Mondays in Petaluma
Improv Classes in Petaluma
Make something up with people who are ready to listen, play, and take a creative risk. No experience needed. Your first class is free.
The Details
Downtown Petaluma, California
A Creative Monday
Leave Work Behind. Make Something Together.
Most adults spend enough of the week preparing, explaining, and getting things right. Improv offers a different kind of room. You can arrive at Keller Co-Work Space on a Monday evening, set down the day's momentum, and practice following an idea somewhere unexpected with other people.
Stage Left is for people who miss making things, want a regular creative practice, or would simply like to feel less trapped in their own head. Cheryl King starts with accessible theatre games and builds from there. You do not need a script, a character, or an instant answer. You only need a willingness to notice what is in front of you and make a choice.
What Happens in Class
Start Simple. Stay Present. Build From There.
A good improv class gives you enough structure to stop worrying about what you are supposed to do. Each exercise has a clear beginning, then asks you to listen closely and help the moment become more specific.
- Warm up: loosen up, connect with the room, and shift out of the everyday rush.
- Play: use games that sharpen attention, timing, and the ability to accept an offer.
- Explore: try short scenes, relationships, objects, and environments without needing to perform a polished result.
- Repeat: come back often enough for the work, the group, and your own instincts to feel more familiar.
You may laugh hard. You may have an unexpectedly good scene. You may also discover that a strange first idea becomes interesting once someone else says yes to it. The point is not to be clever on command. It is to get more available to the people and possibilities already in the room.
Led by Cheryl King
Real Direction. A Room That Lets You Breathe.
Cheryl founded Stage Left Studio in Manhattan in 2005 and has kept it running for more than 20 years. Her approach draws on Viola Spolin's theatre-game tradition, time studying with improv teachers Gary Austin and Michael Gellman, and a long career in performance, directing, and coaching.
That background makes the class feel both playful and purposeful. Cheryl knows when a group needs a simple prompt, when a scene has more to offer, and when a small note can help someone trust an instinct they were ready to second-guess. Beginners get clear support without being treated as fragile. More experienced players get room to keep stretching.
Meet Cheryl →An Ongoing Class
Give Yourself a Place to Return To.
One night of improv can be a welcome jolt. A regular class gives that feeling somewhere to go. Over time, you recognize the people in the room, learn how to start a scene without freezing, and find that the same exercise opens up differently as you become more willing to make a choice.
The Petaluma class is ongoing, so it is not built around one high-pressure workshop or a finish line you have to race toward. You can begin as a beginner, return after a long break, or keep working because a weekly creative habit makes the rest of the week feel a little more awake.
That continuity matters. It turns a room full of strangers into a group that can take bigger chances together, while still making space for the person walking in for a first free class.
Why Improv
Practice Trusting Your Next Move.
Improv is not just about being fast or funny. It is the practice of paying attention to another person, making one useful choice, and letting that choice lead somewhere. When a scene surprises you, you learn to respond instead of shutting down. When someone gives you an idea, you learn how to add to it rather than carry the whole thing alone.
For some people, that becomes a performance skill. For others, it becomes a way to speak up more easily, reconnect with their sense of humor, or meet people outside their usual routine. There is no need to arrive with a reason that sounds impressive. Wanting to play is enough.
The work can be surprisingly grounding. You are not trying to have the perfect thought in private. You are in the room, responding to what is there, and discovering that an imperfect offer can still be useful. That is where confidence starts to look less like certainty and more like participation.
This Class Is a Good Fit If You Want To
Make Time for Play
Put a weekly creative practice on the calendar, without needing to arrive prepared or polished.
Get Less Stuck
Practice responding to what is actually happening instead of rehearsing every possible answer in your head.
Find a New Room
Meet adults who are open to laughter, collaboration, and giving someone else's idea a chance.
Your First Visit
Come Curious. We Will Begin There.
Arrive a few minutes early, wear something you can move in, and bring the version of yourself that is ready to try something new. The first class is free because the room matters. You should get to see the pace, meet the group, and decide whether you want to return.
You might begin with a group game, work with a partner, or step into a short scene. Every exercise has a clear invitation. By the end of the evening, you will know what the class feels like, whether you enjoyed the room, and what might open up by coming back.
Try Your First Class FreeFrequently Asked Questions
Do I need improv or acting experience?
No. Stage Left welcomes adults who are completely new to improv, returning after time away, or simply ready for a different kind of creative outlet. There is no audition and no experience requirement.
Can I try a class before committing?
Yes. Your first improv class is free. You can meet Cheryl, spend time with the group, and see how the work feels before deciding whether to continue.
When and where does the Petaluma class meet?
The Petaluma improv class meets Mondays from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Keller Co-Work Space, 140 Keller Street in downtown Petaluma.
What does ongoing improv cost after the first class?
The first four classes cost $120. After that, ongoing classes are $30 each. You can contact Cheryl with practical questions before registering.
What should I expect in my first class?
Expect a welcoming warm-up, theatre games, partner exercises, and short scenes with clear instructions. You will not need to prepare material, tell jokes on demand, or know what to do before you arrive.
Monday Evenings in Petaluma
Make Some Room for Surprise.
Try a free class, meet the people in the room, and see what happens when you give yourself a place to play.