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Chicago Style Comedy

Session

1: 6/24/2024 - 7/7/2024

Discipline

Theatre

Description

A high-energy and engaging exploration of improvisational and sketch comedy. The course will be taught by master teachers of the craft who have roots with Chicago's Second City and Improv Olympics. Immersion in ensemble dynamics are also an essential element of this career-building class.

Who Should Take This Class

Theatre students with an interest in acting and directing, screenwriters, and playwrights.

Required Application Materials (please submit materials in a single document)

  • Personal statement: why you want to take this class and what you hope to gain from it
  • Headshot
  • Video audition: 75-second introduction video

Additional Scholarships

Extra funding for this course has been raised by the course coordinator and additional scholarships may be available. Students should indicate they are applying for scholarship assistance on their application and upload the appropriate financial documentation.

The criteria are:

  • The scholarship is open to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a degree or career in performing arts.
  • Scholarship recipients are evaluated for high artistic merit based on the review of their required application materials.
  • Preference will be given to students who demonstrate significant financial need, other financial aid will also be taken into consideration. 

Course Coordinator

John Mayer (Stanislaus) is a longtime Summer Arts coordinator who has developed multiple classes with Chicago Style Comedy and Steppenwolf Theatre since 2001. He is the author of Steppenwolf Theatre Company of Chicago: In Their Own Words, and has been a professor in the theatre department at Stanislaus State since 2000.

Guest Artists

Amy Seeley

Amy Seeley

Amy Seeley has been teaching comedy writing and improv since 1996. She's an acclaimed performer, director, a published playwright, and a founding member of Chicago's Factory Theater. Amy lives in Los Angeles where she enjoys reading, writing, restaurants, and meeting one-on-one with her creative clients. This year marks Amy's sixth summer as a guest artist with Summer Arts.

Dave Razowsky

Dave Razowsky

Dave Razowsky is the author of the groundbreaking best-seller A Subversive's Guide to Improvisation: Moving Beyond "Yes, And" with ten years as artistic director of The Second City Hollywood and ten reviews at Chicago's Second City. He has developed a simple approach to improvising: Your present awareness is the only thing you need to create compelling, intelligent, truthful, and surprising scenes.

Carlos Santos

Carlos Santos

Carlos Santos is an actor/comedian best known for playing Chris Morales on the Netflix original series, Gentefied. He's been featured on films such as Vacation Friends 2,The Valet, and the Prime Video series, Undone. He has a monthly show with Spanish Aqui Presents at the Upright Citizen's Brigade, and tours the country doing stand-up comedy. He is currently a series regular on Primo, the new comedy for Amazon Freevee.

Dana Martin

Dana M​artin

Dana Martin facilitates a movement-based approach to the creative process. Currently, she's the program manager for Music for the Future within organization Project: Music Heals Us and partnered with Juilliard Extension, bringing music composition courses into detention facilities throughout California. Dana has an MFA from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Proudly SAG/AFTRA. 

Jaime Moyer

Jaime Moyer

Jaime Moyer is an actress, writer, and improviser from Los Angeles. Along with voicing a character in The Bob's Burgers Movie, she's had recurring roles on Modern Family, AP BIO, The Great North, Bob's Burgers, KC Undercover, and more. She has taught improvisation/performed all over the country and abroad.

Mike Ross

Mike Ross

Mike Ross taught comedy writing and improv in LA and directed dozens of sketch and long-form shows at The Second City. He studied comedy in Chicago with master teachers. Mike has a B.S. in Psychology & Performance Studies and an M.A. in Clinical Psychology. He believes humor helps us heal and grow.

Amy Seeley

Rena Urso

Rena Urso is a musician, Licensed Body Mapping Educator, and yoga and meditation instructor, performing and teaching throughout the US and Europe. A longtime Summer Arts course coordinator with her course, The Complete 21st Century Flutist: The Global Artist, she is also on faculty at California State University, Long Beach. 

Mike Ross

Patrick Rowl​and

Patrick Rowland is a writer, comedian, and actor. He's studied and taught at iO, The Second City, and DePaul University. He is a co-founder of the award-winning sketch/improv group 3Peat whose viral sketch The Blackening was turned into a feature film. He has written and performed on The Amber Ruffin Show.


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