First Draft is excited to expand Wichita’s comedy-portunities (that is, opportunities for comedy) by offering classes on the art of live, unscripted theater. Under the tutelage of these seasoned improvisers, you will learn how to create unique characters, build a coherent narrative, and discover the magic that happens when you focus on supporting your scene partners instead of worrying about making your dang self look good all the dang time! Our classes are intended to provide an inclusive, safe place for people of all backgrounds to learn, build community, and ultimately facilitate the formation of more excellent comedy teams here in Wichita.

Our FD 101 class will run for six sessions and will cover the basic building blocks of short form and long form improv. We’ll lead some warm-ups that get our bodies and minds moving; we will run focused exercises around topics like “emotions” and “what does it really look like when you hold a cell phone or peel a banana”; and you will learn how various games and forms are structured. We’ll just be scratching the surface of improv really, but by the end of the 6 weeks, you will have the tools to perform a recital for friends and family (yay!) and you will have made a few cherished memories along the way. 

In the future, we plan to add further levels of classes that dive deeper into short form and long form separately. For now, the 101 class is a great way for experienced and inexperienced performers alike to build a shared vocabulary, focus on performance fundamentals, and sample a variety of improvisational styles. 

Oh, and if you take the class we’ll give you a free ticket to one of our shows!

So whether you have ambitions of becoming the next cast member of SNL*, or just want to try something new and see what you’re capable of, join us! There’s a place for you here!