Improv 310: Four-week Course on Short-form Improv

Sharpen your improv instincts with this four-week, fast-paced, laughter-filled dive into the world of short-form improv.

Over the course, we’ll explore different types of short-form games—from backline games to scene-based games to classic guessing games. You’ll learn the rules of each format, try them out, and get supportive coaching to develop strategies that make them successful. This course is ideal for those who want to build a quicker wit, perform more confidently, and host or play a wide range of games with style.

You’ll walk away able to:

• Understand and play by the rules of a variety of short-form games
• Think on your feet and sharpen your comedic timing
• Collaborate with fellow performers
• Make bold, specific choices under pressure
• Gain confidence onstage through structured play

Short-form improv is not just fun—it’s a powerful tool for learning the fundamentals of performance, comedy, and collaboration. Come laugh, learn, and play your way through a delightful sampler of improv games.

Improv 310 is open to anyone that has had at least two levels of improv classes (Improv 101 & 201 at Big Couch or levels 1 & 2 in another program). It consists of four two-hour classes on Tuesdays (July 8, 15, 22, & 29) from 8 to 10 pm at Big Couch's Bywater location - 1045 Desire Street, New Orleans, LA 70117. At the culmination of the course, attendees will put on an evening improv show on Sunday, August 3 at 7:30 pm.

A registration fee of $100 will cover all four sessions, and scholarships are available to those who identify as Black/African American, Indigenous, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian American Pacific Islander, LGBTQIA+, and/or disabled, as well for those whom English is their second language. To inquire about scholarship opportunities, please email Y2FycmllIHwgYmlnY291Y2hub2xhICEgY29t.

About the Instructor - Ellery Abel

Ellery Abel began her theatrical career in a community musical at the age of 5 with her first ever line “follow the yellow brick road.” A West Coast native, Ellery grew up in the Portland area with a passion for the performing arts. She joined her first improv troupe in 2017 while attending the University of Oregon. Shortly after moving to New Orleans in early 2022, Ellery arrived at Audubon Park one Saturday and was forced to choose between joining a yoga class and an improv jam. Ellery chose wisely and has been working with Big Couch ever since. She created and currently produces and performs in Spicy Bits, a short-form improv comedy show where the performers play games while eating progressively hotter hot sauces.

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