Established in 1990, the Orange County Crazies School of Improvisational Comedy provides students with a stimulating environment in which to explore his/her talents and further develop comedic skills. Classes are typically offered during a six-session weeknight course, Tuesdays and Thursday nights each week for two-plus hours. After the last class, each group stages a graduation ceremony—a live improv show before friends and family, typically on a weekend night. Class size is limited to assure highly individualized attention. Students receive personalized critiques throughout the workshop. Each student is encouraged to explore the outer reaches of his or her potential, and Crazies’ instructors are trained to help students advance his/her current abilities.

In any of the improvisational comedy classes, students learn the basics of theater, including: Diction, breathing, stage skills, vocal production; movement; and the fundamentals of improvisational comedy–its rules and tools. Some additional techniques, which are taught in the advanced workshops include: How to develop original characters and bring them to life; how to be more collaborative players, what constitutes an improv scene, and how to write solid material. Classes in stand-up comedy focus on delivery and content; while the sketch comedy classes zero in on an eight-step fast and funny formula to writing sound material while “on their feet!”

The Orange County Crazies School of Improvisational Comedy was founded by Cherie Kerr, who has been teaching improvisational comedy since 1972. Ms. Kerr has been the Artistic Director of the Orange County Crazies Improvisational Comedy Troupe since 1990; she was a founding member of the famed L. A. Groundlings and has written 13 books, among them a book on how to write sketch comedy,  Build to Laugh: How to Construct Sketch Comedy with the Fast and Funny Formula. She also has written, “Who’s There?” Conceiving, Creating and Developing Original Characters.” She is dedicated to providing students a highly qualified staff of instructors who carefully assess individual goals, and help each student utilize the school’s unique curriculum to help him/her make meaningful and substantial progress toward comedy goals.

In addition to Ms. Kerr, the instructors at the Crazies school include O.C. Crazies performers, members of the L.A. Groundlings (past and present), and teachers from Chicago’s Second City. Private coaching is also offered on an hourly basis.  Classes are offered to people of all ages.