The first-of-its-kind Improvisers Guild
We are a Guild of Improvisers and Comedians dedicated to empowering our members by offering training, performances, benefits, and resources to build a career in comedy.
Become a Member
Grow your comedy career through weekly rehearsals, performance runs, and real training—without the industry price tag. At one-third the cost of traditional programs, our Guild offers more: immersive training, curated performances, and a growing list of member perks. No bloated tuition. No gatekeeping. No fluffy camp games to fill the time. We believe great comedy should be accessible. That’s why we’ve never raised our rates—and why new perks keep coming.
Audition to join. Stay to build.
Training
Real Training. Real Stage Time. None of the Fluff. Tired of overpriced classes with no payoff? Our training program goes further—delivering more performance opportunities than anywhere else in Chicago - alongside the most comprehensive long-form improvisation curriculum around. You’ll learn 13 improv forms, 15 on-stage editing techniques, and countless ways to mine a scene or line for what’s truly funny—even under the toughest conditions.
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We don’t stop at “Yes, and.” We unpack it, challenge it, and move beyond it.
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With rehearsals led by experienced coaches and teachers, plus access to our private online Education Resource Center, members develop their comedic voice through reading, watching, and doing. Whether you’re on stage or in our digital library, your growth as a performer never stops.
Performances
Stage Time That Matters. Our members perform long-form improv, stand-up, and scripted material at The Comedy Clubhouse—a top-tier venue in Chicago’s Wicker Park. It’s the city’s highest-rated comedy club across Google, Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor, featured as a Critic’s Pick in PerformInk, one of Time Out Chicago’s Top 7 Comedy Clubs, and a finalist for Best Stand-Up Venue in the Chicago Reader and Urban Matters.
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We don’t relegate performers to throwaway time slots. These are prime-time performances designed to reinforce growth—not just celebrate completion. Every 2-month rehearsal block leads directly into 2 months of curated shows, built to apply what you’ve learned in front of real audiences. This isn’t a “class show” model—it’s an infrastructure for building comedy careers.
Perks
We’re not just teaching comedy—we’re rewriting the rules of how comedians are treated. Membership isn’t just access to classes and stage time. It’s a stake in a system built to value your work. From 50% of online ticket sales to rent-free shows with revenue split in your favor, our perks are designed to shift power back to the performers. And the list keeps growing—because the old model wasn’t built for you. We are.
