We’re bringing you something new! Introducing:
The 3-Day Short-Form Bootcamp
Day One (10/26/26): Let’s Get This Party Started
We’ll start with the building blocks that make every improv scene work: space work, character, listening, and commitment.
The goal is simple: get comfortable being present and making bold choices.
Day Two (10/27/26): Short Form vs. Long Form
We’ll explore what makes short-form improv different from long form. You’ll learn how to recognize and play the game, support your teammates, listen for what the scene needs, and keep the energy moving.
We’ll focus on a variety of short-form games and work on how to make them funnier, cleaner, and more playable.
Day Three (10/28/26): Do You Want to Build a Show, Man?
We’ll dig into structure, pacing, game selection, transitions, and the skills needed to keep everything moving without making the show feel rigid.
You’ll also get hands-on practice with hosting and game-running, including how to teach games clearly, make adjustments on the fly, and help performers succeed while keeping the show tight.
About the instructor: Frank Maciel
Frank has been improvising for about 280 (dog) years. He grew up in Los Angeles but moved to Minneapolis in the early grunge years to co-found ComedySportz Twin Cities, where he performed a ridiculous number of shows per month and taught beginner-through-advanced workshops. While living in Mpls, he also hosted Club FunTV, a local kids’ TV show that was not actually fun. Back in LA, he spent nearly 20 years with ComedySportz Los Angeles and directed its High School League, teaching improv at 75 high schools from LA to San Diego. He was cast with writing partner Jeff B. Davis in the syndicated sketch comedy show KwikWitz, alongside Wayne Brady, Steve Carell and other then-unknowns who were clearly more ambitious than he is. Equally at home in short form and long form, Frank has improvised full-length musicals, appeared on the improv-based TV competition World Cup Comedy and created shows for Disney, Universal Studios and Six Flags. He has finally landed in his favorite geographical place on the Central Coast of California and looks forward to assimilating into the local improv scene.