the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Kentucky Cycle and worked with Seattle Rep, ACT, and Intiman. Ron is also a veteran voice-over artist, actor, musician, and singer-songwriter. His teaching style is upbeat, encouraging, and rooted in decades of professional experience.