Join us on Wednesday, December 17th at 7:00pm for our Fall II Student Showcase. This is your opportunity to support the students who completed The Revival’s Fall II session of classes. From improvisers to stand-up comics to public speakers, the Student Showcase is a fun, celebratory evening that is not to be missed! The ticket is FREE and the bar will be OPEN!

Ampersand: An Improv Showcial pairs The Revival’s student improvisers with guest stars from across the Chicago comedy community. Each week, four teams of improvisers hone their skills with 15-minute performances alongside the best in the business including: Susan Messing, Rachael Mason and many others! It’s equal parts comedy, camaraderie, and community—Ampersand is where Chicago improvisers learn to play!

Dorff, Jagodowski & Messing unites three of Chicago’s most acclaimed improvisers for a night of fearless comedy. Kevin Dorff, Emmy-winning writer for Late Night with Conan O’Brien and former Second City mainstage performer, joins T.J. Jagodowski—once dubbed “the best improviser in Chicago”—and Susan Messing, founding member of The Annoyance Theatre known for her sharp, grounded play. Together they’ll create a hilarious improvised performance out of nothing but trust and imagination.

Approximate Runtime: 60 Minutes

The Revival – 906 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60605

Description: This class focuses on the fundamental elements of scenic improv including idea generation, finding the game, and heightening. Learn how to play with a scene partner, use the environment, and sustain the relationship. Prerequisite: Improv 101 or the equivalent.

Times/Days: Tuesdays 6:00-8:00 PM (1/20/26 – 3/10/26)

Class Length: 8 weeks; 2 hrs. per week

Location: Fine Arts Building – Studio A (410 S. Michigan Ave.)

Teacher: TBD

Student Showcase: Wednesday, March 18th (6:00-8:00 PM)

Description: Presentations at work, a wedding toast, or leading a group discussion. Most people dread speaking in public. Sooner or later, we all have to do it! This course is designed to take the fear out of public speaking and insert the fun. Using the underlying skills of improvisation, we will help you become a more effective public speaker. Weekly exercises enable participants to: maintain focus and concentration; use the body & voice to express clear, detailed choices; respond imaginatively and expressively to various circumstances; and, connect to audiences of various sizes. No experience necessary.

Times/Days: Tuesdays 7:00-8:30 PM CT (1/20/26 – 3/10/26)

Class Length: 8 weeks; 1.5 hrs. per week

Location: Online (Zoom link sent following registration)

Teacher: Jeremy Cohn

Jeremy Cohn is an educator and 1600-hour AmSAT (American Society for the Alexander Technique) certified Alexander Technique Instructor who has coached clients including Grammy award-winning performing artists, Olympic level athletes, and C-suite executives to keep cool under pressure and reach apex levels of performance. The Alexander Technique is a body-based centering method that teaches high-performers how to approach their work with a profound sense of presence, ease, and authenticity. He has coached hundreds of individuals and conducted workshops and group classes with The Old Town School of Folk Music, Green Shirt Studio, The Chicago Vocal Arts Consortium, and Anima Singers among many others. He is also skilled in teaching Rodenberg and Linklater voice methods and several acting techniques including Meisner and Stella Adler. He is currently Adjunct Professor of Instruction in Columbia College Chicago’s School of Theatre and Dance where he teaches acting, text interpretation, movement, and theatre voice. He was first introduced to the Alexander Technique while earning a B.F.A in Acting from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts and a Classical Acting Certification from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. As an actor and director, he has dozens of professional credits including performances with the Court Theatre, First Folio Theatre, The Huntington Theatre Company, and the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre.

Description: Learn the fundamentals of improv in this fun, supportive, introductory class. We’ll cover listening, ensemble-building techniques, and the principle of “Yes and…” This is a great opportunity to try improv right at its birthplace in Chicago! No experience necessary. Each session concludes with a Student Showcase for friends and family.

Times/Days: Wednesdays 6:00–8:00 PM (1/21/26-3/11/26)

Class Length: 8 weeks; 2 hrs. per week

Location: Fine Arts Building – Studio A (410 S. Michigan Ave.)

Teacher: TBD

Student Showcase: Wednesday, March 18th (6:00-8:00 PM)

Hip Hop Improv is designed for beginner to experienced improvisers and will challenge performers at every level of hip hop skill. Students will: learn basic rhyme structure with set-ups and punch lines; explore rapping in character; and, use emotion to drive the narrative. Participants leave this class with a renewed sense of confidence, personal swag and poetic spirit that is the very essence of freestyle hip hop. And…online is the perfect medium for the journey!

Times/Days: Wednesdays 7:00–8:30 PM CT (1/21/26-3/11/26)

Class Length: 8 weeks; 1.5 hrs. per week

Location: Online (Zoom link sent following registration)

Teacher: Derek Reid

Derek Reid is an accomplished LA-based actor, director, musician and instructor. He can be seen regularly playing Barack Obama on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and as Black Spider-Man in the hit web series Black Spider-Man. Derek is a long-standing teacher with LA’s The Groundlings and the (now departed) iO West. Derek is a member of the acclaimed hip hop improv group 808 and directs the female-identifying hip hop team Chrome XX.

Description: Make bold choices, push your creativity and think on your feet. This class builds on Improv 201 by exploring exercises that encourage strong characters, emotion, and stage presence. Prerequisite: Improv 201 or the equivalent.

Times/Days: Sundays 3:00pm-5:00 PM (1/25/26-3/15/26)

Class Length: 8 weeks/2 hrs. per week

Location: Fine Arts Building – Studio A (410 S. Michigan Ave.)

Teacher: TBD

Student Showcase: Wednesday, March 18th (6:00-8:00 PM)

Description: This course prepares aspiring comedians with the confidence and skills to embark on their stand-up comedy journey! Weekly sessions cover: joke structure, material development, discovering your unique attitude and persona, audience engagement, and crafting a cohesive set. The course concludes with a performance for friends and family.

Times/Days: Sundays 5:30-7:00 PM (1/25/26-3/15/26)

Class Length: 8 weeks; 1.5 hrs. per week

Location: Fine Arts Building – Studio A (410 S. Michigan Ave.)

Teacher: TBD

Student Showcase: Wednesday, March 18th (6:00-8:00 PM)

Description: Armando, La Ronde, Harold and more! This class begins with an exploration of traditional improv forms. Then, the ensemble will create a completely original form of their own! Use everything you’ve learned up to now and take your improv to the next level. Prerequisite: Improv 301 or the equivalent.

Times/Days: Mondays 6:00-8:00 PM (1/26/26-3/16/26)

Class Length: 8 weeks; 2 hrs. per week

Location: Fine Arts Building – Studio B (410 S. Michigan Ave.)

Teacher: TBD

Student Showcase: Wednesday, March 18th (6:00-8:00 PM)