The video highlights the benefits of improv classes at the Pacific Beach Rec Center, where students are learning more than just performance skills. The classes, led by instructor Sean A. Mulvihill, emphasize teamwork, confidence building, and public speaking, all while encouraging participants to embrace the unpredictable and ever-changing nature of improv.
One of the featured students, Mary Ellen, shares how improv became a vital outlet for her after years of caregiving for her husband with dementia. Improv taught her how to adapt to life’s uncertainties with humor and creativity. The class also fosters a sense of community and camaraderie, making it an enjoyable and supportive environment for all participants.
Improv is presented as a way to develop important life skills, such as problem-solving and communication, while also having fun and meeting new people. The exuberant Theater Company offers free weekly improv classes on Thursdays, making it an accessible opportunity for anyone interested in joining.
For those looking to explore the world of improv and its life lessons, the Pacific Beach Rec Center’s classes provide a welcoming and enriching experience for all skill levels. Book your first class for free today!
By student request, we are adding a Saturday 10am-12pm improv comedy class at PB Rec Center. Now you will have two choices for class using our new punch card system. You may attend our existing Thursday 6:30pm class or this new Saturday 10am class. Come to one or both. First Saturday class is January 4, 2025.
Flexible Punch Card System
No longer will you have to worry about losing classes you paid for this month. Classes are now sold exclusively in 5 and 10 class packages. Come as often as you like to either class or both (Thursday and/or Saturday).
Teachers will take attendance each class and let you know how many classes you have left on your package.
You will meet some fantastic guest teachers who will be dropping by class over the next couple months. Each of our guest teachers has their own area of expertise to help you grow as an improviser and human being.
Price Change
In order to pay our guest teachers, add an extra class per week, and offset increased fees from the city, the price is going up by $5 a class. We hope that the extra value you get from guest instruction and additional class choices will more than make up for the increase.
Give the Gift of Improv: Invite a Friend
We offer a free trial class for new students. The greatest gift you could give us this holiday season is to invite a friend to experience the joy that you’ve been enjoying as an improv student at ETC. Please forward this page to a friend. They can click the link to claim their free class.
Happy Holidays everyone and thanks for being a part of the Exuberant Theatre Company!
Victorian Carolers at a private event in Carlsbad, CA
We’d love to sing for your party or special events. We also offer custom improv comedy shows a la Whose Line is it, Anyway? or improv workshops for your organization! Click here for more detailed info or fill out the form below to get a quote.
Do people tell you that you have a good sense of humor? Then improv is for you!
Exuberant Theatre Company is offering first-time students the chance to try improv for free at our weekly classes at the Pacific Beach Recreation Center. Classes are every Thursday at 6:30pm. No Class 12/26/24. Just click the link to sign up and we will see you there!
Stephen Reusch, Chief Photographer for ABC News San Diego, is going to do a segment on our improv comedy class at the Pacific Beach Rec Center! He will be coming to observe the class with cameras rolling on November 7, 2024. Stephen is a storytelling first and foremost, and loves the story of the peforming arts community we are building in PB. Or perhaps, rebuilding is the world. PB at one time had a strong tradition of theatrical shows, including a famous hypnotist at Catamaran Resort, a hip-hop dance studio, and in the 90s a PB coffee house launched the musical career of singer Jewel Kilcher.
That night, please arrive a few minutes early for class if possible. Wear something you look and feel great in for class! We will run through the short form improv games that we will present for the class show., taking turns being audience and performing for each other.
At our PB Improv Comedy class, we always end with a montage set and sometimes things get wild–these pilot/slash flight attendants were having some Boeing-related plane issue and it made the passengers nervous–but at least the snacks were good!
It’s not too late to join us for October and November improv classes at PB Rec Center–if you haven’t taken a class with us before your first one is free. If you are a returning student, sign up for your next four classes here.
I told my Wednesday Act Live Now Act4fun class that I would send some actor book recommendations at class last week and I realized my other friends and improv actors might want the list as well.
Here they are, with a short description and my Amazon Affiliate link to purchase each if you are intrigued:
An Actor Prepares–Stanislavski: Told in a first-person story format, it reads like a novel, yet each chapter reveals common sense tips to create a more lifelike character. First in his famous trilogy of acting books. https://amzn.to/3XMnSeL
To The Actor–Michael Chekhov: This teacher is probably my favorite because he combines the physical with the mental imagination to create fully-embodied characters. https://amzn.to/3TvB9po
A Challenge for the Actor–Uta Hagen: This is a very pragmatic book, focused on solving problems that the actor often encounters when receiving a role. https://amzn.to/3ZyCYFI
The Actor’s Art and Craft–William Esper: This gives an in-depth look at Meisner Technique, which is so much more than its Level 1 Repetition Exercise that made the technique famous. https://amzn.to/3TvBcl4
Audition–Michael Shurtleff: This famous NY casting director gives no-nonsense advice for actors looking to create impactful characters and scenes, whether they are auditioning or not. His guideposts are mandatory reading for the professional actor. https://amzn.to/3MJItKm
Enjoy! These are my first round, if you finish them or want more let me and I will steer you towards some others, depending on your specific interest. I’ve read a lot of acting books, seeing as I have both a BFA and MFA in Theatre!
Mark your calendars for our first Pro-Amateur combo improv comedy show at PB Rec Center in November. Students from our classes will get to perform alongside their instructor, Sean A. Mulvihill. The show will be headlined by Finest City alum Indie Team, THE GOOD KNIFE.
Tickets are free and can be reserved at the City of San Diego Rec Site using the link below.
Hi, I’m Sean A. Mulvihill. I’m the Artistic Director of the Exuberant Theatre Company. We started out with a long-running improv comedy show at the Broadway Comedy Club and other NYC venues from 2018-2022. I moved to San Diego in early 2023 and am very excited to work with you. You can catch me performing improv around town at Mockingbird Improv (Team Broadway Unscripted) and Finest City Improv (Team Fjordache). I also put up scripted theater work at the annual San Diego International Fringe Festival (2024: Puppy Love).
I’ve been teaching acting and writing since 2001 and improv and sketch comedy since 2018.
I’ve been acting professionally since the age of 16 when I got my first summer stock musical theatre gig in Illinois. I was late to the first rehearsal because I failed my Math Analysis final. The teacher let me retake it on the following Monday after school ended. I got a C. Because of that C, I got into USC.
So, at age 18, I moved to Los Angeles and went to USC to get a BFA in Acting. I had my first exposure to improv training with the great Dan O’Connor and Eric Trulles, but unfortunately I was partying so much I don’t remember much about those classes. After graduation, I was a founding member of the acclaimed Blue House Theatre Company alongside present-day stars Patrick J. Adams and Chris Pine. I developed an interest in the mystic and at the age of 24 I made a feature film called Living Luminaries with my then-hero, Eckhart Tolle, the author of The Power of Now.
I went on to act professionally on many regional and international stages from Tuacahn Ampitheatre in Utah to the Venetian Macau. I’ve appeared on TV and streaming channels like: RAI Italia “Questo Nostro Amore”, CBS “Next”, GSN “Baggage” (a dating show hosted by Jerry Springer), Amazon Prime, and am the voice of a Sony PlayStation game called “Loading Human.” I got my MFA in Physical Theatre in Italy and lived there for four years during which I gained weight.
After Italy, I moved to NYC in 2017 and fell in love with improv. I studied at UCB, the Magnet, and the PIT. My studies led me to direct a feature film called ACT SOCIAL starring Colin Mochrie of “Whose Line is it, Anyway?” Colin was a good sport when we put him in an fMRI and looked at his brain while he did improv. The film won the “Film Heals” Award at the 2021 Manhattan Film Festival.
I’m a positive and motivating person and my teaching style is honest, practical, and fun. I look forward to helping you reach your goals!
Whether you’re experienced or new to improv comedy, you’ll have a great time while learning more confidence and public speaking skills at our weekly improv classes at the PB Rec Center in Pacific Beach San Diego, CA!
These are monthlong sessions. Each month has a different topic of focus.
Free Improv Comedy Class for New Students
If you haven’t tried a class with us before we invite you to click the New Student Free Trial Class link below to come test it out before you sign up for a whole month.
October Topic: Building Confidence Onstage–There are so many great topics in improv but isn’t better to tackle one that could get you tackled by someone attractive? The greatest performers that you’ve ever watched on stage or on a talk show, seem to be effortlessly funny, vulnerable and memorable. Improv gives all willing participants the mindset to express their deepest, most beautiful self in front of an audience. This month, come explore how you can build your skill performing on stage and in turn develop the supreme confidence you want.
October will be all about confidence, self-belief, and building trust with your teammates. Another big component of confident performance is your mindset and relationship with the AUDIENCE.
This relationship with the audience is often overlooked in actor and improv training, yet it is the reason why we do theatre or comedy—for someone to enjoy. When you have the right mindset about the audience, you cease to be afraid to get up in front of a crowd. Every time I walk onstage, I believe I am giving a gift to the audience—a customizable gift that I have prepared in class/rehearsal. But in order to give them the gift the way they want to receive it, I must tune in to them. That tuning in is a skill we will practice together.
The four October sessions will focus on:
-no hesitation, yet being patient -mental routine before you go onstage -trusting your instincts -rhythm of editing scenes and stagecraft -calibrating your performance volume for the size of the audience and room -having your teammates’ backs by diving in with abandon -reading an audience’s sense of humor -how to host/emcee a show -using variety in your set to keep the audience engaged
Every class we’ll start with a warmup and refresher on the fundamentals of improv before moving on to scene work and games! We’ll wrap up the class with short sets based a short or long form concept.
Things you will work on every class:
Being more fun by “Yes And”-ing your partner
Great listening skills
How to be interesting effortlessly
How to recognize your own comedic voice
Improvisation is a skill that can have great positive effects on your everyday life–try it for:
Increased confidence when speaking “on the spot”
Decreased anxiety
Endorphins released by uproarious laughter
Exuberant Theatre Company is excited to partner with the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department on this class series. Sign up below and we’ll see you for some fun, laughs, and new friends at the class!
Hi, I’m Sean A. Mulvihill. I’m the Artistic Director of the Exuberant Theatre Company. We started out with a long-running improv comedy show at the Broadway Comedy Club and other NYC venues from 2018-2022. I moved to San Diego in early 2023 and am very excited to work with you. You can catch me performing improv around town at Mockingbird Improv (Team Broadway Unscripted) and Finest City Improv (Team Fjordache). I also put up scripted theater work at the annual San Diego International Fringe Festival (2024: Puppy Love).
I’ve been teaching acting and writing since 2001 and improv and sketch comedy since 2018.
I’ve been acting professionally since the age of 16 when I got my first summer stock musical theatre gig in Illinois. I was late to the first rehearsal because I failed my Math Analysis final. The teacher let me retake it on the following Monday after school ended. I got a C. Because of that C, I got into USC.
So, at age 18, I moved to Los Angeles and went to USC to get a BFA in Acting. I had my first exposure to improv training with the great Dan O’Connor and Eric Trulles, but unfortunately I was partying so much I don’t remember much about those classes. After graduation, I was a founding member of the acclaimed Blue House Theatre Company alongside present-day stars Patrick J. Adams and Chris Pine. I developed an interest in the mystic and at the age of 24 I made a feature film called Living Luminaries with my then-hero, Eckhart Tolle, the author of The Power of Now.
I went on to act professionally on many regional and international stages from Tuacahn Ampitheatre in Utah to the Venetian Macau. I’ve appeared on TV and streaming channels like: RAI Italia “Questo Nostro Amore”, CBS “Next”, GSN “Baggage” (a dating show hosted by Jerry Springer), Amazon Prime, and am the voice of a Sony PlayStation game called “Loading Human.” I got my MFA in Physical Theatre in Italy and lived there for four years during which I gained weight.
After Italy, I moved to NYC in 2017 and fell in love with improv. I studied at UCB, the Magnet, and the PIT. My studies led me to direct a feature film called ACT SOCIAL starring Colin Mochrie of “Whose Line is it, Anyway?” Colin was a good sport when we put him in an fMRI and looked at his brain while he did improv. The film won the “Film Heals” Award at the 2021 Manhattan Film Festival.
I’m a positive and motivating person and my teaching style is honest, practical, and fun. I look forward to helping you reach your goals!
I’m on the core faculty at Mockingbird Improv in Liberty Station. This term I am teaching Level 1 Saturday (4-6pm) and Level 3 Sunday (4-6pm). You can sign up for the classes over at Mockingbird’s website: mockingbirdimprov.org. Classes are a lot of fun and you have a chance to go through all five levels over the course of about a year with the same group, so you can build some really great friendships there as well as improve your spontaneity and public speaking skills.
If you’re wondering about the science behind the health benefits of practicing improv, check out a documentary I made starring Colin Mochrie of Whose Line is it, Anyway? In the film we get Colin into an fMRI machine and look at his brain while he is improvising, and the results are fascinating. Check out Act Social film for free on Youtube.
The health benefits of improv
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10-Pack of Improv Comedy Classes San Diego$300.00
5-Pack of Improv Comedy Classes San Diego$150.00
Free Improv Comedy Class in San DiegoOriginal price was: $30.00.$0.00Current price is: $0.00.
