Comedy Classes & Workshops
Positively Funny Inc. offers Birmingham's ONLY in-depth comedy lessons including Improv, Comedy Writing, Stand-Up Comedy and Digital Short Comedy. Basically, if it's about comedy, we teach it. The backgrounds of our instructors range from the famed Second City in Chicago to SAK Comedy Lab in Orlando and even some home-grown talent from here in Birmingham. When you choose to learn comedy with Positively Funny Inc., you are getting the best of several "comedy worlds."i
Our curriculum is developed by tenured professionals in the industry and is delivered in an environment that is safe and nurturing. We offer classes year-round for both adults and teens, as well as specialized summer camps for youth and teens. We also offer classes that integrate special needs students with our regular students.
We offer our traditional 6-week class terms with each class being 2 hours long. We also offer more intense classes for certain classes that meet 4 sessions for 4 hours or 6 classes for 3 hours. Our intense classes are usually offered on the weekend. And to allow our "distance" students the same opportunities as Birmingham area residents, our writing and stand-up classes have a "long distance learning" option.
Our students turn to Positively Funny Inc. to amp up their funny. Whether you are looking to take to the stage, improve your business soft-skills, gain confidence in your public speaking or presentation skills or to just have fun and cross an item off your bucket-list - TAKE THE LEAP! You will discover the POWER of the FUNNY!
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Please note that not all of our classes are always available. Click here to wait list for any classes that are not available at this time.
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Our classes generally require prepayment online. If you need to pay in person, or need a payment plan, please contact us.
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Improv Classes
Our Basic Level Improv classes are the starting point for whether you want to have fun or want to pursue Improv on stage. Our curriculum is designed by professionals and is paced to help you succeed when you take to the stage for your graduation show at the conclusion of Level 301. If you're still not sure if improv is for you, sign up for our free Taste of Improv workshop to get a "preview" of what you'll learn in Improv 101!
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Classes offered:
Taste of Improv one-day workshop: To be scheduled.
Improv 101: Introduction to Improv Fundamentals-- Wednesday, January 6, 2024 or Saturday, January 10, 2024 (10am to noon)
Level 201 Basic Scenework--November, 6, 2024, 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Our master level classes are for the experienced Improviser or recent graduates of our training Institute. These classes help you take your Improv skills to the next level. Taught by our most experienced Improvisers, these classes are very focused and students can expect critical feedback that you need to grow to the next level of your Improv game. A true commitment is needed to succeed in these classes.
Classes offered:
Master Level Improv 401: Advanced Scenework
Master Level Improv 501: Characters & Environment
Master Level Improv 601: Styles & Genres
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These classes are currently not available. Click here to wait list!
If you have ever watched Positively Funny Improv on stage, you have watched our talented cast play "short-form" Improv or Improv games. There are other styles of Improv around. We offer classes in one of these Improv disciplines known as "long form" Improv. Long-form Improv is generally an entire piece done off a single suggestion. In many forms, these scenes are all connected, even if they don't seem to be at the beginning of the show. To be put is its most basic definition, long-form can be categorized as a improvised play. Much like a play, a long-form Improv piece can make people laugh, cry, feel rage, feel sadness, and much much more.
Classes offered:
Long-form Improv 701:
Long-form Improv 702: The Harold Style
These classes are currently not available. Click here to wait list!
Other Comedy Classes
When people think of comedy, they most often think of stand-up comedy. When you ask for the name of a famous comedian, the names offered up will most often be legendary stand-up comics. When natural ability collides with professional training, the sky is the limit! The Stand-Up Comedy classes take you from the basics of joke writing to how to generate ideas and develop a laugh-filled routine. You will gain a thorough understanding of what comedy is about and how to best leverage your talents for success.
Classes offered:
Stand-up Comedy 101: Introduction--currently not available. Click here to wait list! currently not available.
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Do you have an inner funny but don't want to be under the spotlights on stage? Release your inner funny through our Sketch Comedy Writing classes taught by seasoned professionals. Learn to write SNL-style comedy sketches from a blank piece of paper to a produced sketch on stage. Graduated students have the opportunity to join the PFI Writing Team headed up by Ty Malugani.
Classes offered:
Sketch Comedy Writing 101: Introduction--currently not available. Click here to wait list!
Sketch Comedy Writing 201--currently not available. Click here to wait list!
Positively Funny Improv offers a Summer Comedy Camp for youth and teens. Our professionally-trained instructors represent some of Birmingham’s best and most experienced improvisational comedians. We create a fun and supportive environment within which students can explore, develop and succeed. While Improvisation is best known for the power to amaze and entertain, the fundamentals of the art also teaches a creative process leading to support, encouragement, trust and applied-risk taking off-stage as well as on.
Our students learn improvisation skills that not only make them better performers, but provide life-long tools they can use every day. We teach students to have confidence in their own point of view, learn to accept “mistakes” as gifts, become inspired team players and communicate their ideas more effectively. Whether students are ready to take the first step onto the stage or looking to take their robust performance to the next level, Positively Funny Improv has something for everyone.
Positively Funny Improv’s Summer Comedy Camp exploration is rooted in support, trust, risk-taking, confidence and fun. Each day, campers dive into an exciting mix of expertly crafted theater games, improvisational exercises, ensemble-building activities and performance opportunities.
With our industry-leading artists as their guide, campers build the performance skills necessary to deliver an impressive and hilarious end-of-session show for friends and family. Our campers will play many of the same performance pieces you’ve seen performed on-stage by the actors of Positively Funny Improv since 2010. Even more valuable, our staff supports campers as they discover the many benefits of Improv off-stage – new friendships, stronger communication skills, confidence in imagination, applied creativity, collaboration and
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