Intro to Improv – The Art of Play
(4 Weeks + Performance Showcase!)
Maybe you’ve seen an improv comedy show like Whose Line is It Anyway and thought, “Wow! That looks like fun!” Guess what? You are right! Improv is the most fun you can have as a grown up. But why is that?
Well, even though it ends up being really funny when we do it, improv is just playing pretend with your friends. The same way we did as young kids! Using a series of time-tested acting exercises and hilarious improv games, we’ll be reengaging the muscles that helped us back on the playground – namely positivity, risk taking, active listening, and spontaneity!
Whether you want to perform or you just want to laugh harder than you have in decades, this class is for you!
Class Dates:
Monday, September 23 – 7:00-9:00 PM
Monday, September 30 – 7:00-9:00 PM
Monday, October 7 – 7:00-9:00 PM
Monday, October 14 – 7:00-9:00 PM
Monday, October 21 – 7:00-9:00 PM
Meet the Instructor!
MICHAEL JASTROCH is a comedic actor, writer, improv instructor, and recent transplant who was formerly based out of Austin, TX,
As one of the founders of ColdTowne Theater and a member of the seminal Texas improv groups ColdTowne and the Frank Mills, Michael was instrumental in the explosive growth of the Austin Comedy scene from 2005-2020. He has won several awards for his work, including “Best Comedy Group ” in the Austin Chronicle Reader’s poll and the B. Iden Payne award for “Outstanding Improv Ensemble.” His sketch comedy projects have won Best of Fest at the Lone Star Sketch Festival and the Frontera Fringe Festival as well as a Critic’s Pick in the Austin Chronicle Reader’s Poll. His podcast, Victrola!, has appeared at SxSw, was named one of Austin’s “Best Comedy Podcasts,” and has been featured in Splitsider and the Huffington Post.
Michael has taught improv comedy for the last eighteen years and has been nominated and won “Best Improv Teacher” and “Best Improv Coach” in Austin a whole bunch. He’s taught workshops all over the country, including at the Magnet Theater in NYC, the Lab Theater in Ambler, the Oberlin College Improv Festival, The Oklahoma Improv Festival, the Phoenix Improv Festival, The Dallas Comedy Fest, The Alaska State Improv Fest, the Ocean State Improv Fest, and the North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival in Chapel Hill. He’s also developed applied improv training courses for dozens of companies, including Whole Foods, Dell, PayPal, and many, many more.
Michael is an accomplished commercial actor and voice-over artist, and has appeared in commercials for major national brands such as Coca Cola, Game Stop, Whole Foods, Legal Zoom, and the USPS.