Devised Comedy Intensive

Early Registration Application Deadline: February 1, 2026

“The world needs comedy, now more than ever.”
–Tom Oppenheim, Artistic Director

Led by program director Matt Gehring, this 5-week summer intensive provides students with an opportunity to make space for their unique comedic voices as writer-performers. Blending writing, performance, and collaboration, the program invites students to dive into the art of creating original comedy—on stage and on camera. Through a dynamic mix of classes—including improvisation, sketch, solo work, and physical comedy—students will engage with a variety of comedic forms while learning to connect their personal truth to today’s comedic landscape.

The program emphasizes creative risk-taking, ensemble work, and iterative feedback to refine each student’s process. With a key focus on the practice of de-centering the self and re-centering the writing, students will grow as thoughtful, versatile comedic artists. The intensive culminates in a final performance of their own writing and performing, showcasing each student’s artistic evolution.

Classes & Faculty:
Improvisation for the Stage & Film / TV / Podcast: Moujan Zolfaghari
Devised Solo Work: Mahayla Laurence
Writing for Sketch: DC Pierson
Acting for Sketch: Matt Gehring
Body & Comedy: Chet Siegel
Stand-up Comedy Writing and Performance: Rick Crom

Masterclasses:
Masterclasses TBA