Unsure about improv? Let us give you a taste! This 2-hour class shows you what improv is all about. Sign up alone or with friends and meet new, fun people!
The Boom Chicago Academy is your gateway to improv and comedy! Whether you’re a beginner or ready to refine your craft, we offer a variety of opportunities to learn, perform, and have fun:
- Improv Training Program: Dive into our six-level curriculum with eight-week courses (three hours per session). Start with the basics or work your way up to advanced scene work.
- Comedy Electives and Workshops: Broaden your skills with specialized classes in stand-up, storytelling, sketch writing, and more.
- Community Nights and Shows: Perform on stage, watch your peers, and connect with others in our supportive comedy community.
Not sure where to start? Take a two-hour Taster Class for just €30, and we’ll credit the fee if you join a full course. Stick around after class to socialize with your new friends at the Boom Bar. It’s all part of the experience.
Come for the laughs, stay for the community. Join us today!
Session Dates for 2026
- Term 1: January 4 – February 28 (On Sale November 28)
- Term 2: March 8 – May 2 (On Sale February 13)
- Term 3: May 10 – July 4 (On Sale April 10)
- Term 4: August 16 – October 10 (On Sale June 12)
- Term 5: October 18 – December 12 (On Sale September 18)
Summer Intensives (On Sale January 1)
- Musical Improv Intensive: July 19-24
- Long-Form Intensive: August 3-8
- Advanced Short-form Intensive: August 10-14
- Advanced Long-form Intensive: August 10-14
Unsure about improv? Let us give you a taste! For 2 hours on a Saturday afternoon, Boom Chicago actors will give you an insight into what we do on stage. Feel the thrill of improvisation and get ready to have fun! No experience is necessary.
Taking an improv taster class is not an essential part of our training program, but it is a great introduction. A taster class costs €30, but if you decide to join a full class (Intro to Improv), we’ll deduct this from your fee.
Unlock the world of improv with our engaging Introductory Improv Class! Perfect for beginners, this course dives into the essentials of improvisation, guiding students through fun exercises in agreement, commitment, spontaneity, and active listening. No prior experience or special training is needed—everyone is welcome to jump in and discover the magic of improv!
After class, keep the good times rolling! Head to our Boom Bar, where you can unwind, share laughs, and connect with your new improv friends over drinks. At Boom Chicago, we believe the joy of improv doesn’t stop when the class ends—it’s a community that keeps the fun going. Join us and discover the endless possibilities of improv in Amsterdam’s most dynamic space!
CLASSES
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Curious about improv? Try it out!
Spend two fun-filled hours on a Saturday afternoon with Boom Chicago’s actors and discover the thrill of improvisation. No experience? No problem! This taster class is the perfect intro to thinking on your feet and having a blast. At just €30, it’s a great deal. And if you join our Intro to Improv course, we’ll credit the fee toward your class. Come as you are and leave with a smile (and maybe a new hobby)!
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Eight Weeks – No Experience Needed!
In this introductory eight-week course, students explore the fundamental principles of improv through exercises in agreement, commitment, spontaneity and listening. You don’t need any experience or training to join. And the excitement doesn’t end there! Stay for a drink with your (new) friends at our Boom Bar!
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In this level, students will explore the foundations of good scene work, including how to form scenes based on emotions, relationships, points of view, and the environment. The two-person scene is the foundation of short and long-form improvisation. -
Continue your development! This course focuses on giving students the tools to develop interesting and well-rounded characters. Various frames of reference will be used including physicality, emotion, status, and music. -
Now that you have the basic tools of improv, we’re going to dive into the energy and commitment of short-form game play. Each week we will learn a different subset of games, with focus on a different point of inspiration.The final showcase on our Upstairs Theater stage will be on Saturday, July 11th @ 17:30.
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Get out of your head and onto your feet! This workshop will focus on owning the stage. Learn the most concise way to host an improv game or an entire show. In addition, we will dive into the ins and outs of editing in order to make everyone in the audience and on stage feel like rockstars.The final showcase on our Upstairs Theater stage will be on Sunday, July 12th @ 17:30.
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Through exploration of genre and themes, students will create their own short-form games and perform an original running order for their final showcase performance. Get ready to receive compliments from your friends!The final showcase on our Upstairs Theater stage will be on Tuesday, July 7th @ 19:00.
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This level expands on the students’ previous scene work experience and delves deeper into building dynamic and supportive scenes. Topics include starting scenes organically, exploring support moves and understanding opening devices.The final showcase on our Upstairs Theater stage will be on Monday, July 6th @ 19:00.
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In this course, students will explore the concepts of game and point of view, and how they can use them to drive scenes. They will be introduced to concepts like shiny objects, gift-giving, justifying and straight-manning. These will help pinpoint interesting directions scenes can go and help all players to get on the same page as to what the next moves might be.
The final showcase on our Upstairs Theater stage will be on Wednesday, July 8th @ 18:00.
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A sweeping overview of long-form formats that will give students an introduction to iconic forms including the La Ronde, the Pretty Flower, the Living Room, and many more.The final showcase on our Upstairs Theater stage will be on Tuesday, July 7th @ 20:00.
ELECTIVES AND WORKSHOPS
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The course covers a wide range of techniques and styles to help you discover your own comedy voice along with exercises to boost confidence, creativity and imagination. You will learn the basics of joke writing, presentation and you will leave these four weeks with the beginning of a stand-up routine. -
This high-energy, beginner-friendly workshop introduces freestyle rap fundamentals through improvisation. Led from an emcee’s perspective, the session brings a real-world approach to freestyle, focusing on rhythm, presence, musicality, and the mindset needed to create confidently in the moment. We’ll explore rhythm, rhyme, and group flow through interactive games and exercises designed to build confidence, creativity, and spontaneity. No prior rap or music experience is needed – just a willingness to play.
Participants will learn how to:
- Find and maintain rhythm
- Build simple and complex rhyme patterns
- Stay present and recover from mistakes
- Collaborate and support others in a group setting
Rooted in the Freestyle Fitness approach, the workshop emphasizes playful repetition, celebrating progress, and low-pressure practice – helping participants build real skills while staying relaxed and expressive. The session blends technique with play, creating a supportive environment where performers can take risks, find their voice, and experience the joy of making something up on the spot.
Perfect for improvisers, performers, and anyone curious about stepping into freestyle rap in a fun, supportive environment.
Guest instructor David “BS” Bradshaw is a NYC-based freestyle rapper, songwriter, educator, and US State Department Cultural Ambassador. He has performed and taught with Freestyle Love Supreme and was a lead facilitator for their educational initiatives, working with performers on spontaneity, musicality, and trust on stage. He has taught and performed internationally, including with Boom Chicago, and has appeared with the musical improv company Baby Wants Candy (Shamilton). His work has been featured on The Today Show and RedbullTV, and he has lectured at Harvard University. Through his program Freestyle Fitness NYC, he helps performers of all backgrounds unlock creativity, confidence, and flow through freestyle rap and improvisation.
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Thursday, July 9th from 18:30-21:30 – Book now!
Do you wind up deep inside your head in improv scenes? Your old friend, former SNL cast member and iO alumnus, Luke Null, was just like you. Join Luke for a workshop full of exercises that challenge you to quit planning things on the backline and start having fun and reacting in the moment. You will be so far out of your head by the end that you honestly won’t even need a head anymore. You could probably rent it out you will be gone so much.
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Sunday, July 26th from 14:00-17:00 – Book now!
In this class, we will focus on character-forward and situation-forward initiations and how to make decisions in order to quickly build the top of a scene and allow what the scene is about to come into focus. This will give you a strategy at the top of your scenes that you can repeat over and over again. Guest instructor James Mastraieni is a live improv and sketch performer and founder of the indie comedy theater, “The Shared Experience Studio” in Los Angeles. His background is extensive and varied. He’s toured with Second City, performed for a decade at iOWest, and for almost 20 years with The Upright Citizen’s Brigade. James has accumulated over 25,000 hours of teaching and coaching. He’s a dedicated teacher who has taught all over the world, coached over a dozen Harold teams at UCB and iO, and taught comedic acting and improvisation at the esteemed Beverly Hills Playhouse. His Advanced Drop In has been the most popular drop-in class in Los Angeles for almost ten years. He also teaches US Army soldiershow to use improv to express themselves creatively and restore their safety in collaboration with others. James teaches a practical, organized framework that combines traditional theories and philosophies of comedy with the nuances of theater acting and improvisation. His guiding principle is “The Shared Experience,” a theory of live comedy that highlights the performer’s understanding of the abstract connective tissue existing between the performer and the audience.
COMMUNITY NIGHT SHOWS
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Boom Chicago Academy students and instructors join forces! On the first Sunday of every month, we’ll feature students of our academy. They will be joined on stage by the instructors of the Boom Academy to create a unique improv comedy Jam once a month.
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Get ready for a night where the rules of comedy get delightfully rewritten. The Comedy Lab is an experimental playground – a space where our Boom Chicago cast tests out bold, funny, and gloriously strange new formats.
From wild new improv structures to hybrid sketch shows, stand-up experiments, and ideas that simply defy definition, this is where creativity runs free and funny gets fearless.
Come see comedy in its most exciting form: inventive and straight from the lab. Who knows? You might just witness the birth of Boom’s next big show.
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History has seen greats like Carol Burnett, Ed Sullivan, Van Kooten en De Bie name a show after themselves… and now Lesley Presley will join their ranks. Who is Lesley Presley? Lesley Presely is a host persona that anyone in the Boom Chicago community, from month to month, might embody. What we, and the fictional character Lesley, can guarantee is a night of improv, sketches, comedy, music, and so much more than we could try to describe here. Boom Chicago’s Academy Manager, Laura Maynard, programs a completely different show every month.
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Celebrate fresh talent at Thuis Party! This show highlights Boom Academy graduates as they hit the stage with brand-new acts and unstoppable energy. Come support the next generation of comedy stars! -
Join our newest improv jam, where students of different experience levels can mix, match, and of course above all else-improvise! This hour-long program is perfect for students to get on our Attic stage to do lots of scenes while also meeting more members of our community!
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We’re thrilled to open up The Attic Theater for performer and student-led shows every 3rd Saturday of the month at 19:30 & 21:30! This is your chance to bring your own creative vision to life – whether it’s a bold new format, a passion project, a variety show, or a fully polished performance ready for an audience.
You and your team take the reins – host, promote, and run your own show in our cozy, intimate attic theatre. It’s your night, your stage, and your chance to make something unforgettable.
Dream it. Create it. Perform it. In the Attic Theater.
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Big Game Comedy is your monthly ticket to an unpredictable comedy experience! Featuring a fresh lineup of sketch comedy, stand-up, character acts, improv, music, and more, each show brings together new performers and writers to create an all-new comedy night. Don’t miss the fun!
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Come watch our Boom Chicago Academy students shine in their end-of-session showcase! Each show runs about 90 minutes, packed with laughter, talent, and surprises. Don’t miss it!
SUMMER INTENSIVES
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Step into the spotlight and explore the world of musical long-form improv in this immersive 5-day intensive! Perfect for performers looking to expand their skills, this workshop focuses on chorus building, dynamic choreography, crafting compelling stage pictures, and singing in style and character.
Led by expert instructors, you’ll learn how to harmonize storytelling with movement, bring songs to life with authentic emotion, and master popular musical improv formats. The intensive wraps up with a vibrant live showcase where you’ll debut your newfound talents.
Find your voice, move with purpose, and create unforgettable musical moments. Spots are limited—secure yours today!
– July 19: Check-in & Mixer
– July 20-23: Intensive Sessions (11:00 AM – 5:00 PM, with a 1-hour lunch break)
– July 24: Rehearsal (2:30 PM – 5:00 PM) and Showcase Performance (6:00 PM) -
Dive deep into the art of long-form improv with this dynamic 5-day intensive! Designed for improvisers ready to elevate their craft, this workshop focuses on advanced scenework, sharp editing techniques, discovering and playing the game, and mastering popular long-form formats.
Guided by experienced instructors, you’ll learn how to create compelling scenes, seamlessly transition between moments, and build engaging narratives that captivate an audience. The intensive concludes with a live showcase, giving you the chance to perform your new skills in front of an audience.
Push your boundaries, refine your craft, and unleash your full improv potential. Space is limited—reserve your spot today!
- August 2: Check-in & Mixer
- August 3-7: Intensive Sessions (11:00 AM – 5:00 PM, with a 1-hour lunch break)
- August 8: Rehearsal (2:30 PM – 5:00 PM) and Showcase Performance (6:00 PM)
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Dive into an intensive, hands-on training experience where you’ll master the core games, learn how to host with confidence, and unlock the secrets of styles and themes that make short-form sing. Across five transformative days, you’ll collaborate, experiment, and stretch your creative muscles – guided by expert coaches who know how to bring out your best.
By the end, you won’t just understand the mechanics of great short-form…you’ll create and perform your very own original show.
Perfect for performers ready to sharpen their craft, push their boundaries, and take the stage with power.
Five days. Infinite fun. Your next big leap starts here.
- August 9: Check-in & Mixer
- August 10-14: Intensive Sessions (11:00 AM – 5:00 PM, with a 1-hour lunch break)
- August 15: Rehearsal (2:30 PM – 5:00 PM) and Showcase Performance (6:00 PM)
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This advanced intensive is designed for performers who’ve mastered the foundations of long-form and are hungry for deeper challenges. Across this immersive multi-day experience, you’ll push beyond familiar structures, explore a range of sophisticated long-form formats, and discover what truly makes each style tick – from pacing and world-building to group mind and thematic cohesion.
Guided by top-tier instructors, you’ll experiment boldly, break patterns, refine your instincts, and expand your toolkit with formats you’ve only scratched the surface of before. This is not a refresher -it’s a deep dive into the craft of long-form, built to stretch your creativity and transform your performance approach.
If you’re ready to explore, innovate, and grow in ways you didn’t know were possible, this intensive is your next step. Challenge yourself. Elevate your ensemble. Redefine your long-form.
- August 9: Check-in & Mixer
- August 10-14: Intensive Sessions (11:00 AM – 5:00 PM, with a 1-hour lunch break)
- August 15: Rehearsal (2:30 PM – 5:00 PM) and Showcase Performance (6:00 PM)
