Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA, June 17, 2024- ArtsQuest is excited to present its summer comedy classes, featuring Improv 101 with Stu Shaw, Improv 201 with Matt Candio and Intro to Standup with Glen Tickle. Taught by experienced comedians, each class will provide attendees with useful tips and a supportive environment to help beginners and those looking to strengthen their comedic skills. Classes are offered June through Sept. and will conclude with a graduation ceremony for participants to perform their material and demonstrate what they learned.

Additionally, ArtsQuest offers team building improv workshops. These workshops are great for businesses and corporations looking to improve their team’s communication skills, encourage creative thinking and provide an environment for team bonding and fun. Teams will be guided by professional improvisers to learn lively exercises that teach the fundamentals of improv comedy, bolstering confidence while sparking your team’s sense of humor. Group pre-registration is required. Please contact Addyson Young, ArtsQuest Programming Specialist, at ayoung@artsquest.org to learn more.

For more information and to sign up for comedy classes, visit www.steelstacks.org.

Comedy Classes Offered Include:

Improv 101 with Stu Shaw

Tuesdays, July 9–Sept. 3 (no class on Aug. 6) at the Banana Factory | 7-9 p.m.

Grad Show: Tuesday, Sept. 10 6:30 p.m., Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas

Price: $179 | $160 ArtsQuest Member

Improv 101 focuses on the three core principles of comedic improvisation: agreement, being active and justification. We designed our classes to create an energetic and supportive environment for play. Whether you’ve never taken the stage before, you’re a seasoned improviser or you’re simply looking to help yourself in your career and/or life, you’ll benefit from this class. Students must be 18 or older by the first day of class.

 

Improv 201 with Matt Candio 

Wednesdays, July 17 – Sept.11 (no class on Aug.7) at the Crayola Gallery | 7-9 p.m.

Grad Show: Wednesday, Sept.18, 6:30 p.m., Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas

Price: $179 | $160 ArtsQuest Member

Improv 201 builds on the basic principles of improv and helps develop your improv skills to make strong comedic choices. By finding and exploring Game you will expand your ‘Yes, and’ abilities while also discovering all avenues that Game can play in scenes. Students must graduate from Improv 101 to register for this class.

 

Intro to Standup with Glen Tickle 

Mondays, June 17–July 22 at the Banana Factory | 6–9 p.m.

Grad Show: Monday, July 29, 6:30 p.m. Visitor Center at SteelStacks presented by St. Luke’s University Health Network

Price: $134 | $120 ArtsQuest Member

This class is an introduction to standup comedy from both a creative and practical approach. Attendees will learn and apply the basics of joke construction, acquire useful tips for beginners and receive individualized feedback with the goal of producing 5 minutes of material. Students must be 18 years of age or older.

 

About the Comedians  

Stu Shaw 

Stu received most of his improv training at ArtsQuest and has taken each class several times. He also attended workshops with Second City. Stu has been on six SteelStacks Improv House Teams, and currently performs with Tim For Short, Model Citizen and Portal. In his spare time, Stu enjoys playing bad golf as well as going to the gym and pretending to exercise.

Matt Candio 

Matt is a comedian, performer and improv instructor. He began his comedy career in 2009 and has since studied at Upright Citizens Brigade (NYC), Magnet Theater (NYC) and The Second City (Chicago). In addition to teaching for the ArtsQuest Improv Comedy Program, he leads team building workshops for inquiring businesses and organizations. You can see Matt perform regularly at SteelStacks in various comedy shows, including “We’re Good, You’re Great!”

Glen Tickle 

Glen Tickle is a professional comedian who regularly tours the country. He has appeared on Dry Bar Comedy, PBS and SiriusXM. Tickle recorded his first album (Yes, really) and most recent special “Glen Tickle Against the World Crime League” at SteelStacks.

 

About ArtsQuest
ArtsQuest’s mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic, cultural and educational experiences using arts and culture as key elements of economic development for our urban communities. ArtsQuest™ supports this mission via the presentation of performing and visual arts, film, arts education classes and outreach, youth programming and cultural events. Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest; the Banana Factory Arts Center; and the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.9 million people annually. The organization’s programs and events, of which over 50% are free to attend, have a combined economic impact of more than $136 million annually in the region.

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Megan Hughes