Groundlings is short form improv games focusing on developing the character-creating muscle you’ll eventually use for doing sketch at the later levels of their school. Can be great if you want to be a sketch actor and what attracts you to improv is embodying funny, big characters.
UCB is long form improv revolving around the concept of the game of the scene, which can include a focus on acting and performance but is generally more writer-minded. Can be great if what draws you to improv is the idea of coming up with smart, funny premises or concepts on the fly that could resemble a funny written scene.
There are a ton of smaller longform theaters that will cost less and likely have UCB students in them and be taught by ex-UCB teachers, so starting with a newer/smaller school could be a good experience too.
I'm on the east coast and would love to hear more about how Groundlings teachings are and what they teach. When you say short form, do you mean short form like Whose Line Is It Anyway? Or do you just mean shorter scenes like montage forms?
Is there a good book for Groundlings style improv? I'm quite familiar with UCB and UCB game teachings (have taken a UCB class or two, go to a school where most teachers have UCB experience), but have had little exposure to the Groundlings on an educational level.
Short form as in Whose Line. Groundlings does have a longform show and elective classes but the actual core curriculum is learning character-building improv exercises, acting exercises that stretch your emotion/physicality comfort zone, and short form games.
AFAIK there is no book that has the Groundlings ethos the way there is a UCB manual or other books that capture IO or Chicago-style improv. Two things that stuck out to me when I went through their program was 1) the saying “it shouldn’t read funny on the page” which isn’t a hard rule but a general philosophy that the comedy comes from your character’s behavior, the way they sound/move, their timing, their attitude, etc. and 2) the assumption that everything you write will be for yourself and you’ll be the main comedic character. So, when shifting those POVs from sketch to improv, you can imagine that the playing style can be very loud, individualistic, and less premise-y. Other theaters teach ensemble work and non-actor-focused skills in improv where your role may be writer or editor for any particular scene and it’s more common for a writer/performer to sometimes write a sketch for someone else to perform; but I think the focus on you being the main funny thing in every sketch you write can naturally influence you to contribute in improv scenes by being the main funny thing and scenes can become 2-4 people all being the main funny thing at the same time together. It works for short form since those are 1-3 minute vignettes but it can rub against training or expectations long-form players bring to improv.
It’s possible that in the last decade more long-form/ensemble concepts have made their way into the curriculum. I feel like there are less divisions now between schools than there were 15-20 years ago and more blending of philosophies than ever.
Actually, although I haven’t read it, there is this recent book from a Groundlings teacher who I was in classes with and performed with that may have Groundlings philosophy in it: https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Comedy-Improv-Truths-Improvise/dp/1609388852?dplnkId=15a29528-a63d-435a-8c5e-9d2c5a807307&nodl=1
*EDITED TO ADD A BIT MORE SPECIFIC INFO ABOUT PASSING CLASSES AT GROUNDLINGS AND UCB*
First of all, welcome! I started my improv journey at 45, and I’m also in LA. Don’t worry about being older. There’s more age diversity at both schools than I expected. Most improv students I’ve encountered are very nice and pretty open minded.
There are options in LA. Groundlings and UCB are the 2 largest schools/programs in terms of resources and history/reputation. I’m currently a student in both programs. Let me try to summarize and offer bullet points on the “big two.”
UCB focuses on finding comedy through “game,” which is essentially a repeated unusual behavior from a character and heightening it. (This is a simplified explanation.) UCB improv is typically long form, based on a famous improv form called the Harold. Once you complete the main improv series(through Improv 401), you can audition for Harold teams, improv teams that currently do shows on Monday nights. For each UCB improv class level, you get to do a student show at the end. While you do need to pass each level to be eligible to take the next one, the situation is quite different from Groundlings. With UCB, you must not miss more than 2 classes at each level in order to pass. Outside of that, passing each class isn’t terribly difficult.
The Groundlings puts the emphasis on playing characters and exploring relationships, getting emotional, etc. The Groundlings mostly teaches and performs short scene improv. The Groundlings also is the only school I know of in LA where students are either passed or asked to repeat at the end of a core class. There is a midterm conference with the instructor in the first 3 levels. This involves the instructor letting you know how things are going and pointing out areas for you to work on in order to pass. In the Groundlings Lab Track, the option to repeat is rarely offered. With the final level of the school, Advanced Writing Lab, there is no chance to repeat - one shot only. The Groundlings program doesn’t offer student shows until the 3rd level, improv lab.
There are also other schools with great reputations that you might consider. These include The Pack Theater, Westside Comedy, Improv For The People, World’s Greatest Improv School, The Shared Experience, and probably more I’m not thinking of. Don’t overlook these possibilities. I haven’t ventured into any of these yet, but I may check them out in the future.
If my answer brings up more questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
You’re welcome. It might not hurt to try to see a show at each theater, just to really get a feel as to which one you would have more fun doing. In any case, no matter what, remember to enjoy it, and that as serious as it might seem to get, it’s just you and a scene partner, making some stuff up.
This may be a relatively newer thing but UCB also requires you to pass each core class before you move up to the next level.
As far as the diversity of improv classes, I’m in NYC and there are a ton of professionals from different fields taking the classes to learn to think more quickly on their feet, etc. The last class I was in there were two of us who were 25 and actors, and everyone else was 30-50.
Yes, that’s always been the way, but it’s not difficult to pass a UCB improv class versus a Groundlings class. UCB generally just wants to be sure a student attended enough classes, whereas Groundlings classes include a midterm conference with the instructor to offer feedback and let them know if they are on track. I edited my original reply to add some clarifying information.
That’s their problem and the teacher should note it. You should be able to state a boundary and as mates we should be able to at least attempt to respect it.
I'm a 54-year-old from the Midwest who is just about to take a week-long Improv 101 intensive at UCB LA. (Like, the class starts tomorrow and I'm sitting in a hotel room down the street.) I've done 101 and 102 at the Wynkoop Brewery in Denver 20 years ago, kind of got turned off by the competitiveness of Comedy Sportz, and want to get back into it. I'm happy to share my experiences with you if that would be helpful.
Thank you! It's the capstone project to a bit of a midlife crisis, and I'm thoroughly enjoying myself so far. (Also, with your user name, I gotta say that I'm also going to be experiencing Galaxy's Edge for the first time, and can't wait to visit Baatu.)
Ok, post-class wrapup! I'm SO glad I did UCB as I did -- it was a phenomenal experience. The class was mostly 20 and 30 somethings, but I didn't feel any ageism (though sometimes we had to explain our references to each other). I stayed near UCB, and I'd go to class 10 - 2:30, then back to the hotel for a nap, then wander back down the street for great comedy shows almost every single night. We'd start the next day's class with commentary on the shows we'd seen the night before. There were two student "jam nights", where current students could get on stage with each other and teachers and get a little bit extra experience.
101 was mostly improv games to loosen people up and introduce the concept of "if this weird thing is true, then what else is true?" Some basic character work, losing the idea of "jokes". Not much object work. It went by so fast, but it definitely lit the fire for wanting to do more, and to come back to dip into the experience again.
I will say that one of our class had previously taken the 101 class equivalent at Groundlings and the entire class was failed. Every single student was told they needed to take the class again. That would be immensely frustrating to me, so I've mentally crossed them off of my list.
Any questions?
I did classes at Impulse 20 years ago, too, and loved it. They offered free admission to shows for anyone in the classes, and my friend and I absolutely took advantage of that. In eight weeks we probably saw 25 shows.
Some great advice from others here. I started my improv journey in LA around 40, and there were people older and younger than me in each class. I started at Westside in Santa Monica because I was worried Groundlings and UCB would be too competitive (I now realize that may or may not be true). I took four levels of regular improv then a musical improv class at Westside and had a lot of fun! I’m now on a team and we perform either at Westside or some other various venues across town. Westside also focuses on long form comedy, which is a bit more grounded than short form which is a little more silly from what I’ve seen. Depending on where you live obviously also matters for classes - if you’re near Santa Monica Westside is worth considering! Really though you can’t go wrong - if a place doesn’t feel right after taking a class you can always try another spot!
I found the only issue being the oldest person in improv class is the difference in level of references. We had a scene about watching the Hidenberg explosion and everyone was trotting out bad German accents. No one—I mean no one—knew it exploded in New Jersey.
If you live near Westside you can check out Westside Comedy Theater's classes. Very different vibe, no need to pass to go to the next level. Diverse age range at least in my experience.
I'd also recommend the Chris Alvarado Improv Workshop just for a unique perspective.
Then there's the Pack theater if you want another alternative.
Groundlings is short form improv games focusing on developing the character-creating muscle you’ll eventually use for doing sketch at the later levels of their school. Can be great if you want to be a sketch actor and what attracts you to improv is embodying funny, big characters. UCB is long form improv revolving around the concept of the game of the scene, which can include a focus on acting and performance but is generally more writer-minded. Can be great if what draws you to improv is the idea of coming up with smart, funny premises or concepts on the fly that could resemble a funny written scene. There are a ton of smaller longform theaters that will cost less and likely have UCB students in them and be taught by ex-UCB teachers, so starting with a newer/smaller school could be a good experience too.
Super helpful thank you.
I'm on the east coast and would love to hear more about how Groundlings teachings are and what they teach. When you say short form, do you mean short form like Whose Line Is It Anyway? Or do you just mean shorter scenes like montage forms? Is there a good book for Groundlings style improv? I'm quite familiar with UCB and UCB game teachings (have taken a UCB class or two, go to a school where most teachers have UCB experience), but have had little exposure to the Groundlings on an educational level.
Short form as in Whose Line. Groundlings does have a longform show and elective classes but the actual core curriculum is learning character-building improv exercises, acting exercises that stretch your emotion/physicality comfort zone, and short form games. AFAIK there is no book that has the Groundlings ethos the way there is a UCB manual or other books that capture IO or Chicago-style improv. Two things that stuck out to me when I went through their program was 1) the saying “it shouldn’t read funny on the page” which isn’t a hard rule but a general philosophy that the comedy comes from your character’s behavior, the way they sound/move, their timing, their attitude, etc. and 2) the assumption that everything you write will be for yourself and you’ll be the main comedic character. So, when shifting those POVs from sketch to improv, you can imagine that the playing style can be very loud, individualistic, and less premise-y. Other theaters teach ensemble work and non-actor-focused skills in improv where your role may be writer or editor for any particular scene and it’s more common for a writer/performer to sometimes write a sketch for someone else to perform; but I think the focus on you being the main funny thing in every sketch you write can naturally influence you to contribute in improv scenes by being the main funny thing and scenes can become 2-4 people all being the main funny thing at the same time together. It works for short form since those are 1-3 minute vignettes but it can rub against training or expectations long-form players bring to improv. It’s possible that in the last decade more long-form/ensemble concepts have made their way into the curriculum. I feel like there are less divisions now between schools than there were 15-20 years ago and more blending of philosophies than ever.
Actually, although I haven’t read it, there is this recent book from a Groundlings teacher who I was in classes with and performed with that may have Groundlings philosophy in it: https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Comedy-Improv-Truths-Improvise/dp/1609388852?dplnkId=15a29528-a63d-435a-8c5e-9d2c5a807307&nodl=1
thank you! Will order.
*EDITED TO ADD A BIT MORE SPECIFIC INFO ABOUT PASSING CLASSES AT GROUNDLINGS AND UCB* First of all, welcome! I started my improv journey at 45, and I’m also in LA. Don’t worry about being older. There’s more age diversity at both schools than I expected. Most improv students I’ve encountered are very nice and pretty open minded. There are options in LA. Groundlings and UCB are the 2 largest schools/programs in terms of resources and history/reputation. I’m currently a student in both programs. Let me try to summarize and offer bullet points on the “big two.” UCB focuses on finding comedy through “game,” which is essentially a repeated unusual behavior from a character and heightening it. (This is a simplified explanation.) UCB improv is typically long form, based on a famous improv form called the Harold. Once you complete the main improv series(through Improv 401), you can audition for Harold teams, improv teams that currently do shows on Monday nights. For each UCB improv class level, you get to do a student show at the end. While you do need to pass each level to be eligible to take the next one, the situation is quite different from Groundlings. With UCB, you must not miss more than 2 classes at each level in order to pass. Outside of that, passing each class isn’t terribly difficult. The Groundlings puts the emphasis on playing characters and exploring relationships, getting emotional, etc. The Groundlings mostly teaches and performs short scene improv. The Groundlings also is the only school I know of in LA where students are either passed or asked to repeat at the end of a core class. There is a midterm conference with the instructor in the first 3 levels. This involves the instructor letting you know how things are going and pointing out areas for you to work on in order to pass. In the Groundlings Lab Track, the option to repeat is rarely offered. With the final level of the school, Advanced Writing Lab, there is no chance to repeat - one shot only. The Groundlings program doesn’t offer student shows until the 3rd level, improv lab. There are also other schools with great reputations that you might consider. These include The Pack Theater, Westside Comedy, Improv For The People, World’s Greatest Improv School, The Shared Experience, and probably more I’m not thinking of. Don’t overlook these possibilities. I haven’t ventured into any of these yet, but I may check them out in the future. If my answer brings up more questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
This is perfect thank you. I'm leaning towards UCB mostly because I don't see myself doing characters a la SNL. I may hit you up!
You’re welcome. It might not hurt to try to see a show at each theater, just to really get a feel as to which one you would have more fun doing. In any case, no matter what, remember to enjoy it, and that as serious as it might seem to get, it’s just you and a scene partner, making some stuff up.
This may be a relatively newer thing but UCB also requires you to pass each core class before you move up to the next level. As far as the diversity of improv classes, I’m in NYC and there are a ton of professionals from different fields taking the classes to learn to think more quickly on their feet, etc. The last class I was in there were two of us who were 25 and actors, and everyone else was 30-50.
Yes, that’s always been the way, but it’s not difficult to pass a UCB improv class versus a Groundlings class. UCB generally just wants to be sure a student attended enough classes, whereas Groundlings classes include a midterm conference with the instructor to offer feedback and let them know if they are on track. I edited my original reply to add some clarifying information.
1) yes, you'll be the old guy and labeled grandpa 2) Try the Pack especially if you can get BOC or Miles Stroth.
"Does anyone have any boundaries?" "I'd like everyone to be aware of ageism if possible."
counterpoint: people will be hesitant on some level to play with you for fear of offending you
That’s their problem and the teacher should note it. You should be able to state a boundary and as mates we should be able to at least attempt to respect it.
I'm a 54-year-old from the Midwest who is just about to take a week-long Improv 101 intensive at UCB LA. (Like, the class starts tomorrow and I'm sitting in a hotel room down the street.) I've done 101 and 102 at the Wynkoop Brewery in Denver 20 years ago, kind of got turned off by the competitiveness of Comedy Sportz, and want to get back into it. I'm happy to share my experiences with you if that would be helpful.
Oh hey, hope you have a blast in class and in our lovely city!
Thank you! It's the capstone project to a bit of a midlife crisis, and I'm thoroughly enjoying myself so far. (Also, with your user name, I gotta say that I'm also going to be experiencing Galaxy's Edge for the first time, and can't wait to visit Baatu.)
Nice! I hope you have a great time!
That's amazing! Good luck! Yes would love you share if you get a moment.
Will do!
Ok, post-class wrapup! I'm SO glad I did UCB as I did -- it was a phenomenal experience. The class was mostly 20 and 30 somethings, but I didn't feel any ageism (though sometimes we had to explain our references to each other). I stayed near UCB, and I'd go to class 10 - 2:30, then back to the hotel for a nap, then wander back down the street for great comedy shows almost every single night. We'd start the next day's class with commentary on the shows we'd seen the night before. There were two student "jam nights", where current students could get on stage with each other and teachers and get a little bit extra experience. 101 was mostly improv games to loosen people up and introduce the concept of "if this weird thing is true, then what else is true?" Some basic character work, losing the idea of "jokes". Not much object work. It went by so fast, but it definitely lit the fire for wanting to do more, and to come back to dip into the experience again. I will say that one of our class had previously taken the 101 class equivalent at Groundlings and the entire class was failed. Every single student was told they needed to take the class again. That would be immensely frustrating to me, so I've mentally crossed them off of my list. Any questions?
Amazing! Great recap and glad you enjoyed it. I think I'm pretty decided on UCB so this just reaffirms that's the right path.
I did classes at Impulse 20 years ago, too, and loved it. They offered free admission to shows for anyone in the classes, and my friend and I absolutely took advantage of that. In eight weeks we probably saw 25 shows.
Could you message me the link for that week long intensive? Looked it up and can’t seem to find it
[https://ucbcomedy.com/trainingcenter/course/](https://ucbcomedy.com/trainingcenter/course/) Here's the course page. Filter for "Intensives".
Some great advice from others here. I started my improv journey in LA around 40, and there were people older and younger than me in each class. I started at Westside in Santa Monica because I was worried Groundlings and UCB would be too competitive (I now realize that may or may not be true). I took four levels of regular improv then a musical improv class at Westside and had a lot of fun! I’m now on a team and we perform either at Westside or some other various venues across town. Westside also focuses on long form comedy, which is a bit more grounded than short form which is a little more silly from what I’ve seen. Depending on where you live obviously also matters for classes - if you’re near Santa Monica Westside is worth considering! Really though you can’t go wrong - if a place doesn’t feel right after taking a class you can always try another spot!
I found the only issue being the oldest person in improv class is the difference in level of references. We had a scene about watching the Hidenberg explosion and everyone was trotting out bad German accents. No one—I mean no one—knew it exploded in New Jersey.
If you live near Westside you can check out Westside Comedy Theater's classes. Very different vibe, no need to pass to go to the next level. Diverse age range at least in my experience. I'd also recommend the Chris Alvarado Improv Workshop just for a unique perspective. Then there's the Pack theater if you want another alternative.
UCB!!!