“The Funny Class”

Instructed by 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

“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.

“From the perspective of a staff member and participant in the class, I have been fortunate to witness firsthand the sometimes subtle (but always evident) positive impact that our class ‘Better Health Through Laughter’ has had upon the diverse population of its veteran participants. Veterans who had previously struggled with the isolation that can accompany the gamut of serious medical and psychiatric diagnoses, have now found a time and place within our program’s class offerings in which to  ‘lighten up’ and express their strengths as individuals. I have seen and heard the outpouring of creativity that the games, exercises and improvisation techniques can elicit, via laughter and imagination, and their transformative effect upon each veteran involved. Veterans who rarely spoke or initiated conversations previously, can now be heard to greet staff and peers by name, and more confidently maintain eye contact and smile when addressed. The veterans participating in the class now employ humor as an essential tool, both in improved communication and in the sheer joy of allowing a place for laughter in their lives.

I am gratified to be able to provide you with a hopeful and positive update on our combined endeavors. On behalf of the PPRC staff and its veterans, thank you again.”

Carl Najman, SWA
West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

“Spring Chickens” Improv Comedy

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.

“Thank you so much to ‘Spring Chickens’ for a delightful comedy show/improv here at the Jewish Home. Our residents thoroughly enjoyed the show and found it a fun hour. The power of laughter brought joy to them and enabled them to focus on something else rather than their own physical pain and difficulties. We hope to have you and your team come and visit us again soon.”

Francine Finklestein
Director of Therapeutic Activities
Joyce Eisenberg - Keefer Medical Center
Los Angeles Jewish Home

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.”

KYCC Middle School Improv Jam

Instructed by Patrick Ian Moore

Laughter For A Change joins the Korean Youth & Community Center to offer an eight-week improv intensive to local Koreatown middle school students from culturally diverse backgrounds. The session will culminate with a live show at the end of the 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.