Learn Standup

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Stand-Up Comedy: Five Minutes to Funny

'SOLD OUT* Sundays, April 14 - May 5, 2013 from 12:30pm - 4:00pm plus graduation performance on Thursday, May 9, 2013
'SOLD OUT* Sundays, June 2 - 23, 2013 from 12:30pm - 4:00pm plus graduation performance on Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The DC Improv is proud to host "Stand-Up Comedy: Five Minutes to Funny" as part of our popular school program "Stand-Up Comedy The Workshop Series". During this course, you will do hands-on training with instructor Chris Coccia.

Don't get fooled by the title, this class is not promising to make you funny in five minutes, this class is about helping you put together five funny minutes. Why five minutes? Because a tight funny five minute set will carry you through a comedy career from start to stardom; it will be your open stage set, it will be your audition set and it will be your spot on any number of late night shows, like Letterman or Conan. To that end, this class will be about creating and polishing that five-minute set.

Theory:
My approach to teaching a comedy class is to act as a guide, helping the performer shape and develop their act. I will, along with the rest of the class, offer suggestions, critiques and even ideas for material but not create your act for you. This way the material and performance grow organically and the end result is an act that feels truer to the performer and the audience.

Practice:
The performers will bring to the class a notebook with any material they have. It can be bits that they have already performed or premises for bits, or ideas for what they want to write and talk about or any combination of the three. During the course of each class the performers will take the stage and perform to their level of comfort and ability what they have prepared. The rest of the class will act as an audience. After each performance the class and instructor will offer suggestions and critiques in a roundtable format. This not only helps the performer but also helps the other students think about how comedy material is shaped and honed. The performer may be asked to go back up on stage to try a suggested change in a ‘live’ setting. As the class progresses the performers focus will go from sharpening bits of material into putting them together into a cohesive and flowing set, also addressing stage presence and persona. By the end of the four weeks the performers should feel comfortable and confident in walking onto stage and performing a five-minute set.

This course breaks up into 4 weeks of workshops plus you will perform live in a graduation showcase held at The DC Improv Comedy Club.

Five Minutes to Funny Registration Form

Tuition: $295.00

Advanced Stand-Up Comedy Class w/ Chris Coccia

*Sold Out* Sundays, January 6 - 20, 2013 from 6:00pm - 8:30pm plus graduation performance in The DC Improv Comedy Lounge on Friday, February 1, 2013 at 8pm.

The DC Improv is proud to host an "Advanced Stand-Up Comedy Class" as part of our popular school program "Stand-Up Comedy The Workshop Series". During this course, you will do hands-on training with instructor Chris Coccia. This will be an advanced class geared towards those who have already taken a DC Improv stand-up comedy class and who are performing on a regular basis. This course is designed for students who are ACTIVELY pursuing live stand-up performances. Please note that you will be required to attend a minimum of one, preferably two open mic nights per week during this class. The class will follow basically the same format as the '5 Minutes to Funny' class with students performing and then discussing feedback from the instructor and the other performers in the class. The difference will be in the focus of the end goal. Rather than working just towards a funny cohesive 5 minute stand-up set this class will concentrate on selecting material that can be used for a standard 7-8 minute audition spot. The main focus of the class will be on how material choice and stage presence work to define a performer's persona.

Prerequisite: Beginning Stand-up Comedy Class at The DC Improv Comedy School ("Five Minutes to Funny" or "Start To Finish")

To enroll, please download the registration form or pick-up one up at The DC Improv.

Registration forms can be handed in personally, mailed or faxed with payment directly to:

The DC Improv Comedy Club
c/o Allyson Jaffe, Principal of Comedy School
1140 Connecticut Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20036

f 202.466.7282 | p 202.296.7008 ext.11

Any questions please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Once payment is made for a class, there are NO REFUNDS, EXCHANGES OR CANCELLATIONS.