Class Date:
Wednesdays, 9/25, 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30.
Class Time:
3:45-5:15pm
Class Size:
8-14
Age Group:
9-12th graders
Location:
Dennos Museum Center’s Janis Community Room
Have you ever wondered how some of your favorite sketch comedy shows like Saturday Night Live, Key & Peele and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson were written? Many sketch comedy scenes start their lives as an improvised scene and are then refined through the writing process.
In this six week class in the Dennos Museum Center’s Janis Community Room, we’ll use improvisation as a starting point to write sketch comedy. We will start every class on our feet improvising scenes, as a genesis point for writing great characters and scripting natural dialogue.
Expect plenty of laughter throughout the weeks as we learn and create together.
Much of the class will be on your feet, so please dress comfortably. Please also bring a notebook and water.
This class runs for six Wednesdays 3:45-5:15pm (dates: September 24, October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30). The class will culminate in a brief, casual performance showing some of what we learned.
Nicole Hastings McKendrick is a veteran performer, teacher and director from the Chicago comedy scene, who joined the burgeoning Tilt Think family in 2023. Her teaching background focused on improv and music improv for performance as well as improv as a tool to develop sketch comedy. She has performed with The Second City, Off-Broadway and at the Edinburgh Fringe festival, and she is a graduate of Columbia University in New York. Nicole lives in Elk Rapids with her husband and two small children.
Dave Thomas is a 35-year trainer and educator, working primarily with middle school and high school students in a non-profit setting. Dave is a visual as well as performing artist, specializing in not only improv but writing and performing sketch comedy.
Lisa Thauvette is a Montessorian and comedic improviser which she finds highly interchangeable! She has been performing and teaching improvisation nationally and internationally for over 10 years. She founded Tilt Think Comedy Collective as a way to find improv playmates here in the Traverse City area.
National Writers Series
3301 Veterans Drive, Suite 214
Traverse City, MI 49684
EIN: 27-2470925
(231) 486-6868
[email protected]
2025
National Writers Series. All Rights Reserved.
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