In Story Improv we teach you how to construct stories and we start you down the road of character creation. In character Improv we take you down that road, buy you a nice plot of land, and have you build a mall there. This level is the bridge between the ACME Improv World and its Sketch World. The lessons learned in this level about character dynamics and about how these characters interact with each other should help you when you start taking these characters and putting their words down on paper.

The other important lesson taught in Character Improv is how to be part of an ensemble. Since nearly all of the improv we do here at the ACME is long form narrative improv, it’s important that you work well with others. If you can’t play nice, you won’t play at all.

Not Feeling Like Yourself These Days?

One of life’s dirty little secrets is that most of us think that OUR LIVES ARE BORING. Most of us are not test pilots, or spies, or brain surgeons, and those of us who are these things most likely think that being a test pilot, spy, or brain surgeon is boring as hell. In Character Improv, you get to try out the grass on the other side of the fence. It’s all about playing dress-up and STEPPING INTO SOMEBODY ELSE’S SHOES.

Though a variety of exercises, we show you how to construct LAYERED, COMPLEX CHARACTERS, with a history and an evolving point of view. We teach you how to let that character grow and interact with other characters and become PART OF A SHARED STORY. Do we use wigs and funny hats? Sure we do. Everyone likes wigs and funny hats—but we don’t rely on the wigs and funny hats for the comedy.

Too often, comedic characters, especially in sketch and improv, are not real people. Instead they are BIZARRE CARICATURES who do silly and improbable things. That’s not what we do. ACME BRAND COMEDY aims for something a little higher...but hopefully just as funny. Don’t worry though, sometimes we still wear wigs and funny hats...just not on our heads.

Character Classes for 2008

Classes start every Quarter with a maximum size of 16 students.

Tuition

The tuition for Character is $425.

Half of your tuition is due as a deposit, the other half is due at your first class. School tuition is non-refundable. As a student of ACME Comedy School, you receive the following benefits:

• Free Admission to any ACME Production for your guest when you pay full price.
• 20% off all food purchases at Amalfi Restaurant next door.
• 30% off ACME merchandise.

Join ACME Today!

To enroll in the Level 3: Character Improv class, please complete registration at register.acmecomedy.com.  A credit card (or Visa/MC-enabled check card) is required for this process, and payment of either half the tuition (deposit) or full tuition is required to reserve your place in the class.

• A NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT OF HALF THE TUITION is required to reserve a spot in a course. The deposit is applied toward the total amount of the tuition. You
will not be guaranteed a place in the class until the deposit or the full tuition has been received. Spaces are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

• If you paid only the deposit amount at registration, then the balance of the full amount for the course must be paid by the first day of the class. No exceptions.

• ACME Comedy Theatre reserves the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment. In such an instance, your entire deposit/tuition payment will be refunded. If you have a need to withdraw from the class after you have already registered, please call (323) 525-0202 for more information.