Tuesdays in Santa Rosa
Improv Classes in Santa Rosa
Come make something up with other adults who want more play, nerve, and connection. No experience needed. Your first class is free.
The Details
Santa Rosa, California
A Place to Start
You Do Not Have to Be "The Funny One."
Most people do not walk into their first improv class feeling fearless. They come because they want a little more ease in their own voice, a creative outlet after work, or a room where it is okay to be spontaneous for a while. Stage Left is built for that first step.
Cheryl King teaches through theatre games, sharp listening, physical play, and simple scene work. You will not need a script, an audition, or a bag of jokes. You just need enough curiosity to try the next exercise with the people in the room.
What You Will Practice
Listen. Respond. See What Happens.
Improv gets easier when you stop trying to plan the perfect answer. Each class gives you repeatable ways to notice what another person offered, make one clear choice, and let the scene move forward from there.
- Listening: staying present with your scene partner instead of racing ahead in your head.
- Commitment: making a choice and giving it enough attention to become playable.
- Physical expression: using the room, objects, and your body so scenes do not live only in conversation.
- Connection: building trust with a group that wants to make each other look good.
Some nights will be full of laughter. Other nights will reveal a braver choice, a sharper observation, or the relief of realizing you do not have to do everything alone. That is all real progress.
Led by Cheryl King
Experienced Direction, Without the Pressure.
Cheryl founded Stage Left Studio in Manhattan in 2005 and has kept it running for more than 20 years. Her work draws on the theatre-game tradition of Viola Spolin alongside experience with improv teachers Gary Austin and Michael Gellman, plus a long career in performance, directing, and coaching.
That experience matters because a beginner room needs both permission to play and enough direction to keep the work moving. Cheryl knows how to give a clear note, spot the useful moment in a scene, and make the room feel welcoming without lowering the creative standard.
Meet Cheryl →
An Ongoing Room
There Is Room to Learn at Your Own Pace.
One class can make you feel more awake. Coming back is where the work starts to become familiar. You begin to recognize the people in the room, trust that a rough first idea can still become a scene, and notice that the same exercises offer something different as your confidence grows.
Stage Left's Santa Rosa class is ongoing, so you are not racing through a one-night introduction or trying to prove that you belong before anyone knows your name. Some classes focus on a game that makes listening unavoidable. Some give you time to explore a relationship or a physical environment. Some simply let the group play hard enough to find what it can do together.
That rhythm is especially useful for adults returning to creative work after a long break. You do not have to choose between being a total beginner and being a finished performer. You can arrive curious, take the first class free, and keep building from the point where the work becomes exciting.
Why Improv
Practice Being Present With Other People.
Improv is playful, but it is not empty. When you accept another person's idea, give it a useful detail, and stay alert to what changes, you are practicing attention. When a scene does not go where you expected, you are practicing how to recover without shutting down. The work happens out loud, with other people, which is why it can feel both challenging and freeing.
For some people, that becomes a creative practice. For others, it is a way to get more comfortable speaking up, meeting new people, or taking a small risk without needing to be perfect. The class does not promise a new personality. It gives you regular chances to listen more closely, respond more honestly, and find out what you do when someone says yes to your idea.
In the first few weeks, the goal is not to master every exercise. It is to get familiar with the rhythm of entering a scene, noticing what your partner gives you, and making one useful choice at a time. That is enough to turn a blank moment into a place to begin.
There is also room for laughter, surprise, and the kind of failure that is only funny because everyone keeps going. A missed cue does not stop the class. It becomes another invitation to notice what is happening and make the next move.
This Class Is a Good Fit If You Want To
Try Something New
Start in a room where nobody expects you to arrive polished, prepared, or already funny.
Get Out of Your Head
Practice responding in the moment, with less second-guessing and more attention to what is actually happening.
Find Your People
Meet adults who are willing to play, take a creative risk, and make room for someone else's idea.
Your First Visit
Come as You Are. We Will Start There.
Arrive a few minutes early, wear something you can move in, and bring the version of yourself that is willing to be surprised. The first class is designed to let you feel the pace of the work before you make any commitment.
You may find yourself in a quick warm-up, a partner exercise, a group game, or a short scene. Every activity has a clear starting point. When the class is over, you will know more than you did when you walked in, including whether you want to come back.
Try Your First Class FreeFrequently Asked Questions
Do I need improv or acting experience?
No. Stage Left welcomes beginners, including people who have never taken an improv or acting class before. The work begins with simple games, listening, and shared play.
Can I try a class before committing?
Yes. Your first improv class is free, so you can meet the group, get a feel for the work, and decide whether it is right for you.
When and where does the Santa Rosa class meet?
The Santa Rosa improv class meets Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:30 PM at The Astro Motel, 323 Santa Rosa Avenue in Santa Rosa.
What does ongoing improv cost after the first class?
The first four classes cost $120, then ongoing classes are $30 each. You can ask Cheryl any practical questions before you register.
What happens in a first class?
Expect easy-to-follow theatre games, short scenes, and exercises that build listening, confidence, and connection. You will not be asked to arrive with a routine, a character, or a perfect joke.
Tuesday Nights in Santa Rosa
Make the Next Move.
Try a free class, meet the room, and see what opens up when you give yourself somewhere to play.