The Rozzie Square Theater Unveils New Vision for Improv Education - Kristen Aldrich Named Education Director to Lead Expanded Program

The Rozzie Square Theater Unveils New Vision for Improv Education

Kristen Aldrich Named Education Director to Lead Expanded Program

August 14, 2024, Boston, MA — The Rozzie Square Theater, a cornerstone of Boston’s improv scene, is announcing a new vision for its Improv Training Center and curriculum. With a renewed focus on holistic, comprehensive learning, and a concerted expansion into real-world application, The Rozzie Square Theater aims to redefine the way improvisation is taught and experienced in the community and city of Boston.

📷 cred: Mike Henry , Tiny Space Studio

As part of this transformation, The Rozzie Square Theater names Kristen Aldrich as the new Education Director. Under her leadership, the school will expand its curriculum, offering a more robust and diverse set of classes and workshops that cater to both aspiring performers and individuals seeking personal and professional growth through improv.

"While it’s been widely known and shared that improv brings laughter and entertainment, I’ve observed how often the performance aspect can be a barrier to entry - that’s frustrating because we know through our extensive experience training companies in collaboration, communication, public speaking, and leadership,  improv’s uses expand so far beyond the stage," said Courtney Pong, Owner of The Rozzie Square Theater and CSz Boston. "Now more than ever, it's crucial to rethink how we bring improv and improv education to our city and the communities we serve. Improv, at its core, is really about connecting with our humanity, something that's sorely needed in today's world where anxiety and division are so prevalent. With this new direction and expanded leadership, we're doubling down on creating a space where everyone can experience the transformative power of improv."

The revamped program will have two main areas of focus: 

• Improv Comedy, where the primary goals are to entertain and create laughter through this collaborative art form. All learning objectives focus on preparing students to perform confidently in front of an audience. Curriculum will be structured, sequential workshops designed to build a strong foundation in improv, covering a wide range of techniques and styles, ensuring that students receive a well-rounded education

• Applied Improv, where the primary goals are to explore and apply improv skills, techniques, and tools in areas that enhance personal and professional growth. Participants choose their area of focus. Each workshop begins with foundational improv skills, building knowledge and expertise as the learning progresses. By the end, students will have tools, frameworks, tactics, and insights that they can directly apply to their personal or professional lives.

"We are excited to create a space where students can not only explore improv as an art form but also find self expression and a sense of play in a supportive, fun environment" said Kristen Aldrich, Education Director. "We are building an improv curriculum to give students the foundational tools they need to confidently perform improv but also find the ways in which it enriches their lives beyond the stage.”

Aldrich is an actor and 20-year veteran improviser. She is currently a cast member with ComedySportz ™ at The Rozzie Square Theater, and Dirty Disney at Laugh Boston. Her background includes completion of the Upright Citizens Brigade improv training program in NYC and performances on house teams at the People's Improv Theatre (PIT) in NYC, Improv Boston in Cambridge. 

The Rozzie Square Theater's new Improv Education program is building out this fall and winter with a variety of classes available for registration. As of August 2024, class offerings include: 

• The Free Drop-In

• Level 1A

• Level 1B

• Level 2A

• Improv For Anxiety

With levels 2B - 4B to be released across 2025.

The full scope of Education and FAQ page can be found on their website https://www.rozziesquaretheater.com/improv-school 

The theater will also release dates for one-day special topic workshops that will take place across the winter months. The theater will announce these dates in the September 2024 timeframe. By maintaining education offerings outside of the sequential workshop series, the theater aims to maintain a diversity of enrichment opportunities and encourage a variety of types of learning and approaches.

For more information about the courses and to register, visit The Rozzie Square Theater's website.

About The Rozzie Square Theater

The Rozzie Square Theater is an established comedy venue in Boston whose mission is to build communities and unite people through laughter while making improv accessible and useful. The theater offers a variety of comedy programming and education opportunities from the award-winning, nationally acclaimed improv competition show ComedySportz, to free drop-in classes and series workshops, unscripted and scripted shows, and live events. The Rozzie Square Theater, founded in May 2018, is the only improv venue and comedy venue in Boston owned by a Woman and the only comedy venue in Boston owned by an Asian American. https://www.rozziesquaretheater.com/ 

Media Contact:

Courtney Pong
Owner
Info@rozziesquaretheater.com