Community Outreach Programs
The first thing to learn about improv is that you’re not in it alone. As a nonprofit San Francisco institution, we feel strongly about giving back to the Bay Area community that sustains us as we build an improvised theatre community from the grassroots.
BATS is not just a theatre company, and it’s not just a school. It’s a center for improvised theatre — a community of people who share our vision, who want to challenge themselves, to have fun, to connect with others who feel the same way. In this integrated improvisational universe, it’s imperative that we bring the skills and delight of improvised theatre to the broadest possible group of people. That means keeping our classes and shows accessible to everyone. To accomplish this goal, we’ve created the following programs.
Laughing Stock
For the past 15 years, we have provided free improv classes to people living with chronic and life-threatening illnesses through our Laughing Stock program. These sessions, available to caregivers as well as those living with illness, focus on improving quality of life through humor, easy physical activity, group interaction, gentle risk-taking, and imagination games. Our experienced coaches create a safe and confidential environment for participants to learn the basics of Improv.
A Laughing Stock session is not stand-up comedy or drama therapy but a fun workshop for folks with any level of experience with improv (including none). Most sessions cover the basics of improv, but the program occasionally includes specialty workshops such as improvised writing, singing, masks, and movement.
Please call the office at (415) 474-6776 or email laughingstock@improv.org to learn more.
“I gained increased self-confidence.”
– Laughing Stock participant
Volunteer Reward Program
We know that it’s not always financially feasible to take all the great classes you want to at BATS, so we have created a way to help alleviate costs: our Volunteer Reward Program!
Charity Entertainment & Donations
We donate tickets frequently as raffle prizes or auction items for schools, nonprofits, and other charity organizations and offer free tickets to economically challenged schools. If you would like to request tickets, please complete the form here: https://yes.improv.org/request-ticket-donation
“I wanted to thank you again for the tremendous talent you pulled together for our event. It was such a pleasure to present BATS . . . Really impressive, exceptional talent.”
– Kimberly Gordon, Peninsula Jewish Community Center
