Upright Citizens Brigade Improvisation and Sketch Comedy Training Center

Improv 401 serves as the end official "end" of our improv program. This course offers students the chance to strengthen their individual skills while giving them more practice with the long form improvisation performance known as the Harold. Additionally, the course will introduce new openings and exercises about playing without fear, emphasizing group ownership, and bringing more of themselves to their scene work.

One goal of the course is to help students perform stronger scenes. The instructor will use the first half of the course to identify and troubleshoot any weaknesses that the individual players may be demonstrating.

The other goal of the course is to allow students to continue to perform full Harolds. The instructor will use "side-coaching," or feedback given during an improvised piece as it is happening, in order to facilitate success in the students' improvised scenes. The instructor will also give notes after each performance in order to enhance and improve the quality of future performances.

This course meets for three hours a week for eight weeks. Students will perform in two class performances, generally held at the UCB Theatre – once halfway through the course and once at the end. Graduation is also contingent upon students seeing at least two improvised shows at the UCB Theater before the end of the course.