Improv Classes

In this fun and exciting interactive process, you will gain self-confidence, sharpen your communication skills, and learn the type of teamwork necessary to create something original and brilliant from scratch. Right from the start, our students are on their feet exploring hilarious exercises and skill-driven games in an incredibly supportive and fun environment under the guidance of our caring and experienced faculty,

Unexpected Productions’ teachers instruct the basics of improv, which are not only useful to improvisers, but to anybody wanting to work with others, as a member of a team, as an effective communicator, as a good listener, or simply as a friend!

All 100-700 classes are for ages 18+. Get ready to:

• Discover the joy of spontaneous storytelling
• Conquer fears
• Improve your job skills
• Spark creativity
• Meet people/make new friends
• Become a better listener
• Be a better problem solver
• HAVE A BLAST

Our celebrated education program is the most established improv school in the region. We host classes in two locations in downtown Seattle and in Redmond. We offer 7 levels of classes with 4 quarters a year. We also offer specialty improv classes, storytelling, sketch and stand-up comedy classes from renowned teachers from around the globe.

Unexpected Productions’ Market Theater

1428 Post Alley
Seattle, WA 98101

The Improv School – Georgetown Studios

650 South Orcas, Suite 101
Seattle WA 98108

Redmond Community Center at Marymoor

6505 176th Ave NE
Redmond, WA 98052

Introducción a la Improvisación en Español. ¿Cómo lo hacen? Aprende lo básico de la improvisación. Descubra y practique el cómo escuchar mejor, usar su propia experiencia de vida para crear historias y trabajar en los principios fundamentales de la improvisación. La clase se centrará en la formación de equipos y en el concepto de que “si tu compañero se ve bien, tú te verás bien”. Se hará hincapié en comprender y utilizar las habilidades básicas de trabajo en escena y, lo que es más importante, divertirse. Muchas risas y clases muy activas. Bajo la guía de nuestra increíble de instructora, aprenderás a:

• Ser un mejor oyente
  • Conquista los miedos
  • Espontaneidad
  • Conoce gente nueva / Haz nuevos amigos
  • A ser un mejor solucionador de problemas
  • Desarrollar confianza en ti mismo
  • Aceptar equivocarse con más facilidad
  • Decir más “si” en tu vida
  • Salir de tu zona de confort
  • Conviértete en un mejor orador público
  • Descubre más sobre ti mismo

Estar en el aquí y ahora

Todos los estudiantes comienzan en este nivel. Es un requisito para los otros niveles.

Musical Improv with Laura Hall from Whose Line is it Anyway?

March 8, 2:00pm – 5:00

Have you always wondered, “How do they improvise the songs on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” If so then join with “Whose Line’s” musical director Laura Hall, and veteran Second City improviser Rick Hall for an Intro to Music Improv Workshop.

Laura & Rick have taught Music Improv all over the U.S. and Canada. They create a supportive, playful environment, starting with games and warm-ups to ease into singing.

Even if you’ve never done song improv before, you’ll build vocal confidence and learn to listen to each other and the accompaniment. And if you’re already experienced with song improv, we’ll stretch your skills and help you explore all sorts of fun new ways to use music. Before you know it, you’ll be belting out your own great improvised songs!

Here is some of the material we’ll cover:
1. Warming up and why it’s important; the care and use of your voice.
2. Building vocal confidence: exploring melody, rhythm, discovering your natural voice, ways to help if you’re not an experienced singer.
3. Finding your own way of approaching a musical accompaniment, and your own take on the subject matter.
4. Music improv as a natural extension of scenic work: exploring character, location, story, etc. to create rich and interesting songs.
5. Ensemble singing: Listening, watching, taking turns, coming to a chorus, intro to harmony singing.
6. Rhyming exercises and games such as Irish Drinking Song and Hoedown.

Date: March 8, 2020
Time: 2:00 – 5:00
Location: Unexpected Productions’ Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley
Maximum Students: 18
Cost: $125
Prerequisite: Improv 300 or equivalent of by permission of the Education Director.

Sketch Comedy Writing Through Improvisation with Joe Guppy

6 Saturdays March 21, April 4, 11, 18, 25 and May 10:00 AM – 1:15-9:30 PM

Due to the extraordinary interest in the last session, this class was added. Learn to write comedy with fun and energizing improv games, as taught by Emmy-award-winning comedy writer, Joe Guppy. Students will learn basic improv skills, and how to build a comedy premise. We will gather around a supportive and encouraging writer’s table to rewrite using story structure, and study scenes from Saturday Night Live, Key & Peele, and comedy films. Perfect for aspiring or experienced improvisers, actors, comedy writers, screenwriters, playwrights. The class culminates with a writers showcase.
Skills offered in class: fundamentals of comedy writing, basic scene improvisation, story structure, rewriting, how to create a comedy premise.

Date: 6 Saturdays March 21, April 4, 11, 18, 25 and May 2
Time: 10:00 – 1:15
Location: Unexpected Productions Georgetown Studio, 650 South Orcas St, Seattle 98108 The last class will include a showcase performance the last hour of class.
Maximum Students: 12
Cost: $250 ($263.49 including booking fees)
Prerequisite: None
Age: 18+

Improv Date Night Workshop

March 28, 4:00pm – 6:00

Date Night
An entertaining improv workshop discounted dinner and an improv show (or 3) for you and your sweetheart. What a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon and evening as a couple! Come to Unexpected Productions’ Market Theatre in the heart of romantic Pike Place Market for a two-hour fun-filled improv workshop. Then enjoy a discounted pizza with our excellent culinary neighbor, The Alibi Room and finally attend any or all of our 3 Saturday Improv Shows.

The Workshop
Learn to play fun improv games together with other couples. The fundamental concept of improv is the practice of being present and available to your scene partner, using the rule that if your scene partner looks good you do too. This exercise in listening, creativity, and spontaneity is not only an art form but also an adventure in teamwork, communication, and hilarity. Two hours of laughs and learning with your significant other for a Saturday to remember. All for just $35 each person.

The Origins and Evolution of Long-form Improv with Ed Greenberg

April 18th & 19th 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (one-hour lunch break)

The Origins and Evolution of Long-form Improv explores the origins of long-form improvisation – the birth of “Harold” – its evolution to date and some future potentialities. Through games, scene work, and long-form jams, we’ll take a deep dive into Del Close’s vision: to create a theatrical art form that gives actors the time and space to explore any theme in depth from multiple perspectives.

Players are challenged to make choices outside of their normal “go to’s” (new games designed for this purpose will be used). And, Del’s tenet to create comedy based on real people behaving honestly will be very much in the mix. Each day’s session includes improvisations informed by cutting-edge scientific theories.

Both sessions will conclude with long-form improv on the theme of the players’ experience of the day.

Storytelling with Margot Leitman

Saturday, May 16th 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (one-hour lunch break)

Margot Leitman returns to UP Improv to teach her storytelling class on 9/22 while out on her book tour for her 2nd book, What’s Your Story? A Workbook for the Storyteller in All of Us.

Come learn how to use your untapped humanity and embarrassing moments in a way that can reach a wide audience. You will finish this workshop with the tools you need to effectively construct a story and be able to fill in the blank, “———– is the story of my life.” This class sold out quickly last spring.

Each student should leave class with a basic concept of how to make painful, strange or even mundane experiences from their life funny. The students learn to dig inside their own lives to find humorous, relatable material, which unifies an audience making them laugh at their own experiences through the student’s performance. Instructor, Moth Grandslam winner and best-selling author of Long Story Short, the Only Storytelling Guide You’ll Ever Need and What’s Your Story? Leitman works with each student honing their stories to work better on stage.

After this workshop, students will have a strong direction of how to structure a story for the stage, office, first date or wherever they choose to put it to use. Additional focus will be on getting through the fear of being judged for our honesty. In the past, many students have left saying, “I can’t believe I told a room full of strangers about that and I can’t believe they all laughed!”

Advanced Storytelling with Margot Leitman

Sunday, May 17th 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (one-hour lunch break)

In the morning, students will bring in a written story in which Margot and students will give feedback. In the afternoon, we will cover advanced principles such as: the benign (stories about nothing), someone else’s story, and the unexpected. Via on the spot exercises, and writing revisions, students should leave with a polished written piece and 1-3 other rough stories to develop outside of class.

Prerequisite: Open to advanced storytellers and students who have taken Margot’s previous workshops.

Acting for Improvisers with Cynthia Lair

Saturdays May 23, 30 and June 6, 11am-1:30pm

Bring your improvised scenes to life and experience what it means to fully inhabit the characters you create. Learn to embrace in the imaginary circumstances we improvise. Strong acting skills will help you transform your scene work from the mechanics to authentically lived in spontaneous theater.

Utilizing Uta Hagen’s exercises and methods (many found in her book, Respect for Acting), as well as techniques from other master acting teachers, this class focuses on pursuing objectives that result in emotional responses, as well as internal and external actions. Emphasis is placed on slowing down, listening, and allowing offers to land before responding honestly – moment-to-moment improv. Practicing these techniques can bring richness and reality to improvised scene work.

Puppet Improv Workshop with Elizabeth Westermann & Colin Smith

Sundays May 24 and 31 from 12-3pm

From Sesame Street, The Great Space Coaster, to present-day Grocery Outlet ads, puppets have surrounded us since childhood. In this workshop you will learn the basics of improvised puppetry, making it come alive onstage through focus and puppet manipulation. Similar to traditional mask work, improvised puppetry often serves as an important medium for self-discovery and spontaneous creation. In addition, by exploring the puppets’ physicality through specific movements, tics, and traits, the actor will gain great depth in their own abilities as physical improvisers. Each student will receive a small hand and rod puppet to take home and keep. Come play!

Creating Stage-Worthy Personal Stories Workshop with Kent Whipple

May 31, June 7, 14 and 21, 3:00pm – 5:30

Learn to tell a “Moth-type” story or any story on stage, work and with friends. Get comfortable on stage. This workshop explores the art of oral storytelling including story creation, enhancement, and presentation. Learn simple practical story guidelines and step-by-step tools, to create incredible honest stories from your life experience. Kent’s personable presentation style on the creative process combined with small groups, large groups, and individual writing and improv exercises will take you through a fun process of developing a stage-worthy story over 4 weeks.

Playground Jam for UP Students

2nd Saturday of Every Month 4:30 PM – 6:30PM

The Playground is jam for current UP students, former UP students, ensemble members, and alumni only to play with one another and continue to work on their Improv skills. Playground is led by one of Unexpected Productions ensemble members or teachers. The improv experience of the participants ranges from pro to none. The games help improvisers build skills, gain confidence, and nurturing creativity. But, the most important idea to remember about Playground… it is FUN. Space is limited.

Playground is run in conjunction with the Georgetown Art Attack. Second Saturday of every month. Participants are encouraged to enjoy the Georgetown Art Attack activities after Playground.

Why Improv for Teens? In Youthprov, students learn the fundamentals of good improvisation through games and exercises. The games are fun and entertaining but they are also a creative process that encourages support, active listening being present, and intelligent risk-taking on and off the stage.
We help teens build self-confidence, public speaking ability, and cooperation all while having a blast! Our classes boost our student’s confidence, curiosity, and creativity.

Improv teaches us to accept mistakes as gifts and communicate thoughts and ideas more effectively. AND, LIKE WE MENTIONED… IT’S FUN!

The focus is on creating ensemble work in a safe, supportive, and fun environment. Students have a blast, make friends and gain incredible life skills.

Students take classes to:
• Improve listening skills
• Improve their public presentation skills
• Gain amazing teaming skills
• Overcome shyness
• Build confidence
• Improve communication skills
• Think on their feet
• Take intelligent risks
• Come out of their shell
• Have a safe place to take risks

Dates: 8 Saturday classes
Time: 10:00am-12:30pm
Location: Unexpected Productions Improv School, Georgetown Studios, 650 South Orcas, Suite 101 Seattle, WA 98108
Cost: $240  ($252.99 including fees)
Prerequisite: None
Ages: 12 and above