Chicago
Improv classes
Every school and company we know of running improv classes in Chicago — what they teach and where to sign up. Details come from each school's own site; confirm dates and prices with them directly.
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The Annoyance Theatre & Bar
Improv levels AP1-AP5, CRASS show-creation classes, musical improv MI1-MI3, electives, and five-day intensives, taught under artistic director Mick Napier and built on his book 'Improvise: Scene From the Inside Out' — a philosophy that 'focuses on the individual, giving students feedback and support to allow them to find and enhance their personal point of view and creative voice'.
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The Second City
The Training Center at 230 W North Ave runs a full ladder, most courses $395 (Stand-Up 1 $440, Conservatory 1-3 and Grad Revue 1-3 $415, Writing 4 $345, Improv for Actors 1 $550, Musical Improv Conservatory $595): Improv 1 through Improv 5, Writing 1 through 6, Intro to Acting, Storytelling 101, Improv for Anxiety, Public Speaking ($225) and youth improv for ages 7-18 ($510, Saturdays or Sundays from Sep 12-13 to Dec 19-20). The autumn term is under way (sections began Saturday Aug 29 to Thursday Sep 3) and the next Improv 1 sections start Tuesday Oct 27 at 6pm, Saturday Oct 31 at 12pm, Sunday Nov 1 at 12pm and 3pm, and Monday Nov 2 at 12pm and 7pm. Shorter routes in: a $225 Intro to Improv on Thursdays at 6pm Oct 1 to Oct 22, $25 Improv Drop-Ins on Thursdays Sep 17, Sep 24 and Oct 22 (5:30pm and 7pm), a $35 Musical Improv Drop-In on Saturday Oct 24 at 3:30pm, the free student jam 'Reppin' It' on Wednesdays at 7pm from Sep 16 to Oct 14, a free Open Stage on Friday Oct 16 at 6pm, and Improv & Writing and Advanced Improv to Sketch intensives Friday Oct 23 to Sunday Oct 25 ($295-$675).
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iO Theater
Five-level long-form program — each level is an 8-week course meeting once a week for 3 hours, from Level 1 fundamentals and the Harold through Level 5, where students create their own longform piece and then perform it for eight Sunday nights — plus a four-level sketch program, a three-level music improv program, teen and youth programming, one-week intensives through the year and a five-week Summer Intensive at $1800 (payment plan $900 up front). Students get an iO Student ID giving free entry to every show while enrolled, a weekly students-only Secret Show, and a free improv jam every Saturday at 3:30pm.
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CIC Theater (Chicago Improv Company)
Five-level program — Level 1 CIC Fundamentals, Level 2 Scene, Level 3 Ensemble, Level 4 Show, Level 5 Performance. The autumn 2026 sections are Level 1 Saturdays 12-3pm and Level 2 Saturdays 3-6pm from Oct 17, Level 3 Mondays 7-10pm from Oct 12, Level 4 Tuesdays 7-10pm from Oct 13 and Level 5 Sundays 3-6pm from Oct 18. Level 1 registration opened Wednesday Sep 9 at 12pm; the other levels' registration opens soon. CIC graduates can retake classes at half price.
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Logan Square Improv
Three-level long-form program, '8 weekly classes' per level at $215, ages 18+, with class shows on the Thursday show at 7:30pm. Session 4 (running now, Level 1 closed) meets Level 1 Sundays 2:30-5:00pm Aug 9 to Oct 4 (class show Thursday Oct 8), Level 2 Mondays 7:00-9:30pm Aug 10 to Oct 5 (class shows Thursday Sep 24 and Oct 1) and Level 3 Tuesdays 7:00-9:30pm Aug 11 to Oct 6 (class shows Thursday Oct 15, Oct 22 and Oct 29); Session 5 Level 1 registration opens Sunday Sep 20 at 12pm for a Tuesdays 7:00-9:30pm section Oct 20 to Dec 15 (no class Nov 24). Several places per level are reserved for diversity and inclusion scholarships at 50% off.
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The Playground Theater
The Mixer — one part workshop, one part jam — every Monday at 8pm, open to anyone 16 or older.
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BABS Comedy Club
An Improv Workshop — 'Learn improv comedy from seasoned professionals' — Wednesdays 6:00pm-8:00pm on Sep 23, Sep 30, Oct 7 and Oct 14 2026, and a Comedy Writing Workshop ('standup, sketch comedy, and more') Thursdays 5:30pm-7:30pm on Sep 24, Oct 1, Oct 8 and Oct 15, both at the club at 7316 Madison St; a Kid-Prov programme for children; prices are behind the ticket links.
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Comedy Plex Comedy Club
Comedy classes for kids and teens, adult stand-up and improv, and corporate workshops, booked through the club's event calendar. Adult improv runs as an 8-week course for ages 18 and up with a graduation show at the club and free admission to Comedy Plex events during the session; the current listings are Beginning/Intermediate Improv on Tuesdays at 6pm and Intermediate/Advanced Improv on Tuesdays at 7pm, both from Tuesday Sep 22 2026, alongside stand-up classes.
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Oak Park Improv
Improv for Adults at the Park District of Oak Park: an 8-week course introducing or reviewing the fundamentals and 'the basic tools to build fun improvised scenes with your classmates'. Next session Wednesdays 7:00pm, September 23 to November 11 2026. No experience required, ages 18+.
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Oil Lamp Academy (Oil Lamp Theater)
Adult Improv, Wednesdays 7:00pm-9:00pm — Sep 9 to Oct 14 2026 (now under way, listed at $216.66) and Oct 28 to Dec 9 2026 ($260) — plus Adult Improv with Jimmy Carrane, Thursdays 6:30pm-8:30pm, Oct 29 to Dec 10 2026, $265, all at 1009 Waukegan Road; the same adult schedule carries Intro to Stand-up with Tyler Fowler, Mondays 6:30pm-8:30pm Sep 14 to Oct 19, $260. The Laughing Academy's former Glenview teachers (Jimmy Carrane, Tyler Fowler, Scott Levy, Tim Soszko) now teach here.
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Piven Theatre Workshop
Adult improv course 'Improv, Games And Risk-Taking' with Robin Chaplik, Tuesdays 6:30pm-8:30pm, September 15 to November 3 2026, $300 — alongside the workshop's broader acting classes for adults and youth, built on theatre games.
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The Bit Theater
A 'Weekly Drop-In Improv Class in Aurora, IL — Tuesdays at 7 PM at The Bit Theater', 7:00pm-8:00pm, $10 per class, open to 'a mature 14 and above' (dates listed Sep 15, Sep 22 and Sep 29 2026); the classes page promises 'New Classes Coming Soon!' with Level 1 Improv, Scene Work and Game of the Scene for adults, teens and kids.
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The Comedy Clubhouse
Laughter School: 'Learn improv at your school!' — an after-school improv curriculum for junior high and high schools, building 'confidence, teamwork, and creativity through improvisation', with help organising a year-end improv show. Not a public class programme.
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The Home Comedy Theater
A five-level long-form improv program teaching 'The Harold', 'a Chicago-born signature long-form structure' — 'Our improv classes run in eight-week sessions. Classes meet once a week for 3 hours', $225 per level (Level 1 weekend sections $175). Term 5, 2026 'runs the week of August 17th to the week of September 28th': Level 1 Tuesdays Aug 25 to Oct 6 7pm-10pm (Mike Johnson) and Saturdays Aug 29 to Oct 10 12pm-3pm (Cesar Jaime); Level 2 Saturdays Aug 29 to Oct 10 4pm-6pm (Marla Caceres); Level 3 Saturdays Aug 22 to Oct 3 3pm-6pm (Liz Allen); Level 4 Sundays Aug 23 to Oct 4 3pm-6pm (Paul Grondy); Level 5 Mondays Aug 17 to Sep 28 and Wednesdays Aug 26 to Oct 7, 7pm-10pm (Peter Gwinn). Graduating students may form an ensemble that joins the performance schedule.
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The Revival
A five-level adult improv ladder — Improv 101 Foundations, 201 Scenes, 301 Characters, 401 Forms and 501 Performance — taught in eight-week terms at the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave. Autumn '26 listings on the box office: Improv 101 Mondays 6:00pm-8:00pm Sep 14 to Nov 2 and Improv 301 Tuesdays 6:00pm-8:00pm Sep 15 to Nov 3, both in the Annex Studios; the school also teaches stand-up, public speaking and professional programs.
Before your first class
Learn the fundamentals free.
Our twelve-chapter course covers yes-and, listening, game of the scene and more — read it in an afternoon and walk into class ahead.