Intro to Clown for the Improviser

About this workshop

Saturday, September 26th, 1:00 - 4:00 PM Most improvisers spend years trying to be funny. Clown asks you to stop… and be real. What if the biggest laugh isn't in a clever line or a quirky character? What if it's hiding in your honest reaction, your curiosity, your failure, or the moment you stop performing and simply play? This workshop is an introduction to theatrical clown designed specifically for improvisers. We'll explore the art of finding comedy through authenticity instead of invention. You'll discover how the audience connects most deeply when they see a real person experiencing something truthfully rather than someone trying to be entertaining. Through simple exercises, games, and playful exploration, you'll learn how to quiet the part of your brain that's trying to 'get it right' and strengthen the instincts that make scenes feel alive. You'll leave with tools you can immediately bring back into your improv, whether you're a brand-new student or a seasoned performer. You'll explore: How vulnerability creates comedy. The difference between performing and playing. Listening with your whole body. Finding joy in failure instead of avoiding it. Building a genuine connection with the audience. Trusting yourself instead of chasing laughs. This isn't circus clown. There are no red noses, balloon animals, or makeup. It's about discovering the most playful, honest, and wonderfully human version of yourself. Whether your goal is to become a stronger improviser, a more connected performer, or simply to experience the freedom that comes from letting go, this workshop will challenge you, surprise you, and remind you why you fell in love with improv in the first place. Come play. Make mistakes. Discover that the audience has been rooting for you all along. Tommy Galan is an improv and clown teacher with over thirty years of stage and comedy experience. In the early 2000’s he toured the festival circuit with his award-winning sketch team F.U.C.T. He started teaching improv in 2010 at The Peoples Improv Theater in NYC, and is a teacher at Finest City Improv in San Diego since 2013. Currently, Tommy teaches and coaches improv and clown in San Diego and from his home in Chula Vista, known as “The Clown Garage.” In addition to playing on FCI house teams for over a decade, Tommy was the founding member of Look at What We Found, Shhh… (Silent Improv), New Diego, Bicoastal, Kasey and Tommy, 10City!, Bald, and he produced a First Sunday of the Month Clown Show Residency at Finest City Improv. Pre-requisite: Students must have completed at least a level 1 improv class or equivalent. To inquire, contact jackie@mockingbirdimprov.org --- A limited number of reduced price registration is available for this class on a first come first serve basis. These are for students according to need to increase access to our classes. See our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion page for more details.

When

1. Sat, Sep 2601:00 PM – 03:00 PM