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Level 1 Stand-Up Comedy Class
Mondays | 6:00PM–9:00PM
August 3rd – September 14th
Ready to take the mic and make 'em laugh?
Whether you're brand new to stand-up or looking to sharpen your set, our six-week Stand-Up Comedy Class at The Alley Stage is designed to help you find your funny and build a solid set — from first idea to final punchline.
Taught by professional comedian Ro DelleGrazie, this class offers a hands-on, supportive, and seriously fun dive into the art of stand-up comedy.
What You'll Learn
- How to generate original material from your life and perspective
- Writing and refining jokes using proven structure and editing techniques
- Using voice, timing, and presence to enhance your stage delivery
- Gaining confidence through weekly performance workshops
- Plus, tips on navigating the local comedy scene and open mics
Class Includes:
- Six weekly sessions (3 hours each) at The Alley Stage
- Personalized feedback and guidance from your instructor
- A final Graduation Showcase, where you'll perform your set live on stage for friends, family, and fans in a fun and encouraging environment
No prior experience required — just bring your sense of humor and a willingness to try!
Please note: because our instructors are active, working comedians, there may be occasional classes led by a qualified substitute instructor.
Instructor: Ro DelleGrazie
Ro DelleGrazie is a stand-up comedian, comedy coach, and instructor with over 27 years of stand-up experience and nearly two decades of coaching comedians. She began privately coaching in 2008 before teaching a six-week stand-up comedy course at Flappers Comedy Club in 2010. Ro later founded The Academy of Funny, where she trained comedians and produced student showcases at legendary venues including The Comedy Store and Flappers.
As a coach, Ro focuses on helping each comedian develop their authentic voice rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach. She works with students on joke writing, set construction, stage presence, career strategy, branding, and the business of comedy, helping comics build everything from their first few minutes to feature and headline sets.
In addition to coaching, Ro has performed across the country and has appeared on Oxygen, Comcast, SiriusXM, TruTV, and FX. She has also toured with comedian Lisa Lampanelli as both a performer and comedy coach.
Level 2 Stand-Up Comedy Class
Mondays | 6:00PM – 9:00PM
August 3rd – September 14th (Labor Day skipped)
Take your comedy to the next level.
This advanced class is designed for comedians ready to refine their skills and tackle the business side of stand-up. Through weekly on-stage workshops, personalized coaching, and peer feedback, you'll hone your craft, push creative boundaries, and build the tools needed for long-term success. The goal: leave with up to 10 new minutes of original material.
Prerequisite: students must already have a basic understanding of stand-up, a solid five-minute set, and have completed either The Alley Stage's Level 1 Stand-Up class or an equivalent from another institution.
What You'll Learn
- Refine your craft: sharpen your unique comedic voice and master advanced joke structures, timing, and delivery — including the difference between joke telling (setup, assumptions, punchline, tags/toppers) and storytelling (authenticity, empathy, and the power of unexpected twists).
- Build your set: develop up to 10 new minutes of original material and construct seamless routines with strong themes, transitions, and callbacks.
- Business & performance: gain practical insights into the business of comedy, including booking gigs, marketing, and networking.
Instructor: Yoshee So
Yoshee So is a nationally touring comedian, improviser, and teacher whose dynamic career spans stages, classrooms, and podcasts. He's performed at top venues like Stand Up Live, Helium, and the Punchline, and been featured at major comedy festivals including Laughing Skull, Boston Comedy Festival, and the World Series of Comedy. A co-founder of the Red Pill Players, Yoshee has spent over a decade performing improv grounded in Game theory and the Harold, with training from UCB, Second City, and Improv IO. He currently teaches and coaches comedy in person and virtually to aspiring comedy students. He also co-hosts the popular Breath podcast, featuring 400+ interviews with comedy legends and over 15 million views worldwide. His debut album American African humorously chronicles his journey from immigrant roots to suburban superhero, reflecting his passion to inspire laughter and empower new generations of comedians.
Level 1 Improv Class
Tuesdays | 6:00PM – 8:00PM
August 4th – September 8th
Whether you're an aspiring comedian, a professional looking to sharpen your public speaking, or a total beginner wanting to step out of your comfort zone, this 8-week class is the perfect, zero-pressure place to start.
This course focuses on the absolute fundamentals of improvisation: active listening, trusting your instincts, having total commitment, making connections, supporting your scene partners, and discovering the “funny” in the ordinary. Through a series of supportive group exercises, games, and basic scene work, you will learn how to stop overthinking, get out of your own head, and lean into the joy of making mistake-free choices.
In this class, you'll master the fundamentals of classic Chicago-style improv, learn to trust your instincts, and build hilarious, unscripted scenes from scratch in an incredibly supportive environment. Absolutely no stage or comedy experience is required. Just bring your curiosity and get ready to have a blast!
Instructor: Ross Kimball
Ross Kimball is an actor, writer, comedian, and improviser who has been performing and teaching improvisation for over 20 years. Ross started his comedy career in Chicago, at the legendary iO Theater. Beyond the stage, Ross is probably best known for being one of the stars in Amazon's hit, 4-time Emmy-nominated comedy series Jury Duty. His feature film credits include starring alongside Kristen Wiig and Zach Galifianakis in Masterminds, as well as appearing in director Christopher Guest's comedy Mascots. On television, he has appeared in major network and streaming hits like NBC's Chicago Med, Superstore, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Whether you are looking to pursue comedy seriously, sharpen your professional public speaking skills, or just try something completely new and meet great people, Ross is thrilled to guide you through your very first steps into the world of improv.
Level 2 Improv Class
Thursdays | 6:00PM – 7:30PM
August 6th – September 10th
Join instructor Rachel LaForce for Level 2 Chicago Style Improv. This course will build on two-person grounded scenework, the principle of “Yes, And,” and other Level 1 basics. Together, we will build new skills, including the give and take of group scenes, callbacks, character-based scenes, and explore different improv formats.
This class requires the completion of a Level 1 improv course from any reputable improv theater.
Come ready to move, have fun, and learn to play like a pro!
Instructor: Rachel LaForce
Rachel LaForce is a Comedian, Creator, Cultural Commentator, and co-founder of Skewed Orbit Studios. A veteran of The Second City whose work has appeared on HBO, Hulu, truTV, CNN, and the TEDx stage, Rachel uses comedy and cultural commentary to connect the dots between headlines, identity, and human behavior. Through her podcast Healing Is Hilarious, keynote speaking, digital media, and live performance, she helps audiences turn the moment into meaning.
Teen Improv Class
Ages 13–18
Wednesdays | 5:30PM – 7:30PM
August 5th – September 9th
Think fast. Laugh hard. Build confidence.
Get ready for an unforgettable fall with Marietta's premier teen improv class, right in the heart of Marietta Square! Led by Second City and Groundlings alum Casey Navarro, this high-energy program teaches teens how to think on their feet, create hilarious characters and scenes, sharpen their comedic timing, and work as a team.
Whether they're aspiring performers or just looking to build confidence, make new friends, and have a great time, this class is the perfect place to step outside their comfort zone in a fun, supportive environment.
The session ends with a live showcase at The Alley Stage, where students perform for family and friends and celebrate everything they've learned.
Instructor: Casey Navarro
Originally from Beavercreek, Ohio, Casey is a seasoned stand-up, sketch, and improv comedy performer and writer. She spent five years touring with Second City Chicago and was recently waitlisted for an SNL writing position. Casey was honored to participate in the first Atlanta SNL audition last summer. She has also worked with The Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles before moving to Atlanta, where she became a teaching artist at the Alliance Theatre, Catapult Acting Studios, and Utopian Academy of the Arts. Additionally, Casey is a playwright, joining the ranks of artists like Lily Tomlin and Sigourney Weaver as an Artist in Residency at Saint Mary's College. There, she wrote and directed her first full-length multimedia dark comedy play, LUCKY LIAR LOSER, which explores themes of violence against women. Casey has written for Chicago's Redeye, Harness Magazine, and works as a freelance copywriter and commercial comedy consultant with Brontosaurus LA. Recently, she completed a stand-up tour in Europe and spent four months performing comedy at sea on NCL's Breakaway. You can catch her as a weekend regular at Laughing Skull Lounge and The Alley Stage, or in commercials for brands like Big Lots and Ally Bank.