Class is in session at Improv LA, a boutique school that offers one-day beginner courses.
(Shelby Moore / For The Times)
Wish you were funnier? These great L.A. improv classes will have you saying, ‘yes, and’
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I’ve hit my late 20s and am feeling the social pressure: Everyone in my circle is either getting married or taking improv classes. I’m not saying “I do” anytime soon, so I figured I’d master the art of “Yes, and.”
While embarrassing myself in front of an audience didn’t sound appealing at first, I wanted to build a better bond with my instincts. I’m the kind of person who takes a while to come up with a comedic quip at parties. And if I did want to make my way to the altar, I’d have to learn how to woo my future spouse. I’m getting ahead of myself, but the point is, you don’t need a grand reason to take an improv class. You don’t even need to be a performer. My goal this year was to give it a try, and you can too.
For the record:
12:55 p.m. June 16, 2026A previous version of this guide stated M.i’s Westside Comedy Theatre’s drop-in improv classes are $55. They are $30.
About This Guide
Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What should we check out next? Send ideas to guides@latimes.com.
Improv is about believing in your intuition, committing to the bit and trusting your scene partner. Most improv classes are part of a larger commitment, with courses running for four to six weeks at price points in the hundreds. However, there are a few places that offer drop-in courses for those who want a taste. Whether you’re looking to spice up your social skills or flex your funny bone, here are improv classes that anyone can try without spending too much time or money.
Showing Places
M.i.’s Westside Comedy Theatre
Santa Monica Comedy Class
(Steven Vargas / For The Times)
If the world of improv is completely new to you, M.i’.s Westside Comedy Theatre is an ideal starting point. Located in an alley behind Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, right behind Yogurtland, it’s easy to miss. Once you come across its bomb sign (no, literally, its logo is a bomb) and large, red door, you’ve made it. The theater is led by members of an improv group from UMass called Mission IMPROVable, who came to Los Angeles for work in 2002 and formed the comedy hub in 2009.
It offers classes in improv, sketch and stand-up, but only the improv program has a drop-in class you can check out before committing to a longer program. This attracted an eclectic group of students in my class, including a group of friends celebrating someone’s birthday, a couple seeking better communication at work and a mother-son duo offering each other moral support.
The instructor broke down the elements of improv into ice-breaker games. Once warmed up, the exercises that followed eased participants into scene work. Standing in two lines, one person initiated a three-line scene with a unique character in mind while their partner embodied another potential character in the scene. Once everyone understood how to get a scene started, the class transitioned into longer scenes (with some hand-holding). The curriculum is made for those who know nothing about the DNA of an improv scene.
It offers classes in improv, sketch and stand-up, but only the improv program has a drop-in class you can check out before committing to a longer program. This attracted an eclectic group of students in my class, including a group of friends celebrating someone’s birthday, a couple seeking better communication at work and a mother-son duo offering each other moral support.
The instructor broke down the elements of improv into ice-breaker games. Once warmed up, the exercises that followed eased participants into scene work. Standing in two lines, one person initiated a three-line scene with a unique character in mind while their partner embodied another potential character in the scene. Once everyone understood how to get a scene started, the class transitioned into longer scenes (with some hand-holding). The curriculum is made for those who know nothing about the DNA of an improv scene.
- Best for: Complete newbies
- Cost: $30
- Time commitment: Two hours
- Parking: Santa Monica Parking structures are 90 minutes free, with an incremental charge every 30 minutes, depending on the structure.
- Pro tip: If you’re looking for some extra practice, be sure to volunteer to be at the center of the character wheel. You’ll thank me later.
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Route Details
Downtown Santa Monica Station
Improv LA
East Hollywood Comedy Class
(Shelby Moore/For The Times)
Improv LA is a boutique school that welcomes anyone at any level to its one-day beginner courses. Locations range from Silver Lake to Burbank. I attended the class hosted at the Clubhouse, a co-op for comedy groups tucked between an optometry office and a Vons in Los Feliz. Fliers plaster the shop windows and interior walls. Photos of comedians who have graced the stage hang in the hallway outside the theater where class takes place.
The theater is lived in, with creaky floors and dingy chairs, but don’t let that deter you. My class instructor, Frank Caeti, is on the faculty at CalArts and El Camino College, and his instruction showed it. We didn’t get on our feet immediately. Here, history and methodology were shared before we stepped onstage. The class consisted of games and exercises that reflected the feelings of being in an improv scene. For example, in pairs, one person talked about something exciting that happened while the other person was tasked to ignore everything they said. At the end of the exercise, Caeti explained that he wanted to replicate the importance of listening and responding in improv. If you’re the kind of person who prefers methodology and research as a way into something new, Improv LA is for you.
The theater is lived in, with creaky floors and dingy chairs, but don’t let that deter you. My class instructor, Frank Caeti, is on the faculty at CalArts and El Camino College, and his instruction showed it. We didn’t get on our feet immediately. Here, history and methodology were shared before we stepped onstage. The class consisted of games and exercises that reflected the feelings of being in an improv scene. For example, in pairs, one person talked about something exciting that happened while the other person was tasked to ignore everything they said. At the end of the exercise, Caeti explained that he wanted to replicate the importance of listening and responding in improv. If you’re the kind of person who prefers methodology and research as a way into something new, Improv LA is for you.
- Best for: Beginners with a heady approach
- Cost: $16
- Time commitment: Two hours
- Parking: Free in the shopping center parking lot
- Pro tip: Bring a notebook to take some notes because the instruction is chock-full of information that you can further research after class.
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Route Details
Vermont / Sunset Station
So Much Improv
Los Feliz Comedy Class
(Shelby Moore / For The Times)
Buckle in because the training wheels are OFF for this improv drop-in. So Much Improv, created and led by comic Joe Fahey, focuses on getting in your reps by doing back-to-back improvised scenes. Classes are held at Kingsley Studios, which can be difficult to spot. The two-level complex is located right in front of a liquor store, and the studio is on the second floor behind gated doors. The studio looks like a cute living room, with a couch against one wall and plants across another.
The class size tends to be small (my class included five people), but that allows more time to improvise per person. The class is mostly regulars, so there is already a good rapport between Fahey and the students. That means he can give more specific feedback. After completing other beginner courses, this one felt the scariest, but I leaned in. After a few reps, I felt more confident in my ability to improvise and develop tactics to work with my scene partner. By implementing his feedback, I was able to fine-tune my improv skills.
This class is perfect for those who want more practice. The type of reps can differ each class, but the week I went centered on UCB auditions (it was that time of year). Since the class is small, you get a more catered experience.
Best for: Back-to-back practice on intermediate or advanced drills
Cost: $20
Time commitment: Two hours
Parking: Street parking
Pro tip: Bring water because you will be talking a lot, and something caffeinated to beat the late-night crash for this evening class that requires your full attention.
The class size tends to be small (my class included five people), but that allows more time to improvise per person. The class is mostly regulars, so there is already a good rapport between Fahey and the students. That means he can give more specific feedback. After completing other beginner courses, this one felt the scariest, but I leaned in. After a few reps, I felt more confident in my ability to improvise and develop tactics to work with my scene partner. By implementing his feedback, I was able to fine-tune my improv skills.
This class is perfect for those who want more practice. The type of reps can differ each class, but the week I went centered on UCB auditions (it was that time of year). Since the class is small, you get a more catered experience.
Best for: Back-to-back practice on intermediate or advanced drills
Cost: $20
Time commitment: Two hours
Parking: Street parking
Pro tip: Bring water because you will be talking a lot, and something caffeinated to beat the late-night crash for this evening class that requires your full attention.
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Route Details
Hollywood / Western Station
World’s Greatest Improv School
East Hollywood Comedy Class
(Shelby Moore / For The Times)
This improv school is women-led and committed to making a safe, inclusive space for marginalized groups. Located two doors down from the Clubhouse, WGIS is a smaller space with a tiny lobby and theater taking up most of its real estate. Along the walls, there are fliers for its other classes and affinity groups, including jams for LGBTQ+ improvisers, people of color, and women and nonbinary individuals.
Its drop-ins are the cheapest of the bunch ($16), and you get a lot out of them. My instructor, Mike McLendon, used to teach elementary school — helpful experience for an open-level improv teacher. He aims to meet everyone where they are, often using visual aids. Each class differs from the last. One week, you’ll drill two-person scenes, and another you’ll focus on character or genre. During my drop-in, we focused on two-person scenes to help folks prepare for UCB auditions. Although the class centered on mock auditions, it didn’t feel like it. Through feedback, McLendon altered his teaching approach for students at different points of their improv journey. Although there were over a dozen students, the teaching style ensured everyone got enough time on stage for these two-person scenes.
The crew was primarily regulars who had already established rapport with other students and knew the structure of the class. McLendon even shouted out students he could tell were getting better. This environment is incredibly welcoming and supportive, whether you’re an entertainer or simply looking for a weekly hobby.
Its drop-ins are the cheapest of the bunch ($16), and you get a lot out of them. My instructor, Mike McLendon, used to teach elementary school — helpful experience for an open-level improv teacher. He aims to meet everyone where they are, often using visual aids. Each class differs from the last. One week, you’ll drill two-person scenes, and another you’ll focus on character or genre. During my drop-in, we focused on two-person scenes to help folks prepare for UCB auditions. Although the class centered on mock auditions, it didn’t feel like it. Through feedback, McLendon altered his teaching approach for students at different points of their improv journey. Although there were over a dozen students, the teaching style ensured everyone got enough time on stage for these two-person scenes.
The crew was primarily regulars who had already established rapport with other students and knew the structure of the class. McLendon even shouted out students he could tell were getting better. This environment is incredibly welcoming and supportive, whether you’re an entertainer or simply looking for a weekly hobby.
- Best for: Intermediate improvisers on a budget
- Cost: $16
- Time commitment: Two hours
- Parking: Free in the shopping center parking lot
- Pro tip: Everyone here loves improv and is eager to get onstage for an exercise, so don’t be afraid to rush to the stage for your chance to perform.
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Route Details
Vermont / Sunset Station
The Groundlings
Fairfax Comedy Class
(Carlos Parada / The Groundlings)
The Groundlings Theatre and School is historically known as a pipeline to “Saturday Night Live.” Founded in 1974 by Gary Austin, the Groundlings Theatre adopted its name from lower-class audience members who congregated on the ground at Shakespeare’s Globe. Once it established the school in 1979, separate from its performance group, it quickly attracted aspiring comedians, including Lisa Kudrow, Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Oscar Nuñez and Jimmy Fallon.
Its drop-ins are a bit pricier than others, but you also get a three-hour class versus the typical two. Not to be confused with its theater across the street, the school is at the corner of Melrose Avenue and North Poinsettia Place, with rounded windows that give pedestrians a peek into the classes throughout the day. The hallways are a bit tight, so be prepared to navigate a maze. Once inside your designated classroom, the fun begins.
The Groundlings’ methodology is character-based, differing from other game-based improv schools like the Upright Citizens Brigade. Rather than committing to a scenario and embracing absurdity, this class asks you to be grounded in a character. My drop-in class with Julie Welch focused on crafting a character with creativity and specificity. As you build up to scene work, the goal is less about being funny and more about building your muscle to commit to the bit. The drop-in specifically prepares you for long-term courses, so expect just a taste of character work.
Its drop-ins are a bit pricier than others, but you also get a three-hour class versus the typical two. Not to be confused with its theater across the street, the school is at the corner of Melrose Avenue and North Poinsettia Place, with rounded windows that give pedestrians a peek into the classes throughout the day. The hallways are a bit tight, so be prepared to navigate a maze. Once inside your designated classroom, the fun begins.
The Groundlings’ methodology is character-based, differing from other game-based improv schools like the Upright Citizens Brigade. Rather than committing to a scenario and embracing absurdity, this class asks you to be grounded in a character. My drop-in class with Julie Welch focused on crafting a character with creativity and specificity. As you build up to scene work, the goal is less about being funny and more about building your muscle to commit to the bit. The drop-in specifically prepares you for long-term courses, so expect just a taste of character work.
- Best for: Beginners who like to take things step by step
- Cost: $55
- Time commitment: Three hours
- Parking: Street parking
- Pro tip: Street parking can be rough in this neighborhood, so plan ahead. And if you’re feeling unsafe getting back to your car late at night, use the buddy system with a new friend from class.
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Route Details
The Shared Experience
East Hollywood Comedy Class
Class is in session at the Shared Experience on Saturday, March 28, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA.
(Shelby Moore/For The Times)
The Shared Experience is an indie comedy theater led by James Mastraieni. The inconspicuous Los Feliz studio is right next to a car shop with little advertisement, but by peering through its glass door, you’ll see comedy fliers galore hanging on a wall and know you’re in the right spot. Inside, you are welcomed by a large theater space made up of stackable chairs and a makeshift platform stage.
The Shared Experience focuses on drop-in courses that give you time to practice without committing to a long-term option, so if you can’t make it one week, no problem. The students range from newcomers to regulars, and the size and skill levels differ every week as well. In improv classes, improv terms and scene categories (including “peas in a pod” and “tag out”) are often thrown about, but instructor PJ McCormick takes the time to define the jargon for newbies. He challenges improvisers to think big on stage. This teaching style acts as a bridge to intermediate-level classes. Here, you can embrace absurdity and think outside the box.
The Shared Experience focuses on drop-in courses that give you time to practice without committing to a long-term option, so if you can’t make it one week, no problem. The students range from newcomers to regulars, and the size and skill levels differ every week as well. In improv classes, improv terms and scene categories (including “peas in a pod” and “tag out”) are often thrown about, but instructor PJ McCormick takes the time to define the jargon for newbies. He challenges improvisers to think big on stage. This teaching style acts as a bridge to intermediate-level classes. Here, you can embrace absurdity and think outside the box.
- Best for: Aspiring intermediates
- Cost: $20
- Time commitment: Two hours
- Parking: Street parking
- Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to make a mistake or feel unsure about what you’re doing. This class is meant to teach you through a scene.
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Route Details
Hollywood / Western Station
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