The PIT has the best improv and writing classes in New York City, and more class shows than any other comedy theater or school. New York Magazine chose our classes as the "Best Improv Lessons" in the city. To register for classes, call (212) 563-7488 or email the PIT to register. There are a limited number of work-study positions available to students. If you are interested in being considered for work-study forward a resume with your administrative experience and availability to the . A $30 fee will be assessed for checks returned due to insufficient funds or closed accounts. Tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable. All sales are final.
Feeling lost in your career? Want to act, improvise, direct, write, draw, cartoon, sing, dance, edit film, be a doctor, lawyer, Indian chief, but can't decide which? Let the collective power in the group setting of Career Maps help you clarify your career-path based upon your truest calling and gifts. This workshop uses guided meditation and Mind-Mapping techniques to help students discover a clearer purpose for their lives. Map your future!
As part of a new Talent Diversity Initiative, NBC is partnering with The PIT to offer full scholarships to diverse students with strong performance skills to study the craft of improvisation. NBC and The PIT will each sponsor one student for the entire year-long program, from Level 1 through Level 5 (each level is 8 weeks). Students will be expected to attend regularly. More than 2 absences from any level could result in revocation of the scholarship. Scholarship recipients should be located in the New York area and are responsible for their own transportation costs.
Who is Eligible: All performers, particularly talented women and people of color, with a strong desire to study improv.
Submissions are accepted from May 1, 2008-August 1, 2008. Submissions received after August 1 will not be accepted. The scholarships will be awarded by September 1st, and recipients will begin the program in the fall. Students can pick the classes that work best for their schedule. Classes are usually weeknights or weekend days.
Along with your full contact information (address, phone, email), please submit the following:
Send all materials by August 1, 2008 to the following address:
The Peoples Improv Theater (The PIT)
Attn: Katie Goan
154 W. 29th Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10001
Dip your toe into the joyous pool that is improv! Level 0 means 0% fear, 100% fun. This is the perfect place for absolute beginners to get acquainted with the art of longform improvisation. Every week you'll play in a safe and positive class environment, through group exercises and scenework. It's the perfect spoonful of improv, come have a taste! Please note that there is no graduation show for this class.
June 2 to June 23 (4 weeks)
Mondays 7-10pm
Location: Cap21 (18 W. 18th St, 6th fl)
Prerequisite: None
$150
KIMMY GATEWOOD began improvising in 1992 when she discovered she could sell more flowers during intermission of her high school play if she took suggestions from the audience. From there, improv became her life. She studied with Comedy Sportz, the Upright Citizen’s Brigade, Second City, Chicago City Limits, along with countless amazing workshops from amazing instructors. She spent 4 ½ years on the road with Chicago City Limits and has improvised on just about every stage in NYC. Kimmy directs, produces, writes, and edits (Oxygen, Capitol Records, Gawker, Idiots Guide to Jokes, SONY), and performs stand up all over the place (she has opened for Sarah Silverman and Wendy Liebman). Currently, you can see and hear Kimmy in lots of commercials . Kimmy is a partner at Vaguely Qualified Productions where she co-produced/directed the feature documentary film Nerdcore Rising. Also Kimmy plays the part of Cora, in her most favorite show ever, THE APPLE SISTERS. For more info go to www.kimmygatewood.com.
Dip your toe into the joyous pool that is improv! Level 0 means 0% fear, 100% fun. This is the perfect place for absolute beginners to get acquainted with the art of longform improvisation. Every week you'll play in a safe and positive class environment, through group exercises and scenework. It's the perfect spoonful of improv, come have a taste! Please note that there is no graduation show for this class.
May 15 to June 5 (4 weeks)
Thursdays, 6:30-9:30pm
Location: Cap21 (18 W. 18th St, 6th fl)
Prerequisite: None
$150
THIS CLASS IS SOLD OUT. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
JEN NAILS has performed and taught improv and solo performance all over the U.S. and at international festivals in the Netherlands, Scotland, and Zimbabwe. Her directing work has been seen around the country, including NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, and at Harvard, Duke, and Columbia Universities. She has written and researched for the Oxygen Network and SELF Magazine, and is a freelance writer for Nickelodeon. She's currently working toward an MFA in Creative Writing at the New School. Jen's first book, a young adult novel, will be published in the fall of 2008 by Houghton Mifflin. And the most exciting thing of all: she and husband Mike are having a baby this November (well, Jen's having it)! www.jennails.com
This class incorporates movement-based exercises, scene work and group exercises, to explore the primary tenets of improvisation — making you more confident, trusting and graceful on stage. The class emphasizes creating a rich environment for your scenes, committing to your decisions and your scene partner and beginning with the body as inspiration. There will be a final graduation performance at the PIT for friends, family and others.
June 5 to July 24 (8 weeks)
Thursdays 7-10pm
Location: Cap21 (18 W. 18th St, 6th fl)
Prerequisite: None
$325
JAY RHODERICK is a founding member of the long-running longform improvisation ensembles Burn Manhattan and Centralia. Jay has taught improv for 10 years and has studied mask, Commedia dell'Arte, clown, and acting for over 15 years. He has improvised with Jeremy Piven, Kate Walsh, Will Ferrell, Horatio Sanz, Stephen Colbert and others. Centralia has performed throughout the country and recently had its immortal song "Holy Shit" used in Showtime's tv spots. As an actor, Jay took part in the rollicking original NYC Fringe production of Urinetown! Centralia will be performing this Fall at the PIT.
This class incorporates movement-based exercises, scene work and group exercises, to explore the primary tenets of improvisation — making you more confident, trusting and graceful on stage. The class emphasizes creating a rich environment for your scenes, committing to your decisions and your scene partner and beginning with the body as inspiration. There will be a final graduation performance at the PIT for friends, family and others.
May 5 to June 30 (8 weeks, no class May 26)
Mondays, 7-10pm
Location: Cap21 (18 W. 18th St, 6th fl)
Prerequisite: None
$325
THIS CLASS IS SOLD OUT. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
TOM RIDGELY has been improvising for over eight years. He was trained by Charna Halpern and Miles Stroth at IO, Mick Napier at the Annoyance, Amy Poehler at UCB and Ali Farahnakian, Ed Herbstman and Dave Pasquesi at the PIT. At Indiana University he was a four-year member of the original Full Frontal Comedy, which specialized in longform, shortform, and sketch. He performs every Wednesday at 8pm with the PIT house team Big Black Car (2005 ECNY "Best Improv Group; 2006 Chicago Improv Festival). Also at the PIT he has co-hosted the Mosh, appeared regularly in Improdome and was General Manager from 2003-2006. In 2002, he co-founded the experimental theater company Waterwell, with which he uses improv and other tools to devise original adaptations of classic texts.
The best scenes you see or do have you trying to describe them to people who weren't there and failing. There's something ineffable about them, where the humor comes not from any particular line, but from the scene itself. You've probably already done a few that made you feel that way. This class is going to help you create those scenes more regularly. Learn and practice techniques for starting scenes, for enriching them, for finding yourself when you feel lost, and creating characters that are completely unique, not because they're so far from the ordinary, but because they're so honestly yours.
May 27 to July 15 (8 weeks)
Tuesdays, 7-10 pm
Location: Cap21 (18 W. 18th St, 6th fl)
Prerequisite: Level 1
$325
CHRIS CANIGLIA started his improv career in 1987 in Miami, Florida. He's trained with Ali Farahnakian, Ed Herbstman, Armando Diaz, Michael Delaney, Brian Huskey, and Ari Voukydis. He studied acting at the Freehold Theater in Seattle, Washington and Theatrical Biomechanics with Gennadi Bogdanov. Chris can be seen every Wednesday night with his ensemble Big Black Car at the PIT.
This class is an introduction to the art of creating whole improvised pieces. Building on a solid foundation of relationship-based scenework, students will learn to seek out patterns and connections between characters, scenes and ideas. Longform techniques such as initiating and editing, second beats, pacing, tag-outs, walk-ons and group games (to name a few) will help students create entire pieces with richer scenes. In addition, the class introduces the basic history of longform (including the Harold) and expands students' improv vocabulary, allowing them to examine not only individual scenes but entire shows. There will be three final graduation performances at the PIT for friends, family and others.
June 16-August 4 (8 weeks)
Mondays, 7-10 pm
Location: Cap21 (18 W. 18th St, 6th fl)
Prerequisite: Level 2
$325
MATT DONNELLY is well-versed with the many techniques of improv. He has been a teacher and performer for the past 10 years. As a student, he has learned from Mick Napier, Miles Stroth, Charna Halpern, Joe Bill, Amy Poehler, Armando Diaz, Liz Allen, John Cameron Telfer, Michael Delaney, Kevin Mullaney, and many others. Currently you can see Matt with his group Possible Side Effects at the PIT. Or see him perform with Neutrino or Threat at various venues around NYC.
From Scene Work to Piece Work. In this class you will learn to harness your scene skills and allow them to become second nature. You will also be introduced to several forms including Harold, La Ronde, and Deconstruction and perform one of them in your class show. You will also be introduced to terms and skills that will allow you to examine your piece work as closely as you can examine your scene work.
June 17 to August 5 (8 weeks)
Tuesdays, 7-10 pm
Location: Cap21 (18 W. 18th St, 6th fl)
Prerequisite: Level 3
$325
KURT BRAUNOHLER was most recently seen at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal as well as in "Penelope: Princess of Pets" on Superdeluxe.com which he co-created. He has also traveled to the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen with the Neutrino Video Projects, which he helped create, as well as to the Edinburgh Theater Festival in Scotland, and was awarded "Improv Ensemble of the Year" by the Chicago Improv Festival. He co-hosts the variety show, Hot Tub, which was voted "Best New Variety Show" by Time-Out New York's readers poll. His creations include www.chengwin.com, which was voted by the Village Voice as "Best Hilarious Insane Guerilla Theatre". You can see him on various commercials and TV shows, especially on VH1, where he talks about celebritities and on Adult Swim where you can hear his voice on "Assy McGee."
From Scene Work to Piece Work. In this class you will learn to harness your scene skills and allow them to become second nature. You will also be introduced to several forms including Harold, La Ronde, and Deconstruction and perform one of them in your class show. You will also be introduced to terms and skills that will allow you to examine your piece work as closely as you can examine your scene work.
May 13 to July 1 (8 weeks)
Tuesdays, 7-10 pm
Location: Cap21 (18 W. 18th St, 6th fl)
Prerequisite: Level 3
$325
THIS CLASS IS SOLD OUT. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
REBEKKA JOHNSON, best known for her work on the MTV hit show Boiling Points, has performed in various sketch and improv shows across the country, including the Neutrino Video Projects which was an official selection at the 2004 HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. Rebekka has been improvising since 1997. She has learned the art of improv from Miles Stroth, Amy Poehler, Bob Dassie, Michael Delaney, Kevin Mullaney, Andrew Secunda and Matt Donnelly. She has performed in many venues around the city with Arsenal, The Mosaic NYC, and Neutrino. You can currently see her performing with Threat at the PIT.
This class will take everything you have been working on in the world of longform improvisation and bring it together. You'll learn how to cut to the chase and get to what the scene is really about while focusing on listening and reacting and serving the entire piece. Discover how to find all the callbacks and connections in an organic fashion, and cultivating your own personal Improv Samurai. Nothing suffices like the truth, that's where all the funny comes from. There will be a series of 3 graduation performances for friends and family and other PITizens.
April 14-June 9 (8 weeks, no class May 26)
Mondays, 7-10 pm
Location: Pearl Studios. (500 8th Ave, 4th fl)
Prerequisite: Level 4
$325
ALI REZA FARAHNAKIAN (SAG, AEA, WGA, AFTRA) studied extensively with Charna Halpern and Del Close in the 1990s at ImprovOlympic (IO). He was also a founding member of the UCB with whom he helped to create the critically acclaimed show, "Virtual Reality". At The Second City in Chicago he was part of the Jeff-nominated show The Revelation Will Not Be Televised (dir. Jeff Richmond) for which he also received a Jeff nomination for Best Actor in a Revue. His one-man show Word of Mouth was an official selection to the US Comedy Arts Festival 2001 in Aspen. He was a writer on Saturday Night Live during its 25th anniversary season and received a Writers Guild Award nomination. He has worked on The Steppenwolf Mainstage in Chicago and BAM in Brooklyn. Television credits include all the Law and Order's, All My Children, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, 30 ROCK. He has been in many films, 3 of which have gone to Sundance and one went to Cannes. In 2002 he founded The Peoples Improv Theater (aka The PIT). Spread the Word!
Ages 9-12. This class is about fun! The instructor will use theatre games and physical exercises to teach kids the basics of improvisation. Students will be encouraged to use their imaginations as they learn to create characters, build scenes and invent whole worlds without ever using a costume, prop or set piece. Students will also practice teamwork and listening skills to help them work as an ensemble and learn the discipline of performance. The class culminates with a professional graduation show for family and friends at The PIT.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
Rachel Oakes has been an improviser for ten years. She is a graduate of the two-year conservatory program at New Actors Workshop where she studied under Paul Sills and Kathy Hendrickson, among others, and has studied at Upright Citizens Brigade with Sean Conroy. Rachel has worked with various troupes around New York, focusing mostly on her two main groups, Present Elevation and God Freedom Fantastic. In 2005, Rachel became Manager of Improvisation at Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota, FL. As Manager of Improvisation, she taught all levels of adult classes, as well as leading teen and children’s classes and camps. She also acted as a teaching artist in the Write-A-Play program, which conducts in-school workshops, using improvisational tools to teach children about playwriting. While in Florida, Rachel performed weekly with FST IMPROV in the 109-seat Goldstein Cabaret, playing to mostly sold out audiences.
Ages 13-18. This class utilizes theatre games, scene work and group exercises to teach teens the fundamentals of improvisation. Students are offered an overview of different kinds of improvisation, giving them a toolbox of skills. With a focus on building an ensemble, students develop their teamwork and listening skills. They will learn to relax and react on stage while building a scene with depth of relationship, environment and character. They are able to explore and expand their creativity in a safe and respectful environment. The class culminates with a professional graduation show for family and friends at The PIT. Students in this program will have the opportunity to audition for a Teen Improv House Team who will perform weekly at The PIT.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
Rachel Oakes has been an improviser for ten years. She is a graduate of the two-year conservatory program at New Actors Workshop where she studied under Paul Sills and Kathy Hendrickson, among others, and has studied at Upright Citizens Brigade with Sean Conroy. Rachel has worked with various troupes around New York, focusing mostly on her two main groups, Present Elevation and God Freedom Fantastic. In 2005, Rachel became Manager of Improvisation at Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota, FL. As Manager of Improvisation, she taught all levels of adult classes, as well as leading teen and children’s classes and camps. She also acted as a teaching artist in the Write-A-Play program, which conducts in-school workshops, using improvisational tools to teach children about playwriting. While in Florida, Rachel performed weekly with FST IMPROV in the 109-seat Goldstein Cabaret, playing to mostly sold out audiences.
Drawing on Clown and Commedia dell'Arte traditions, as well as Viewpoints and Suzuki-based acting styles, we will break into STRONG physical improvisation. During this 6-hour workshop (with a lunch break) you will ATTACK the space, demolish bland stage pictures, and shred bad habits. You will become comfortable with highly-physical contact improv and scenework that makes moments concrete, immediate and gut-level funny.
One-Day Workshop: Sunday, June 15
12-6 pm
Location: PIT Theater (154 W. 29th St, 2nd Fl)
Prerequisite: Level 3 or equivalent longform experience
$100 (If you sign up for Jay's Big Presence Workshop with this one, you can take both for $150! Call the office at 212-563-7488 to register for this deal)
JAY RHODERICK is a founding member of the long-running longform improvisation ensembles Burn Manhattan and Centralia. Jay has taught improv for 10 years and has studied mask, Commedia dell'Arte, clown, and acting for over 15 years. He has improvised with Jeremy Piven, Kate Walsh, Will Ferrell, Horatio Sanz, Stephen Colbert and others. Centralia has performed throughout the country and recently had its immortal song "Holy Shit" used in Showtime's tv spots. As an actor, Jay took part in the rollicking original NYC Fringe production of Urinetown! Centralia will be performing this Fall at the PIT.
BIG presence and making the longform MOVE. This workshop aims the improviser at being a HUGE yet supportive team player without hesitation. We will focus on monologues, narration, edits, audience connection and ensemble-friendly expansion of the improvisor's acting instrument. Students will create a strong, flowing theatrical tone and emotion-based performance. During this 6-hour workshop (with a lunch break) we will embrace big emotions and not just smart ideas. Be an improvisor whose small moments hold the audience's attention because of your big presence!
One-Day Workshop: Sunday, June 22
12-6 pm
Location: PIT Theater (154 W. 29th St, 2nd Fl)
Prerequisite: Level 3 or equivalent longform experience
$100 (If you sign up for Jay's Unleashing the Physical Workshop with this one, you can take both for $150! Call the office at 212-563-7488 to register for this deal)
JAY RHODERICK is a founding member of the long-running longform improvisation ensembles Burn Manhattan and Centralia. Jay has taught improv for 10 years and has studied mask, Commedia dell'Arte, clown, and acting for over 15 years. He has improvised with Jeremy Piven, Kate Walsh, Will Ferrell, Horatio Sanz, Stephen Colbert and others. Centralia has performed throughout the country and recently had its immortal song "Holy Shit" used in Showtime's tv spots. As an actor, Jay took part in the rollicking original NYC Fringe production of Urinetown! Centralia will be performing this Fall at the PIT.
In this workshop we will work with improvisational techniques and processes to build scenes and monologues, scripted and semi-scripted. We will develop, flesh-out and expand relationships between characters. We will create a show from the work that happens in the workshops — and then perform it in front of an audience.
The workshop meets four times plus a public performance at 78th Street Theatre Lab.
Class Dates:
Thursday 4/10: 6:30-10:30pm
Friday 4/11: 6:30pm-10:30pm
Saturday 4/12: 12-6pm
Sunday 4/13: 12-4pm
Performance on Sunday, April 13 at 7:30pm at 78TH STREET THEATRE LAB
Location: 78th St. Theatre Lab (236 W. 78th St, cross street Broadway)
Prerequisite: None
$300
GARY AUSTIN is the founder and original director of THE GROUNDLINGS, Los Angeles' premier character-based improv company, whose alumni include the late Phil Hartman, Will Ferrell, Lisa Kudrow, Paul Reubens, Jon Lovitz, Jennifer Coolidge, Chris Kattan, Cheryl Hines, Laraine Newman, Kathy Griffin and Julia Sweeney, not to mention GROUNDLING alumni writers, directors and producers who work throughout the world of entertainment.Gary's students also include Oscar winner Helen Hunt, Jennifer Grey, Helen Slater, Oscar nominee Lindsay Crouse, Tony winner Lillias White, the late Pat Morita (Oscar nominee), Maureen McGovern, Melanie Chartoff, Catlin Adams, the late Jack Soo, Donna Summer, Loretta DeVine, Keith David, Ed Begley, Jr., Ryan Seacrest and Q'orianka Kilcher. Gary Austin conducts workshops and develops projects around the USA, and his main venues are New York, Seattle, Washington DC and Los Angeles. Gary was a performing member of San Francisco's famed improv company THE COMMITTEE, where he worked for many years with SECOND CITY's Del Close. Gary has guest-instructed at SECOND CITY in Chicago and New York.
You don't have to be a good singer to create great songs-on-the-spot. (In fact, you really don't have to sing at all.) This class breaks down the fundamentals of songwriting and shows you how to use them to easily compose instant hits. Group games and exercises make for a safe, supportive and fun environment that will have you improvising everything from hip-hop to showtunes before you know it. The term will culminate in a show at The PIT for friends and family. Prior musical and improv training are not required for this course.
April 6 to June 1 (8 weeks, no class May 25)
Sundays 12-3pm
Location: PIT Theater (154 W. 29th St., 2nd floor)
Prerequisite: None
$360
LARRY ROSEN directs Drop Six, voted Second City's "Best of the Fest" at the 2006 Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. He's been teaching improv and sketch comedy in New York and Los Angeles since 1994, most recently through the Second City Training Center. Larry has performed at such venues as The Comedy Store and The Improvisation, and was a founding member of L.A.'s first touring all-song improv troupe, Impromptune. He's produced, performed in and directed regional, cabaret, and children's theater productions throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico since 1978, and recently completed a term as Artistic Director of Artistic New Directions, a New York production company dedicated to the development of new work.
Building on Musical Improv Level 1, this class continues to explore using the fundamentals of songwriting to create musicals on-the-spot. The term will culminate in a class show at The PIT for friends and family.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
LARRY ROSEN directs Drop Six, voted Second City's "Best of the Fest" at the 2006 Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. He's been teaching improv and sketch comedy in New York and Los Angeles since 1994, most recently through the Second City Training Center. Larry has performed at such venues as The Comedy Store and The Improvisation, and was a founding member of L.A.'s first touring all-song improv troupe, Impromptune. He's produced, performed in and directed regional, cabaret, and children's theater productions throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico since 1978, and recently completed a term as Artistic Director of Artistic New Directions, a New York production company dedicated to the development of new work.
Building on concepts introduced in Levels 1 and 2, this class explores the integration of music into various styles of longform improv including Harold, Mosaic, and improvised musical plays. As in previous levels, the class environment is safe and supportive (and fun) and the term will culminate in a show at The PIT for friends and family.
March 30 to May 18 (8 weeks)
Sundays 5-8pm
Location: Ripley-Grier Studios (520 8th Avenue, 16th fl)
Prerequisite: Musical Improv Level 2
$360
LARRY ROSEN directs Drop Six, voted Second City's "Best of the Fest" at the 2006 Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. He's been teaching improv and sketch comedy in New York and Los Angeles since 1994, most recently through the Second City Training Center. Larry has performed at such venues as The Comedy Store and The Improvisation, and was a founding member of L.A.'s first touring all-song improv troupe, Impromptune. He's produced, performed in and directed regional, cabaret, and children's theater productions throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico since 1978, and recently completed a term as Artistic Director of Artistic New Directions, a New York production company dedicated to the development of new work.
This class will explore the fundamentals of improvisation, teaching you to stay in the moment and keep you loose in auditions, performances and readings. This class is intended for actors with night jobs looking to build skills and have a weekly daytime workout. Concentration is less on longform improv performance/humor and more on the actors' necessary skill-set.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
KEVIN SCOTT most recently directed Royal America, a TV Pilot for TVLand network and a series of short films for funnyordie.com. He was a founding member of Chicago's Bang Bang and the legendary Burn Manhattan. He now improvises with Centralia in New York City. Kevin has directed Farahnakian & Flynn, The Royal We, Massholia — The Musical, Pod at Gotham City Improv, Blind Spot, and Minimum Wage (winner of the Fringe Award at the 2002 New York International Fringe Festival). He is also a writer and the director of numerous films including Model Trapper w/Kate Walsh (winner LA Independent Film Festival Audience Choice and Best Actress awards). He has been teaching improvisation for more than a decade, most notably for the world-famous Second City where he was the first director of the New York Revue Showcase. www.kevinscottswebsite.com
This class is ideal for experienced improvisors looking to add a new form to their performance tool belts. Each four-week form blitz will introduce a new form for students to learn and perform. In this session, we will study The La Ronde. In this character-driven long form, performers take on a character in the opening and keep it for the duration of the piece. Students will learn to find and utilize the many layers to their seemingly simple comedic character, learn to cater to their fellow performers' character's comedic strengths while also learning vital form techniques like proper tag outs, staging and content balance, building momentum, and earning ideal blackouts through form climaxing. Students will get one master class performance slot and are free to take and use the piece with their groups. You may register with a group, or as an individual.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
MATT DONNELLY is well-versed with the many techniques of improv. He has been a teacher and performer for the past 10 years. As a student, he has learned from Mick Napier, Miles Stroth, Charna Halpern, Joe Bill, Amy Poehler, Armando Diaz, Liz Allen, John Cameron Telfer, Michael Delaney, Kevin Mullaney, and many others. Currently you can see Matt with his group Possible Side Effects at the PIT. Or see him perform with Neutrino or Threat at various venues around NYC.
This class is ideal for experienced improvisors looking to add a new form to their performance tool belts. Each blitz will introduce a new form for students to learn and perform. In this session, we will cover The Mosaic: a form that is performed in two acts that builds through beats or source scenes, integrated with chapters or mini-forms in between. Patterns are key. Performers will learn how to create and add to interweaving patterns, creating patterns within patterns, and how to be guiltlessly aggressive in the performance of this piece. The history of The Mosaic will also be covered in class.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
MATT DONNELLY is well-versed with the many techniques of improv. He has been a teacher and performer for the past 10 years. As a student, he has learned from Mick Napier, Miles Stroth, Charna Halpern, Joe Bill, Amy Poehler, Armando Diaz, Liz Allen, John Cameron Telfer, Michael Delaney, Kevin Mullaney, and many others. Currently you can see Matt with his group Possible Side Effects at the PIT. Or see him perform with Neutrino or Threat at various venues around NYC.
In this workshop we will use improv techniques to develop, flesh-out and expand relationships between characters and to build scenes, scripted and semi-scripted. Even for the finest actors and improvisers, there are moments where split second choices make all the difference in performance. Learning to be comfortable in those choices is the key. This workshop frees the actor to make choices that work by committing to the unknown, getting out of her head, and being in the present moment. That freedom allows the actor to create more vibrant, real performance in both improvised and written scenes. Please note this workshop is open to new students, or repeat students as a continuation course
August 23 and 24, Saturday and Sunday 11am-3pm
Location: PIT Theater (154 W. 29th St., 2nd Floor)
Prerequisite: None
$150
GARY AUSTIN is the founder and original director of THE GROUNDLINGS, Los Angeles' premier character-based improv company, whose alumni include the late Phil Hartman, Will Ferrell, Lisa Kudrow, Paul Reubens, Jon Lovitz, Jennifer Coolidge, Chris Kattan, Cheryl Hines, Laraine Newman, Kathy Griffin and Julia Sweeney, not to mention GROUNDLING alumni writers, directors and producers who work throughout the world of entertainment.Gary's students also include Oscar winner Helen Hunt, Jennifer Grey, Helen Slater, Oscar nominee Lindsay Crouse, Tony winner Lillias White, the late Pat Morita (Oscar nominee), Maureen McGovern, Melanie Chartoff, Catlin Adams, the late Jack Soo, Donna Summer, Loretta DeVine, Keith David, Ed Begley, Jr., Ryan Seacrest and Q'orianka Kilcher. Gary Austin conducts workshops and develops projects around the USA, and his main venues are New York, Seattle, Washington DC and Los Angeles. Gary was a performing member of San Francisco's famed improv company THE COMMITTEE, where he worked for many years with SECOND CITY's Del Close. Gary has guest-instructed at SECOND CITY in Chicago and New York.
Since the days of the Compass Theater, improvisers have always been intrigued by this combination of the timeless and immediate. This performance workshop will have three parts: we'll start with traditional Elizabethan scene and verse study, and learn some of the tricks to finding the clues Will left us towards pronunciation, pacing, stage direction, and emphasis; We'll also do lots of "regular" improv scenework; and finally we'll combine the two, using Shakespeare's language, themes, and characters to create our own pieces. Workshop performances will progress towards an entire Shakespeare-based longform, and each student will also leave the class with at least one new classical monologue.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
PAT SHAY first got to combine Shakespeare and Improv under the guidance of Del Close. He's since had the good fortune to play in a number of full Shakespearean productions, including as Petruchio in Taming of the Shrew and as Hamlet in Hamlet. He won great reviews and full houses for his solo show: Their Own Words, an evening with Gielgud Burton and Olivier. As an improviser, he was a member of two of ImprovOlympic's longest running house teams: Georgia Pacific and The Pat Shay Dancers, and has taught and coached for over a decade.
This workshop is focused on improving listening skills. You will learn to take your time and "slow it down". The workshop will consist of mostly two-person scenes, while paying attention to the organic scene inherent in any interaction. Students will participate in several exercises that are intended to assist in paying attention.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
DAVID PASQUESI and TJ JAGODOWSKI are both Second City Alumni and have extensive improv experience. The duo is currently running a two-man show in Chicago — and have been for over 4 years.
This ongoing class is open to ALL improvisors, not just PIT students. Each week students will examine and practice different longform fundamentals with improvisors of other backgrounds and levels. From the simplest games to the most advanced exercises, this Saturday class is more fun than a day at the zoo!
Saturdays 3-5pm (ongoing)
Location: PIT Lobby (154 W. 29th St, 2nd fl)
$10 per person per class (cash only) (Since this is an ongoing class, there is no online registration. Simply show up!)
Prerequisite: Improv basics
CHRIS GRIGGS has studied improv with The NY Second City Training Center, The PIT and UCB with veteran teachers such as Ali Farahnakian, Matt Walsh, Ptolemy Slocum, Kevin Scott, Kurt Braunohler, Jack McBrayer and many others. He has performed as an improvisor in Second City's NY Showcase "Stop Spreading the Booze", the independent film "The Best Man", ComedyNet's instructional series "Improv School" and TV's "World Cup Comedy" produced by Kelsey Grammer. Theater highlights include the award winning NYC Fringe Festival production of "SUV The Musical", playing Richard Foreman in "Being Richard Foreman" and "Goebbels! Live from Hell!" which won best play at The NYC Bad Plays Festival. In addition, Chris is a regular standup comedian in NYC and a part of "The Average White Guy" comedy tour. He also performs regularly on The PIT's house team "The Baldwins."
This Master Class will explore advanced improvisation techniques and traditions as well as more experimental angles. We aim to unleash the intuition and pursue smart, highly-physical, environmental play. You will find yourself in an entirely new, strange place where you can unlock new characters and point-of-view, break old habits and improv cliches, abandon fear and embrace your full intelligence! This class is designed for the advanced student or seasoned improviser who wants to hit the next level, professional actors, or students interested in alternative improv approaches. The class will be rooted in good solid acting, honest emotion, and stagework, but we will attack techniques of clowning, mask, Commedia, and surrealist zaniness. We plan on lots of raised eyebrows, belly- laughs, clenched fists, and occasional shrieks.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
JAY RHODERICK is a founding member of the long-running longform improvisation ensembles Burn Manhattan and Centralia. Jay has taught improv for 10 years and has studied mask, Commedia dell'Arte, clown, and acting for over 15 years. He has improvised with Jeremy Piven, Kate Walsh, Will Ferrell, Horatio Sanz, Stephen Colbert and others. Centralia has performed throughout the country and recently had its immortal song "Holy Shit" used in Showtime's tv spots. As an actor, Jay took part in the rollicking original NYC Fringe production of Urinetown! Centralia will be performing this Fall at the PIT.
This Master Class will explore advanced improv techniques designed to "surprise" you and your scene partner into performances free from self-consciousness. Using multiple approaches, you will explore, break rules, and find new ways to improvise. This class is perfect for the advanced student who wants to bring his or her improv to the next level, anyone feeling "stuck" or uninspired with improv, or students interested in alternative improv techniques. There is one graduation show at the end of class.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
KURT BRAUNOHLER was most recently seen at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal as well as in "Penelope: Princess of Pets" on Superdeluxe.com which he co-created. He has also traveled to the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen with the Neutrino Video Projects, which he helped create, as well as to the Edinburgh Theater Festival in Scotland, and was awarded "Improv Ensemble of the Year" by the Chicago Improv Festival. He co-hosts the variety show, Hot Tub, which was voted "Best New Variety Show" by Time-Out New York's readers poll. His creations include www.chengwin.com, which was voted by the Village Voice as "Best Hilarious Insane Guerilla Theatre". You can see him on various commercials and TV shows, especially on VH1, where he talks about celebritities and on Adult Swim where you can hear his voice on "Assy McGee."
Much of life's strife is derived from miscommunication and misunderstanding, often caused by a person's inability to truly listen and react to others. This Saturday morning improv workshop is geared towards parents and their children, ages 9-13. You will have the opportunity to do improv exercises and games that will help bond you and your child in an intangible way. It will introduce you to the vernacular of improvisation which helps facilitate open communication. The workshop will be run by Ali Farahnakian, former SNL writer, alumnus of The Second City in Chicago, and the founder and owner of The PIT.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
ALI REZA FARAHNAKIAN (SAG, AEA, WGA, AFTRA) studied extensively with Charna Halpern and Del Close in the 1990s at ImprovOlympic (IO). He was also a founding member of the UCB with whom he helped to create the critically acclaimed show, "Virtual Reality". At The Second City in Chicago he was part of the Jeff-nominated show The Revelation Will Not Be Televised (dir. Jeff Richmond) for which he also received a Jeff nomination for Best Actor in a Revue. His one-man show Word of Mouth was an official selection to the US Comedy Arts Festival 2001 in Aspen. He was a writer on Saturday Night Live during its 25th anniversary season and received a Writers Guild Award nomination. He has worked on The Steppenwolf Mainstage in Chicago and BAM in Brooklyn. Television credits include all the Law and Order's, All My Children, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, 30 ROCK. He has been in many films, 3 of which have gone to Sundance and one went to Cannes. In 2002 he founded The Peoples Improv Theater (aka The PIT). Spread the Word!
This workshop will help non-native English speakers gain confidence speaking English while exploring the basic rules of Improv. Do you want to speak more eloquently and develop your sense of humor? Then come on over and take a risk. You've already done the hardest thing by deciding to better understand how the American language is spoken. Why not have fun while you’re doing it by using the language of improv to help you get you where you want to go
One-Day Workshop: Tuesday, June 10
7-10pm
Location: Ripley-Grier (520 Eighth Ave, 16th fl)
Prerequisite: None
$75
JENNIFER OSTREGA developed her one woman show, Tower of Babble (Time Out NY Critics Pick) at the PIT. Ostrega received critical acclaim for her comic work at The New York Fringe Festival (directed by Michael Schiralli) and was hailed a "charming young actress commedienne" by New York Magazine. Her plays have appeared at IOWest, UCB, and most recently at the Carolinian Shakespeare Festival. She is proud to have been directed by the late, great improv teachers Del Close and Byrne Piven in Chicago. In New York, she studies acting with Robert McCaskill. Fun gigs have included Acting Coach for Sesame Street and Actress with the 24 Hour Plays. She currently teaches ESL with an improv flair at Columbia University, Pratt Institute, and The School of Visual Arts. Jennifer received her undergraduate training in theater from Rutgers University and a Masters Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Hunter College in 2006.
This is an intro level sketch class, pure and simple, geared towards the student who has never written sketch before, or even a writer who wants a refresher in the basics. Working off the idea that anyone can start writing sketch comedy, you'll learn the formulas that will let you start writing sketch now. You will not need to have pre-existing work to take this class — it will involve practical assignments in individual and team writing. By the end of class, you'll not only have a truckload of sketches, you'll also be prepared to strike out and write great sketch on your own. The class will culminate in a reading of your material by professional comedians.
May 15 to June 26 (6 weeks, no class June 12)
Thursdays, 7-10 pm
Location: Ripley-Grier (520 Eighth Ave, 16th fl)
Prerequisite: None
$360
THIS CLASS IS SOLD OUT. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
ALEXANDER ZALBEN is an award-winning sketch comedian who has performed and taught all over the United States, as part of the sketch group Elephant Larry. He has written for Modern Humorist, Jest Magazine, McSweeneys, and is the co-creator of the comedy website X-Ball Online, which receives over 20,000 visitors per month. His one-act play, All's Swell That Ends, Will, was performed at the Telluride Theatre Festival. He is also the producer of SketchFest NYC, the Big Red Comedy Festival, and the groundbreaking Neutrino Video Projects. His live talk show Comic Book Club has been featured in the New York Times, and at San Diego Comic Con. He currently hosts the online show "The Stack." One time, he took a class with, and then got slapped by, John Cleese.
In this class we will examine sketch forms ranging from traditional forms such as game show sketches, talk show sketches, parodies and character sketches; to the offbeat and absurd sketch forms more typical of Python, The State or Kids In The Hall, as well as a short video script. The class will focus on writing, rewriting and group critique. Each week students will be given a new assignment to present to class. In addition, students will continually rewrite their sketches throughout the session. Also we will have guest speakers. Class culminates in a reading of sketches for family and friends at The PIT.
March 30 to May 4 (6 weeks)
Sundays 12-3pm
Location: The PIT Lobby (154 W. 29th Street, 2nd floor)
Prerequisite: Level 1, or equivalent experience
$360
JOE SCHIAPPA is the director of Pete and Brian's One Man Show which was selected for the 2007 HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. He was also the director of Matt and Ben which was part of the 2003 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. Currently, Joe is one half of the comedy troupe Project:Projekt and can be seen in their show The Million Dollar Idea featuring Matt Higgins. He recently finished a screenplay with Ken Jeong (the upcoming Judd Apatow film Knocked Up). Backstage has called Joe's work "hilarious". Joe is an alumni of The Second City Training Center and has studied with Shira Piven of the Piven Theater. Joe is a graduate of Emerson College where he was a member of the troupe This is Pathetic whose alumni include David Cross and Laura Kightlinger.
In the class we:
Students include working comedians and absolute beginners. We learn about adding dimension to the comic premise, developing beats of action, fleshing out comic characters and playing with end twists. In sessions, we maintain a supportive dynamic between students who collaborate to make one another’s material fresher and funnier, beat by beat.
May 10 to July 12 (8 weeks, no class May 24 or July 5)
Saturdays, 3-6 pm
Location: The PIT Theater (154 W 29th St, 2nd fl)
Prerequisite: Levels 1 and 2, or equivalent experience.
$360
KEVIN ALLISON is a regular on VH1's hit series Best Week Ever and was a writing and performing member of The State, the sketch comedy group best known for The State on MTV, which The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Details called the funniest sketch show on the air. Recent film and TV appearances include Reno 911!: Miami, The Ten, The Next Girl I See and HBO's Flight of the Conchords. Kevin currently leads the sketch group Big Flux, a popular favorite at the PIT. His writing has appeared in The Village Voice, Giant, Premiere and Film Journal International. Kevin has been teaching sketch comedy classes since 2002. He also teaches film classes at NYU.
This workshop will give students the focus and direction they need to take their writing to the professional level. Students will bring in writing samples (any comedy writing: TV, features, essays, novels, sketches, theater, etc.) and, through table readings, constructive feedback, and professional guidance, they will learn how to revise, re-format, and market their writing. Exceptional writing and exciting potential projects may be optioned for Alan Zweibel's production company, Silly Robin Productions, and put into development with a network, studio, or publishing house. In other words, you could sell something.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
ALAN ZWEIBEL An original writer on "Saturday Night Live," Zweibel has won numerous Emmy, Writers Guild and TV Critics awards for his work in television, which also includes "It's Garry Shandling's Show," (which he co-created and executive produced) and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." In films, he co-wrote the screenplays for "Dragnet," "North," and "The Story of Us." In addition, he wrote the popular children's book, Our Tree Named Steve and his Thurber Prize-winning novel, The Other Shulman, from which he read on a recent appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman." Zweibel's humor has appeared in such diverse publications as Esquire, The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Op-Ed page, MAD Magazine, and has been reprinted in numerous comedy anthologies around the world. Zweibel's theatrical contributions include the off-Broadway hit "Bunny Bunny - Gilda Radner: A Sort of Romantic Comedy," which he adapted from his bestselling book, Billy Crystal's Tony Award-winning "700 Sundays" and Martin Short's "Fame Becomes Me." Currently, Zweibel is finishing his next Broadway show to be titled "Sunday Nights at 8:00," is doing several television pilots, including one with Bob Newhart, and his new book – a collection of his short stories and essays titled Clothing Optional – will be published by Random House next fall.
This workshop focuses on developing a sitcom or dramatic series for television. Students will be provided with insider information about the TV business and its top players. They will learn about industry standard treatment format that they can pitch to networks, producers, studios and agents. Students will develop their general idea into a specific concept and chose a format that bests showcases their talent. They will learn to create characters the audience will root for, settings that work best, and develop an outline of an episode (by working in small groups based on the genre/format they are interested in, and also individually).
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
BARBARA GARSHMAN has been in the entertainment business for over twenty years as a writer, developer and producer. As Director of Prime Time Development, East Coast for NBC, she helped develop the mini-series as a new dramatic form adapting 10 best selling novels, movies-of-the-week, sitcoms and dramatic series. As a Consultant for ABC Daytime, she developed writers for the existing soaps and conceived new dramatic forms for daytime television. She is a five- time Emmy nominee for her work as Supervising Producer on the soap opera Guiding Light, on CBS, and has been honored for "her contributions to the Emmy Award-winning Achievement for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team," as an Associate Writer for the same show. Two of her own projects are currently in development. Barbara also runs a successful consulting business for authors, producers and writers, helping them develop their material into saleable projects. In addition to her private workshop clients, she has given workshops for members of the WGAE (Writer's Guild of America, East), PGA (Producer's Guild of America), and NYWIFT (New York Women in Film and Television) on a recurring basis. She received her MA in Theater Arts- TV from UCLA.
This class is all about writing a screenplay that will keep your audience on the edge of it's seat. Whether it's suspense or horror, the viewers have to be engaged and have fun following the twists and turns of your hero's adventure. Focus will be placed on creating a memorable cast, 3 act structure, peaks and valleys, scenework and dialogue. The only prerequisite is having an idea for your script. We will begin by completing a tight outline and then embarking on your first draft. Writers of all levels are welcome. You can look forward to numerous exercises, film clips, and staged readings.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
RANDY PEARLSTEIN has written numerous screenplays including Lions Gate's Cabin Fever and Cabin Fever 2. In addition to writing films, Randy was a regular cast member on the hit series CHAPPELLE'S SHOW and a staff writer on the NBC/Bravo pilot THE LATEST SHOW. Randy studied screenwriting at NYU's film school and has been writing for over 15 years. His other experiences include his work as a stand-up comic and studying directing with Mike Nichols. Randy has been a guest speaker at colleges across North America and at the esteemed Directors Guild of Canada.
Whether you are writing a film, sitcom, or comedic play, the key to engaging your audience is a gripping story. In this class, you will learn to take your basic idea and turn it into a longform plot in whichever style you choose. We will cover the major elements of storytelling including your hero's journey, psychological aspects of your characters, scenes that are embedded with conflict, genre rules and act construction. By the end of the class, you will have a tight and detailed outline that features all the dynamics of a strong dramatic structure.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
RANDY PEARLSTEIN has written numerous screenplays including Lions Gate's Cabin Fever and Cabin Fever 2. In addition to writing films, Randy was a regular cast member on the hit series CHAPPELLE'S SHOW and a staff writer on the NBC/Bravo pilot THE LATEST SHOW. Randy studied screenwriting at NYU's film school and has been writing for over 15 years. His other experiences include his work as a stand-up comic and studying directing with Mike Nichols. Randy has been a guest speaker at colleges across North America and at the esteemed Directors Guild of Canada.
This class is for students who have already taken either Comedic Storytelling OR Writing a Thriller/Horror Script with Randy Pearlstein. Now that an outline is completed, it is time to enjoy writing your first draft. The focus of this class will be on the secondary elements of film structure which can be used to engage and surprise your audiences. There will be additional film clips and lectures, however the majority of our time together will be used for the weekly readings of your work. The more pages you can bring in each week, the more fun we can have acting them out.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
RANDY PEARLSTEIN has written numerous screenplays including Lions Gate's Cabin Fever and Cabin Fever 2. In addition to writing films, Randy was a regular cast member on the hit series CHAPPELLE'S SHOW and a staff writer on the NBC/Bravo pilot THE LATEST SHOW. Randy studied screenwriting at NYU's film school and has been writing for over 15 years. His other experiences include his work as a stand-up comic and studying directing with Mike Nichols. Randy has been a guest speaker at colleges across North America and at the esteemed Directors Guild of Canada.
Just a room full of funny ladies writing comedy. In this class I'll take you through a typical week of writing for SNL: Brainstorming, pitching, outlining, writing, rewriting, and rewriting again. We'll look at different sketch techniques and forms to find the one that works for you. You'll do some solo writing as well as writing with a partner. Please bring in one scene you've written (no longer than 4 minutes) for the first day. It can be any kind of sketch: commercial parody, 2-person scene, monologue, song, Whatever you find funny.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
LIZ CACKOWSKI just finished up writing for Saturday Night Live after three seasons. Prior to that she lived in Chicago and performed on The Second City Mainstage, as well as improvised at Comedy Sportz and Improv Olympic. Her first comedy gig was in Amsterdam at Boom Chicago.
This class is for anyone who has EVER wanted to try their hand at sketch comedy writing but was afraid to make the leap. The class will focus on commercial parodies, one-page sketches and two-person sketches. You will be shown what an SNL-type sketch should look like and how to take your ideas and flush them out into sketches in a very nurturing environment. Class culminates in a reading of sketches for an audience of friends, family and others at the PIT.
Ali's SNL writing class is so valuable for 2 reasons: First, where else in NYC, or the planet for that matter, can you take a sketch writing class taught by someone who has actually written for the show? Just hearing what his packet consisted of and how he got his foot in the door is phenomenal. Secondly, his notes ALWAYS focus on the positive rather than the negative. Even if you bring a crappy or hastily thrown together sketch, he can usually pick out the one funny nugget, concept or idea — even just a single line or joke sometimes — and say, "that's it, that's what your sketch is about... write about that." That right there's worth the price of admission for any writer who wants to get better. And for me personally, when a TV writing opportunity came my way, he took the time after class to read over my submission, give me notes, and wish me luck. Now I'm writing jokes and getting paid for it. Kick ass. — Andrew Goldstein
April 6 to May 18 (6 weeks, no class May 11th)
Sundays, 6-9pm
Location: PIT Lobby (154 W 29th St, 2nd fl)
Prerequisite: None
$400
THIS CLASS IS SOLD OUT. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
ALI REZA FARAHNAKIAN (SAG, AEA, WGA, AFTRA) studied extensively with Charna Halpern and Del Close in the 1990s at ImprovOlympic (IO). He was also a founding member of the UCB with whom he helped to create the critically acclaimed show, "Virtual Reality". At The Second City in Chicago he was part of the Jeff-nominated show The Revelation Will Not Be Televised (dir. Jeff Richmond) for which he also received a Jeff nomination for Best Actor in a Revue. His one-man show Word of Mouth was an official selection to the US Comedy Arts Festival 2001 in Aspen. He was a writer on Saturday Night Live during its 25th anniversary season and received a Writers Guild Award nomination. He has worked on The Steppenwolf Mainstage in Chicago and BAM in Brooklyn. Television credits include all the Law and Order's, All My Children, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, 30 ROCK. He has been in many films, 3 of which have gone to Sundance and one went to Cannes. In 2002 he founded The Peoples Improv Theater (aka The PIT). Spread the Word!
Writing for Blue Man Group (BMG) is a 4-session course that will give students an insider’s view of the Blue Man character and the creative process at the heart of BMG’s success. After learning about the 6 archetypes that make up the enigmatic, bald and blue character, students will be asked to apply these ideas to create new BM material (which could be considered for a BM production). The class will be led by accomplished members of BMG’s creative team and will give students a rare glimpse into the inner workings of this hugely successful and worldwide creative organization. Students will attend a performance of Blue Man Group during the first class (no additional fee, ticket is included in the cost of the class).
April 29 to May 20 (4 weeks)
Tuesdays 7-10pm (First class on April 29 will be 6:30-11pm and will include attending a performance of Blue Man Group)
Location: Blue Man Group Offices (411 Lafayette St., 3rd floor)
$250
Blue Man Group is a creative organization dedicated to creating exciting and innovative work in a wide variety of media. Blue Man Group is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows and concerts which combine music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. The blissful party atmosphere created at their live events has become the trademark of a Blue Man Group experience. Currently, their live stage shows can be seen in New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Berlin, Oberhausen, and Orlando.
In this class you will take your first major steps towards writing a feature length comedy script. You will start by learning the basic concepts of writing a screenplay: three act structure, the elements of narrative storytelling, and character development. We will discuss and dissect the different types of comedy genres: romantic comedy, screwball, gross-out, ensemble, absurdist, and more. The class will focus mainly on the outline, which is an essential and invaluable part of the screen writing process. Writing the outline is an adventurous and creative process that incorporates all the elements of a finished script. By the end of the course, the goal is for you to have completed a 5 page outline of your movie. (In addition to written exercises, and group discussions, we will have several guest speakers during the course of the class.)
May 20 to June 24 (6 weeks)
Tuesdays 7-9pm
Location: Cap21 (18 W. 18th St, 6th fl)
$400
THIS CLASS IS SOLD OUT. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
MICHAEL SHOWALTER wrote and directed the romantic comedy The Baxter (IFC Films). The Baxter premiered at The Tribeca Film Festival, was released nationwide in the summer of 2005 and is now available on DVD. He co-wrote and co-produced the cult film, Wet Hot American Summer (USA Films) which premiered at Sundance in 2001. Wet Hot American Summer is one of the films featured in Bravo's upcoming special The 100 Funniest Movies Of All-Time. Michael was a founding member of the MTV sketch troupe The State. He is also one-third of the sketch trio Stella which just finished its first season on Comedy Central and was named by Entertainment Weekly as one of the "Ten Best TV Shows Of 2005."
This class will teach students how to write for sitcoms like Everybody Loves Raymond and Entourage. Through entertaining instruction, writing assignments, real-life (well, real-TV) examples, and feedback, students will learn to construct stories, scenes and dialogue that work. At the end of the course, students will have a working spec script.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
SARIT CATZ has been a writer/producer on numerous TV series including Coach, Full House, Soul Man, Talk to Me, The Crew, Cafe Americain, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and others. She created two original series, Girls' Night for UPN and Click for Big Ticket Television, a division of Spelling Entertainment. In the feature film arena, Sarit wrote and sold options on two original screenplays currently being marketed to studios by producers. She has won three Writers' Guild of America Awards as well as being named a semi-finalist in the ScriptapaloozaTV screenwriting contest. As a stand-up comic, Sarit has played top comedy clubs including The Comic Strip, Stand-Up New York, Gotham Comedy Club, The Improv, and many others. Sarit's radio comedy aired in every market in the nation when she created, wrote, and produced three award-winning comedy services for ABC Radio Networks. Sarit's website
This course is geared towards the aspiring humor essayist or the comedic non-fiction writer; the one who finds him/herself thinking: "this story is HILARIOUS when I tell it to my friends, but when I try and write it down, it just falls flat." This class will answer that question of how to make your funniest stories sparkle on the page just as they do in life with attention to the elements inherent in all good story-telling: character, dialogue, structure, p.o.v., description, etc. We'll discuss how to establish a strong comedic voice, how to gear those basic elements of story-telling towards the funny, how to go about landing an agent and/or an editor — what they look for, what they avoid, and what sells and what doesn't. Please note this class is focused on comedy written for the page, not for performance.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
SARA BARRON is the author of the forthcoming essay collection People Are Unappealing (Random House, 2008) and her non-fiction piece "The Monologist" will appear in the forthcoming anthology Have I Got A Guy For You: an Anthology of Bad Blind Date Horror Stories Coordinated By Our Mothers (Adams Media, 2008). She has published humor and non-fiction in the anthology Mortified: the Big Book of Angst (Simon Spotlight, 2006) and on-line in Mr. Beller's Neighborhood. As a performer, her solo shows have appeared at various colleges across the country, as well as at the HBO Comedy Festival, the UNO Festival for Solo Performance, and The PIT. Barron is a host and three-time winner at The Moth: Urban Storytelling. She teaches Humor Writing at Gotham Writers Workshop and holds a BFA from NYU.
This class will teach you how to write for comedy/variety/talk shows like The Late Show with David Letterman and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Through easy-to-understand instruction, writing exercises and constructive feedback you'll learn how to craft monologue jokes, desk pieces, sketches, reality-based comedy segments and more. This class will give you all the tools you need to put together a strong submission packet for the comedy/variety/talk show of your choice. You'll also pick up skills you can put to work in writing for game shows, reality shows and other formats.
May 7 to June 11 (6 weeks)
Wednesdays 7-10pm
Location: Ripley-Grier (520 Eighth Ave, 16th fl)
$360
THIS CLASS IS SOLD OUT. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
JOE TOPLYN (WGA, AFTRA) has written and produced television comedy for over fifteen years. A former editor of the Harvard Lampoon, he wrote for Late Night with David Letterman, winning four Primetime Emmy Awards. He went on to become co-head writer of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, head writer of The Late Show with David Letterman, and head writer of The Caroline Rhea Show. His other writing credits include staff positions on In Living Color and on the situation comedies Doctor, Doctor, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Scorch, and Charlie Hoover. He also wrote and produced sitcom and comedy/variety pilots for Fox, Columbia, the USA Network, Comedy Central, and Paramount. In addition to his Emmys, Joe is honored to have received over a dozen Emmy nominations and three Writers Guild Award nominations. Joe is currently on the writing staff of the hit USA Network show Monk.
This workshop will focus on creating a viable and attention-grabbing submission packet for The Late Show with David Letterman. For people who have thought about writing for Letterman, this is a chance to find out what it takes to actually get the job. Students will learn to write topical, original, and well-balanced packet material — developing their comedic judgment and ear as they go. The focus will be on the Top Ten list, the comedic signature and cornerstone of the show, with some time spent working on the development of other kinds of Late Show-appropriate material.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
SAM SALTZ (WGA) was working as a paralegal when he wrote his first comedy packet — a submission for The Late Show with David Letterman. Three months later he was staffed on the show, where he worked during their Emmy-nominated 2005 season. Sam is now a freelance writer, credits include comedy and sketch material for VH1, MTV Books and Fuse TV and the co-creator of Test Tracks, hip hop that uses mnemonic devices and humor to improve academic performance. He is currently developing a pilot of sketch-based, hip hop infused, comedy.
The goal of the course is to help hone your comedy writing skills, but more specifically, to help you create a writing submission for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. You will learn how the writing staff of the show goes about their day - from deciding which stories we choose for the opening "headlines" segment, to writing "chats" and other in-studio materials for correspondents. Material will be submitted weekly and personally reviewed by the instructor. In the end, your new skills will be put to use as you write your own submission for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Though actually getting hired is admittedly a long shot, your work will be read by the producer whose job it is to review submissions.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
J.R. HAVLAN has been a writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart since the first day of production on June 3, 1996. He began his career as a stand-up comic and has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and numerous other programs that are barely worth mentioning but paid scale and sometimes airfare. In 1993, J.R. began doing crowd warm-up for "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher" and was soon being paid an additional weekly stipend to write monologue jokes for the show. That experience helped him land a job with The Daily Show for which he has won three Emmy Awards. Mr. Havlan currently lives in Manhattan with roughly 1,537,194 other people, according to the 2000 census.
"Mean what you say, and say what you mean" are words to live by. (Unless you want to write for Comedy Central's The Colbert Report or a host of other satirical shows!) This class will teach students to structure thoughtful, well-reasoned arguments without meaning a word of it. Students will learn how to write for untrustworthy narrators and characters whose worldview is radically different from their own. By the end of six weeks, the class will be creating pieces reminiscent of Swift's "A Modest Proposal," Pope's "Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot," and Colbert's "Threat #1: Bears." Students will also learn all the elements to create a writing packet for The Colbert Report from a man who has read a lot of writing packets for The Colbert Report.
Dates of next session TBA. Please email the PIT to be put on the waiting list for the next class session.
TOM PURCELL is currently the head writer (supervising producer) for The Colbert Report. Before that, Tom worked as a writer on sitcoms like Cosby, and Grounded for Life. Tom began his career as a performer. Highlights include the National Touring Company of the Second City and a commercial for racial equality he did while in kindergarten.
In this 8-week class, students will learn how to write, produce and edit effective comedic viral videos, discuss what the current market is like for distributing your work, learn how to capitalize financially and professionally on going viral, and learn how to develop a "brand" for your company. Students will write short sketches, analyze/sharpen them in class, and shoot/star in/edit the videos that have the greatest chance of going viral. Students will then build a comedic brand, distribute the completed sketches on the internet, and track the videos' success. This class will culminate in a screening of your videos for friends and family at the PIT. Videos from the most recent session of this class (such as "Cooties") have generated millions of plays on YouTube, MySpace, and Yahoo!, been featured on television and radio, screened for NBC Casting execs, and several videos have been licensed to MTV Networks. In addition, the Viral Video class is currently being developed as a docu-series targeted for a major cable network, meaning even greater exposure for your work.
April 5 to May 17 (8 sessions/7 weeks, May 17 class will be 9am-3pm)
Saturdays, 12-3pm
Location: PIT Lobby (154 W. 29th St, 2nd fl)
$400
JAMES MURRAY is a television producer and writer, and has produced shows for ABC, Spike TV, A&E and Buena Vista Television. He is currently executive producing The Tenderloins Comedy Show for Spike TV. The show is based on James’ sketch troupe, The Tenderloins, who have generated millions of plays of their videos online, and are regularly featured on the homepages of YouTube, MySpace, Yahoo!, Metacafe, Veoh, CollegeHumor, and more. In addition, they actively license their viral videos to interested media companies. James also executive produced and created the A&E comedy tv pilot, I Never Said That starring Tim Meadows. The hidden-camera show is based on James' show Criss-Cross, which premiered at the New York Television Festival. The show marks the first sale of an independent pilot from the NYTVF. In addition to developing and pitching new shows to networks, James has also taught long-form improvisation in New York City for the past seven years.
Feeling lost in your career? Want to act, improvise, direct, write, draw, cartoon, sing, dance, edit film, be a doctor, lawyer, Indian chief, but can't decide which? Would you like to move through a difficult set of actions that you know you need to take? Do you feel like your own fears of the unknown are keeping you back in your career? Are you afraid of success? Let the collective power in the group setting of Career Maps help you clarify your career-path based upon your truest calling and gifts. Whether you're multi-talented and can't decide which way to go, or not sure what your real gifts are, Career Maps is for you. This workshop uses guided meditation and Mind-Mapping techniques to help students discover a clearer purpose for their lives. Borrowing from I Could Do Whatever I Wanted If I Only Knew What That Was by Barbara Sher, Mind Mapping by Anthony Buzan, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra, The New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, The Tao Te Ching by Lao-Tzu, and more… you'll learn powerful tools for identifying unseen blockages and rejoining the infinite flow of synchronicity and abundance.
One-Day Workshop: Sunday, May 18
11:30am-3pm (3.5 hours)
Location: Ripley-Grier (520 Eighth Ave, 16th fl)
$75
DION FLYNN holds an MFA in acting from NYU's Grad acting program. He's performed improv with the Second City Revue in NYC and lent writing and on-camera commentary to VH1’s Best Week Ever, Cheesetastic Video Tricks and Super Secret TV Formulas. He voices radio, television and internet content. He co-starred in Fox sketch-comedy pilot Loose Camera with Jimmy Fallon, Logo's The Big Gay Sketch Show and appeared in the film Under Heat. You may have seen him in national commercials for Sprint and Virgin Mobile. He's was half the improv team of Farahnakian and Flynn at The PIT with Ali Farahnakian. Dion has acted at The Public, The Guthrie and in Shakespeare in the Park. He's performed stand-up around NYC and Korea. He's served as an improv teacher, an art therapist, a corporate improv trainer, a soldier and as singer/songwriter for the rock bands Empire and Sonhouse. Currently he is a spiritual guide, actor and writer completing his memoir: The Only Brown Kid In The Trailer Park.
Take a tour of the funniest comedy ever made--and try out classic routines yourself! This course is for writers or performers and it takes an in-depth look at the techniques and formulas of the greatest American comedians up to WWII. We'll watch Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, Fields, Burns & Allen, Benny, The Marx Brothers, The Three Stooges and Abbott & Costello. We'll look at interviews, analysis and most importantly, the comedies themselves. We'll dissect how the masters created inciting incidents, raised the stakes, twisted premises and used comedic archetypes. We'll uncover the ways they developed their gags and scripts. What did they consider their artistic missteps? What advice did they follow for constructing a gag or doing physical schtick? How can writers and actors apply their smarts today? There will be guest speakers over the course of the class, and at the end of each session, students will be given scripts and direction for putting classic routines on their feet to get a feel for the nuances of making the classics come to life.
May 31- July 12(6 weeks, no class July 5)
Saturdays, 12-3 pm
Location: The PIT Theater (154 W 29th St, 2nd fl)
Prerequisite: None
$300
KEVIN ALLISON is a regular on VH1's hit series Best Week Ever and was a writing and performing member of The State, the sketch comedy group best known for The State on MTV, which The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Details called the funniest sketch show on the air. Recent film and TV appearances include Reno 911!: Miami, The Ten, The Next Girl I See and HBO's Flight of the Conchords. Kevin currently leads the sketch group Big Flux, a popular favorite at the PIT. His writing has appeared in The Village Voice, Giant, Premiere and Film Journal International. Kevin has been teaching sketch comedy classes since 2002. He also teaches film classes at NYU.
For those who have ever felt compelled to write and perform solo material, do it! You will explore different techniques for developing clean, honest characters and full, detailed stories. Emphasis will be placed on gaining confidence while on stage alone as well as on writing freely, without editing yourself. We will work toward structuring your material into a solid 6–8 minute piece. The class will culminate in a performance of your work at the PIT.
July 1 to August 19 (8 weeks)
Tuesdays, 6:30-9:30pm
Location: Cap 21 (18 W. 18th St, 6th fl)
$360
JEN NAILS has performed and taught improv and solo performance all over the U.S. and at international festivals in the Netherlands, Scotland, and Zimbabwe. Her directing work has been seen around the country, including NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, and at Harvard, Duke, and Columbia Universities. She has written and researched for the Oxygen Network and SELF Magazine, and is a freelance writer for Nickelodeon. She's currently working toward an MFA in Creative Writing at the New School. Jen's first book, a young adult novel, will be published in the fall of 2008 by Houghton Mifflin. And the most exciting thing of all: she and husband Mike are having a baby this November (well, Jen's having it)! www.jennails.com
This course is custom designed for those who have just performed a solo show for the first time, who are preparing to perform one for the first time, or those who are beginning to put their body of material together into a solo show. We'll focus on themes, arc, structure, story, and performance. We'll also touch on producing your own work, in true Do It Yourself spirit. At the end of the session, participants will perform a 10 minute segment in a class show at the PIT. In ADDITION to the class show, all DIY2 students are guaranteed one 30-minute slot at the PIT to workshop their whole solo piece. These 30-minute shows will happen approximately one month after the final DIY2 scheduled class. DIY2 is for those who are serious about following through and DOING IT! Please email Jen Nails at jenmnails@gmail.com for eligibility information.
July 2 to August 20 (8 weeks)
Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30pm
Location: Cap 21 (18 W. 18th St, 6th fl)
$360
JEN NAILS has performed and taught improv and solo performance all over the U.S. and at international festivals in the Netherlands, Scotland, and Zimbabwe. Her directing work has been seen around the country, including NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, and at Harvard, Duke, and Columbia Universities. She has written and researched for the Oxygen Network and SELF Magazine, and is a freelance writer for Nickelodeon. She's currently working toward an MFA in Creative Writing at the New School. Jen's first book, a young adult novel, will be published in the fall of 2008 by Houghton Mifflin. And the most exciting thing of all: she and husband Mike are having a baby this November (well, Jen's having it)! www.jennails.com
So you've produced and performed your solo show. Congratulations! You know what works, and you know what you want to change. Bring your material to this 8-week DIY workshop for in-depth feedback and support. Strong focus is placed on finding/creating the structure of the piece, identifying and heightening themes, and answering these questions: Why are you doing this show? Who are you talking to? What would you like the audience to take away? Class ends with a class performance, showcasing an excerpt of your work. Also, the PIT will schedule your full show for one performance at the theater approximately one month after the last class session. Please email Jen Nails at jenmnails@gmail.com for eligibility information.
July 3 to August 21 (8 weeks)
Thursdays, 6:30-9:30pm
Location: Cap 21 (18 W. 18th St, 6th fl)
$400