Classes
Improv Fundamentals
Dates: Saturdays, 11-1 PM, February 15 - April 5
Instructor: Jackson Holladay
Cost: $220.00 per person for all eight weeks
Location: BallroomUtah, 3030 S Main, SLC, 84115
Description: Whether you’re new to the stage, looking to sharpen your skills, or wanting to get out of your comfort zone, this eight-week course is for you! Improv Fundamentals will teach you how to build confidence, connect with others, and create unforgettable scenes through improv comedy. Through fun games and exercises, you’ll master the basics of agreement, character, relationships, and emotional connection—all while learning to let go and truly play. Perfect for anyone ready to break out of their shell and embrace spontaneity!
Week 1: Foundations of Play and “Yes, And”
Week 2: Establishing Base Reality (Who, What, Where)
Week 3: The Power of Spacework
Week 4: Exploring Characters
Week 5: Game of the Scene
Week 6: Deep Listening and Relationships
Week 7: Being Affected and Emotional Play
Week 8: Walk-Ons and Beginner Support Moves
Masterclass Workshop
Date: April 12
Instructor: Jose Gonzalez
Cost: $100.00 per person for three-hour master class
Description: BIG, BAD, & BOLD! Calling all improvisors who aspire to be bad girls, bad boys, and bad enby-jammas! Jose Gonzalez leads this workshop on using physicality, movement, status, and villain archetypes to unlock our inner baddies and embiggen our improv. Get BIG! Get BAD! Get BOLD!
GAME.PLAY.FLOW
The game of the scene isn't some elusive mystery to puzzle over; that's a great way to get stuck in your head with doubt and self-judgment while your joy slips away and you die on the inside. BOOOO! Stop worrying about finding the game and start making committed choices, having fun, and letting the game emerge in simple, intuitive ways. Learn how to get into the GAME.PLAY.FLOW: FEEL THE GAME. PLAY THE GAME. BE THE GAME.
Group Awesome
Group Awesome plays with the idea of the Group Mind being the energy stirred up by courageous and connected performers that, in turns, turbocharges whatever we’re creating on stage together. Then, we take all of that good mojo and spread it really thick on all types of group scenes and group games. Yum!
JOSE GONZALEZ
Monster Improv founder and artistic director, Jose Gonzalez (he/him/él), is a Phoenix native who has been studying and performing improv comedy since 2001. Jose was a co-founder of Phoenix’s pioneering longform improv troupe, Galapagos (2003-2021); a co-founder and producer of the Phoenix Improv Festival (2002-2021); and a co-founder of Arizona’s first nonprofit improv theater, The Torch Theatre (2007-2022, RIP). He also founded the vaguely Halloween-inspired GHOSTFEST Improv Marathon in 2011, which happens every October. All of that is to say that Jose is wizard-aged. For over two decades, he has taught and performed in numerous festivals and events with groups like Galapagos, VerizonQwest, and Minnesota Public Rodeo, all across North America and parts of Europe including the Belfast Improv Festival, Chicago Improv Festival, the Del Close Marathon (UCBT-NY), the Eau Claire Improv Festival (Wisconsin), Out of Bounds Comedy Festival (Austin, Texas), SLC DuoFest, Twin Cities Improv Fest, Improv Fest Ireland, the Toronto International Improv Festival, Tucson Comedy Arts Festival (AZ), and Improvaganza (Honolulu, Hawaii). In addition to performing regularly around Phoenix via Monster Improv and in Tempe at the Bridge Improv Theater—less regularly at NCT Phoenix, and Second Beat Improv Theater!—Jose is also the swing host for The Moth StorySLAM Phoenix, a co-host of the Sweet Podtato podcast, and a contributing writer to two ongoing, Los Angeles-based comedic content endeavors that are pretty fun.
SIGN UP COMING SOON!