House Rules
- Be On-Time
- Students should arrive at least 5 minutes before class begins.
- Classroom doors will open at least 10 minutes before class begins.
- Students who arrive more than 45 minutes after class begins are still allowed to participate, but the class will be marked as “missed.”
- Missing A-Class
- Students should email hi@improvhi.com and their instructor if they will be missing a class.
- It is recommended that students miss no more than TWO classes during a 6-week core class session.
- Students may hop into another class to make up for missed classes IF space is available and is approved by Improv Hawaii.
- Makeup Classes
- Makeup classes are not always available and are not guaranteed
- Refunds and Change Fees
- We don’t offer refunds, but with appropriate notice, we’re happy to issue a credit that can be applied toward classes, shows, and selected workshops.
- If a student cancels more than 2 times within a 6-month period, they will be charged a $25 change fee for all future cancellations and changes.
- What To Wear
- Comfortable clothing that you can move, crawl, and/or jump in. Hey…you never know when you’ll need to be a two-year-old after eating Halloween candy.
- Electronic Devices
- All mobile phones, tablets, and watches should be switched to silent mode
- No devices are allowed out while other students are on stage unless they are being used for note-taking
- Social Media
- Instructors may be taking photos and videos during class to share online. Please let them know if you do not wish to be included
- Students are not allowed to take or post any photos or videos of other students without their consent.
- Respecting Your Fellow Players’ Space and Boundaries
- Please do not get excessively physical with your scene partner (lifting, hugging, kissing, caressing, stage fighting, etc) without their prior consent.
- Supporting and Clapping After Scenes and/or Exercises
- We encourage students to show support for their fellow players
- Instructor Notes
- Instructors will be giving detailed notes throughout the class. We ask that students be open to our opinions and “take the note.” If there is something you strongly disagree with, please bring it up with your instructor after class.
- Student Notes
- Students should not give unsolicited notes to another student.
- Food and Beverages
- Please consume all food before entering the class space.
- All beverages must be in a sealable container.
- Absolutely no alcoholic beverages are allowed in the space or in the building.
- Smoking and Vaping
- There is no smoking or vaping allowed in class.
- Communication
- If you have an issue with the class, the space, a fellow student, or the instructor, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us: hi@improvhi.com
Improv Hawaii Standards
Improv Hawaii is built to be a safe, non-judgmental space for everyone, students and players alike. With that in mind, we want to be clear about the culture we’re creating together and what we expect from scenes, both onstage and in the classroom.
At the heart of it, our goal is to entertain and make people laugh. That only works when everyone in the room feels safe.
Good comedy is sharp. That means resisting the pull toward lazy, thoughtless choices.
We believe comedy is most powerful when it brings people together. Talking about race, gender, sexuality, or trauma in a scene isn’t the issue. The line is when a scene punches down on marginalized communities rather than finding the humanity in the subject. That’s a hard thing to pull off, and if it’s not landing that way, it will be redirected or stopped.
This isn’t about policing your sense of humor or silencing your voice. We’re not asking for an explanation of your intent. We’re responding to the direction a scene is going. That’s the distinction that matters here.
If holding onto a particular joke feels important, we’d encourage you to ask yourself why. And if you still want to tell it, we’d ask that you do so somewhere other than an Improv Hawaii space.
We also understand that everyone sometimes makes poor choices in a scene. Every comedian has moments they’d like to take back. The best ones learn and move forward.
Our instructors will get things wrong too, so please talk to us openly. We want that feedback.
At the end of the day, we’re all people who deserve respect and care🤙🏽🧡