“The Funny Class”

Instructed by Ed Greenberg & Keong Sim

A Laughter for a Change Improv Comedy mentoring initiative in collaboration with Pacific Lodge Boys’ Home.  Fifteen to seventeen year old boys taking steps toward more productive lives, learn how to use improv and comedy to tell their stories.

Pacific Lodge Boys’ Home provides a therapeutic residential treatment program for boys ages 13 to 17. On the 10-acre campus in the San Fernando Valley, boys receive 24-hour treatment for psychological, emotional or behavioral problems and learn positive decision-making and independent living skills.

“I don’t want to be overly dramatic, but I can’t begin to tell you how amazing your class was last week.  It may just be another day of teaching improv for you, but for us, it was very magical.

I kid you not, every time I step in a commons area, I’m assaulted with ‘Yo, when we doing that funny class again.’  It was a big hit, and anything we can do to further this program, I will jump at.”

Dan McCollister
Activities Coordinator
Pacific Lodge Boys School

Instructed by Ed Greenberg

Begun in 2007, this ongoing initiative continues to mentor young actors and filmmakers in Rwanda.  Since our initial trip to this beautiful country, the students of the “Comedy in Rwanda” workshops have created films and comedy programs for Rwanda T.V. and radio.  In Rwanda, films are taken into the countryside and shown in remote villages to the delight of local community members.  Currently in production: Gibraltor (directed by Jerome Mugabo)

“Ed led us through simple, fun exercises and helped us to experience how comedy is more than just trying to be funny.  Comedy takes listening, honesty, openness and trust of all the actors in the room.  These are skills that serve all of us not only as artists but as citizens of Rwanda. In less than two weeks of working with us, I saw individuals learn and grow and become better comedy actors.  I also saw strangers become friends, friends become like brothers and sisters.  I saw the people learning and having fun.  They created together, and that bond continues.  Our final show was successful beyond what I had imagined.  All of us at the Rwanda Cinema Center look forward to Ed’s return so he can help us do more work in the world of comedy.”

Senior Improv Review

Directed by Ed Greenberg

Our company of “chronologically gifted” adults perform in “Spring Chickens – An  Improv Comedy Review” at retirement homes, hospitals, convalescent facilities and other venues where we go to the audiences when they can’t come to us.

“Better Health Through Laughter”

Instructed by David Chung

Laughter for a Change, in collaboration with the West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Mental Health Division, presents an ongoing weekly workshop using comedy and laughter techniques with Veterans in the VA’s Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center “School for Better Living” program.

Extended Israeli Exchange Program

Laughter for a Change Improv runs workshops as part of an exchange program between 20 Israeli teens and 20 students of the New Community Jewish High School in Calabasas, California.  The workshops help to facilitate cross-cultural community building.