Instructors

About Us...

For nearly 40 years, The Annoyance Theatre has been an uncensored home to theatre creatives finding their voice, pushing boundaries, and creating community. In the early days, they used improv as a tool to devise and create original scripted works like Splatter Theatre, Co-ed Prison Sluts, and Steamworks The Musical. Today, The Annoyance is home to a wide selection of talented artists continuing to create new works and challenge comedy in new, unconventional ways.

Why train at The Annoyance

The Annoyance provides excellent quality training in improvisation. Based on Artistic Director and Founder Mick Napier’s book Improvise. Scene From the Inside Out, the Annoyance philosophy focuses on the individual; giving students feedback and support to allow them to find and enhance their personal point of view and creative voice.

Annoyance classes challenge the conventional wisdom of the rules of improvisation, examining what’s behind them and how they came to be in the first place. Simply put, we make you the best improviser YOU can be.

All of our teachers are ensemble members who have learned and performed with The Annoyance, and thus have first hand experience with the way we approach improvisation.

The Annoyance Program:

The “Annoyance Philosophy” classes (AP1-AP5) offer structured lesson plans and in-depth feedback to help you identify who you are as an improviser and collaborate effectively with others on stage without a script. AP1 - Intro to improvisation, as well as other Chicago comedy staples like sketch (if you’re new to improv, acting, or comedy, start here) AP2 - Beginnings of scenes and character. Here, we really start to drill The Annoyance’s core concept: Take Care Of Yourself First (if you’ve got experience doing improv, start here) AP3 - You’ve taken care of yourself to begin a scene, and so has your partner, but how do they work together? In this class, you’ll explore strategies to accomplish just that AP4 - You’re making choices and working with a partner, not just alongside? Great! Now let’s explore who you are on stage. What are you trying to say, and how is your world view reflected in your comedy, or not? Identifying and strengthening your point of view is a key aspect of any art and performance. AP5 - Now let’s take a group of individuals and create an ensemble. Here, we’ll focus on ensemble work and show creation. AP5 classes feature a run of shows in front of a real audience with valuable instructor feedback to not only help the ensemble improve, but to help you improve within the ensemble as an individual.

Chicago Improv For Beginners is an all-encompassing survey course that will give anyone a solid foundation in improvisational comedy – whether you want to perform, direct, write, or just know more. New to improv? This class is for you. AP1 introduces you to Chicago's approach to improv by covering a wide variety of concepts: •The rules of Improv and breaking the rules •Group mind (the myth, the facts) •How to say "yes, and" and when to say “no” •Finding or Creating the game •Long-form •Short-form •Writing via improv •Direction (taking and giving) •Object and environment work •Introducing a show This class will culminate in an optional student showcase at The Annoyance on the final Sunday of the term. Classes meet once a week on the same day each week, M-Thu 6:30-9pm Sat and Sun 1-3:30pm

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Through individual feedback, setting performance goals, and identifying and breaking habits, AP4 offers fine-tuning and involves the following aspects: •Stretching the performer •Pushing unique specificity •Keeping voice in multiple person scenes, split-scenes •Making rich, varied environments •Embodying the character and embellishing the world •Organic improv ∼ developing a scene based on physical and emotional choices Prerequisite: Students must have completed AP3 to take this class. This class will culminate in an optional student showcase at The Annoyance on the final Sunday of the term. Classes meet once a week on the same day each week M-Thu 6:30-9pm Sat and Sun 1-3:30pm

ENROLL

The Annoyance philosophy focuses on decisive initiations and a strong point of view. AP2 looks at the first seconds of scenes and explores how they affect the rest of the scene. In AP2, you will cover: •Personal responsibility in a scene − taking care of yourself and your choices •Trusting instincts •Creating/Finding “Your Deal” at the top of the scene •Beginning character development •Object work as inspiration •Environment as inspiration •The responsibility of operating without censorship. •Individual feedback and tendencies Prerequisite: AP1 or sufficient background in improv. Please let us know in the comments section where you have studied at so that we may contact them to confirm. This class will culminate in an optional student showcase at The Annoyance on the final Sunday of the term. Classes meet once a week on the same day each week M-Thu 6:30-9pm Sat and Sun 1-3:30pm

ENROLL

The focus in AP5 is the creation of an original improv show by the ensemble. Exercises are tailored to help the improviser discover and strengthen their individual comedic improv voice and also on the “hows” of bringing this voice into an ensemble. The class will also delve into the improv rehearsal process and work with the concepts of ensemble building, collaboration, show pacing, and good rehearsal habits. Prerequisite: Students must have completed AP4 to enroll in this class. Each AP5 class will feature a four-week run of shows alongside the last four regular classes of the term. AP5 shows are typically on Sunday evenings. Classes meet once a week on the same day each week M-Thu 6:30-9pm Sat and Sun 1-3:30pm

ENROLL

AP3: Scene Work is about taking that next step in scenes. While AP2 focused on the beginning moments of a scene, in AP3 students are challenged to play with more complexity and style, juggling it all within a scene while always maintaining their strong point of view. Aspects of this class include: •Acknowledging the realities of your scene partner •Scenic development: Finding the Highways and Bi-ways of a scene to extend its length •Managing context without getting in your head (the who/what/where/when/why/etc.) •Creating specific, surprising choices •Playing with Opposites and Curve Balls •Creating and playing with multiple patterns or games in a scene •In-depth three person and group scene work •Protecting and Playing the Freak •Learning how to repair a scene that isn’t working •DaDa scenes (playing fiercely without needing to “make sense”) •Justification: how to use it not out of fear but as a tool. •Personal challenge and goals based on individual feedback Prerequisite: Students must have completed AP2 to take this course. This class will culminate in an optional student showcase at The Annoyance on the final Sunday of the term. Classes meet once a week on the same day each week M-Thu 6:30-9pm Sat and Sun 1-3:30pm

ENROLL

CReating Annoyance Style Shows:

CRASS classes are the next step in The Annoyance's process; using improv to create written material. In CRASS, students will take all of the improv skills they've honed in AP1-5 and together with their director, create a written sketch revue or original one act play. Students will be assigned additional roles outside of actor/writer and may be responsible for costumes, props, etc. These classes are more intensive than AP1-5 and will require additional work and rehearsal outside of class hours. CRASS1 - With this class, students will start the journey of turning their improv into written works, refining, planning, and creating a full sketch revue. CRASS2 - With this class, students will continue their journey of turning their improv into written works, now adding the complexity of a narrative play through it all.

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About The Annoyance Training Center teaches students how to develop and maintain a strong individual voice in their improvisation. These intensives will address the initiation of a scene; developing and maintaining strong characters; learning to hold on to your initial choices while at the same time, expanding on (heightening) the choices you have made; and learning to become deft at creating and weaving unexpected, character-based choices into your work. Annoyance classes challenge the conventional wisdom of the rules of improvisation, examining what’s behind them and how they came to be in the first place. Simply put, we make you the best improviser YOU can be. All of our intensive teachers are ensemble members who have learned and performed with The Annoyance, and thus have first hand experience with the way we approach improvisation. An intensive in two parts? The Summer Intensive part 1 is designed as an overview survey course of The Annoyance Improv Program. Each day, students will focus on a different level of our training program. There will also be additional evening workshops and nightly show opportunities to watch and/or perform in. Summer Intensive part 2 is designed to cover more information that we couldn’t get to in part 1. The Annoyance Improv Program meets for for five levels, each level meets for 20 hours over the course of eight weeks. Here, we are trying to cram 20 hours into 6, a truly impossible task. So, Intensive part 2 was created as a way to go further into the concepts introduced in Part 1, while also allowing instructors to dive into advanced techniques and concepts knowing the participants have the same level of experience with The Annoyance technique. Completion of Annoyance Summer Intensive Part 1 is required to enroll in Part 2.

5-day course - 6 hours per day

Intensives:

Annoyance Summer Intensives

5 Days

Annoyance Summer Intensives cover the Annoyance Training program levels 1-5

Pre-Requisites:

None

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Annoyance Musical Improv:

Musical Improvisation classes (MI1-MI3) offer top-notch instruction to help students create incredible full length improvised musicals. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A GOOD SINGER TO BE A GREAT MUSICAL IMPROVISER! Students should already be comfortable making choices and executing effective scenework. As such, completing AP3 is a prerequisite for Musical Improvisation. MI1 - Introduction to improvising songs, and the art of 'scene into song'. MI2 - An introduction to improvising a cohesive half-hour musical improv show. MI3 - Students receive an advanced focus on narrative form. MI3 classes feature a run of shows in front of a real audience with valuable instructor feedback to not only help the ensemble improve, but to help you improve within the ensemble as an individual. MISG (Musical Improv Styles & Genre) - While not explicitly part of the Musical Improv Program, in this course you'll learn to improvise in diverse musical genres, expanding your range and versatility as a musical improviser.

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Student Information

Class Policies & Info:

Policies

Registration is Non-Refundable

PLEASE BE SURE about your schedule before you register for class. Here’s why….

Your enrollment HOLDS A SPACE in a class that we are no longer able to offer someone else. We rely on being able to fill a class so that we can pay our teachers and keep our business going.

Class payments are NON-REFUNDABLE, NON-TRANSFERABLE, and can be applied only to the current term’s class for which you have signed up. This applies if you get cast in a show, get a new job, or other situation, or have other changes to your schedule. So please be sure about your schedule before you register.

Pre-Requisites and Skipping AP1

There is no pre-requisite for AP1: Intro to Improv.

Students may skip this class and start with AP2 only if they have completed a full year at iO, The Second City, The Pit, The Magnet or UCB training programs.

AP3-AP5 all have Annoyance class pre-requisites that must be met before signing up.

Class Absences

In order to progress to the next level of class, you may miss no more than 2 sessions of the class day you signed up for. If you have to miss a class for AP1-AP4, there will be an opportunity to make up the class on another day that week, provided there are other classes meeting during the week.

Please follow the appropriate sign up link to choose a potential make-up date. Only two spots are available per class and you must have signed up to attend. Make-up classes are ONLY available for AP1-AP4.

Harassment and Discrimination

The Annoyance is a safe space for all people.

If you witness or experience an incident in our training program or during the process of creating a show that makes you feel unsafe or compromised, we’d like to know about it. We have a partnership with WorkShield and you may contact someone there (either anonymously, or not) by going to atb.workshieldportal.com. You may also call their hotline: 846.946.5558.

Please know that in partnership with WorkShield, complaints will be investigated with the intention of hearing from both sides of whatever matter is brought to our attention. Should you choose to remain anonymous, it may be more difficult for us to follow up for further information or to let you know how the situation is being handled, however, your name and email are not required to make a complaint.

Thank you for communicating with us.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are at the center of who we are. We strive to be a safe place for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, economic status and other diverse backgrounds.

The Annoyance is fully accessible, with an elevator and ramps for performers and audience members. While here, you are welcome to use whichever bathroom feels most comfortable with your gender identity or expression. We have multiple single occupancy restroom stalls if safety is a concern.

We are always looking for new ways that we can expand our support of our community, so if there's anything that we can do to better meet your needs, please let us know.

Scholarships

The Annoyance’s Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship was created to provide financial aid to those in need as well as to educate and broaden the variety of comedic voices found in our theatre and in the greater Chicago comedy community as a whole.

Our Scholarships are funded through the generous donations received during our Open Stage shows, general donations, as well as from the Ken Manthey Scholarship fund. Scholarship awards provide funds for 2 awardees' full tuition for the Annoyance Improv (AP1-5) and CReating Annoyance Style Shows (CRASS1-2) programs.

We will be accepting applications beginning on November 11, 2025 through November 25, 2025. Awards are expected to be announced by December 12, 2025 so that applicants may register for our Winter Session (January 5-March 8, 2025.) Awardees may register for this session (based on availability) or any time within 6 months following their award-date. It is not necessary for awardees to take all their classes in immediate succession, however, no more than 2 sessions may be skipped at a time.

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