Our Story People FAQ
Improv: Drop in Foundations 1: Intro to Improv Foundations 2: Group Work Foundations 3: The Harold Improv for Teens
Out of your head Group Work Leap First Improvising Shakespeare
colors-empty-equipment-133458.jpg

The Playground Improv Workshop

Improv fun for everyone. The Playground is a great way to give improv a try, even if you have no improv or performance experience. We warm up together as a group with ice breaking games and then we play some improv games. Play as much as you want or just watch the fun. Empire strives to create a welcoming environment for everyone, through a supportive setting, that sets everyone up for success. Improv is a great way to explore your creativity, become more confident speaking in front of others, and expand your skills as an actor. This is the best, no stress way to try improv. Meet some fun people, work together and collaborate on stage. Stick around for long form improv at 8:00pm included with the price of The Playground.

  • Bring a friend to their first Playground and you both get in free.

  • $12 at the door

  • $10 online

  • Must be at least 18

  • Schedule

    • To be scheduled

 
 

The Playground Online Weekly Improv Workshop

The Playground Online Weekly Improv Workshop is a great way to give improv a try, even if you have no improv or performance experience. We are all spending more time time online and in video meetings. Our weekly Online Improv Workshop teaches practical improv skills that you can use in your time online, meetings, school, or work. Improv is a great way to explore your creativity, become more confident speaking in front of others, and expand your skills as an actor. This workshop we will strive to make life in zoom more fun. Empire strives to create a welcoming environment for everyone, through a supportive setting, that sets everyone up for success on their improv journey. This workshop will focus on foundational improv skills: agreement, listening, and being in the moment.

  • $10

  • Your first online workshop is free.

 

 

CLASS INFO

  • 12 Student Maximum

  • Must be 18 to enroll in class

  • Class is conducted via Zoom (free to download on your computer, tablet, or phone)

 

 

 
 
Empire Improv-58.jpg

2nd Annual 37 Year Bakersfield Improv Reunion and Car Wash*

*car wash not guaranteed

October 18 and 19

 

Bakersfield Improv has a long weird history. The 2nd Annual 37 Year Bakersfield Improv Reunion and Car Wash* celebrates that history. We celebrate through getting back on stage and improvising in the town where we started improvising. 

Since 1989 there has been improv in Bakersfield California, only 8 years after iO Chicago, 13 years before UCB, two years after The Annoyance, 16 years before Magnet Theater, five years after ComedySportz--that is a long history of improvisation in a town few outside of the central valley know, beyond being the butt of jokes. So we, the improvisors from Bakersfield, are going to celebrate that. If you performed with or were a fan of CSz generation 1, 2, 3, or 4, The Hermit Colony, Retro Prairie Dog Amateurs, Major League Improv generation 1, 2 or 3, CSz high school league, The Revengers, The Black List, Center for Improv Advancement, or became an improviser after you left, you are invited. 

So it has actually has been 30 years this year since improv began here in Bakersfield. We are bad at math and and if we were doing things the “right” no one ever would have started improv here 30 years ago.

Last year we got to watch grown men turn into their much younger selves as the improvised for the first time together in more than 20 years. We got to watch two improvisors do a scene about fatherhood they could never have done 15 years ago, the last time they were on stage together. We got to watch wives and parents do their first improv scenes ever. We would really like for you to be there, create some new fun memories. We are going to do our best to invite everyone we can think of via Facebook, please reach out to anyone we missed, anyone not on Facebook, and anyone you personally would like to see there. 

Thank you and we got your back.

 
 

Electives

Electives will be opportunities to explore other improv forms which offer students the chance to expand their improv experience. 

The Slacker

The class teaches the long form, The Slacker, in which, all scenic transitions are made via tag out—no sweep edits or “cut to”. Every new scene will have at least one character from the previous scene. The Slacker is a unique form that allows for much of the freedom of the Harold along with the opportunity to explore a more linear story. Come to learn to explore characters more deeply, and discover new ways to make connections. 

  • To be scheduled

Improvising Shakespeare

Learn to improvise using the styles and themes of The Bard—from the eloquence of Shakespeare’s language, to keeping thee, thine and thou straight. Discover how much fun this underutilized but fabulously entertaining form can be. Improvising Shakespeare style works to get improvisers out of their heads by focusing on letting their emotions lead them. The class will focus on letting your emotions lead and this gives you a clear point of view to improvise from. The focus on flowery language helps to teach performers to let their words get ahead of their brains, and from there, performers will discover they are capable of things they had no idea they are capable of. We will start with language and emotion and expand those ideas into an improvised Shakespearean style play, with connected characters, themes, and story.

  • To be scheduled
 

CLASS INFO

  • 8 Weeks of Class

  • 16 Student Maximum

  • 12 student minimum

  • Must be 18 years old to enroll

  • To enroll in Foundations 3, students must have successfully completed Foundations 2 and have no more than 2 absences in class.

  • Classes are nonrefundable

No Elective classes scheduled at this time. 

 
 
Empire Improv-58.jpg
 

 
e375d7b8f80c4a4f5e554ce852450b17--bakersfield-california-vintage-signs.jpg

Schedule

Friday October 18, 2019

6:00pm Improv Jam

  • This is your chance to get on stage and improvise with improvisors young and old, new and experienced. You are welcome to come and watch, whether it is your first time on stage, the first time in long time, or if you improvised yesterday. The show is hosted by Bakersfield improv historians, putting each scene in the historical context of Bakersfield’s rich improv history.

7:30pm Definitely Not ComedySportz

  • This show features two teams competing for points and your laughs through a series of short improv games. We need you suggestions and participation to make it work. Fun for the whole family, Definitely Not ComedySportz is for improv fans of all ages. Improvisors from our long improv history perform.

9:30pm Cold War and Winprov

  • Two improv shows share the stage. First long form duo Cold War from New York City perform a 30 minute show based on a single suggestion. Second the world primer of Winprov the improv game show where members of the audience compete for cash and prizes.

11:00pm After Party 


Saturday October 19, 2019

12:00pm Grill and Chat

  • Lets get together and reminisce. We can also eat and enjoy some drinks. If you were a part of any of the incarnations of Bakersfield Improv you should come. We would all love to see you and hear about what you have been up to.

6:00pm Improv Jam

  • This is your chance to get on stage and improvise with improvisors young and old, new and experienced. You are welcome to come and watch, whether it is your first time on stage, the first time in long time, or if you improvised yesterday. The show is hosted by Bakersfield improv historians, putting each scene in the historical context of Bakersfield’s rich improv history.

7:30pm Definitely Not ComedySportz

  • This show features two teams competing for points and your laughs through a series of short improv games. We need you suggestions and participation to make it work. Fun for the whole family, Definitely Not ComedySportz is for improv fans of all ages. Improvisors from our long improv history perform.

9:30pm Hostel Greetings and Bakersfield Armando

  • Two long form improv shows with two great teams. First up is Hostel Greetings formed in Reno, NV, performing the Slacker, from a single suggestion they will create a play with interconnected characters and locations. Second up the Bakersfield Armando, a special guest monologist will tell true stories based on a suggestion, and the improvisors will create scenes inspired by the monologs. This show features Bakersfield Improvisors from our long improv history.

11:00pm After Party

All Access Pass

For only $37 you can see all six shows, thats eight teams, two nights, one world premier, and two jams.

Buy your pass here.