What's the catch? Why is our 8 week Level One introductory course free?

When I first wanted to try improv 10 years ago, there were classes at the Globe Theatre available. I paid several hundred dollars per semester to learn the basics. At the end of the first year, that was it - nothing further was offered.

I then joined a local improv group that offered to teach me more. I again paid several hundred dollars per "semester" (they called it something else, but it was still under 4 months).

We "students" often questioned why the cost was so high, especially when there were monthly fund-raising shows, but there were never any clear answers.

That group died during Covid (would it be ironic if it were money problems that were the cause?) and some of us regrouped and started something new.

Parallel to all of this was the university group. (Here's a neat note - you don't necessarily have to go to university to be welcomed into the university group.) It's free, but oriented towards those living a student lifestyle. If you're working a 9 to 5, you might find it hard to get involved.

Add to all this the concerns I have about the financial roadblocks to diversity in improv in general, and before you know it... Well, I really want to open some doors.

Does that explain why it is free? Not really.

The reason is simple. I like people, and I know that improv is not just a lot of fun, but also something that changes you to give you a better life. You learn to play again, and you get all the benefits of that. How to be less stressed. How to have fun with others. Heck, it has even been shown to reduce your chances of mental decline later in life. Who wouldn't want that?

So improv is something to share, and it is something better shared.

And that's why it is free.