This class is limited to 16 students and for ages 13-17 years old.

Summer Teen Intensive: July 2024

Aimed at teaching teens the fundamentals of improv, this course will introduce students to the value of saying “Yes, And” to every idea (especially their own) to become joyful, fearless, and bold performers. This intensive will use short-form improv games to build confidence in thinking on our feet, culminating in learning long-form improv - where you play with abandon, trust your gut, support scene partners and embrace taking risks!

1-Week Intensive: July 15-19

Monday - Friday, 3:00 - 6:00 PM

• Note: this class may end at 5:30 PM depending on # of enrollments.

Where: The BCC Dog House, Studio #2 (137 Montrose Ave, Brooklyn)

Class Show: Saturday, July 20th @ 8:30 PM @ BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum Street)

Teachers: Philip Markle and Devin Bockrath

Bio:

Philip Markle is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Brooklyn Comedy Collective. Philip trained in improv in Chicago and co-founded the Actors Training Center, developing its curriculum and teaching hundreds of kids and teenagers. He moved to NYC in 2013 to launch The Annoyance Theater NY, where he acted as its Director for four years. He was named “Top 5 Queer Business Leaders” by Time Out NY in 2023 and a “Power Player in Arts in Culture” by AMNY in 2024 amongst prominent other arts organizations. Performance highlights include musically improvising with Baby Wants Candy in Chicago and BLANK: The Musical Off-Broadway. As a storyteller, he has performed at The Moth and The Paper Machete - and is a writer on Medium.com with 400k+ reads. He executive produced, wrote, and acted in the digital shorts series "The Annoyance Presents" on IFC's Comedy Crib. Philip first performed his show SPARKLE HOUR to rave reviews in the 2013 NY International Fringe Festival and has regularly produced it since, including multiple runs at Joe's Pub and as part of the 2021 and 2022 NY Comedy Festival. You can listen to his album of queer comedy songs on your favorite streaming music platform.

Devin Bockrath is a New York based improviser, actor, writer and sketch comedian. As a Chicago native, she trained with the Annoyance and iO Theaters. During her time in Chicago she was lucky to perform with some amazing Harold and independent groups including The Other Other Guys, Superhuman, DMNK, The Holy F*ck Comedy Hour, Invisible World, an original sketch show directed by Mick Napier; and NBC Universal’s Sketch Showcase, directed by Mick Napier and produced by Lou Wallach (The Chappelle Show).

Upon moving to New York, she continued her training as an actor with The Atlantic Theater School’s Professional Conservatory. And began teaching sketch and improv for the Annoyance Theater’s NY location, where she developed a uniquely female driven improv workshop, Set Bitch Free, inspired by the powerful women of her girl group Superhuman. She currently teaches for the Brooklyn Comedy Collective, and continues to perform as an actor and comedian in New York.

Devin has appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, and has been featured in comedic shorts on IFC and Comedy Central. Most recently she was cast in a short film, To The Moon, alongside John Reynolds (Netflix’s Stranger Things, TBS Search Party, Hulu’s Four Weddings and a Funeral). And co-starred in a comedic drama, Amazing Bagel, playing opposite Tim Baltz (NBC’s Shrink, Comedy Central’s The Opposition with Jordan Klepper, HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones).

Testimonial:

“When my son took your improv class — his first acting class ever — he was a bit of a lost soul, struggling to find his talent and his passion. Working with you has transformed him. He has gained self-confidence and a work ethic and a passion that we never knew he possessed. He, and we, will always be grateful for your support of him.” — Parent of Student at the Actors Training Center.

Read more student testimonials here.

If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.