IO WEST TRAINING CENTER
The goal of iO West’s Training Center is to introduce performers to longform improvisation through iO’s signature form, The Harold.
Each level of iO West’s Improv Training program is designed to build upon the previous level of study, including the class performances. BEGINNING SCENEWORK classes are open to all students, no audition is required. To enroll in subsequent levels, students must have completed the previous level(s) within one year prior to enrollment.
Click here to REGISTER for all classes that currently have space
Our current schedule can be viewed HERE.
Please click here to read our policies regarding enrollment.
Please click here for more information about our course curriculum.
IMPROV TRAINING CENTER:
(7 weeks, classes are 3 1/2 hours)
Beginning Scenework – Level 1 – $350
Monday 7-10:30pm (Begins 7/26) – Dave Razowsky (L) SOLD OUT
Tuesday 3-6:30pm (Begins 7/27) – Dave Hill (L)
Thursday 7-10:30pm (Begins 7/29) – Megan Grano (S2)
Register for Beginning Scenework – Level 1
Intermediate Scene Work – Level 2 – $350
Tuesday 7-10:30pm (Begins 7/27) – Scott Robinson (L)
Wednesday 7-10:30pm (Begins 7/28) – David Razowsky (L) SOLD OUT
Saturday 11:30am-3pm (Begins 7/31) – Megan Grano (L)SOLD OUT
Ensemble Scene Work – Level 3 – $350
Monday 7-10:30pm (Begins 7/26) – Marion Austin Oberle (S2) SOLD OUT
Saturday 3-6:30pm (Begins 7/31) – Shulie Cowen (DCT)
Advanced Scene Work – Level 4 – $350
Monday 7-10:30pm (Begins 7/26) – Craig Cackowski (DCT)SOLD OUT
Wednesday 7-10:30pm (Begins 7/28) – Craig Cackowski (DCT)SOLD OUT
Sunday 11:30am-3pm (Begins 8/01) – Craig Cackowski (DCT)
Harold – Level 5 – $350
Thursday 7-10:30pm (Begins 7/29) – Brandon Sornberger (L) SOLD OUT
Saturday 11:30am-3pm (Begins 7/31) – Brandon Sornberger (MS)
Intermediate Forms – Level 6 – $350
Thursday 7-10:30pm (Begins 7/29) – Bridget Kloss (DCT)SOLD OUT
Saturday 11:30am-3pm (Begins 7/31) – Molly Erdman (DCT)SOLD OUT
Advanced Harold – Level 7 – $350
Tuesday 7-10:30pm (Begins 7/27) – Aaron Krebs (DCT)
WRITING CLASSES:
Talk Show Writing (7 weeks) – $350
The GOAL of this class is a four-page, state-of-the-art talk show portfolio suitable for submission to both literary agents and TV producers alike—and to that end the student has complete access to all that The Comedy Lab and The iO West has to offer, including the performance of his or her material live on stage every Sunday night in what’s called The Comedy Lab Live.
Sunday 11:30-3pm (Begins 8/01) – Michael McCarthy (S2)
Register for Talk Show Writing
SNL Sketch Packet (7 weeks) – $350
The GOAL of this class is an SNL sketch packet, comprised of at least eight separate sketches, suitable for submission to literary agents, TV producers as well as SNL itself—and to that end the student has complete access to all that The Comedy Lab and The iO West has to offer, including the performance of his or her material by The Comedy Lab Players (a rotating cast of 15 talented sketch actors), every Sunday night during ‘The Comedy Lab Live.’
Sunday 3-6:30pm (Begins 8/01) – Michael McCarthy (S2)
Register for SNL Sketch Packet
Comedy Writers Room (7 weeks) – $350
Students will undergo an intensive seven-week course, learning structure, joke-writing, writing to act breaks, and everything else agents, managers, and executives look for in spec scripts…all in an environment that closely emulates a professional comedy writers’ room. At the end of the session, the entire class will have taken part in writing one polished, punched-up script of an existing show, and each student will develop the skills necessary to thrive in a writers’ room and continue writing better scripts on his or her own.
Sunday 3-6:30pm (Begins 8/08) – Ed Lee (WR)
Register for Comedy Writers Room
WORKSHOPS:
JUST THE FACTS: Advanced Scene Work Fundamentals (3 weeks) – $160
Do you find yourself lost in improv scenes? Not sure what pieces of information are important and which ones aren’t? Tired of ending your scenes grasping for anything and leaving scenes feeling like they were about nothing? “Just the Facts” will help you develop the ability to zero in on what is most important in your scenes so that you can get to the fun that is possible at the beginning of each scene.
Sunday 12-3pm (Begins 8/08) – Dave Hill (L)
Back on the Fun Ride Workshop (1 day) – $30
If your improv’s getting stale or you’re standing on the sidelines waiting for your clever retort or you’re become bored and you’re sucking the life joy out of your work and your friends’ lives or you just want to have far more fun than you’re having, this workshop is for you. Three hours that will zoom by in a blink and you’ll come out recharged with powerful new tools that will make you get off and your friends will find you more brilliant and your life will get better. Ok? Ok.
Tuesday 11am-2pm (Begins 8/03) – Susan Messing (DCT)SOLD OUT
Register for Back on the Fun Ride Workshop
Screenwriting Workshop (4 weeks) – $275
This workshop gives writers the tools you need to write a screenplay and also address some of the common pitfalls, mistakes, and miscalculations that writers make. Many great ideas never make it because the writer didn’t have a grasp on the basics of cinematic story telling and the art of screenwriting. Learn how to tell your story in just four weeks!
Monday 7-10pm (Begins 9/13) -John Hindman (WR)
KID’S CLASSES:
Kids Class (8 weeks) – $300
The Children’s classes will explore the concepts of improvisation; agreement, making strong choices, supporting your partner, exploring pattern, and heightening. Using short-form improv games and scene work we will gradually work our way to the Harold: IO’s signature long-form based on a single suggestion.
There will be a performance on October 10th at 2pm.
Sunday 11:30am-2pm (Begins 8/15) Bridget Kloss (DCT)
Teens Class (8 weeks) – $300
The Children’s classes will explore the concepts of improvisation; agreement, making strong choices, supporting your partner, exploring pattern, and heightening. Using short-form improv games and scene work we will gradually work our way to the Harold: IO’s signature long-form based on a single suggestion.
There will be 4 performances for the teens on 9/19, 9/26, 10/3 and 10/10 at 5:30pm.
Sunday 3-5:30pm (Begins 8/15) Bridget Kloss (DCT)
(L) = The Loft (Enter on Cosmo St, Upstairs)
(DCT) = Del Close Theatre (Enter Cosmo St.)
(S2) = Studio 2 Classroom (Enter Cosmo St.)
(MS) = Mainstage (Enter Hollywood Blvd.)
INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR CLASSES
iO West’s internship program allows students to work at the theatre in exchange for improv classes.
If you are interested in an internship, please fill out an application and return to the iO West Office or Box Office.
Applications can also be emailed to james@ioimprov.com .
To download the Internship application Click Here
Internships are only available to currently enrolled students. Please call the Training Center with any additional questions!