Elements of Story Theater with Susan Messing

Elements of Story Theatre

This class focuses on immediate ensemble work, creating gorgeous stage picture through symmetry, learning how to be ready for anything, flying safety, and story telling. This sounds dry and hateful when in fact, this shit's the bomb. Highly recommended for those who just stand there waiting to play and those whose brains hurt, wildly recommended for others who don't fit in that category.

Susan Messing is one of the most outstanding improvisers of the United States. A New Jersey native and graduate of Northwestern University’s Theatre School, Susan has been an improviser, comedian teacher and author for over 30 years. She is an alumna of the iO Theatre, Second City’s Mainstage, and a founding member of Chicago’s infamous Annoyance Theatre.  Susan created and has taught her curriculum at iO and iO West, The Annoyance Theatre, The Second City, and around the globe. Susan's strength as a teacher is to make her students understand very clearly (and with a no-bullshit approach) that limitations on stage come only from within ourselves. Our fear of feeling stupid and our consequent lack of imagination improve through experience and self-acceptance.

Susan is an adjunct instructor for DePaul University, The University of Chicago, and The School at Steppenwolf.  Her standup act with her puppet, Jolly, was featured at the HBO/US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, and on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend and NBC’s Late Fridays. Her most impressive bit movie role was as a bad stripper in a halo brace in Let’s Go to Prison! In Chicago keep your eyes out for when she performs in Messing With a Friend/The Boys with Rachael Mason at The Annoyance, in Molly with Norm Holly at the iO, and with various friends all over the world. She was in the lineup for the TBS/Just For Laughs festival all five years of its residence in Chicago.

“Improviser of the Year” — Chicago Improv Festival

“Best Improviser” — Chicago Reader

“Funniest Woman in Chicago” — Chicago Magazine