UPCOMING CLASSES
Students in full-length classes can see shows for free and receive discounts on space rentals & merch.
Most full-length classes end in class shows.
Our philosophy IS SIMPLE
F*CK IT
This means not taking yourself too seriously. Mistakes are part of the process. The more pressure you put on being perfect, the harder it is to stay playful, open, and creative.
LOVE IT
Once you get out of your own way, you can celebrate what you and your fellow performers bring to the table. That’s where the best comedy lives — in commitment, collaboration, and joy.
By holding both ideas in our head, we remember why we fell in love with comedy - one of the most wonderful things in the world - while not taking it too seriously.
COMMUNITY
We want you to find your lifelong friends in a space where nobody is cooler than anyone else. We’re all just a bunch of comedy lovers in Brooklyn having the god-damn time of our lives. Come join the party.
EMPOWERMENT
We want you to get on our stages and hone your craft. We’ve found the best comedy comes from people who like each other creating together. Countless students have gone on to create teams or pitch us unique shows, and we actively look to elevate them with performance opportunities. Give us your most fun & dumb comedy, NYC. Let’s go.
“BCC taught me everything I know about comedy. I credit the teachers and the community with helping me hone my voice and trust myself as a comedian! Plus, it's the best place to hang out.” - Sophie Zucker (THE DAILY SHOW)
This is the vibe at BCC.
ALL CLASSES
If a class is sold out: sign-up for the wait list here.
IMPROV
Come learn the art of make-em-ups. We teach a fearless, fun, and unique approach that will help you say “f*ck it” to fear, and in turn “love it” as a way of accessing your most playful and realized self.
Drop-in
Each class is limited to 18 students.
This Intro class teaches you what the BCC’s approach to improv is all about - how to say both FUCK IT and LOVE IT while performing. FUCK IT means you don’t worry about the outcome or result of your efforts. You are not judging whether you perform things correctly or whether you make mistakes. You are simply committed to doing what you are doing without worrying whether it is good or not. LOVE IT means you celebrate the whimsy, joy, and delight inherent in making shit up onstage. You remember why you fell in love with improv, one of the most wonderful feelings in the world. Learn to hold both of these ideas in your head at the same time and create fearless, fun, and dumb improv.
If you are new to improv, this workshop will set you up for a fearless way to begin learning. If you are an experienced improviser, this workshop will introduce you to a new philosophy of improv that is different than other improv schools in NYC. Either way you will be challenged and motivated!
This class is designed for students new to BCC’s approach to improv.
Drop-in Classes: Thursday, August 6th, 7:00PM - 9:30PM
Where: Pig Pen Theater (144 Boerum St, Brooklyn)
Testimonials:
Andy is fully committed to helping you learn. His enthusiasm and focus during class helps you raise your own intensity and level of commitment so you come out of each class feeling like you grew as an improviser, teammate, and performer.
The level of enthusiasm and focus Andy brought was infectious. He also gave very detailed notes on scenes and could feel the effort he put in was above and beyond to help you learn.
Andy was really thoughtful in explaining all the different forms. As someone who isn't on a team, I always enjoyed class but struggled with shows, as I don't have as much practice editing and tagging in. He was really supportive in explaining everything I wasn't as familiar with, and allowed us to play around/go with the flow/not be too worried about sticking so stringently to the forms. Great at giving notes!
If a class is sold out, register for the wait list here.
Each class is limited to 18 students.
This Intro class teaches you what the BCC’s approach to improv is all about - how to say both FUCK IT and LOVE IT while performing. FUCK IT means you don’t worry about the outcome or result of your efforts. You are not judging whether you perform things correctly or whether you make mistakes. You are simply committed to doing what you are doing without worrying whether it is good or not. LOVE IT means you celebrate the whimsy, joy, and delight inherent in making shit up onstage. You remember why you fell in love with improv, one of the most wonderful feelings in the world. Learn to hold both of these ideas in your head at the same time and create fearless, fun, and dumb improv.
If you are new to improv, this workshop will set you up for a fearless way to begin learning. If you are an experienced improviser, this workshop will introduce you to a new philosophy of improv that is different than other improv schools in NYC. Either way you will be challenged and motivated!
This class is designed for students new to BCC’s approach to improv.
Drop-in Classes: Thursday, August 20th, 7:00PM - 9:30PM
Where: Pig Pen Theater (144 Boerum St, Brooklyn)
Testimonials:
Andy is fully committed to helping you learn. His enthusiasm and focus during class helps you raise your own intensity and level of commitment so you come out of each class feeling like you grew as an improviser, teammate, and performer.
The level of enthusiasm and focus Andy brought was infectious. He also gave very detailed notes on scenes and could feel the effort he put in was above and beyond to help you learn.
Andy was really thoughtful in explaining all the different forms. As someone who isn't on a team, I always enjoyed class but struggled with shows, as I don't have as much practice editing and tagging in. He was really supportive in explaining everything I wasn't as familiar with, and allowed us to play around/go with the flow/not be too worried about sticking so stringently to the forms. Great at giving notes!
If a class is sold out, register for the wait list here.
Full-Length Classes
LEVEL 1
This class will introduce new improvisers to the value of saying “Yes, and” to every idea (especially their own) to become joyful, fearless, and bold performers.
Intro to Improv
This class is limited to 16 students.
First time taking an improv class? You’re in the right place.
This class will introduce new improvisers to the value of saying “Yes, and” to every idea (especially their own) to become joyful, fearless, and bold performers. Through games and exercises this class will teach students to react emotionally and honestly, to trust your gut, to support scene partners and embrace taking risks. These skills are essential to successful improvisation! Whether you want to be a performer or try out a class to meet new people, this class is bound to boost your confidence and creativity in a safe and supportive environment.
This class culminates in a performance for the public.
7-Week Class: Saturday, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM, August 29th - October 17th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
This class skips Saturday, September 5th for Labor Day Weekend
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00pm. Saturday, October 17th. Eris Deep Space (167 Graham Ave).
Bio:
Onyi Okoli is an actress, comedienne, and writer born and raised in Baltimore, MD. After college, she produced and performed her one woman show to sold out audiences in Baltimore, MD and later toured it to other cities including New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Her acting credits include FBI: Most Wanted, Hack My Life, a VH1 project, and more. She is one third of the improv trio, Branded Silk. Visit www.onyiokoli.com and follow @onyiokoli on IG for the latest.
Testimonials:
Onyi is amazing and I loved learning and playing with her. She took the time to give feedback even after our final show which I personally found to be above and beyond and very much appreciated.
Positive, encouraging, kind, great at providing feedback. Really emphasized the importance of connecting with classmates outside of class, which I appreciate
Onyi’s level 1 class was a great introduction to improv. I love her approach to teaching building scenes brick by brick with scene partners and appreciated her always constructive feedback as we practice.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Intro to Improv
This class is limited to 16 students.
First time taking an improv class? You’re in the right place.
This class will introduce new improvisers to the value of saying “Yes, and” to every idea (especially their own) to become joyful, fearless, and bold performers. Through games and exercises this class will teach students to react emotionally and honestly, to trust your gut, to support scene partners and embrace taking risks. These skills are essential to successful improvisation! Whether you want to be a performer or try out a class to meet new people, this class is bound to boost your confidence and creativity in a safe and supportive environment.
This class culminates in a performance for the public.
7-Week Class: Wednesday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 2nd - October 14th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00pm. Monday, October 19th. BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St).
Bio:
Molly Ledbetter is a Brooklyn-based improviser, actor, voice-over artist, and singer. Before moving to New York, she spent five years in Chicago, studying and performing improv and sketch comedy at The Second City, iO Theater, Chicago’s Improv Den, Annoyance Theater, Logan Square Improv, and Bughouse Theater. She then studied method acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York. You can catch Molly performing weekly at BCC every Thursday night at 7 PM with her improv troupe, “The Good Time” -made up entirely of veteran Chicago improvisers. Their troupe has been featured in The New York Comedy Festival and in a documentary about improv comedy. Molly is also a cast member of BCC’s weekly Thursday night 10PM improvised sketch show, “Demon Time,” which has been featured in the New York Times. (All of which you can see for free as a student at BCC!) She also regularly writes and performs characters around New York, and is an understudy for Second City NY’s current MainStage revue.
Student Testimonials:
Molly was so phenomenal in every way. She was approachable, kind, warm, directive when needed yet always encouraging and amazing at making the class feel like a safe space. She was so vivacious and filled the class with so much energy yet created space for everyone to shine.
Molly really listened and observed. She was really positive and had a ton of energy. She gave great feedback and was always constructive and encouraging.
Molly is so warm and knowledgeable.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Intro to Improv
This class is limited to 16 students.
First time taking an improv class? You’re in the right place.
This class will introduce new improvisers to the value of saying “Yes, and” to every idea (especially their own) to become joyful, fearless, and bold performers. Through games and exercises this class will teach students to react emotionally and honestly, to trust your gut, to support scene partners and embrace taking risks. These skills are essential to successful improvisation! Whether you want to be a performer or try out a class to meet new people, this class is bound to boost your confidence and creativity in a safe and supportive environment.
This class culminates in a performance for the public.
7-Week Class: Tuesday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 1st - October 13th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00pm. Friday, October 16th. BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St).
Taylor Gonzalez has been producing and performing multimedia comedy for over a decade. He is one of the creators and now editor-in-chief of POC satire site FLEXX Magazine and is the Rican half of the duo Havana Club Y Bacardí. He is one of the founding members of the Diverse As Fuck Comedy Festival, Lo-Fi NYC, and youarenotalone, a Latine-themed horror-lit zine. Over the years, he's created and produced many influential comedy shows such as deadass and the Character Clash and has studied extensively at the UCB and PIT. He has been teaching improv since 2012 and specializes in playing to the top of your intelligence, gift-giving, and object work.
Testimonials:
Best class ever. Taylor is the best teacher I could have asked for! King!
No judgement, constant support, friendly and light hearted environment
I really appreciated how seriously Taylor took the role of “teacher”. As an educator myself, his skills are very impressive. He was very professional yet provided an amazingly open and safe space for all of us. His feedback was also excellent and timely and it really helped. He focused on the individual and he really listened to us. every class, I learned an incredible amount. I can’t rate Taylor highly enough. A top top dude.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
![[Aug-Oct] Improv Level 1: Intro To Improv w/ Kenny Park Yi (Aug-Oct '26) (Sundays)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/1a746fb8-ab47-44c4-95c4-bec88f9aaef8/2026+Yi_Headshot.jpg)
Intro to Improv
This class is limited to 16 students.
First time taking an improv class? You’re in the right place.
This class will introduce new improvisers to the value of saying “Yes, and” to every idea (especially their own) to become joyful, fearless, and bold performers. Through games and exercises this class will teach students to react emotionally and honestly, to trust your gut, to support scene partners and embrace taking risks. These skills are essential to successful improvisation! Whether you want to be a performer or try out a class to meet new people, this class is bound to boost your confidence and creativity in a safe and supportive environment.
This class culminates in a performance for the public.
7-Week Class: Sunday, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM, August 30th - October 18th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
This class skips Sunday, September 6th for Labor Day.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00pm. Monday, October 19th. BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St).
Kenny Park Yi is an NYC-based comedian. Originally from North Carolina, he was inspired by Amy Poehler to take his first steps doing improv in college with North Carolina State University’s Comedic Improvisational Alliance (the CIA). He has since had the fortune of learning and playing at the Washington Improv Theater in DC, and the Brooklyn Comedy Collective + Upright Citizens Brigade in NYC.
Kenny plays with improv team The Slaysians (an all queer, all Asian improv team hell yeah), co-produces Boba Gays (a queer Asian comedy variety show hell yeah) with Alex Kim, and co-hosts Spice Rack (BCC’s BIPOC jam hell yeah) with Noelle Gonzalez.His other hobbies include cheeseburgers, smizing, and gay.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Level 2
This class lays down our core philosophy: embracing a f*ck it / love it mentality, improvising from an emotional point of view, and creating surprising and specific choices.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 1 Improv or similar experience.
![[Aug-Oct] Improv Level 2: Free Your Mind w/ Maya Sharma (Aug-Oct '26) (Wednesday)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/041273c4-ce18-42a1-a8db-559c4588615b/Screen%2BShot%2B2021-09-28%2Bat%2B4.03.09%2BPM_compressed.jpg)
Free Your Mind
This class is limited to 16 students.
Love what’s happening onstage and you’re bound to have fun and fearless improvisation.
This class will help remind you what you love about improv, slap you out of whatever may be holding you back, and cut out the naysaying voices in your head. We will look at how we sometimes bail on our choices out of a fear of making the “right or wrong choice" and to instead approach improv with a "fuck it / love it" mentality (because improv is one of the most wonderful things in the world if you don't treat it too seriously). This class encourages your artistic freedom with methods to initiate scenes with an emotional point of view, to be specific and surprising in your choices, to support your scene partner, and to confidently navigate the vocabulary and concepts of long-form improv. This class will move quickly, keep you on your feet, and challenge you with personal feedback.
This class culminates in a performance for the public.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 1 Improv OR students who have taken at least one full-length course at a major comedy theater (UCB, PIT, Magnet, Squirrel, Second City, iO, Annoyance, etc.) or have similar prior training can begin at this level. Please write your prior experience in the form when registering.
7-Week Class: Wednesday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 2nd - October 14th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 8:30p. Sunday, October 18th. BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St).
Testimonials:
Maya Sharma is the type of teacher that you would skip recess to have lunch with. Kind, smart, and funny as can be, she creates an environment that welcomes everybody and anybody. She’s made me a better improviser, a better listener, and a better collaborator in total. I heavily recommend taking her class!
Maya's one of a kind style allowed me to let go and feel great just being myself!
Maya provides an encouraging and safe environment to fail with joy. Her positivity is infectious. Maya is a wonderful teacher for people who deal with anxiety.
She was so supportive of everyone’s “vibe”, she made it so safe to be weird and take risks which I deeply appreciate, and she identifies what makes everyone unique and interesting to watch on stage.
Maya has a fantastic encouraging attitude. She makes sure to point out the good and the things that need improvement, but she's right there with you trying to make it work. You learn a lot and feel free to experiment because Maya won't try to knock you down - she wants to help you hone your skills while respecting your individual style.
Maya is an incredibly friendly and approachable teacher and curates a very supportive vibe for all of her students. No question every felt stupid to ask about the class, our scenes, or improv in general. She also offers genuine and earnest feedback which demonstrates that she really pays attention to every single improvisers.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Free Your Mind
This class is limited to 16 students.
Love the hell out of what’s happening onstage and you’re bound to have fun and fearless improvisation.
This class will help remind you what you love about improv, slap you out of whatever may be holding you back, and cut out the naysaying voices in your head. We will look at how we sometimes bail on our choices out of a fear of making the “right or wrong choice” and to instead approach improv with a “fuck it/love it” mentality (because improv is one of the most wonderful things in the world if you don’t treat it too seriously). This class encourages your artistic freedom with methods to initiate scenes with an emotional point of view, to be specific and surprising in your choices, to support your scene partner, and to confidently navigate the vocabulary and concepts of long-form improv. This class will move quickly, keep you on your feet, and challenge you with personal feedback.
This class culminates in a performance for the public.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 1 Improv OR students who have taken at least one full-length course at a major comedy theater (UCB, PIT, Magnet, Squirrel, Second City, iO, Annoyance, etc.) or have similar prior training can begin at this level. Please write your prior experience in the form when registering.
7-Week Class: Thursday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 3rd - October 15th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00pm. Saturday, October 17th. BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St).
Testimonials:
“Devin did an amazing job at facilitating group bonding, breaking down technique, pointing out individual strengths and making us laugh/ creating a playful atmosphere.”
“Devin found a way to make every moment a teachable one. She was friendly and funny and so smart and it made the class a joy.”
“Hard to say one thing. I looked forward to Devin’s class every week. Extremely supportive, great at keeping our energy up, made every class a pleasure and no one wanted it to be over so soon!”
“Hard to pick one greatest quality about Devin - genuine interest, caring, insight, experience, patience, enthusiasm.”
“Devin made every class an absolute joy! Also, taking this class made me feel like I could be a part of the BCC community, and that kind of openness in an age of gatekeepers is refreshing as hell.”
“BCC is a breath of fresh air and reminds me why I fell in love with improv.”
“Devin's ability to care for and encourage all of us was really impactful. It felt like she was truly taking the time to get to know each of us as a performer and see which skills we needed to help us grow.”
“Devin is the best. She’ll make you feel like you were destined to find yourself in an improv classroom. She creates a space of belonging and camaraderie while making you feel like you can create incredibly fun, very silly organic moments on the stage.”
"Devin did such a great job creating a safe environment for us to try crazy things without fear of judgement. She gave very insightful and actionable feedback in the moment about our individual strengths and weaknesses as improvisers, and was committed to helping us all find and develop our own personal styles of play. The tone and the energy was amazing, and I could see myself getting better and better after each class."
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Level 3
Learn to stay out of your head while managing complexity. This class dives into the dynamics that make up group scene work, layering advanced improv technique on top of fearless play.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 2 Improv
![[Aug-Oct] Improv Level 3: Advanced Scene Dynamics w/ Julian Hernandez (Aug-Oct '26) (Wednesday)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/03171ab9-7d32-4371-98d6-288d72f96f97/jhernandez+headshot.jpg)
Advanced Scenes
This class is limited to 16 students.
This class builds on the skills in Level 2, teaching students to be versatile ensemble players who can build long-form pieces organically while keeping the show and audience's experience in mind. By layering more complicated improv techniques and awareness onto already fearless play, students will learn how to authentically ground characters so they feel believable and use curve balls to keep scenes surprising. We’ll explore the dynamics that make up three-person and group scenes and how to augment and balance multiple points of focus onstage. And we’ll learn to stay out of our heads while balancing it all.
In addition to learning advanced techniques, this class will encourage you to lean into the areas you shy away from and own what makes you unique as a performer through personal notes and individual challenges.
This class culminates in a performance for the public.
Prerequisite: BCC Level 2 “Free Your Mind.”
7-Week Class: Wednesdays, 7:00PM - 10:00 PM, September 2nd - October 14th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00p. Sunday, October 18th. BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St).
Testimonials:
“Low ego, kind and loving, affirming, dedicated to making class a comfortable space - and delivered on all this successfully. a joy to be taught by.”
“I felt extremely supported. Julian went out of his way to encourage me and see strengths in us. I believe Julian brought his a-game and really paid attention to us as well.”
“Julian is a 10/10 teacher, and there are so many things I could say here. However, I believe Julian's greatest strength is making every single person feel welcomed and excited about doing improv. I looked forward to every single class, and thought of it as a strong highlight of my week.”
“I’m so glad I took this class! I had so much fun and learned a ton about improv and met lots of amazing funny people. BCC is a super awesome, super supportive community that I’m glad to be a part of.”
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Advanced Scenes
This class is limited to 16 students.
This class builds on the skills in Level 2, teaching students to be versatile ensemble players who can build long-form pieces organically while keeping the show and audience's experience in mind. By layering more complicated improv techniques and awareness onto already fearless play, students will learn how to authentically ground characters so they feel believable and use curve balls to keep scenes surprising. We’ll explore the dynamics that make up three-person and group scenes and how to augment and balance multiple points of focus onstage. And we’ll learn to stay out of our heads while balancing it all.
In addition to learning advanced techniques, this class will encourage you to lean into the areas you shy away from and own what makes you unique as a performer through personal notes and individual challenges.
This class culminates in a performance for the public.
Prerequisite: BCC Level 2 “Free Your Mind.”
7-Week Class: Monday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, August 31st - October 19th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
This class will skip Monday, September 7th for Labor Day Weekend.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 8:30pm. Friday, October 23rd. Eris Deep Space (167 Graham Ave).
Bio:
John Randall is an improviser, standup, trained clown and experienced prank caller. He studied at The Second City, iO Chicago, The Annoyance Theater and performed and taught improv in Chicago for many years before moving to Brooklyn, where he currently resides.
On top of performing all around NYC, he is a Meisner trained actor who produces short comedy films, nationwide live shows, and plays keyboard in the com-rock band Garrett and The Bad Boys. He has performed in numerous festivals such as The Flyover Comedy Festival, The New York Comedy Festival, The Detroit Improv Festival and The Chicago Improv Festival.
You can see John do an hour of two-person improv every 4th Friday at The Brooklyn Comedy Collective with his favorite team The Letdown.
Testimonials:
John is a fantastic teacher! In his class, I have grown not only as an improv player but as an actor, and I would love to take another class with him in the future.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Advanced Scenes
This class is limited to 16 students.
This class builds on the skills in Level 2, teaching students to be versatile ensemble players who can build long-form pieces organically while keeping the show and audience's experience in mind. By layering more complicated improv techniques and awareness onto already fearless play, students will learn how to authentically ground characters so they feel believable and use curve balls to keep scenes surprising. We’ll explore the dynamics that make up three-person and group scenes and how to augment and balance multiple points of focus onstage. And we’ll learn to stay out of our heads while balancing it all.
In addition to learning advanced techniques, this class will encourage you to lean into the areas you shy away from and own what makes you unique as a performer through personal notes and individual challenges.
This class culminates in a performance for the public.
Prerequisite: BCC Level 2 “Free Your Mind.”
7-Week Class: Sunday, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, August 30th - October 18th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 8:30 PM - 9:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
This class skips Sunday, September 6th for Labor Day.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 8:30pm. Wednesday, October 21st. Eris Deep Space (167 Graham Ave).
Teacher: Tej Khanna
Bio:
Tej Khanna is a New York based comedian. He has been performing improv for over ten years. His trio Chicken Big has been featured on America's Got Talent, SF Sketchfest, headlined Fun And Dumb Improv Festival and Oberlin College Improv Conference. He has taught improv at Oberlin College, NYU and The New School.
Testimonials:
Tej had such a unique point of view. He’s super talented and funny and talks about improv in a way I haven't heard before but that was super useful
Tej made all the exercises super approachable! I felt safe and supported in trying new things which made taking comedic risks all the more valuable:) please have more tej workshops/classes!
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Level 4
This culminating improv class will explore multiple improv forms to tease out the universally applicable skills highlighted by each form. This class ends in a 3-week run in the Eris Deep Space.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 3 Improv
![[Sep-Oct] Improv Level 4: Long Forms w/ Andy Junk (Sep-Oct '26) (Tuesday)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/1643652943699-AYEIHKLI66G50PLBASRI/Screen%2BShot%2B2021-07-01%2Bat%2B7.19.31%2BPM.jpg)
Long Forms
This class is limited to 16 students.
This culminating improv class will explore multiple improv forms, focusing on a different one each week, some commonly seen (though not “the Harold,” that’s covered in an elective workshop), and some more experimental and unique. We will dive beyond basic structure, and tease out the universally applicable skills highlighted by each form. Through this exploration of different forms, we'll examine the basic structure of a show, and seek to understand how to build a unified piece, vs a collection of scenes.
This class culminates in a 3-week run at BCC.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 3 Improv
7-Week Class: Tuesdays, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 1st - October 13th, 2026
Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00pm. Sunday, October 4th. Eris Deep Space (167 Graham Ave).
Class Show: 7:00pm. Sunday, October 11th. Eris Deep Space (167 Graham Ave).
Class Show: 8:30pm. Thursday, October 22nd. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Bio:
Andy Junk, a Chicagoland native, performed for over 10 years on house teams with Chicago’s iO Theater (formerly the Improv Olympic), and is a member of the lauded Improvised Shakespeare Company. He has a BFA in Acting from Illinois Wesleyan University, has studied at the iO Theater, and is also a graduate of the Second City Conservatory.
Before moving to New York, Andy was an instructor at the iO Theater, and has led master classes throughout the United States. As an actor, he can be seen on television in Joe Pera Talks with You, Shameless, The Patriot, Chicago PD, and is currently the spokesperson for AmericanEagle.com
Testimonials:
Andy is fully committed to helping you learn. His enthusiasm and focus during class helps you raise your own intensity and level of commitment so you come out of each class feeling like you grew as an improviser, teammate, and performer.
The level of enthusiasm and focus Andy brought was infectious. He also gave very detailed notes on scenes and could feel the effort he put in was above and beyond to help you learn.
Andy was really thoughtful in explaining all the different forms. As someone who isn't on a team, I always enjoyed class but struggled with shows, as I don't have as much practice editing and tagging in. He was really supportive in explaining everything I wasn't as familiar with, and allowed us to play around/go with the flow/not be too worried about sticking so stringently to the forms. Great at giving notes!
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
advanced improv
These classes are designed for improvisers looking to further their training.
Prerequisite: Check class listings for specific prerequisites.
![[Sept-Oct] Marrying Game & Deal w/ Philip Markle and Akmal Tajihan (Sept-Oct '26) (Sunday)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/d212eb2b-3d32-4d48-a099-aa55d20e2a8a/image0+%287%29.jpeg)
Workshop limited to 12 students.
Combine multiple philosophies to become a better improviser! Giving yourself a well-rounded improv education by taking classes at different institutions is critical in growing your talent, education, and joy. But sometimes it is difficult to figure out how to combine these philosophies together into a successful scene. That is what this class is all about!
Learn to bring the superpowers of different schools into one powerful set. We will focus on pairing the BCC’s f*ck it / love it philosophy and playing from a deal with a game-based approach to finding and playing with the unusual thing. We will cover core BCC concepts like managing surprise + believability & byways and highways with game-based methodology of “the voice of reason” and mapping beats out over a long-form show. The class will culminate in a simplified longform Harold. Learn to play fearlessly from a deal while honing the game of the scene - and keeping it all loose and fun.
Prerequisite: Completion of both UCB 201 and BCC Level 2 improv (no exceptions)
5-Week Class: Sunday, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM, September 20th - October 18th, 2026
This class may end between 5:30 PM and 6:00 PM depending on enrollment.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 8:30pm. Sunday, October 18th. BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St).
Teachers: Philip Markle and Akmal Tajihan
Philip’s Bio:
Philip Markle is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Brooklyn Comedy Collective. Philip trained in improv in Chicago at The Annoyance, iO, and Second City before moving to NYC in 2013 to launch The Annoyance Theater NY, where he acted as its Director for four years before founding the BCC. 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. The New York Times wrote, “Philip Markle, who founded [the BCC] in 2018, has done creative work building an audience around a dizzying array of shows.” He has taught thousands of students of all ages internationally, from Bali to Berlin, for over 15 years. 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 2021-2023 NY Comedy Festivals. You can listen to his queer comedy songs on your favorite streaming music platform under the name “Philip Sparkle.”
Akmal’s Bio:
Akmal Tajihan is an NYC Comedian and Improv teacher. He has served as a faculty member at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater teaching for the past 2 years and has been doing improv/ comedy for over 10. You can see him perform weekly with his group Duchovny on TGIF 7pm at UCB! He also co-hosts the show WHAT THE HELL monthly at UCB. He’s probably the most midsized guy you’ll ever see.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
![[Sept-Oct] Scenes & Notes w/ James Dwyer (Sept-Oct '26) (Monday)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/bd938682-4814-4b97-af8b-409c5032374c/JamesDwyerHeadshot.jpg)
Workshop limited to 16 students.
Nothing can beat the value of direct, constructive feedback on your scene work. Over these four sessions everyone will receive personal feedback on their improv to help sharpen their skills and level up their play. We will focus purely on scenes, notes, and side-coaching to figure out what's working, what isn't, and what you can do to make sure you're having more fun onstage.
Pre-req: Level 1 at BCC or any Major Comedy Theater
5-Week Class: Monday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 14th - October 10th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 8:30pm. Wednesday, October 14th. Eris Deep Space (167 Graham Ave).
Bio:
James is an improviser, actor, and comedian who has been improvising in NYC since 2008. Trained primarily at the UCB Theatre, James has performed in/produced shows like Harold Night, The Law Firm, The Great American Shit Carnival, The UCB Touring Company, ASSSSCAT and TGIF with Duchovny. You may have seen him on TV in shows like “What We Do in the Shadows,” “And Just Like That...,” or perhaps you recently saw him in a series of commercials with ALF the puppet and like many people on the internet commented "this dude looks like old MrBeast." He can very realistically cry like a newborn baby, but please don't ask him to do it.
Read more student testimonials here.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
MUSICAL IMPROV
Musical improv classes at BCC are taught at an accelerated pace compared to other schools. You will be performing a fully formed narrative musical by the end of class. We will begin each class with various rhythmic, rhyming, and listening, exercises, then delve deep into each element of narrative structure.
Drop-in
Level 1
This class will introduce improvisers to creating fully formed narrative musicals on the spot. We will begin each class with various rhythmic, rhyming, and listening, exercises, then delve deep into each element of narrative structure.
Prerequisite: completion of at least Level 1 Improv at BCC or another prominent comedy theater.
![[Aug-Oct] Musical Improv Level 1: Structure w/ Daniel Tepper (Aug-Oct '26) (Wednesday)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/16abbc88-ba59-4f43-89f5-e8d0d24c8bc5/Daniel%2BTepper%2B4%2Bcopy.jpg)
This class is limited to 16 students.
Structure (Gather Your Ingredients)
Musical improv classes at BCC are taught at an accelerated pace compared to other schools. You will be performing a fully fledged musical by the end of level 1.
You already know how to improvise, but to music? YES YOU CAN! This class will introduce improvisers with at least 1 level of experience how to create fully formed narrative musicals on the spot. We will begin each class with various rhythmic, rhyming, and listening, exercises, then delve deep into each element of narrative structure. Students will learn how to create strong protagonists, antagonists, charm scenes, and finales, while building a toolbox of musical techniques including fugues, and of course classic chorus-verse structures. Strong singing voices are not required! Just a willingness to unleash your inner diva in a joyful and supportive atmosphere.
This class culminates in a performance for the public.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 1 Improv OR students who have taken at least one full-length course at a major comedy theater (UCB, PIT, Magnet, Squirrel, Second City, iO, Annoyance, etc.) or have similar prior training can begin at this level. Please write your prior experience in the form when registering.
Note: BCC’s Musical Improv 1 culminates in a full-length Improvised Musical so we require a prerequisite of a full-length Improv 1 class. Our musical improv classes move at a faster pace compared to most other theaters' programs. This is an advanced class, so we do not allow skipping to Musical Improv 2. Trust us, you will be challenged :)
7-Week Class: Wednesdays, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 2nd - October 14th, 2026
Please note: This class may end between 9:30 - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00pm. Friday, October 16th. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Teacher: Daniel Tepper
Accompanist: TBD
Bio:
Daniel Tepper is an actor and musical comedian based in New York City. As a musical improviser, he has performed all over New York, toured the country, and performed internationally with shows including Baby Wants Candy; Your Love, Our Musical; Shitzprobe; Shamilton; Broadway’s Next Hit Musical; What Town? The Musical; the Off-Broadway workshop of The Greatest Musical Never Written; and his long running group Vern (featured on multiple Audible productions). Favorite theatre credits include shows at the Atlantic Theater Company, NYC Fringe Festival Encores Series, Williamstown Theater Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, TheatreSquared, and The 92nd Street Y.
Daniel’s strangest credits include acting in a commercial for a straw that sucks snot out of a baby’s nose, and playing a freestyling hot dog named “Lil Doggie” for Sonic Drive Thru’s snap chat account. He is very excited to be teaching at BCC!
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Level 2
We'll be going deep into effective scene work, strategic gifting, complex song structures, confident characters, rapping and rhyming, nailing genre, improved musicality, and polished choreography.
Prerequisite: Completion of Musical Improv 1 at BCC (no exceptions because of our specific methodology).
This class is limited to 16 students.
Technique (Sharpen The Knives)
After Level 1, you will have learned all the basic tools you need to do musical improv. Level 2 will delve more deeply into technique to fine tune your skills. We'll be going deep into effective scene work, strategic gifting, complex song structures, confident characters, rapping and rhyming, nailing genre, improved musicality, and polished choreography. This class will push you to grow and prepare you for higher quality shows, all while having tons of silly fun.
This class culminates in a performance for the public.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 1 Musical Improv (no exceptions). Our musical improv classes move at a faster pace compared to most other theaters' programs. Level 1 is an advanced class, so we do not allow skipping to Musical Improv 2.
7-Week Class: Tuesdays, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 1st - October 13th, 2026
Please note: This class may end between 9:30 - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00pm. Thursday, October 15th. Eris MainStage. (167 Graham Ave.)
Accompanist: TBD
Bio:
Ali Reed is an actor, improviser, producer and educator that dreams of bringing improvised musical theater to Broadway. She has toured globally with productions like Baby Wants Candy, Shamilton, and Thrones! The Musical Parody, and performed Off-Broadway in Once Upon A Mattress and Blank! The Musical. Reed has regional credits nationwide and has played on house teams at The Upright Citizens Brigade, The Magnet Theater, and The PIT. A co-creator of Shitzprobe, she showcases Broadway stars in improvised musicals. Reed facilitates musical improv as an artist-in-residence at Carnegie Hall Ensemble Connect, Princeton University, The American High School Theatre Festival, and more. Currently, she performs in NYC with Baby Wants Candy, Shitzprobe, and Your Love Our Musical. Follow @alisreed.
Testimonials:
Ali is a phenomenal teacher. She is energetic, encouraging, and brings so much life to each class.
Ali always made us feel like she believed in us and this was very empowering. Even if she was giving a note it was given with so much love.
I really appreciate Ali’s kindness and passion. She’s so great at bringing the class together while being a natural leader. Her energy is infectious and I’d take a class with Ali again any day.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Level 3
Will be back - join the waitlist
In this workshop-based class, students will take everything they’ve learned in previous levels (plus a few more advanced tools) and perform a run of shows as a Musical Improv Team!
Prerequisite: Completion of Musical Improv 2 or similar experience.
STand-up
Learn the art of stand-up comedy, find your voice, and own your confidence onstage. Taught by veteran performers whose credits include Just For Laughs, HBO, Comedy Central, Peacock, Sirius XM, Showtime and perform on stages all of NYC.
Drop-in
Each class is limited to 12 students.
Do you want to try out one single stand-up class? Do you have some jokes that need a little workshopping? Come to the drop-in class! Each class you will have the opportunity to test out material and get feedback and detailed notes. Come to just one class, come to all of them, do what your heart desires. This is the perfect place to hone your skills and get direct feedback from the best, JoAnn Schinderle.
All experience levels welcome.
Drop-in Class: Thursday. August 27th, 2026, 7:00p - 9:30p
Where: The BCC Dog House, Studio #1 (137 Montrose Avenue)
Teacher: JoAnn Schinderle
Bio:
JoAnn Schinderle is a Brooklyn-based standup, actress, and writer. Getting her start in Portland, OR she was voted PDX's Funniest Person by peers and industry, as well as an ‘Undisputable Genius of Comedy’ by local papers. A seasoned opener for touring acts including Fortune Feimster, Tom Papa, and Lena Dunham (‘14 book tour), JoAnn has also been featured nationally in festivals such as; SF Sketchfest, Bridgetown, Bumbershoot, B4UDIE, & 10,000 Laughs.
In 2019, JoAnn wrote and produced an album of period jokes titled ‘Dark Jeans', as a middle finger to the notion that 'period jokes aren’t funny'. Turns out, they are? Dark Jeans sat #1 on iTunes during the week of its release with Comedy Dynamics. From there, she's a proud featured talking head on the 2024 MSNBC documentary 'Periodical' featuring Gloria Steinem. Schinderle serves her day job duties as a live audience host for network TV, Venue Manager for UCB LA (‘22-’23) & UCB NYC (‘23-24’), and her most favorite job of writing commissioned erotica under her not-yet-famous company, ‘JoJosNosNos’.
If a class is sold out, register for the wait list here.
Workshop limited to 14 students.
Do you love standup but have a hard time sitting down and putting pen to paper? This workshop is for you! Do you have a stand up set but are having a hard time extending it? This workshop is for you! Through a series of exercises students will learn how to generate standup material through improvisation. This class is a hybrid of writing and performing-- we will jump back and forth from being up on our feet to sitting down in front of the page. Beginners welcome!
Prep: Come with jokes or come with nothing, just bring yourself and a willingness to get messy (metaphorically speaking).
Workshop: Sunday, August 23rd, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Where: BCC Pig Pen, Studio A (130 Graham Ave)
Teacher: Natasha Vaynblat
Bio:
Natasha Vaynblat is an NYC based writer/performer/director with frequent flyer miles seen on The Tonight Show, A Little Late with Lilly Singh, and Comedy Central.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Full-Length Classes
Level 1
Have you always wanted to perform stand-up but don't know where to begin? In this class, we will breakdown how to get started writing a stand-up routine and finding your voice as a comedian.
Stand-Up: Finding Your Voice
Class limited to 12 students.
Have you always wanted to perform stand-up but don't know where to begin? In this class, we will breakdown how to get started writing a stand-up routine and find your voice as a comedian. Our methods will include how to mine personal stories for material, how to write one-liners and premises, and how to use improvisation to generate ideas instead of staring down a blank page. Classes will also give students the lay-of-the-land on the NY comedy scene - from welcoming weekly open mics to the best shows to see pros in action. Every class will include stage time to try out original material in front of classmates.
7-Week Class: Wednesday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 2nd - October 14th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 8:30p. Thursday, October 15th. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Bio:
Sara Hennessey is an acclaimed Toronto comedian who now lives in Brooklyn, New York. Sara has performed at Just For Laughs Montreal multiple times, and has 3 comedy albums available: Huge Bitch, They Know Too Much & Trouble in Saradise. Sara writes and performs for television when possible, and has a whirling affinity for live comedy & making indie projects with her incredibly talented friends.
Testimonials:
Truthfully I have been doing comedy but never took a stand up class. Sara helped me hone in on my "character" and speak more strongly in her voice. Also she's just so patient and excited with everyone which is very encouraging to witness and contagious.
Sara couldn't have done a better job teaching this class! She struck a perfect balance between holding our hand in the early stages of the process while knowing when to push us and how much. She was kind and approached comedy without being pretentious or gatekeep-y.
She was an open book and I appreciate her being candid to all sorts of questions I had—what do you do when you get nervous, how to deal with hecklers, etc.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Stand-Up: Finding Your Voice
Class limited to 12 students.
Have you always wanted to perform stand-up but don't know where to begin? In this class, we will breakdown how to get started writing a stand-up routine and find your voice as a comedian. Our methods will include how to mine personal stories for material, how to write one-liners and premises, and how to use improvisation to generate ideas instead of staring down a blank page. Classes will also give students the lay-of-the-land on the NY comedy scene - from welcoming weekly open mics to the best shows to see pros in action. Every class will include stage time to try out original material in front of classmates.
7-Week Class: Sunday, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM, August 30th - October 18th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
This class skips Sunday, September 6th for Labor Day.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00pm. Sunday, October 18th. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Bio:
JoAnn Schinderle is a Brooklyn-based standup, actress, and writer. Getting her start in Portland, OR she was voted PDX's Funniest Person by peers and industry, as well as an ‘Undisputable Genius of Comedy’ by local papers. A seasoned opener for touring acts including Fortune Feimster, Tom Papa, and Lena Dunham (‘14 book tour), JoAnn has also been featured nationally in festivals such as; SF Sketchfest, Bridgetown, Bumbershoot, B4UDIE, & 10,000 Laughs.
In 2019, JoAnn wrote and produced an album of period jokes titled ‘Dark Jeans', as a middle finger to the notion that 'period jokes aren’t funny'. Turns out, they are? Dark Jeans sat #1 on iTunes during the week of its release with Comedy Dynamics. From there, she's a proud featured talking head on the 2024 MSNBC documentary 'Periodical' featuring Gloria Steinem. Schinderle serves her day job duties as a live audience host for network TV, Venue Manager for UCB LA (‘22-’23) & UCB NYC (‘23-24’), and her most favorite job of writing commissioned erotica under her not-yet-famous company, ‘JoJosNosNos’.
Testimonials:
Jo created a supportive and fun environment in which to explore ideas that feel too intimidating to try out in other stand up contexts!
JoAnn is awesome!
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Level 2
By focusing on each individual’s strengths, this course will focus on how to craft a clean a 10-min set, host and put together a show, and solidify your own voice.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 1 Stand-Up or equivalent experience.
Solidifying Your Set
This class is limited to 12 students.
Building on Level 1 "Finding Your Voice", Stand-up: Level 2 is all about solidifying your choices to develop your voice and find your niche. By focusing on each individual’s strengths, this course will focus on how to craft a clean set, host and put together a show, and develop tricks to solidify your own voice.
We will workshop material as a group and I’ll give personalized feedback every week. If you want to take your sets to a deeper level and have a better understanding of what makes you funny, take this class. Class will culminate in a performance of each student’s 10-minute sets, leading you to the beginnings of your very own stand alone show.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 1 Stand-Up OR students who have taken at least one full-length stand-up course at a major comedy theater (UCB, PIT, Magnet, Squirrel, Second City, iO, Annoyance, etc.) or have similar prior training or performance experience can begin at this level. Please write your prior experience in the form when registering.
7-Week Class: Saturday, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM, August 29th - October 17th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
This class skips Saturday, September 5th for Labor Day Weekend.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00pm. Saturday, October 17th. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Class Show: 8:30pm. Saturday, October 17th. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Testimonials:
Shalewa taught there is more than one way to be funny. And rather than manufacture formulaic comedy clones, Shalewa nurtured our unique styles.
All my comic friends told me not to waste my time and money with a comedy class. But when I told them WHO was teaching it and they said, "Oh--Great! She's ACTUALLY funny."
She's fantastically supportive and communicated her knowledge and experience superbly. Shalewa is the best, and you can quote me on that!
So many things! Shalewa is naturally very funny! She's a very chill and accessible person as an introduction to comedy. She levels with us, provides great advice, makes strong connections. She meets us where we're at and she allows all comics to develop their own voice. She provides great instruction and guides us towards exercises that are actually helpful. I can't say enough good things! It was an awesome class!
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Sketch
Come get freaky at the BCC. Learn the art of sketch & character comedy taught by veteran teachers whose work has been featured on The Tonight Show, Late Night w/ Seth Meyers, Just For Laughs, Comedy Central and stages all over NYC.
Drop-IN
Workshop limited to 14 students.
In this Improv-to-Sketch/Character workshop, students will be given a crash-course in the fundamentals of developing a sketch or solo character through the process of improvisation. From ideating a premise to improvising that premise to honing and editing that premise based on feedback and instinct, students can expect to leave with a firm understanding of the joys of developing an idea through the lens of improvisation.
Workshop: Tuesday, August 18th, 7:00pm-9:30pm
Where: BCC Pig Pen, Studio A (130 Graham Ave)
Teacher: Devin Bockrath
Bio:
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 Fuck 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).
Testimonials:
“Devin did an amazing job at facilitating group bonding, breaking down technique, pointing out individual strengths and making us laugh/ creating a playful atmosphere.”
“Devin found a way to make every moment a teachable one. She was friendly and funny and so smart and it made the class a joy.”
“Hard to say one thing. I looked forward to Devin’s class every week. Extremely supportive, great at keeping our energy up, made every class a pleasure and no one wanted it to be over so soon!”
“Hard to pick one greatest quality about Devin - genuine interest, caring, insight, experience, patience, enthusiasm.”
“Devin made every class an absolute joy! Also, taking this class made me feel like I could be a part of the BCC community, and that kind of openness in an age of gatekeepers is refreshing as hell.”
“Devin's ability to care for and encourage all of us was really impactful. It felt like she was truly taking the time to get to know each of us as a performer and see which skills we needed to help us grow.”
“Devin is the best. She’ll make you feel like you were destined to find yourself in an improv classroom. She creates a space of belonging and camaraderie while making you feel like you can create incredibly fun, very silly organic moments on the stage.”
Read more student testimonials here.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Full-Length Classes
Level 1
This class is for anyone interested in learning the process of writing sketch comedy. Through improv, finding the game of a sketch, and writing characters we will polish sketches that will culminate in a staged class show.
![[Aug-Oct] Sketch: Level 1 w/ Devin Bockrath (Aug-Oct '26) (Monday)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/1679700119640-ROMJS6XYUGFAKZB0ST6B/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-08-18%2Bat%2B11.30.39%2BAM.jpg)
The Building Blocks of Sketch
This class is limited to 12 students.
This class is for anyone interested in learning the process of writing sketch comedy. Throughout the seven-week course, we will discuss, practice, and polish scenes that will culminate in a staged show. Each week will focus on one specific part of the sketch comedy world. These include creating through improv, finding the “game” of a sketch, writing characters, and more! Why do we love certain sketches? How does one go about writing a character? How do we create something from a blank page? Questions like these will be explored in a positive, low stakes/high fun environment. There is no magic key to unlocking great sketch comedy, but this introductory class will help beginning writers find some doors and start knocking.
7-Week Class: Monday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, August 31st - October 19th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30-10:00 PM depending on number of enrollments.
This class skips Monday, September 7th for Labor Day.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Tech Rehearsal: 4:00 — 6:00 PM. Saturday, October 24th. Eris Deep Space (167 Graham Ave).
Class Show: 7:00pm. Saturday, October 24th. Eris Deep Space (167 Graham Ave).
Testimonials:
“Devin did an amazing job at facilitating group bonding, breaking down technique, pointing out individual strengths and making us laugh/ creating a playful atmosphere.”
“Devin found a way to make every moment a teachable one. She was friendly and funny and so smart and it made the class a joy.”
“Hard to say one thing. I looked forward to Devin’s class every week. Extremely supportive, great at keeping our energy up, made every class a pleasure and no one wanted it to be over so soon!”
“Hard to pick one greatest quality about Devin - genuine interest, caring, insight, experience, patience, enthusiasm.”
“Devin made every class an absolute joy! Also, taking this class made me feel like I could be a part of the BCC community, and that kind of openness in an age of gatekeepers is refreshing as hell.”
“BCC is a breath of fresh air and reminds me why I fell in love with improv.”
“Devin's ability to care for and encourage all of us was really impactful. It felt like she was truly taking the time to get to know each of us as a performer and see which skills we needed to help us grow.”
“Devin is the best. She’ll make you feel like you were destined to find yourself in an improv classroom. She creates a space of belonging and camaraderie while making you feel like you can create incredibly fun, very silly organic moments on the stage.”
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
![[Aug-Oct] Sketch: Level 1 w/ Micah Sterenberg (Aug-Oct '26) (Sundays)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/fae40950-5fd1-4f97-838f-6e564df7cbd5/Micah%2BSterenberg-Headshot.jpg)
The Building Blocks of Sketch
This class is limited to 12 students.
This class is for anyone interested in learning the process of writing sketch comedy. Throughout the seven-week course, we will discuss, practice, and polish scenes that will culminate in a staged show. Each week will focus on one specific part of the sketch comedy world. These include creating through improv, finding the “game” of a sketch, writing characters, and more! Why do we love certain sketches? How does one go about writing a character? How do we create something from a blank page? Questions like these will be explored in a positive, low stakes/high fun environment. There is no magic key to unlocking great sketch comedy, but this introductory class will help beginning writers find some doors and start knocking.
7-Week Class: Sundays, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, August 30th - October 18th, 2026
Class may end between 8:30 PM - 9:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
This class skips Sunday, September 6th for Labor Day.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Tech Rehearsal: 4:00p - 6:00pm. Sunday, October 25th. BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St).
Class Show: 7:00pm. Sunday, October 25th. BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St).
Bio:
Micah started improvising over a decade ago in Chicago and is a veteran of Second City, Annoyance, and iO, where he was a member of house teams Meridian and Tone. He's in the new season of That Damn Michael Che and was the creator of the long-running live show Bit Tank and the cult-hit Global Influencer SummitCon. He can be seen improvising at the BCC with WMYL and Olestra.
Testimonial:
Micah did an excellent job teaching the structure and rhythm of sketch and preparing us for our show!
Micah has a really strong sense that I trust for what’s interesting, what is good, and what to do to get there. I thought when he gave constructive feedback to build towards those high level goals that was always really illuminating.
Micah seems like a nice and cool dude and provided a great intro to the vibe of the BCC community. Our class was full of great folks, and I feel like Micah helped foster a safe and welcoming group dynamic.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Level 2
Learn how to write a sketch revue as an ensemble with a director. This is a process-driven experience, learning through the act of doing the thang by cranking out material on Day 1 and refining it over the course into a fully-realized thematic sketch show with two performances on the Mainstage.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Sketch 1 or equivalent experience.
![[Sep-Oct] Sketch: Level 2 w/ Alise Morales (Sep-Oct '26) (Thursdays)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/429bf0d7-4d12-47b6-81ff-cc41fd14f139/AliseMorales.jpg)
Professional Ensemble Process
This class is limited to 12 students.
Build on the skills in Level 1 by learning how to write a sketch revue as an ensemble with a director. This is a process-driven experience, learning through the act of doing the thang by cranking out material on Day 1 and refining it over the course into a fully-realized thematic sketch show. We’ll create game and character-based comedy through improv, pitching, writing, rewriting, adding in technical/musical/digital elements, strengthening performance technique, and highlighting each performer's unique voice and role in the ensemble. This class requires being on-time, present for all classes and ready to do the homework expected for a professional show revue. The final show will debut with two performances on the MainStage at Eris.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 1 Sketch OR students who have taken at least one full-length sketch course at a major comedy theater (UCB, PIT, Magnet, Squirrel, Second City, iO, Annoyance, etc.) or have similar prior training can begin at this level. Please write your prior experience in the form when registering.
7-Week Class: Thursdays, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 3rd - October 15th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Tech Rehearsal: 4:00p - 6:00p. Wednesday, October 21st. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Class Show: 7:00pm. Wednesday, October 21st. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Class Show: 7:00pm. Wednesday, October 28th. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave)
Bio:
Alise Morales is an actress, stand-up comedian, writer, and podcaster based in NYC. She is a 2023 CBS Showcase alum and the co-host of the Go Touch Grass podcast on Sonoro. On social media, Alise has racked up millions of views on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for her original characters, which she also performs monthly as a house performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York. You may recognized her from her roles on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Our Cartoon President, and Tooning Out the News.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
CHARACTERS
Want to create a set for an SNL audition? Working on a solo show? Wanna post your character videos on TikTok and the rest? This workshop will teach you the skills needed to make your characters pop for both live performance and filmed content.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Sketch 1 or Improv 1 or equivalent experience.
5-WEEK CLASS
![[Sept-Oct] Crafting Characters w/ Jamie Linn Watson (Sept-Oct '26) (Sunday)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/97c57168-6c66-4b96-b5eb-ab654fe7a892/LCJ_2891_compressed.jpg)
Crafting Characters
This workshop is limited to 10 students.
Crafting Characters is the workshop for any comedian looking to hone their comedic character skills. Want to create a set for an SNL or JFL audition? Working on a solo show? Wanna post your character videos on TikTok and the rest? This workshop will teach you the skills needed to make your characters pop for both live performance and filmed content.
This class will culminate in a performance at the BCC Pig Pen.
Prerequisite: Completion of BCC Level 1 Sketch or Level 1 Improv. We will also accept students who have taken at least one full-length Sketch/Improv course at a major comedy theater (UCB, PIT, Magnet, Squirrel, Second City, iO, Annoyance, etc.) or have similar prior training or performance experience can begin at this level. Please write your prior experience in the form when registering.
5-Week Class: Sunday, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, September 13th - October 11th
Note: Class may end between 8:30 PM - 9:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: Tuesday, October 13th. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Bio:
Jamie Linn Watson is an actress and comedian who frequently performs at the BCC. She received a BFA in acting from NYU Tisch (aka the hospital where Anne Hathaway was born) and has since worked professionally in commercials (Sprint), TV (What We Do In The Shadows), and film (Please Don't Destroy: Treasure of Foggy Mountain). She's taught comedy classes at Long Island University and Columbia. You can catch her as part of UCB's Betty Team, Heyday, with improv team, A Crazy Amazing Friendship, or sketch group, LISA. Jamie is great at generating and rehearsing character sets, creating online content, and making dips! You can find her on tiktok and instagram as jamie.linn.watson.
Testimonials:
Jamie is really great at creating a super supportive and structured environment. I felt really challenged doing this kind of work, but I also felt truly supported throughout the entire process. Jamie wants us to succeed and that’s what makes her a strong teacher. Students rise to their teacher’s expectations and Jamie had high, but realistic, expectations for us and I think we all did fantastic work because of it.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
CLOWN
Learn to perform with authenticity, play, and fearless creativity in a community of wonderful weirdos in Brooklyn, taught by NYC’s best clown instructors whose work has been featured on The Chris Gethard Show, Just For Laughs, A24 & more.
DROP-INs and workshops
![[Sep-Oct] Advanced Workshop - Clown Town: Level Up w/ Tallie Medel (Fridays)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/1713636968154-PNVG85BVOCTJBXFO09SJ/IMG_5348.JPG)
This class is limited to 12 students.
Tallie Medel wants everyone to know about clown because it’s good stuff. Now that you know about clown and you know Tallie, it’s time to go harder. Sweet Tallie goes Salty and it’s time to level up, Ciara-style. In this class, we’re holding each other to a tougher standard as we perform and devise. Ready? 5. 4. 3, 2, 1, let’s go
This class culminates in a class show for the public.
Prerequisite: Clown Level 1 at BCC.
5-Week Class: Fridays, 3:30 - 6:30 PM, Sep 25th - October 23rd
Note: Class may end between 6:00-6:30 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
Where: The BCC DogHouse, Studio #2 (137 Montrose Ave)
Class Show: Friday, October 30th. 7:00pm. BCC Pig Pen.
Teacher: Tallie Medel
Bio:
Tallie Medel (all pronouns) is a multidisciplinary performer and educator in New York City. Medel is one third of Cocoon Central Dance Team alongside Sunita Mani and Eleanore Pienta. Recent work includes the role of Becky in A24’s EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE which makes them very happy. Tallie's from Alaska and has big, juicy eyeballs. They're also a gif.
Testimonials:
Tallie is the best teacher I could ask for. Everything they did I internalized and was able to hit a higher mark in the scenes and shows following. If they have a class it is not to be missed!
I loved my clown class with Tallie! I felt encouraged to be silly, to be ridiculous, and to experiment with new things.
I learned how to be more vulnerable, more physical, more present, and how to be your most clown self on stage.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
![[Sept-Oct] Physical Storytelling 201: Creation Workshop w/ Broken Box Mime Theater (Sept-Oct '26) (Tuesdays)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/918688e5-6f69-4e02-8f1a-9d9e9d9f6aa3/Broken+Box+Mime+Theater+See+Reverse_IMG_0100.jpg)
Each class is limited to 14 students.
Craft a mime piece from scratch! Designed as a Level 2 to the intro class "Physical Storytelling" with Broken Box Mime, this next-level class will continue the exploration of contemporary mime as a storytelling form. What stories can the body tell, when words, props, costume pieces, and sets are stripped away? What can the limitlessness of the audience's imagination teach us about communication? Students will develop a brief comedic mime piece over the course of the class, integrating multiple rounds of brainstorming, writing, and feedback, all in embodied practice.
Prerequisite: Physical Storytelling course at BCC, prior workshop with Broken Box Mime, or prior experience in mime.
5-Week Class: Tuesdays, 6:00 PM -9:00 PM, September 8th - October 11th, 2026
This class skips Tuesday, September 22nd.
This class may end between 8:30 PM and 9:00 PM depending on enrollment.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 8:30p. Friday, October 16th. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Teacher: Becky Baumwoll
Bio:
This course will be taught by a member of BKBX. Broken Box Mime Theater (BKBX) is a collaborative theater company that performs original work entirely through movement. Our mission is to activate the imaginations of our audiences, contemporize the art of mime, and remind us all of the power of simple storytelling. Based in Brooklyn and founded in 2011, our version of “mime, redefined” blends techniques of French pantomime, cinema, performance art, and contemporary theater. The artists who call BKBX their artistic home believe in making innovative, provocative theater that erases the spoken language barrier and champions the power of simplicity in performance.
Photo by Bjorn Bolinder
Student Testimonials:
Becky made everyone feel welcome and empowered to improve.
Becky was absolutely fantastic in every way!
Becky taught us so many tools and tricks to story telling through physical movement, while also being so fun and supportive!
Becky is such an incredible teacher! Too many strengths to pick one, but a couple that stand out are her unbridled enthusiasm for mime and her capacity to share that with others. She taught us that mime is grounded in trust between the audience and performer, and she brought that same ethos to class. She's the rare teacher who realizes that how you teach has a bigger impact than what you teach, and it's refreshing to be in an education space that starts from a foundation of embracing that we all learn in different ways, and that's great! There's a curiosity to Becky's teaching that's really encouraging - asking students what we want from the class, and adapting her style and lessons to suit us. Class felt like a team effort to learn and discover together. Despite her obvious deep knowledge of the subject, Becky's was still very clearly also interested in our experience and ideas - it made for a fantastic environment for creating and sharing work. Her obvious joy when something clicked for us was infectious. It's a welcome change from traditional education models where an 'expert' relays knowledge to students. Everything about her teaching style makes it clear she's as eager to keep learning and exploring as we are - no gatekeeping in site. Honestly, I think more teachers should take Becky's class to inform their own pedagogy!
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Each class is limited to 14 students.
Broken Box Mime Theater (BKBX) invites artists of all backgrounds to join in exploring the audience's imagination as medium. From the perspective of BKBX's unique brand of mime based in American narrative style, participants will look at body language, basic mime technique, staging metaphor, efficiency in storytelling, and devised process. How can precision, efficiency, and specificity in physical storytelling help to craft our comedy? Over the course of the series, students will craft mime pieces that will be shared in a final showing in December.
5-Week Class: Saturday, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM, September 12th - October 17th, 2026
This class skips Saturday, September 26th.
This class may end between 2:30 PM and 3 PM depending on enrollment.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00pm. Sunday, October 18th. Eris Deep Space (167 Graham Ave).
Teacher: Ismael Castillo
Bio:
This course will be taught by a member of BKBX. Broken Box Mime Theater (BKBX) is a collaborative theater company that performs original work entirely through movement. Our mission is to activate the imaginations of our audiences, contemporize the art of mime, and remind us all of the power of simple storytelling. Based in Brooklyn and founded in 2011, our version of “mime, redefined” blends techniques of French pantomime, cinema, performance art, and contemporary theater. The artists who call BKBX their artistic home believe in making innovative, provocative theater that erases the spoken language barrier and champions the power of simplicity in performance.
Photo by Bjorn Bolinder
Student Testimonials:
Becky made everyone feel welcome and empowered to improve.
Becky was absolutely fantastic in every way!
Becky taught us so many tools and tricks to story telling through physical movement, while also being so fun and supportive!
Becky is such an incredible teacher! Too many strengths to pick one, but a couple that stand out are her unbridled enthusiasm for mime and her capacity to share that with others. She taught us that mime is grounded in trust between the audience and performer, and she brought that same ethos to class. She's the rare teacher who realizes that how you teach has a bigger impact than what you teach, and it's refreshing to be in an education space that starts from a foundation of embracing that we all learn in different ways, and that's great! There's a curiosity to Becky's teaching that's really encouraging - asking students what we want from the class, and adapting her style and lessons to suit us. Class felt like a team effort to learn and discover together. Despite her obvious deep knowledge of the subject, Becky's was still very clearly also interested in our experience and ideas - it made for a fantastic environment for creating and sharing work. Her obvious joy when something clicked for us was infectious. It's a welcome change from traditional education models where an 'expert' relays knowledge to students. Everything about her teaching style makes it clear she's as eager to keep learning and exploring as we are - no gatekeeping in site. Honestly, I think more teachers should take Becky's class to inform their own pedagogy!
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Each class is limited to 14 students.
Do you want to try out one single clown class? Have you been wondering what this joyful world is all about? Come to the drop-in class! In each class students will practice exercises from some of the greats (Lecoq, Conway, Johnstone) while working on taming their ego and bringing out their true inner clown. Come to just one class, come to all of them, do what your heart desires. This is the perfect place to get your feet wet and learn from the incomparable Hannah Mitchell.
All experience levels welcome.
Drop-in Class: Wednesday, August 5th, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM.
Where: BCC Pig Pen, Studio B (130 Graham Ave, Brooklyn)
Bio:
Hannah Mitchell is a performer, theater-maker, and educator whose process is guided by the improvisational arts, especially clown, bouffon & being a human with a body. She regularly collaborates with various ensembles to make new works, including with her clown company, WüfPak, and the experimental theater collective, CHILD. She’s performed at venues around NYC including The Public Theater, The Brick, The Collapsable Hole, Lincoln Center, LifeWorld, The New Ohio, Theater Mitu, HERE Arts, Target Margin, and The Brooklyn Comedy Collective, among others. And regionally/internationally she’s performed at The Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Bard SummerScape, Princeton Seuls en Scène, & The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Each class is limited to 14 students.
Do you want to try out one single clown class? Have you been wondering what this joyful world is all about? Come to the drop-in class! In each class students will practice exercises from some of the greats (Lecoq, Conway, Johnstone) while working on taming their ego and bringing out their true inner clown. Come to just one class, come to all of them, do what your heart desires. This is the perfect place to get your feet wet and learn from the incomparable Hannah Mitchell.
All experience levels welcome.
Drop-in Class: Wednesday, August 19th, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM.
Where: BCC Pig Pen, Studio B (130 Graham Ave, Brooklyn)
Bio:
Hannah Mitchell is a performer, theater-maker, and educator whose process is guided by the improvisational arts, especially clown, bouffon & being a human with a body. She regularly collaborates with various ensembles to make new works, including with her clown company, WüfPak, and the experimental theater collective, CHILD. She’s performed at venues around NYC including The Public Theater, The Brick, The Collapsable Hole, Lincoln Center, LifeWorld, The New Ohio, Theater Mitu, HERE Arts, Target Margin, and The Brooklyn Comedy Collective, among others. And regionally/internationally she’s performed at The Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Bard SummerScape, Princeton Seuls en Scène, & The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Full-length Classes
Level 1
Clown trains us to be fully present. Class curriculum includes exercises from Jacques Lecoq, Jean Taylor, Merry Conway, Nader Farman, Keith Johnstone and more, aiming to move us past ego and toward our shared humanity. Come on out, try on the red nose.
This class is limited to 12 students.
Level 1: Welcome to Clown Town
Clown. The great equalizer.
"It's you, of course, the clown. And that's important." -Nader Farman
Clown trains us to be fully present. Class curriculum includes exercises from Jacques Lecoq, Jean Taylor, Merry Conway, Nader Farman, Keith Johnstone and more, aiming to move us past ego and toward our shared humanity. Winter is coming. But class is joyful and warm! Come on out, try on the red nose.
Recognize the universal shared experience that is clowning.
This class culminates in a public class performance.
7-Week Class: Monday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, August 31st - October 19th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
This class skips Monday, September 7th for Labor Day.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 8:30pm. Friday, October 23rd. BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St).
Bio:
Tallie Medel (all pronouns) is a multidisciplinary performer and educator in New York City. Medel is one third of Cocoon Central Dance Team alongside Sunita Mani and Eleanore Pienta. Recent work includes the role of Becky in A24’s EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE which makes them very happy. Tallie's from Alaska and has big, juicy eyeballs. They're also a gif.
Testimonials:
I loved my clown class with Tallie! I felt encouraged to be silly, to be ridiculous, and to experiment with new things.
I learned how to be more vulnerable, more physical, more present, and how to be your most clown self on stage.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
This class is limited to 12 students.
Level 1: Welcome to Clown Town
Clown. The Great Equalizer.
"It's you, of course, the clown. And that's important." -Nader Farman
Clown trains us to be fully present. Class curriculum includes exercises from Jacques Lecoq, Jean Taylor, Merry Conway, Nader Farman, Keith Johnstone and more, aiming to move us past ego and toward our shared humanity. Winter is coming. But class is joyful and warm! Come on out, try on the red nose.
Recognize the universal shared experience that is clowning.
This class culminates in a class show at the BCC Pig Pen.
7-Week Class: Sunday, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM, August 30th - October 18th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
This class skips Sunday, September 6th for Memorial Day Weekend.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 7:00pm. Sunday, October 25th. Eris Deep Space (167 Graham Ave).
Teacher: Riley Soloner
Bio:
Riley Soloner (he/him) is an actor, writer and clown living in Queens. As his character Vacation Jason, Riley has performed in venues across the country, on television (TruTV's The Chris Gethard Show) and for five days straight aboard The Norwegian Pearl on a cruise that he was not booked to perform.
Riley has performed in and produced comedy shows in New York City since 2008 for shows like Harold Night and Cage Match (UCB Theater), Xtremely Serious Wrestling (People’s Improv Theater) and C.L.O.N., (Manhattan Public Access TV). Riley grew up spending summers as a camper, counselor and teacher at Camp Winnarainbow, a Northern California circus arts summer camp for children of groovy hippies. Riley is excited to bring his eclectic mix of theatrical, circus, and humanitarian clown experience to the students of BCC!
Testimonials:
Riley's class offers an exciting and dare I say groovy introduction to clown. Classmates came in with zero performance experience and left with literal crowns on their heads. This definitely started a long term interest in clown for me.
I've never laughed or cried so much in a comedy class. This is a fantastic introductory clown class with a lot of substance and heart. Class with Riley is fun, funny, and deeply moving. You'll find a class environment where you can try new things, be vulnerable, and connect with your fellow clowns in clown town!
I think Riley is one of the funniest humans around and I am happy to have taken his class. I wish he taught all the levels. Of course no offense to the other great teachers at Brooklyn Comedy Collective.
He's incredibly funny, warm, and authentic. Really great vibes all around. It's hard to name just one strength, but he did an awesome job of creating a low-pressure, welcoming environment for people to have fun and learn about clown and take risks. He's also really good at karaoke. I laughed so much in class. I also appreciated that he put a lot of focus on getting us to understand the spirit of clown.
I learned that I really enjoy clown, and I want to do more of it. It really changed my life. I love that the class was focused on being vulnerable and authentic.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
This class is limited to 12 students.
Level 1: Welcome to Clown Town
Clown. The Great Equalizer.
"It's you, of course, the clown. And that's important." -Nader Farman
Clown trains us to be fully present. Class curriculum includes exercises from Jacques Lecoq, Jean Taylor, Merry Conway, Nader Farman, Keith Johnstone and more, aiming to move us past ego and toward our shared humanity. Winter is coming. But class is joyful and warm! Come on out, try on the red nose.
Recognize the universal shared experience that is clowning.
This class culminates in a class show at the BCC Pig Pen.
7-Week Class: Thursday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 3rd - October 15th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 8:30pm. Saturday, October 17th. BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St).
Teacher: Hannah Mitchell
Bio:
Hannah Mitchell is a performer, theater-maker, and educator whose process is guided by the improvisational arts, especially clown, bouffon & being a human with a body. She regularly collaborates with various ensembles to make new works, including with her clown company, WüfPak, and the experimental theater collective, CHILD.
She’s performed at venues around NYC including The Public Theater, The Brick, The Collapsable Hole, Lincoln Center, LifeWorld, The New Ohio, Theater Mitu, HERE Arts, Target Margin, and The Brooklyn Comedy Collective, among others. And regionally/internationally she’s perfromed at The Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Bard SummerScape, Princeton Seuls en Scène, & The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
![[Aug-Oct] Clown Level 1: Welcome to Clown Town w/ Hannah Mitchell (Aug-Oct '26) (Tuesday)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a789921cd39c389ed01baa0/53a2646a-097a-4e50-b9c2-769116aad463/hannahheadshot.webp)
This class is limited to 12 students.
Level 1: Welcome to Clown Town
Clown. The great equalizer.
"It's you, of course, the clown. And that's important." -Nader Farman
Clown trains us to be fully present. Class curriculum includes exercises from Jacques Lecoq, Jean Taylor, Merry Conway, Nader Farman, Keith Johnstone and more, aiming to move us past ego and toward our shared humanity. Winter is coming. But class is joyful and warm! Come on out, try on the red nose.
Recognize the universal shared experience that is clowning.
This class culminates in a public class performance.
7-Week Class: Monday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 1st - October 13th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 8:30pm. Friday, October 16th. BCC Pig Pen (144 Boerum St).
Bio:
Tallie Medel (all pronouns) is a multidisciplinary performer and educator in New York City. Medel is one third of Cocoon Central Dance Team alongside Sunita Mani and Eleanore Pienta. Recent work includes the role of Becky in A24’s EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE which makes them very happy. Tallie's from Alaska and has big, juicy eyeballs. They're also a gif.
Testimonials:
I loved my clown class with Tallie! I felt encouraged to be silly, to be ridiculous, and to experiment with new things.
I learned how to be more vulnerable, more physical, more present, and how to be your most clown self on stage.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Level 2
In this class, we will learn that anything can be the clown's script. We will lean into the most vulnerable parts of yourself and heighten them to a ridiculous extent. By the end, you will have the tools to begin building your own clown show.
Prerequisite: BCC Clown Level 1 or equivalent clown experience.
This class is limited to 12 students.
In this class, you will learn that anything can be the clown's script.
We will build on the skills learned in Level 1, leaning into the most vulnerable parts of yourself and heightening them to a ridiculous extent. You’ll learn that anything can be the clown’s script, lean into the most vulnerable parts of ourselves and heighten them. You’ll identify pieces of yourself and find ways to explore them that are both loving and silly. You will also learn about the status dynamics of the 1 and 2 clown and you’ll get to try on both identities. By the end, you will have the tools to begin building your own clown show.
Through your relationship to everything, you are the clown.
Prerequisite: Clown Level 1 at BCC or similar clown experience.
7-Week Class: Thursday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 3rd - October 15th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Class Show: 8:30pm. Sunday, October 18th. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Testimonial:
“Chris helped each of us find our voices in the class and learn to create authentic relationships with the audience. Clown has made me better at performance in general including improv. I would highly recommend this class to anyone who wants to get deeper into clown technique, have more fun and fulfilling audience interactions, or wants to get ‘unstuck’ and out of their head while performing. Rock on weirdos!”
"Chris was so great at pushing us in a way to help us grow as clowns. It was wonderful to see such noticeable growth among my classmates, all in an environment that felt incredibly safe, warm, and welcoming."
"Chris is a beautiful teacher. He's knowledgeable, open, kind, generous, warm, intelligent. He creates a classroom where students are free to take emotional risks, and an ensemble forms."
Bio:
Chris Manley (he/they) is an American writer, performer and clown. He is best known for his character Buttons. He was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award for his performance in "The Nosebleed," has performed with Cirque du Soleil and is honored to be listed in Le Petit Clown August Alphabetique alongside Abbott & Costello. He has performed at Lincoln Center, Ars Nova, The Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, The People’s Improv Theater, the Toronto Sketch Fest and the Chicago Sketch Fest. You can see him in several national commercials and award winning films.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Level 3
You’ve started getting laughs as a clown but now how do you do it six days a week and twice on Saturdays for an audience that’s never even heard of clowning? In this class, we’ll use the skills you’ve learned to create a fully realized thematic show, collaboratively created by the ensemble.
Prerequisite: BCC Clown Level 2 or equivalent experience.
This class is limited to 12 students.
You’ve started getting laughs as a clown but now how do you do it 6 days a week and twice on Saturdays for an audience that’s never even heard of clowning? In this class we’ll take the skills you learned in Clown 1 and 2 honing your clown persona and learn to create working acts as part of a fully realized show, collaboratively created by the ensemble.
How does your clown solve a problem? How do you work as a company? What's the world you're going to set up with lots of clowns?
You will further build your clown character by finding a costume that makes you look and feel stupid and start creating material by finding your own stupid clown logic. We’ll also explore “le jeu” and status in clown duos and trios, as well as building a thematic world that ties the whole show together. Come to class with ideas, costumes, props or anything that ignites your imagination. Students should be prepared to rehearse as they would in a professional ensemble process - with homework prepped outside of class and attending classes and the tech rehearsal on-time and present.
This class culminates in two class shows on the Eris MainStage
Prerequisite: Clown Level 2 at BCC or similar experience.
7-Week Class: Wednesday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, September 3rd - October 15th, 2026
Note: Class may end between 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
You will receive a welcome email with your room assignment. Our classes meet at BCC Pig Pen or BCC DogHouse in East Williamsburg.
Tech Rehearsal: 4:00p - 6:00pm. Thursday, October 22nd. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Class Show: 7:00pm. Thursday, October 22nd. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Class Show: 7:00pm. Thursday, October 29th. Eris MainStage (167 Graham Ave).
Teacher: Jeff Seal
Bio:
Jeff Seal is a graduate of the Clown Conservatory at the San Francisco Circus Center and studied Decroux-based corporeal mime at the Hippocampe Project in Paris. He performs regularly with his two-man clown act, Jeff and Buttons, makes comedy videos with Bankrukt Productions and is one of the founding artistic directors of Cloud City Theater and Art space. His films and documentaries have been published by The New York Times, The Discovery Channel, AJ+, gothamist.com and screened at The Tribeca Film Festival.
Testimonials:
Jeff is an incredible coach and director. I loved Jeff's pragmatic teaching style, which really lends itself to the Level 3 Clown course. I think his best strength as a teacher was meeting us where we were with whatever ideas/bits we brought in and helping us figure out what was working or not (and how it would be different performing in front of the audience than in front of the rest of the class). Jeff put us in position to learn how the skills we had picked up in the earlier levels could be applied to an act that would work in front of an audience.
Jeff is really good at helping people find the game in their bits - this class is a great next step after Chris’ level 2.
Jeff's an inspiring director with tons of funny and creative ideas. He helped us develop our ideas into much stronger and tighter bits, with many more games than we would have thought to include, while helping us think about structure so that all those games came together in a cohesive way without getting confusing or going all over the place. He also has a great mind for comedic possibility and guided us to discover entire bits from even the smallest seeds of ideas.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
Electives/Writing
Put pen to paper or try something a lil’ different. Learn the art of Pilot Writing, Writing your Feature Film, Late Night Writing for TV, Satire Writing, Film & TV Development, Podcasting & more, taught by industry pros with credits such as SNL, The Problem w/ Jon Stewart, Just For Laughs, Reductress, Girls Rewatch Podcast, McSweeney’s, The New Yorker, The Onion and more.
WORKSHOPS
FULL-lENGTH
This class is limited to 10 students.
In this 7 session class, students will learn comedy pilot basics like pilot structure, character and story development, writers room skills like pitching, punch-ups, screenplay software and formatting. Students are not allowed to bring in old projects, but come to class “blank slate,” where each writer will create new characters and worlds culminating in a final read through of samples from each writers' pilots created during the class.
Seven class sessions over 7 weeks. The writers room vibes will be elevated by participation from James Livingston, Hollywood script coordinator who will act as writers assistant to the class. Class will be led by Peabody Award winning and 4x Emmy nominated writer and producer, Rich Talarico (Key & Peele, SNL, Tonight Show, MADtv and Review).
7-Week Class: Thursdays, 7:00PM - 10:00 PM EST, September 10th - October 22nd , 2026
Class may end between 9:30 - 10:00 PM depending on the number of enrollments.
This class is virtual. More information will be provided in your welcome email.
Notes:
Only sign up if you are able to make all classes. There are no makeup classes.
This class does not end in a class show.
Bio:
Rich is an actor, comedian, improviser and established writer/producer best known for his work on Comedy Central’s Key & Peele. Rich wrote K&P favorites Substitute Teacher, Racist Zombies, Karim and Jahar, Hatz, Teaching Center, Obama Greets, Black Ice and many more. Rich wrote and produced on MADtv, The Tonight Show w. Jay Leno, Saturday Night Live, and the critically acclaimed, Review. Rich took his first improv class from Stephen Colbert at Chicago’s Second City. Rich went on to tour with Second City's National Touring Company and later co-created five original sketch comedy revues with Second City's Etc., and Main Stage Companies. While in Chicago, Rich was a performer and teacher at Improv Olympic (Now iO) under the direction of Charna Halpern and the late, Del Close.
As an actor, Rich has appeared in featured roles on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, MADtv, the feature film High Fidelity, and A&W Root Beer’s classic TV ad, “Mr. Dumass.” Talarico’s extensive experience in the comedy industry has made him a sought-after teacher, writer and consultant. — More at richtalarico.com
Testimonials:
“Rich's work on "Key & Peele" is nothing short of legendary.”
— Jordan Peele“As a teacher, Rich Talarico brings Lakers legendary coach Phil Jackson to mind. A cerebral educator who brings out the best in people.”
— Keith “Lucky” Lehrer original drummer of “Circle Jerks”
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.
There’s no gift like comedy.
This digital gift card can be applied toward any class or merch at the BCC (for show gift cards for tickets via Eventbrite, check out our shows gift cards).
The BCC Diversity Scholarship is dedicated to providing access for marginalized voices who are unable to afford a comedy class.
Workshop limited to 14 students.
In this Improv-to-Sketch/Character workshop, students will be given a crash-course in the fundamentals of developing a sketch or solo character through the process of improvisation. From ideating a premise to improvising that premise to honing and editing that premise based on feedback and instinct, students can expect to leave with a firm understanding of the joys of developing an idea through the lens of improvisation.
Workshop: Tuesday, August 18th, 7:00pm-9:30pm
Where: BCC Pig Pen, Studio A (130 Graham Ave)
Teacher: Devin Bockrath
Bio:
Testimonials:
Read more student testimonials here.
If this class is sold out, sign-up for the wait list here.