FAQs

Improv & TIC | Our Classes | Our Shows | Our Corporate Training

Does TIC teach improv?

Yes, we do! We offer a wide range of classes to meet any level of experience. From beginner courses to specialised workshops, our coaches and partners have welcomed thousands of students to learn more about spontaneous storytelling. We work non-stop to bring continuous cycles of classes to our studio, so there’s always a class for you to join at some point!

What’s a Class Cycle?

We organise new classes every Class Cycle, which are roughly two months long. Each year has up to seven Class Cycles, taking a break between mid-Dec & mid-Jan.

Class Cycles start with our regular Courses, where we conduct long-term classes roughly 6-8 sessions long. We also organise weekly Taster Sessions for people new to improv to try some activities. We announce a Class Cycle’s schedule about 4 weeks in advance, giving early-bird priority to our current students and people on our Waiting Lists.

What’s the difference between Courses and Workshops?

Our wide array of classes can be divided into Courses & Workshops.

Courses are our long-term foundational classes that give all-rounded training in improvisational theatre. Each Course comprises of 6-8 weekly sessions, giving a broad overview of their respective learning content.

Our Courses are currently organised into five levels, starting with Improv 101 as our flagship foundational course for beginners. You can find out more about our Courses here.

Workshops, on the other hand, are short-term elective classes that dive deeper into more specialised subject matters. Such topics can include specific improv game formats, finetuning of certain improv skills, and interactive panel forums.

We work with coaches from Singapore and around the world to bring a wide range of Workshops to the local scene. You can find our latest Workshop offerings here.

What is a Prerequisite?

Some of our classes come with Prerequisites that you need to complete before you can be considered qualified to join the class. This ensures that you’re familiar enough with the subject matter to keep up with the lesson plan and gain a meaningful learning experience.

When registering for any of TIC’s classes, you can find the Prerequisite on the Overview Page of the Registration Form.

If you do not meet the necessary prerequisite of a class but still feel that you can follow the class smoothly, you may contact our Director at kim@improv.sg for special permission to join the class.

Do I need to join a Workshop to join a Course?

Nope! Workshops are optional elective classes, so you don’t need to join a Workshop to join a Course.

However, almost all our Workshops will have a Course as a prerequisite. Please make sure to read the Registration Form carefully to check what Prerequisites’s required. If you need any clarification about any Prerequisites, feel free to reach us at contact@improv.sg

What is the capacity of TIC’s classes?

It depends. Most of our classes are capped at 12 pax (excluding the instructor) to ensure that all attendees have ample opportunities to try out activities in a comfortable environment. However, we occasionally organise classes outside of our studio; such classes will follow the capacity advised by the respective venue management.

I’m new to improv, but I don’t know if I can commit to a full Course. Is there a way for me to sample a class?

We’ve got you covered! We teach improv Taster Sessions at least once a week. As the name implies, this 2-hour mini-workshop will give attendees a taste of how impro comedy works. We’ll guide you through simple yet fun activities that will help you put the improv mindset into practice and give you a better appreciation of how improv soft skills are just as applicable in daily life as they are on stage!

At S$20.00 per person, our Taster Sessions are short, affordable, and a great way to see for yourself how much fun improv can be!

You can find more details here.

What can I do if I miss a session from my Course?

If you anticipate missing one or two sessions from a Course, we can try to help with organising Makeup Sessions, so you don’t miss out on class time. However, this is subject to the availability of spaces in our other classes. As such, we don’t guarantee that students can get makeup sessions upon request.

If you anticipate missing three or more sessions, we’d strongly advise you to join another class that better fits your schedule. As improv is a collaborative form of theatre, you’ll get a more productive learning experience if you can follow your classmates through a class with minimal disruption.

Whether or not makeup sessions are scheduled, TIC won’t refund the cost of sessions you willingly choose to skip. We seek your understanding for the fairness of our coaches.

Does TIC offer discounts for their classes?

Certainly, there are discounts available for almost all our classes! Such discounts may include the following:

• Student Concessions Discount for current secondary and tertiary students

• NSF Concessions Discount for current Full-Time National Servicemen

• Buddies Discount for friends who sign up for the exact same class together

• ‘Just Graduated’ Discount for our alumni who sign up for a new course immediately after completing the prerequisite course

• Re-Coursing Discount for our alumni who want to re-take a course

• Early-Bird Discount for people who sign up extra early for a class

Please note that not all discounts apply to all our classes. Make sure to read the Registration Form carefully to see which discounts are available. Additionally, discounts are not stackable; if you qualify for two or more discounts, we’ll only apply the one of highest value. TIC reserves the right to make final descisions on the validity of discounts.

Does TIC offer refunds for their classes?

In the rare event that TIC needs to cancel a class, TIC will refund the registered students pro-rated to the number of sessions that were not completed.

However, if a student cancels a class on their own initiative, refunds will only be issued under the following circumstances:

• Cancellations 14 days or more before the first session = 100% Refund

• Cancellations 5-13 days before the first session = 50% Refund

• Cancellations less than 5 days before the first session = No Refund

If you have a payment issue that requires addressing, please don’t hesitate to reach us at contact@improv.sg. We’ll do our best to find the most reasonable course of action, but we reserve the right to make final decisions on settling refund requests.

Is improv only for the stage?

Not at all! While improv is it’s own form of theatre and comedy, the softskills that you learn from improv are just as applicable in daily life as they are on stage. In fact, we use the term Applied Improv to describe the application of improv as a practical tool for real-world circumstances, be it at work or in your private life.

Can improv be used in my workplace?

Certainly! As a collaborative and spontaneous form of storytelling, improv has been proven to equip people with valuable tools for any corporate setting. Such softskills include flexible lateral thinking, stronger teamwork, effective communications, and confident presentation skills. These are especially important in Singapore’s service-oriented economy, where interpersonal skills are the most sought-for comodities that you can offer.

Additionally, improv is a simple and fun way to remain motivated in the office and socially active outside of work. Spontaneous storytelling can help with finding a community to recharge with, while processing stress in a positive and objective manner.

Does TIC perform shows?

For sure! We wouldn’t be teaching improv if we didn’t find it fun ourselves! In our pursuit of growing improv into a recognisable art form in Singapore, we host fortnightly weekends of shows at our dedicated performing space, the Nook Studio (#02-05 Aliwal Arts Centre).

You can expect all types of improv shows - from whacky short-form games, to dramatic long-form set, and everything in-between. Because it’s improv, you (the audience) get to play an active part in the creative process! So no two shows are ever the same, and each night is tailored to whatever you give the performers.

Are improv shows suitable for kids or youths?

Generally, our shows have an ‘Advisory-16’ rating unless otherwise mentioned on the ticketing page. In Singapore, ‘A-16’ means that kids can watch without being ID-ed, but parental guidance is advised due to possible (unscripted) crude references or mature language.

Besides local regulations, improvisers are generally trained to ‘punch up’ and treat sensitive topics with dignity and respect. For special cases, ample warnings will be provided on the ticketing page if triggering content is extremely likely in an improv show. Nevertheless, it’s hard to anticipate what happens in unscripted theatre, so we can’t guarantee what will or won’t appear in any show and audiences will watch at their own discretion.

If you’re unsure about content suitability for a given show, don’t hesitate to contact us directly!

Does TIC maintain their own regular performing teams?

If a local performing team shows great potential in their craft, TIC will offer to support them further as a Residency Team. Under this arrangement, TIC will provide more production and rehearsal resources to the Team; in return, the Team commits to performing monthly shows for the Residency duration.

A Residency is 6 months long and is indefinitely renewable (subject to the team’s overall performance and TIC’s approval).

What to take your improv team to the next level? Reach us at contact@improv.sg to pitch your team for a Residency!