Teen Sketch is a quick and fun entry into the world of sketch comedy writing. Part one of this three-part course is an exercise-based class WITH NO GRADES (woohoo!) that is all about generating ideas and exploring point of view while learning some terminology along the way. Homework includes in-class…

Come on back and get your sketch comedy even sketchier! In part two of this three-part course, teens build on tools learned in Teen Sketch 1, further developing their comedic point of view along with learning and writing sketch comedy styles like “Fish out of Water,” “Inappropriate Response” and “Parody.”

Teen…

The Second City’s approach to playwriting is focused on two elements: improvisational writing and storytelling structure. In the first course in this program, students will gain the skills to generate from abundance, create three-dimensional characters and explore their stories. Over the course of this eight-week class, students will develop several…

Have you been bitten by the storytelling bug? Live, true-storytelling is both a trendy new performance form popularized by public radio shows and creative community events, and one of the oldest forms of performance there is. Storytelling has been used to teach, inspire, entertain and galvanize since before the written…

A sellable screenplay = quit your day job. This class will help you create characters, understand structure & learn to pitch. You’ll end this course with an outline of your [awesome] screenplay idea as well as the start of your script….

In Online Writing for TV & Film students familiar with the Second City model of comedy writing will explore visual writing, story structure and character in preparation for creating longer works for TV and film. The class will read existing scripts, view film and television selections, and write and workshop…

In Writing Strong Women you will create memorable female characters that DRIVE your piece. Writers (women AND men) will create sketches, monologues, stories and character pieces through writing exercises, analysis of text and a variety of writing assignments….

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Writing Your Web Series gives you the tools to help your web series succeed. Lecture and suggested reading will include character development, format, structure, and the business side and current landscape for web writing. You will outline your idea, write episodes and workshop them, hearing them read and getting live…

Learn the art of stand-up comedy with The Second City Training Center featuring hands-on lessons in storytelling, character building, observational humor, one-liners and more. Students receive weekly lectures, multi-media demonstrations and exercises to create enough unique content to have a polished act by the end of the 4-week class.

Teen Stand-Up…

Are you interested in taking a comedy writing class, but you’re not quite sure if it’s right for you? Give it a test drive! Our weekly drop-in comedy writing class for tweens is open to everyone Ages 10-13. It’s a great opportunity to practice, have some fun, and meet new…

Intro to Sketch Writing is for teens who want to learn how to write sketch comedy or who want to learn how to translate their improv skills to paper. Writing good comedy scenes is not easy. This class will set students up with the fundamentals they need. This class will…

Love to write and want to find fun new ways to generate ideas? We will spend part of each class playing improv games to generate material. Together we will sort through the ideas the improv games inspired, followed by walking through story structure and writing techniques to create short stories…

An introduction to sketch comedy techniques including characterization, comic premise and story structure….

A further exploration of using comic premises to develop original sketch comedy for students who have completed Writing Intensive 1….

Expand your comedy writer’s toolkit. From full-cast scenes to monologues, discover the types of sketches that round-out a Second City revue….

Refine your comic voice and strengthen your skill in revision while learning premises that break the rules – clothesline scenes, songs and more….

Every comedic medium benefits from variety, and music helps add that variety. Whether a student is interested in becoming a full-fledged musical comedian, or just wants to add a song to their stand-up routine, Comedic Songwriting is a good way to learn how to do that.

Comedic Songwriting is for students…

Explore the principles and processes of improv in the morning leading into an introduction to sketch comedy in the afternoon….

Our Stand-Up classes are for kids and teens who are interested in learning about stand-up comedy. The skills required to do stand up develop skills of observation and define one’s point of view. Also, participants of this class will develop valuable public speaking skills. Standing up in front of a…

Our Stand-Up classes are for teens who are interested in learning and performing stand-up comedy. Students are taught the skills required to do stand-up comedy, develop their skills of observation, and define one’s point of view. Also, participants of this class will develop valuable public speaking skills. Getting up to…