Daily News

Happier Valley Comedy Offers Improv Class for Families

AMHERST — Local improv company Happier Valley Comedy announced a new addition to its Comedy School lineup of classes for the fall. Family Improv is a six-week class held on Sunday afternoons beginning in September and is open to any child-and-adult combo.

Family Improv gives families the opportunity to laugh with a loved one and bond over fun improvisation games and exercises. The Family Improv curriculum is guided by the principles of acceptance, mindfulness, quieting judgment of self and others, and strengthening communication, all while having a blast playing together.

“Improv is a powerful tool for bringing people together in a supportive environment,” said Happier Valley Comedy founder Pam Victor. “I’m thrilled to add this fun class to the Happier Valley Comedy School lineup. Now we can bring even more laughter to people of all ages.”

Family Improv will complement Happier Valley Comedy’s monthly Happier FAMILY Comedy Show, a high-energy, interactive event designed especially for families and kids ages 5-12. “Folks who come to the Happier FAMILY Comedy Show always ask if they can learn how to do some of the games we play onstage,” Victor said. “As of September, the answer is now ‘yes.’”

Any combo of adults and kids who love each other are invited to attend class together, she continued. “Kids can take Family Improv with aunts and uncles, special friends and neighbors, grandparents, or Big Brothers/Big Sisters. We believe love makes a family.”

Registration for Family Improv opens on Friday, Aug. 4 on the Happier Valley Comedy website (www.happiervalley.com), with weekly classes to be held Sept. 10 through Oct. 15 on Sundays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Family Improv will be taught by Kate Jopson, a graduate of the Happier Valley Comedy’s Zen of Improv classes and a Happier FAMILY Comedy Show cast member. Every child who is registered in the class receives a free ticket to the comedy show.