Provocation Theatre is one of the best dang improv theatre's in the Bay. I've taken a few classes at Provocation and at first hand experience, I must say they are sooo welcoming, put newcomers or anybody who's nervous to play infront of strangers at ease. Also super cost effective.They are very understanding and are very supportive whatever the financial situation. If your just starting improv or are vetrans in the game, highly recommend checking out this theatre! read more

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This theatre is my Bay Area improv home. Everything one associates positively with a "home-like" feeling is Provocation Theatre. From their warm, welcoming, kind, inclusive, social/economic justice minded, and skillful teachers to their eclectic and humxnizing variety of speciality classes and workshops to their fun and frolicky community improv jams to just all the wonderful people within Provocation Theatre that I'm lucky enough to consider and build community with, Provocation Theatre is truly a place to unleash the inner child in safe, creative, and empowering ways. So grateful the East Bay has this treasured community resource to play, connect, and grow as an improviser and as a humxn (esp during these trying times). Do yourself a solid and check them out read more

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Great entertainment and the ambience really tied it all together. Kat was a great host! read more

Provocation Theatre - The Plot Thickeners! - Performing Arts Near Me - Berkeley, California

A hidden gem. A wonderful intimate theater experience with an amazing host Kat. You can feel part of the action and it is easy walk to parking of which there is a variety near by. I cannot believe it took me this long to find it. read more

Provocation Theatre - Myles and Faryn getting it straight - Performing Arts Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This review is about my experience attending my friend's improv show. The owner (I can't remember her name) is so welcoming and you can tell she really cares about her students and wants them to succeed. The show was great and I enjoyed watching every class level shine! I was surprised (and very happy) that complimentary food and beverages from Market Hall were available. The sandwiches were delicious!! read more

Go there to do things you've never done before and feel things you've never felt! There's a certain energy or 'magic' unique to the people here that I wish I could bottle up and share with everyone. I can't remember the last time I smiled so much or so hard e v e r so I'll absolutely be back for the 201 class. Many thanks to Kat who has such an incredible way of making everyone feel important, seen, and heard throughout each class. My heart is full. read more

There's a reason this place is rated so well. As someone with deep anxiety but a love of all things comedy, improv at Provocation Theater allowed me to shine light on a part of myself that I had buried under the guise of "I'm not good enough" - it's magical to be able to go to a place where mistakes are celebrated, adults can be silly with one another and you leave having laughed those deep kind of belly laughs. I've made spectacular friends here, I've found my community here, I can't say enough about how deeply grateful I am to this place. If you're thinking about it pleaseeee give it a try, you won't regret it. read more

Provication Theatre is an incredibly welcoming space for anyone curious about improv. I attended workshops led by Mal and Stacie, and both created an environment that felt supportive, playful, and genuinely beginner friendly. There was no pressure to perform, just encouragement to show up, try things, and have fun. You can tell the culture starts from the top with Kat and carries through the instructors. I left the workshops feeling more confident and honestly excited to dive deeper into improv. Highly recommend if you have ever thought, "I might want to try improv," but did not know where to start. read more

JUST SAY YES!! If you're sitting at home thinking "maybe I should try improv..." DO IT!! And do it at Provocation Theater. This is truly the best community and place to be! Instructors are so knowledgeable, kind, and supportive. They truly want to meet each student where they are at and will help you learn the art and skill that comes with being a great improviser. You will feel welcome and comfortable in this inclusive space. It is so refreshing to be in a space that values fun and art as much as it does community and diverse storytelling. I can't recommend this place enough. You'll have to come see for yourself! read more

Love this theater. Such great, welcoming community filled with people from all walks of life and such wonderful and hilarious improv performances. I'm so glad to have joined this theater and gotten to know many of the improvisers - teachers and students alike. Highly recommend seeing a show or taking a class here. read more

Student and follower of the theater here, provocation is the best! It is a lovely place to learn improv and grow skills in the midst of an incredibly warm and welcoming community. Kat, the director, is the BEST! She's a beam of sunshine and a fantastic organizer. I love provocation theater!!!!! read more

I learned so much through the classes and met some cool community members that I still see around because of the class :)

I took a series with Berkeley Improv w/ Ahran Lee and really loved it-- super kind, collaborative. I really enjoyed what I learned, feels like such a welcoming, nurturing space. So supportive, informative, and inclusive. I'm excited to take more classes! read more

I loved taking "Come as You Are", a class aimed at BIPOC improvisers. The class had a mix of skill levels, but it was a supportive learning environment full of approachable exercises and rich discussions. I learned so much not only from Eisa, whose teaching and encouragement brought out so much boldness and connection in us all, but from my fellow students as well! read more

I've now taken multiple workshops at Berkeley Improv, most recently "Improv for Slackers" with Emilie Sanchez and The Armando with Tiffany Dalpiaz. Both workshops are aimed at teaching a specific form of long-form improv. Improv for Slackers was so well organized. For a one-night workshop, I felt that Emilie really broke down the form and helped us understand how to play it. She even brought a whiteboard to draw a chart of how the form works (I love a chart, so this was incredibly helpful to me.) Tiffany's Armando Class was (as expected) friendly and inviting for a storytelling based form. Tiffany had specific goals for us to achieve while working on the form, such as letting our characters "lose" in scenes. I appreciated her attention to detail and encouragement with the students in the class, as we all had varying degrees of experience. I've done improv for a long time and have been looking for a home theater since moving back to the Bay Area. I love the sense of community at Berkeley Improv, and have met so many wonderful people through this theater. I can't wait to come back again. read more

I absolutely loved Ahran Lee's "Play as Liberation" workshop for Global Majority (BIPOC) improvisers. Ahran's passion for improv is contagious. The class helped me let go of perfectionism, be more authentic, and make bolder choices outside of class. I'm a beginner improviser, and I felt very comfortable in Ahran's class. She creates a safe container by first helping us to connect with our bodies. I left the class feeling energized and empowered! I recommended the class to a friend. She went and now she's hooked on Ahran's classes! read more

For my 60th birthday, my sister arranged an improv session with friends at our home. HILARIOUS! Eisa led our group. Did group games and little skits, and Eisa made everyone feel comfy. Obviously improv is useful for team building, but this was an amazing way to celebrate a birthday. We laughed the entire time!!!! Highly recommend Eisa and Berkley Improv. read more

Hired Kat for my birthday party and it did not disappoint. Cannot recommend her enough. So much fun and laughter, what more can you ask for. :) read more

I have been meaning to sign up for Berkeley Improv classes for over a year and finally did it! I wish I had started sooner! I took a 4-class 101 package and had the BEST time. Kat is an incredible teacher - full of wisdom and fun without being over the top cheesy or obnoxious. I signed up for more classes and plan to make improv part of my life for the foreseeable future. read more

Definitely do it!! I had an amazing time in improv 101 and plan to do improv 201 next month. Kat is an incredible teacher with such positive energy. She built such a supportive environment where we applauded for our mistakes, stayed present, and had fun playing and connecting with each other in every class. She is also VERY good at burrito puns. Ok.. that's a wrap. ;) read more

I had a wonderful experience taking Improv for Real Life. I had never done improv before and didn't know what to expect. Turns out that improv is SUUUPER fun and hilarious! I felt my confidence building each week both inside and outside of class, which was really cool. Each class was well-structured and consisted of a variety of exercises that were based on what participants hoped to get out of the experience. Kat is a fantastic teacher who created a supportive and safe environment. She helped make embracing spontaneity with a group of strangers feel not only less intimidating, but super fun. The month of weekly classes flew by and I was sad when it was over, but I'm leaving the experience with more confidence and some awesome new friends! I hope to come back soon. read more

Improv 101 taught by Kat was absolutely amazing. I had so much fun that my face hurt from smiling and laughing the whole time. I learned a ton and made some great friends. It was so fabulous I was seriously bummed when the series ended, but I've talked a handful of friends into joining me for the next session because it was that great. If you're looking to expand your skills, stop filtering your creativity, and become a bit more bold and expressive, this class is definitely for you. read more

DO IT !!!!!! I've done 2 Berkeley improv classes over the past couple months. Improv 101 + Improv For Real Life. I highly recommend them both. I'm such a noooob and everyone made me feel SO WELCOME and encouraging! The faculty and students are so, so warm. I've looked forward to each class with excitement and the time flies by. Special shoutout to KAT DUDLEY, who is by far one of the most amazing teachers I have had EVER in life. Her energy is infectious, and her course and teaching style is so wonderful. Like every vibrant and colorful emoji having a pArTy ♥ THAT AWESOME. Ps. If you're in a financial bind, send them an email and they will kindly work something out with you. No need to be scared! If you're reading this review, you already know you want to do it. Improv is about people having your back :) ENJOY read more

I took the 101 improv series with Kat and it was AMAZING! I had so much fun, and she did a great job creating a safe and welcoming space to come out of your shell and interact with strangers in a new way. read more

My teens loved Berkeley Improv! The students occasionally put on little improv shows for us parents and I definitely noticed how they got better at it with every session. Most of all, my kids really enjoyed their improv teacher. Christine has a gift for relating to quirky kids, making them embrace their uniqueness and channeling it in a positive way. From the tip of her silly socks to her science-pun T-shirts, she is still a quirky kid at heart herself. Our original plan had been to sign up just for a one-month series, but both my sons had so much fun, one month turned into the entire school year. Lucie, mother of Milo (8th grade) and Felix (10th grade). read more

I loved the virtual Improv for Life class taught by Kat Dudley. It was every Tuesday in July. 100% recommend Kat. She is an amazing teacher who made it fun to hang out, get to know each other, laugh and improv in a collaborative, welcoming environment. She made facilitating an Improv Zoom with a group of complete strangers look easy. I have no idea how she does it!! Thank you Kat and Berkeley Improv! It was the most fun I've had since shelter in place started. read more

I did the Beginners improv for Real life with Kat and her energy lit up my Sunday evenings. She made us feel so comfortable even though it was all virtual and I felt myself flowing into a state of being human again. The class really helped with my ability to think on my feet and I would highly recommend the class. read more

I've never done an improv class before. I found Berkley Improv on Meetup.com which led me to their website (check it out). I read where they teamed up with the Black Alliance so I decided to give it a try. Heather is wonderful and helped me enrolled. She is very responsive and answered all my random questions. Rashaad is an excellent instructor! He is inclusive, structured and very funny! I highly recommend trying out a class with Berkley Improv, especially if you haven't tried it before. I totally enjoy it! read more

I took the 4-part Improv for Real Life course with Berkeley Improv taught by Karen this November 2021. What an amazing course! Incredibly supportive and welcoming. We played a lot of silly games to help break the ice and inspire spontaneity and confidence. Games included as open/closed gifting, Three Things / Things Three game, one word story game, human shape building, and more. Lots of fun, Not serious at all! She gives lots of tips that are useful for daily life: eye contact, saying "Yes" to what comes in the moment, taking care of your scene partner, etc. Would recommend, especially if you struggle with shyness. read more

Alex is a terrific teacher. I just got done taking his Improv for Fun series of four classes and found the classes to be excellent! I missed the first class due to travel, but Alex revises concepts in the beginning of each class, so I caught on quickly in the second class. Every class builds upon the previous class, and we got to see the different aspects of improv. Alex goes through a lot of exercises in each class, and takes time to get comments from the students on what they realized in each of the exercises, followed by his own comments. We learned about improv, story telling, projecting power and warmth at the same time from these exercises. Everyone in the class is very friendly and welcoming. I met several people who were taking repeat classes because they had so much fun when they took the class the first time. I am looking forward to taking the other two series of classes- Improv for Real life and Improv for Performance. I will also take the "Improv for Fun" class again - for more fun! Cheers, Shan read more

I took Improv for Real Life in february/march of 2013. Simply stated, it was one of the best choices I made in my short college career. If you have even the slightest interest in improving your public speaking, presentation, creativity and/or spontaneity, I highly recommend the class. Alex, the instructor, does a phenomenal job of tailoring the class to fit every individual's needs. The class is super fun and you WILL laugh :) read more

Like the Yelp rating legend for 5 stars says, "As Good As It Gets!" And then some, so here's an extra *; call it a 20% tip for great service. Berkeley Improv makes you feel the love - and joy, and wonder - of improv...minus fear*, and judgment, and Isuckness. This isn't improv for competitive, snooty snoot, show-off, "I coulda/shoulda/woulda been a contender" types. It's improv for "real people," people who come to learn, participate, enjoy. Who are willing to explore new pathways forward by losing themselves in the moment. Alex Lerman, instructor extraordinonpareilaire, somehow makes all that happen, usually without you even remembering he's the instructor. Alex talks the talk and walks the walk of Improv: non-judgmental, "We're all in this together," bright without a hint of a whiff of a soupcon of haughty or huff, and Positive Positive Positive (even when the playfulness is about drinking blood in cemeteries!). Do it. Go. Sign up yesterday. Or, if you are a born procrastinator, today. *OK, yes: You're probably going to feel a little** nervous at first. And then? You won't. **Or a lot. read more

This a great improv class. Alex is a gentle, insightful and inspiring instructor. You will surprise yourself. You will laugh. You will want to take this class again! read more

I have been taking the 201/301 online improv classes with Arastoo during many months of the pandemic and I have really enjoyed taking them. Arastoo is a supportive teacher and a quick minded and fun to watch improvisor, and his philosophy of improv, which focuses on the key components of character, relationship, objective, and where/world, has made me a stronger and more confident improvisor. In addition, Valerie has been a wonderful TA and she is also an awesome improvisor, and it has been a real joy to be in classes with her. Berkeley Improv is transitioning to in-person improv with the 201/301 class taking place on a different night, and for now I am taking a hiatus from their classes but at some point I would like to return. I can't recommend them enough. I would give them six stars if I could. read more

Excellent class! I have enjoyed the Improv For Fun class so much! Alex is a wonderful instructor who sets the tone for a very fun, supportive, and positive class environment. In just 4 session, I noticed a dramatic (pun intended!) improvement in my ability to be present in real life situations. I went from being very fidgety just standing in front of people, to being ok in situations where I'm in front of a lot of people. It also helped me become a better listener and communicator overall. In Improv for Fun class, we played a lot of improv games in class, it was AMAZINGLY FUN! but also taught me quick thinking skill/ storytelling skill. The camaraderie that you build in class is also awesome. There are all types of people coming in (all ages, experience level, background, etc.), but everyone ends up being really cool and supportive to each other. It helped me end my week on a high note (class was on Sundays). I'm probably going to take more classes here, you should too! read more

I started taking improv when I broke my leg and couldn't go dancing. Well, Alex's classes are so much fun that I'm hooked. I took Improv for Fun last month and Improv for Real Life this month. I am a teacher and picky about quality instruction. I think Alex is excellent. I enjoy great laughs at the absurdities we play with. Class moves quickly from one "game" to the next with just the right amount of discussion to glean the learning points. There are useful psychology lessons under the surface and an opportunity to find ease with the unknown. Alex delivers more than expected through invitations to gatherings and performances. I've appreciated meeting a wide range of people who join in; folks are friendly and sometimes hang out together after class. If you want to take life less seriously, meet new people, and have a blast, I recommend these classes! read more

I joined two classes in February and March. It was so much fun, and it's really turned me back on to performing. I would recommend Alex as a teacher - he's friendly, encouraging, patient, and talented. Great value, especially with the Alumni discount! The only downside is the fact that the class was on a Sunday evening, which limited my socialising possibilities - I wanted to hang out afterwards! read more

My daughter and her friend took an improv class with Christine at Berkeley Improv and they loved it! Finding activities for tweens can be a challenge - but the girls had so much fun at every class. What I love about Berkeley Improv the option to sign up for a single class or a month. So, if your child doesn't like the class you are not committed to a full session. The place is well organized and the activities are age appropriate. Plus - improv is a great life skill! read more

I signed up hoping to learn techniques for public speaking. It was just silly exercises that at first seemed kind of fun and then just seemed pretty lame. I paid for 4 classes, was bored by the second class and never went back. Alex was nice and talented but the class lacked any really useful techniques to apply in life. read more

I have really enjoyed taking their classes. I have taken a few classes from Kat Dudley and Griffen Bier. They have made the classes really engaging and welcoming. They are very patient and good at their craft. I highly recommend their classes read more