Best Improv Comedy In Los Angeles
Who doesn't like to laugh? Plenty of opportunities for a healthy, hardy laugh are waiting in the Southland where improvisational comedy is abundant, both for audiences and for the performers who provide such levity. After all, Los Angeles is the land where being discovered is a daily occurrence. Seeing those who show their stuff in the following five places, some of which also offer classes in this humorous art, is bound to be amusing.
Hollywood Improv
8162 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 651-2583
www.improv.com
The best of the best have performed here, from Freddie Prinze to Richard Pryor and from Ellen DeGeneres to Andy Kaufman. Hollywood Improv has been inviting comedians to the stage to make Angelenos giggle for half a century, and the laughter continues. This is the place where all kinds of funny people try out new material and where new generations of comedians constantly are being born. Talk about fun!
The Groundlings
7307 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 934-4747
www.groundlings.com
The stomping grounds for future members of "Saturday Night Live," the West Coast version of the original Chicago Groundlings lures folks who are constantly on the lookout for the next Not Ready for Prime Time player. Around for nearly 35 years, this spot is a non-profit, which means the laughs are on the house for the most part. So who's made a name at this famous outpost? Well, there's Lisa Kudrow, Kristen Wiig, Larraine Newman, Maya Rudolf and Rachael Harris. And that's just the females. The late Phil Hartman and Chris Kattan are also on that sterling list. Improvisational classes are also on offer at this famous outpost.
The Comedy & Magic Club
1018 Hermosa Ave.
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 372-1193
www.comedyandmagicclub.com
Jay Leno tries out new material here on the weekends but he's not the only funny person in the house. This is a great place to take the entire family (18 and older) for the chance to laugh out loud. New comedians are on the docket every weekend so find a show that works for you and be prepared to laugh the night away.
Related: Best Comedy Clubs in Los Angeles
The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre
5919 Franklin Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 908-8702
www.ucbtheatre.com
Audience participation is often part of the scene at this intimate Los Feliz comedy club where shows are produced for the stage. If you want to get in on the act, you can study the art of improv here on the east side where criticism is taken to heart as a way to get on the circuit if that's where you're aiming to go. Meanwhile, if you're planning to see a show at this 92-seat theater, make a reservation because this place is popular.
L.A. Connection Comedy Theatre
13442 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 710-1320
www.laconnectioncomedy.com
Over the hill in the Valley, improvisational skills are constantly being sharpened at this comedy house, around since the late 1970s. Both pros and amateurs are on board, as are performance groups who try their new material on a regular basis. A retail spot on the premises offers hard-to-find videos, some of which are of a humorous nature.
