About
Youth Improv Classes introduces students to improvisation through activities such as Youth League Fundamentals - Improv for Under 18s, ComedySportz games, and improv-focused Summer Camps. The program offers Improv for Elementary School, Improv for Middle School, Improv for High School, and Improv On the Go! workshops at school or other locations. Students work on the basics of improvisation, including listening and acceptance, narrative, giving up control and sharing the stage, physical space, character endowment, status, and scene work.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
Youth Improv Classes is part of CSz Portland, which states that Comedy is For Everyone and that all are welcome in its classes. All teachers in the program are professional players, and CSz Portland states that its players are employees who are paid for every ComedySportz match and for teaching public and private workshops. CSz Portland reports that it teaches hundreds of workshops to people of all ages each year and leads with energy, support, positive feedback, and a team that supports each other, celebrates mistakes and fixes them together, gives everyone a chance to shine, and allows everyone to play in what it describes as a safe, nurturing environment. CSz Portland offers separate classes for adults, teens/tweens, and families.
CSz Portland was founded in early 1993 by Ruth Jenkins and Patrick Short, who serve as Club President and General Manager, and they turned over the reins of CSz Portland to Rick Steadman on January 1, 2025. CSz Portland is in its 32nd season, has played over 5,400 ComedySportz shows, and reports that it has not missed a weekend since May 1993. ComedySportz was started in 1984 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with expansion beginning in 1985 and the first Comedy League of America National Tournament held in 1988. As a member of CSz Worldwide, CSz Portland participates in the CSzWW Diversity & Inclusion program, and ComedySportz matches are rated E for Everyone.
One parent of a Youth League student reports hearing teaching that focused on “yes, and,” deep listening, sharing space, and creating, and describes these as “beautiful and needed practices.” CSz Portland donates 15% of its pre-tax profits to charitable organizations including Oregon Food Bank and the Portland Public Schools Foundation, and donates hundreds of gift certificates each year to not-for-profit fundraising efforts, including over 300 school and charity silent auctions representing about 1,200 seats annually.
Last updated August 17, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
Youth Improv Classes is part of CSz Portland, which states that Comedy is For Everyone and that all are welcome in its classes. All teachers in the program are professional players, and CSz Portland states that its players are employees who are paid for every ComedySportz match and for teaching public and private workshops. CSz Portland reports that it teaches hundreds of workshops to people of all ages each year and leads with energy, support, positive feedback, and a team that supports each other, celebrates mistakes and fixes them together, gives everyone a chance to shine, and allows everyone to play in what it describes as a safe, nurturing environment. CSz Portland offers separate classes for adults, teens/tweens, and families.
CSz Portland was founded in early 1993 by Ruth Jenkins and Patrick Short, who serve as Club President and General Manager, and they turned over the reins of CSz Portland to Rick Steadman on January 1, 2025. CSz Portland is in its 32nd season, has played over 5,400 ComedySportz shows, and reports that it has not missed a weekend since May 1993. ComedySportz was started in 1984 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with expansion beginning in 1985 and the first Comedy League of America National Tournament held in 1988. As a member of CSz Worldwide, CSz Portland participates in the CSzWW Diversity & Inclusion program, and ComedySportz matches are rated E for Everyone.
One parent of a Youth League student reports hearing teaching that focused on “yes, and,” deep listening, sharing space, and creating, and describes these as “beautiful and needed practices.” CSz Portland donates 15% of its pre-tax profits to charitable organizations including Oregon Food Bank and the Portland Public Schools Foundation, and donates hundreds of gift certificates each year to not-for-profit fundraising efforts, including over 300 school and charity silent auctions representing about 1,200 seats annually.
Last updated August 17, 2026.
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