Develop creative writing and performance skills while discovering your inner comedic genius!
Do you need to register for the teacher interaction component? CLICK HERE
If you need to arrange times for classes and private coaching sessions EMAIL HERE
ONLINE COMEDY CLASS: Introduction
START by watching our introduction video. Also start keeping a journal of your comedy writing and performance process. We will have a series of worksheets and study guides but keeping everything in one composition book makes it harder to lose your work.
OUR RULE #1 HAVE FUN!!! (but never at another’s expense!)
HOMEWORK
- Observe your world. EVERYTHING you need to be a comic is right in front of you. Material for stand-up comedy is everywhere. (As you will learn in the next section)
- Journal what you observe. Also Journal EVERYTHING you experience as you prepare and perform you comedy routines. Be honest but don’t tear yourself apart. Be objective. What works? What fails? The good, The bad AND the ugly.
- SMILE – start every day with a smile. (SEE VIDEO ABOVE FOR MORE DETAILS on making you life a better place to live)
HOW THIS COURSE WORKS
Journals & Writing Prompts
Every step of this class includes a series of writing prompts to help your journaling process. We hope you have started a journal at this point. When you start each new step of this process, print out the worksheet and have it handy. ANY TIME you get an idea, write it down in your journal.
Online Videos
We have produced a video you should watch. This video replaces 10-15 minutes of babbling the teacher would offer at out public classes. Suffer through each video, even if a returning student.
ZOOM Classrooms
These sessions serve as a mock stand-up comedy open mic. Each student will get 2-3 minutes to share. We offer minimal feedback in these sessions. As time permits we will discuss comedy, perhaps play an improv game or two and more (Sketch Comedy, Getting stage time, performing live, performing for on camera etc).
Treat these sessions like a live show. bring your BEST every time. Focus. Set the webcam up to show yourself off.
ZOOM allows you to RECORD your work. When you log in, the screen will look like a grid – usually like the Brady Bunch or Hollywood Squares if there are nine people on the video chat. You can set your block to SPOTLIGHT VIDEO. Click RECORD (to computer for most) and you will get a decent copy of your performance. Our teacher move you to SPOTLIGHT view to best watch your work when it is your turn. In the upper right quadrant, you will find the button GALLERY VIEW to return to seeing all of the class at once. We record you in a similar way so we can review your work.
ZOOM Private coaching
After each session, our teacher will meet with you to discuss your routines and how to make them better for the next round. Have you journal ready. take notes.
A quick note about taking notes: Be open to criticism. THAT WAS GREAT teaches you nothing. We want to pick apart our work so we can make it better. You may disagree with the instructor. No problem. ALL notes are just as subjective as comedy tends to be.
However don’t dismiss any note outright. If the teacher finds an issue, and you don’t like their solution/suggestions, realize – at least – that we are at odds with the routine. Look for a better way to fix the moment that suits you.
Walf Frasier says you can ignore EVERYTHING he says if you make it funnier with your own suggestion, but at least consider every note.
New York Improv Theater 