Tilt Think Improv + The National Writers Series present improv classes for teens!

CLASS INFO: Tuesdays 3/12 thru 4/23 (minus 3/26), from 4:15-5:45PM
Designed 5-8th graders, with 8-18 per class.

Let’s improvise!

ABOUT THE CLASS:

Some of the funniest moments in life are completely spontaneous. In this six week class at the Alluvion, students will create a comedic ensemble, fostering a safe atmosphere to start trusting their comedic instincts so they can find their comedic voice.

Students will learn the fundamentals of improvisation – an unscripted theater art form – and ultimately use those tools to dip their toes into scripting comedic ideas as sketches. Sketch comedy, which features often unrelated comedic scenelets, can be seen in shows like Saturday Night Live, Key & Peele and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson.

You do not need to be funny to take this class.

Much of the class will be on your feet, so please dress comfortably. We will play improv games and scenes in every class, with minimal work outside of class time. The secret to improv is not trying to be funny, but rather listening to your partner and responding honestly, while being playful and supportive of your ensemble. Some play with us and let’s discover stories together.

This class runs for six Tuesdays 4:15 – 5:45pm (dates: March 12, 19 and April 2, 9, 16, 23). The class will culminate in a brief, casual performance showing some of what we learned.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

NICOLE HASTING MCKENDRICK

Nicole Hastings McKendrick is a veteran performer, teacher and director from the Chicago comedy scene, who joined the burgeoning Tilt Think family in 2023. Her teaching background focused on improv and music improv for performance as well as improv as a tool to develop sketch comedy. She has performed with The Second City, Off-Broadway and at the Edinburgh Fringe festival, and she is a graduate of Columbia University in New York. Nicole lives in Elk Rapids with her husband and two small children.