Bring us to town for a workshop!
Improvised Broadway is made up of Chicago's top musical improvisors (and Whose Line's Laura Hall!), who would love to work with your team! We specialize in show and song forms, Broadway genres, and basic confidence-building workshops. Fill out THIS FORM to get started!
Available Workshops
Rick and Laura Hall
Rick & Laura Hall have taught music improv around the world at comedy clubs, festivals, theaters, and universities. They bring years of improv experience, with two unique perspectives as an improvising actor and musician. Rick & Laura create a lively, supportive, fun workshop environment where you can grow, explore and move out of your comfort zone. They offer a variety of workshops:
Intro to Music Improv
Even if you've never done musical improv before, we’ll introduce you to the basic concepts in a safe, positive setting where you can explore, stretch out, and most importantly, have fun. We’ll use warm-ups and games to ease into singing; you'll build vocal confidence while learning to listen to the accompaniment and each other.
Short Form Music Games
In this workshop we’ll play loads of short form song games, like we do on Whose Line. We’ll do rhymning exercises, and play games like Irish Drinking Song, Three Headed Singer and Conducted Song. We’ll play longer scenic games like That Sounds Like a Song (aka Sing It), and Bartender. You’ll never have to be afraid of singing in a short form show again!
Long Form Music Skills
We’ll explore integrating music into any kind of long form show, including the Harold, Armando and Improvised Musical. We’ll focus on music improv as a natural extension of scenic work, digging deep into character and emotion to create interesting songs; creating a strong “who” and “where”, and raising the emotional stakes to “earn” the song. We’ll also work on song structures, ensemble singing, and improvised choreography.
Musical Direction for Improv
Perfect for a musician who is thinking about or is already playing with an improv group. Laura will explain and demonstrate how she approaches working with singers, different musical styles, gear, and playing with other musicians in both long and shortform improv shows. She will focus on creating songs with singers, and how scenes lead into songs, with lots of opportunity to play with experienced singer improvisers and get feedback from both Laura & the performers.
Advanced Music Improv
For people already doing a music-based show. We’ll dig deeper into your skills, focusing on ensemble singing, coming to a chorus, counter melodies, call & response, duets, trios and big cast numbers, advanced harmonies, creating a strong “who” and “where” for your songs, raising the stakes of a scene to “earn” a song, musical form and structure (and why it’s important), musical styles and genres, movement and staging to support a song, group choreography, communicating with a Musical Director and more.
Coaching for existing groups
This is for groups already doing a music-based improv show, either long or short form. We will work on whatever skills the individual group needs.
Rick & Laura Hall have taught music improv around the world at comedy clubs, festivals, theaters, and universities. They bring years of improv experience, with two unique perspectives as an improvising actor and musician. Rick & Laura create a lively, supportive, fun workshop environment where you can grow, explore and move out of your comfort zone. They offer a variety of workshops:
Intro to Music Improv
Even if you've never done musical improv before, we’ll introduce you to the basic concepts in a safe, positive setting where you can explore, stretch out, and most importantly, have fun. We’ll use warm-ups and games to ease into singing; you'll build vocal confidence while learning to listen to the accompaniment and each other.
Short Form Music Games
In this workshop we’ll play loads of short form song games, like we do on Whose Line. We’ll do rhymning exercises, and play games like Irish Drinking Song, Three Headed Singer and Conducted Song. We’ll play longer scenic games like That Sounds Like a Song (aka Sing It), and Bartender. You’ll never have to be afraid of singing in a short form show again!
Long Form Music Skills
We’ll explore integrating music into any kind of long form show, including the Harold, Armando and Improvised Musical. We’ll focus on music improv as a natural extension of scenic work, digging deep into character and emotion to create interesting songs; creating a strong “who” and “where”, and raising the emotional stakes to “earn” the song. We’ll also work on song structures, ensemble singing, and improvised choreography.
Musical Direction for Improv
Perfect for a musician who is thinking about or is already playing with an improv group. Laura will explain and demonstrate how she approaches working with singers, different musical styles, gear, and playing with other musicians in both long and shortform improv shows. She will focus on creating songs with singers, and how scenes lead into songs, with lots of opportunity to play with experienced singer improvisers and get feedback from both Laura & the performers.
Advanced Music Improv
For people already doing a music-based show. We’ll dig deeper into your skills, focusing on ensemble singing, coming to a chorus, counter melodies, call & response, duets, trios and big cast numbers, advanced harmonies, creating a strong “who” and “where” for your songs, raising the stakes of a scene to “earn” a song, musical form and structure (and why it’s important), musical styles and genres, movement and staging to support a song, group choreography, communicating with a Musical Director and more.
Coaching for existing groups
This is for groups already doing a music-based improv show, either long or short form. We will work on whatever skills the individual group needs.
Alex Garday
The Captain of the Ship: The Art of the Host
The host is the most important person in the building, but not for the reason you think. A great host doesn't just "get the suggestion" or "talk between the acts"—they curate the energy, build the bridge of trust between the stage and the seats, and ensure the audience feels safe enough to laugh at the weird stuff. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to take the "scary" out of the spotlight and step into the role of a true master of ceremonies.
Unapologetically You: The Queer POV in Improv
As queer performers, our greatest comedic asset isn't just our ability to "do voices"—it's our lived experience and the specific way we view the world. This workshop is about stripping away the "safe" choices and leaning into the radical power of your unique point of view. You’ll learn how to stop filtering your choices for a "general" audience and instead use your queer identity, history, and humor as a high-octane fuel for grounded, gut-busting scenes.
The Speed of Funny: Mastering Short Form & Game
Short-form improv isn’t just about following the rules of a game—it’s about weaponizing them. In this high-energy, fast-paced workshop, you’ll dive into the mechanics of what makes a "game" actually work. We’ll move past the "how-to" and into the "why," focusing on the comedic structure, internal logic, and the relentless pursuit of the next laugh. Whether you’re playing for points or playing for the house, this is about sharpening your reflexes to a razor’s edge.
The Captain of the Ship: The Art of the Host
The host is the most important person in the building, but not for the reason you think. A great host doesn't just "get the suggestion" or "talk between the acts"—they curate the energy, build the bridge of trust between the stage and the seats, and ensure the audience feels safe enough to laugh at the weird stuff. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to take the "scary" out of the spotlight and step into the role of a true master of ceremonies.
Unapologetically You: The Queer POV in Improv
As queer performers, our greatest comedic asset isn't just our ability to "do voices"—it's our lived experience and the specific way we view the world. This workshop is about stripping away the "safe" choices and leaning into the radical power of your unique point of view. You’ll learn how to stop filtering your choices for a "general" audience and instead use your queer identity, history, and humor as a high-octane fuel for grounded, gut-busting scenes.
The Speed of Funny: Mastering Short Form & Game
Short-form improv isn’t just about following the rules of a game—it’s about weaponizing them. In this high-energy, fast-paced workshop, you’ll dive into the mechanics of what makes a "game" actually work. We’ll move past the "how-to" and into the "why," focusing on the comedic structure, internal logic, and the relentless pursuit of the next laugh. Whether you’re playing for points or playing for the house, this is about sharpening your reflexes to a razor’s edge.
Amber Linde and Alex Garday - Radical Boldness: Your Voice, Your Power
The biggest obstacle to great improv isn’t a lack of ideas—it’s the "filter" we put on ourselves. In this high-octane workshop co-taught by Alex Garday and Amber Linde, you’ll learn how to stop playing "the scene" and start playing from you. We’re diving deep into the intersection of personal POV and big, bold theatricality. By identifying what makes your comedic voice unique, you’ll gain the confidence to make moves that are impossible to ignore and even harder to forget.
The biggest obstacle to great improv isn’t a lack of ideas—it’s the "filter" we put on ourselves. In this high-octane workshop co-taught by Alex Garday and Amber Linde, you’ll learn how to stop playing "the scene" and start playing from you. We’re diving deep into the intersection of personal POV and big, bold theatricality. By identifying what makes your comedic voice unique, you’ll gain the confidence to make moves that are impossible to ignore and even harder to forget.
Lisa McQueen and Jessica Joy - Improvising the Hat
Where do you start when creating your team's improvised musical form? Lisa and Jessica teach you classic long and short form musical performance and song structures and help you create your own! Learn how to create your own Improvised Broadway show!
Where do you start when creating your team's improvised musical form? Lisa and Jessica teach you classic long and short form musical performance and song structures and help you create your own! Learn how to create your own Improvised Broadway show!
Lily and Austin - Music Improv Toolbelt with Charm Scene
Join the creators of Charm Scene: Improvised Musicals - Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, and Sam Scheidler - for a skill building music improv tune-up. We'll cover everything you need to be the most charming music improviser, with focus on rhyming, musicality, game of the song, and more. All skill levels are welcome.
Join the creators of Charm Scene: Improvised Musicals - Lily Ludwig, Austin Packard, and Sam Scheidler - for a skill building music improv tune-up. We'll cover everything you need to be the most charming music improviser, with focus on rhyming, musicality, game of the song, and more. All skill levels are welcome.
Heather Scholl - Musical Theatricality for Improv
In this workshop, we'll explore the elements that make up a musical and how these tropes can be created on the improv stage - from song types, to dance breaks, to big Broadway energy. The goal of the workshop is for participants to walk away with an understanding of how to tackle a long-form narrative improvised musical but along the way, we'll break down how these skills can be applied in short-form games.
In this workshop, we'll explore the elements that make up a musical and how these tropes can be created on the improv stage - from song types, to dance breaks, to big Broadway energy. The goal of the workshop is for participants to walk away with an understanding of how to tackle a long-form narrative improvised musical but along the way, we'll break down how these skills can be applied in short-form games.
Jessica Joy - So You Want to Be A Star!
Growing up in rural Ohio in the 1980s/90s, Jessica Joy watched Full House and knew she wanted to be a sitcom star like Candace Cameron (Bure). Unfortunately, all she had back then were self-help showbusiness books telling her to “send agents coffee mugs with your face on them!” and “drive around Beverly Hills on garbage day to find high-end items to furnish your apartment when you don’t have any money!” (real excerpts from real books). Now her greatest dream is to talk to you candidly about the REAL business of show, in hopes that you don’t waste precious life and money on said coffee mugs. Be prepared with questions for this conversation about film/tv/commercial acting, relocating to LA or NYC (and do you even need to?), cruise ships, regional theatre, and her favorite passion - performing at amusement parks. You and your team can discuss all of this and more (in person or over Zoom), and Jessica will share lots of resources pertaining to the comedy, film/tv, and theatre scene in Chicago. Also available for self-tape coaching!
*this is the title of Jessica’s favorite 80s showbusiness book that she still owns and yes she will show you
Growing up in rural Ohio in the 1980s/90s, Jessica Joy watched Full House and knew she wanted to be a sitcom star like Candace Cameron (Bure). Unfortunately, all she had back then were self-help showbusiness books telling her to “send agents coffee mugs with your face on them!” and “drive around Beverly Hills on garbage day to find high-end items to furnish your apartment when you don’t have any money!” (real excerpts from real books). Now her greatest dream is to talk to you candidly about the REAL business of show, in hopes that you don’t waste precious life and money on said coffee mugs. Be prepared with questions for this conversation about film/tv/commercial acting, relocating to LA or NYC (and do you even need to?), cruise ships, regional theatre, and her favorite passion - performing at amusement parks. You and your team can discuss all of this and more (in person or over Zoom), and Jessica will share lots of resources pertaining to the comedy, film/tv, and theatre scene in Chicago. Also available for self-tape coaching!
*this is the title of Jessica’s favorite 80s showbusiness book that she still owns and yes she will show you
Mo Phillips-Spotts - Two-Prov: Grounded 2-Person Scenes
Sure, you can make an audience laugh, but can you make them feel? In this workshop, we will strive to create funny yet grounded 2-person scenes that will help captivate an audience. Through scenes and exercises, we will work on initiating grounded 2-person scenes for long-form improv.
Sure, you can make an audience laugh, but can you make them feel? In this workshop, we will strive to create funny yet grounded 2-person scenes that will help captivate an audience. Through scenes and exercises, we will work on initiating grounded 2-person scenes for long-form improv.
Laura Hall and Lisa McQueen - Musical Director Workshops
One of the most important pieces of musical improv is your musical director! Who better to learn from about accompanying your team than the legends Laura Hall and Lisa McQueen? Whether you're an experienced accompanist or brand-new to playing for your team, take the opportunity to train with the best.
One of the most important pieces of musical improv is your musical director! Who better to learn from about accompanying your team than the legends Laura Hall and Lisa McQueen? Whether you're an experienced accompanist or brand-new to playing for your team, take the opportunity to train with the best.
Private Team Coaching Available!
Any one of our team members and musical directors are available for private coaching sessions with your team. Let us know what you want to work on and we can create a workshop for you!
Any one of our team members and musical directors are available for private coaching sessions with your team. Let us know what you want to work on and we can create a workshop for you!