Improv comedy is a ton of fun and a powerful tool for team leaders and project managers. Simply playing these “games” develops community through play and story. We peel back the layers of ego and insecurity. We build bonds of trust.

Every workshop begins with 4-5 minute introduction into our three guiding principals:

• Our #1 Rule: HAVE FUN but NEVER at another’s expense!
• The Improv #1 Rule: “YES! AND…” Accept your teammates for who they are, what the say, how they talk, where they come from, etc AND followup with words and actions thay support. Every choice, every offer becomes a building block to success. YES AND… = Psychological Safety!
• #1 Skill in Comedy? LISTENING! Listening with your eyes. Listening with the willingness to change.

THEN, WE PLAY!

That’s right, we just play.

We start with ice breaking warm up games, usually standing in a circle. We break down communication to its most basic parts. We pass simple sounds, words, and gestures. We impress the importance of clarity in the simplest of idea exchanges. We send and receive the information.

Next, a few technique builders give the teams the tools to create from scratch. Again, we break down creativity to its simplest elements. When we truly listen with our eyes, we are in a deeper state of concentration and focus. We never STOP to THINK. Rather, we listen to our team, and then trust the flow of ideas.

Finally we play a couple performance type games. These are games you may have seen in our love shows, or on WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY and similar programs. This stage seems less workshopy on purpose. But this crucial step gives a little exclamation point after a couple hours of fun. We see how far folks have journeyed. Teammates that were all but terrified of getting on a stage now thrive in the spotlight.

THE FOLLOW UP

A single two hour improv workshop is powerful. After the workshop, sit down for a quick team meeting. You crew will be in their most open and responsive state.

But this is just the beginning. We encourage team leads to bring the games back to the office. Take 2-5 minutes on a Monday morning. Start a meeting with an ice breaker game.

Creatitivy and communications are like muscles you have to constantly stretch. In a world driven by technology and addictive algorithms, we need to find ways to force human interaction. We can further train our teams to be better at presentations, sales and leadership.

We also have ongoing classes and offer team leads a free session to learn more games and continue the journey. Improv is huge for managers and bosses that want to become great leaders.

OFFICE PARTIES can be great team building too!

Book one of our improv comedy shows or murder mystery events. All of our shows continue the work started above with highly interactive and immersive game play.

Contact us today!

Book your first / next session with one of our top tier improv teaching artists. We have 20+ years working with teams in the New York area and beyond.

Improv Theater LLC is a one stop edutainment center for corporate team building, office / holiday parties and more. Our comedy shows and workshops deliver high impact results. Clients include Cushman Wakefield, Google, Merck, Mercedes Benz, META /Facebook, TikTok, JP Morgan Chase, Accenture, Morgan Stanley, Twitter, Roblox, Rimowa, EI Digital, Accenture, Datadog HQ, Milbank, BING/Microsoft, Bank of America – Merrill Lynch, Home Depot, Ernst & Young, Johnson & Johnson, Louis Vuitton, Coach, UBS, BDO, AMEX, Master Card, Macy’s, 360i, IBM, GM, Kraft, UNILEAVER, HBO, Disney, American Express, WeWork, Prudential, Convene, Conference Board and many more including 1000s of public and private events in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska….

With over 30 years of experience in theater, comedy, and television, Walt Frasier is the Artistic Director of Improv Theater LLC, a leading edutainment center known for its high-impact comedy shows and workshops. His extensive career includes performing comedy sketches on MTV’s Stankervision, Late Nite with David Letterman, TruTV’s Friends of the People, and HBO’s Pause with Sam Jay. As an actor, Walt has appeared on NBC’s Blacklist, CBS’s Blue Bloods, USA’s Royal Pains, Netflix’s Lilyhammer, and NICK’s Naked Brothers Band, in addition to numerous commercials, industrials, and live performances worldwide.