Our Curriculum
The HIT curriculum starts with level 1: Introduction to Longform Improv and then focuses on Game of the Scene, teaching students the fundamentals of comedy structure and communication.
Students are then able to join house teams and get stage time, as well as move through our Character Work courses, which focus more heavily on acting and performance skills. Other, form specific, musical and sketch classes are also available upon completion - Or partial completion - of the Core Curriculum. More detailed descriptions of the courses are below. Questions? Check out our FAQ below or email hbgimprov@gmail.com.
CORE CURRICULUM: 8 Week Courses
This is the first class everyone takes. No prior improv or theater experience is necessary. Students will complete the class with a basic understanding of the fundamentals of performing longform improv comedy. Say “yes” to uncertainty, unleash your creativity within, and make some new friends!
This class is the next step to learning more about how to make scenes funny and interesting. Students will delve into exploring, heightening, and finding "the game." Prerequisite: Level 1 Intro to Improv
Now that you have a basic understanding of game of the scene, it's time to take that and put it into the granddaddy of all along forms: the Harold. Created by the late, great Del Close, The Harold has since become the signature form of the Upright Citizens Brigade. This is the final class in this track before students are eligible to audition for HIT Harold teams. HIT Harold teams perform Thursday nights. Prerequisite: Level 2: Game of the Scene
Elective Classes:
Elective classes are available to students who have completed some or all of the CORE CURRICULUM to continue advancing their improv skills.
FUNDAMENTALS OF MUSICAL IMPROV
Students will learn how to improvise musical numbers within their scene work, and perform a fully improvised musical narrative! Through lessons in basic song structure, rhyming, movement, and narrative exploration students will have the building blocks they need to star as the lead in their very own Musical Improv journey. No musical experience necessary. Prerequisite: Level 2: Game of the Scene.
ADVANCED MUSICAL IMPROV
Students will take what they learned in level 1 and dive deeper into musical improv! We’ll focus specifically on creating a narrative musical - studying character building, basic story structure, song structure, ensemble songs, rhyming and more. By the end of this class, students will create a 25 minute improvised off-off-off-off broadway musical! Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Musical Improv.
IMPROV TO SKETCH
Students will create their own sketch comedy revue and perform it live on stage! Through the 6 weeks, students will brainstorm sketch ideas both on their own and in class, work through the ideas through improv and discussion, and polish them into complete sketches. Class culminates in two performances of their sketch revue on the HIT stage. Prerequisite: Level 2: Game of the Scene.