Adult Improv Classes
Tuesdays @ 7PM
Adult Improv Classes
Tuesdays @ 7PM
This is a 8-week class with a graduation show.
18 years of age and Up
Tuesday Nights 7:00pm – 9:00pm
January 6th is the first class.
**Graduation Show Saturday February 28th at 4pm**
This improv class explores the core fundamentals and principles of improvisation in a safe and supportive environment. Through a series of fun, high-energy games and exercises, students will learn to embrace spontaneity, trust their creative impulses, and work collaboratively with scene partners.
Student perks include:
-Performance in front of a LIVE comedy club audience.
-Free tickets to all Comedy Plex shows during the class session
About your instructor:
Emily Leonard: Emily has been an arts educator since her own youth, and a professional director, performer, and designer in Chicago since 1999. From 2006-2016 she held the position of Director of Outreach at Beverly Arts Center, during which time she oversaw an average of 50-60 visual and performing arts programs a year with 20-30 school partners annually. In her tenure at the Beverly Arts Center Emily also served as the director of the Theater department (2006-2013) and director of the School of the Arts (2010-2013).
Emily has also worked extensively with Chicago Improv Productions, for whom she developed and managed the Teen Comedy Fest, a national high school improv festival which grew to attract over 200 students annually from across the country for two days of study and performances.
Alongside her administrative duties, Emily has always remained active in the classroom, directing 2-3 fully produced amateur musicals a year with casts averaging 60-80 students. She has enjoyed multi-year tenures as a teaching artist with a wide array of Chicago-area arts organizations, including Hubbard Street Dance, Emerald City Theatre Company, Mad Science, Mudlark Theater, ImprovPlayhouse, and Elmhurst Children’s Theatre.
Emily holds a BFA in Directing and a minor in Dance from Ohio University.
18 years of age and Up
Tuesday Nights 7:00pm – 9:00pm
January 6th is the first class.
**Graduation Show Saturday February 28th at 4pm**
This improv class explores the core fundamentals and principles of improvisation in a safe and supportive environment. Through a series of fun, high-energy games and exercises, students will learn to embrace spontaneity, trust their creative impulses, and work collaboratively with scene partners.
Key skills covered include:
- Active Listening: Learning to be present in the moment and truly hear and respond to your scene partner's offers.
- "Yes, And...": The foundational principle of accepting information and building upon it to move scenes and stories forward.
- Character and Environment Work: Making bold choices to create believable characters and physical surroundings on the spot, without props or scripts.
- Ensemble Building: Fostering a team mindset where participants support each other, making everyone look good and ensuring a shared success
This class is perfect for seasoned performers looking to sharpen their skills or for anyone who wants to step out of their comfort zone, decrease social anxiety, and just have some fun adult playtime".
Beyond performance skills, adult improv classes offer valuable life benefits:- Improved Public Speaking: By practicing thinking on your feet, you can become a more confident and effective speaker in professional and social settings.
- Enhanced Creativity and Problem Solving: Improv encourages "thinking outside the box" and finding creative solutions in unexpected situations.
- Increased Confidence: The supportive atmosphere helps participants overcome the fear of failure, as mistakes are often treated as gifts or opportunities for humor.
- Better Social Connections: The collaborative nature of classes is a great way to meet new people and build a strong sense of community.
Student perks include:
-Performance in front of a LIVE comedy club audience.
-Free tickets to all Comedy Plex shows during the class session
About your instructor:
Emily Leonard: Emily has been an arts educator since her own youth, and a professional director, performer, and designer in Chicago since 1999. From 2006-2016 she held the position of Director of Outreach at Beverly Arts Center, during which time she oversaw an average of 50-60 visual and performing arts programs a year with 20-30 school partners annually. In her tenure at the Beverly Arts Center Emily also served as the director of the Theater department (2006-2013) and director of the School of the Arts (2010-2013).
Emily has also worked extensively with Chicago Improv Productions, for whom she developed and managed the Teen Comedy Fest, a national high school improv festival which grew to attract over 200 students annually from across the country for two days of study and performances.
Alongside her administrative duties, Emily has always remained active in the classroom, directing 2-3 fully produced amateur musicals a year with casts averaging 60-80 students. She has enjoyed multi-year tenures as a teaching artist with a wide array of Chicago-area arts organizations, including Hubbard Street Dance, Emerald City Theatre Company, Mad Science, Mudlark Theater, ImprovPlayhouse, and Elmhurst Children’s Theatre.
Emily holds a BFA in Directing and a minor in Dance from Ohio University.