Workshops

The Kansas City Improv Festival is proud to announce two mind-blowing days of workshops from revered directors. No matter your skill level – from man off the street to total improv geek (you know who you are) – we have a class for you.

  • Beginner level: 0 - 2 years improvising
  • Intermediate level: 3 - 5 years improvising
  • Advanced level: 6+ years improvising

Workshops will be held at two venues:

The Living Room
1818 McGee
Kansas City, MO 64108

Off Center Theatre in Crown Center
2450 Grand Blvd
Kansas City, MO 64108

To sign up for workshops, fill out the Workshop Registration form HERE. Once you've got your registration fee total, please use PayPal to make your workshop payment to festival@kcimprov.com. YOUR REGISTRATION IS NOT COMPLETE UNTIL WE'VE RECEIVED YOUR PAYMENT. Classes are open to participants 15 years of age and older.

Our instructors

Weekend workshop pricing:

  • 1 class - $40
  • 2 classes - $70
  • 3 classes - $100
  • 4 classes - $125

Second weekend - NOTE TIME CHANGES (9/17/11):

Playing The Game of The Scene & The Scene of The Game (10:00am - 12:30pm: Intermediate & Advanced)

Joe Bill:


In this workshop we'll bring to light the deeper scenic opportunity for character development and connection while playing the game dialogue of the scene. What's THAT mean? It's tending to your scenic chops as you tend to your game chops. It means it's not that you play the game, it's how your character plays it. Come, wear it like a veil, with power.


Bold Beginnings (10:00am - 12:30pm: All levels)

Mark Sutton:


This workshop will give you tools to begin your scenes with power and decisiveness. You will practice being able to identify the magic of your creations and playing it, being proactive and trusting your instincts. You will leave with a stronger presence and great confidence in your own choices.


Acting for Improvisors (10:00am - 12:30pm: All levels)

Stephen Ruddy


This workshop is a crash course in stagecraft and acting technique for the improvisor. It also develops the essential acting and improv skill of being "in the moment". We will apply these skills to grounded, fun, improv scenework, using the Gravid Water techniques. This class will benefit anyone looking to become a more dynamic, confident, powerful performer on stage. Also, it is fun.


Your Power Improv Toolkit (1:30pm - 4:00pm: All Levels)

Joe Bill:


Power Improv is an approach to scenic improvisation based in playing characters from a place of grounded emotional strength, focus and self support. The aim is to proactively support and listen to your scene partner, forward relationships & play the game of the scene, all with greater depth of character. I'll show you that knowing "how" you are is knowing "who" you are in a scene.

We'll work with Power Improv tips for character & scene, playing the game of the scene with depth & dynamic, plus I promise to address specifically anything that's screwin' with your head, where your Improvising is concerned and offer options for more powerful & fertile grounding in your work.


The Awesome Power of Commitment (1:30pm - 4:00pm: Advanced)

Mark Sutton:


Want to dig deeper, be more grounded, connect more, explore more, heighten more? Then you HAVE TO COMMIT MORE!! This workshop will show you how freeing total commitment to choice can be. You will go where you don't want to go and see how great it is to play there. You will leave more vulnerable and invincible than ever before. Vulnerable and invincible? Sounds weird…really works.