Improv Class One: "Foundations of Fun" is the starting place. This is where you learn the fundamentals: Yes and, agreement, listening and commitment. Group exercises, basic scene work and object work are geared to make students more confident and collaborative.  The class is once a week for four weeks.

WHEN: Tuesdays from 630pm-830pm; Sept 9, 23, 30, and October 7, 2025 (No Class on Sept 16) with Possible Rain/Snow Date: Sundays, Sept 28 & October 5, 630pm-830pm. 

WHERE: Ellsworth Arts and Events Space, 5950 Ellsworth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232.

REQUIREMENTS: Participants must be 18 years of age or older.

PRICE: $250

INSTRUCTOR: Justin Zell
Originally from upstate New York, Justin is a graduate of Binghamton High School’s Rod Serling School of Fine Arts and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts from SUNY New Paltz.

During his ten years in New York City, he studied at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (UCB) with Amy Poehler, Billy Merritt, Will Hines, and Joe Wengert; The People’s Improv Theater (The PIT) with Ali Faranakian, Kimmy Gatewood, Rebekka Johnson, Matt Donnelly, and Ptolemy Slocum; The Magnet Theater with Armando Diaz and Mark Grenier; Second City New York with Kevin Scott and Jay Rhoderick; and Gary Austin, the founder of The Groundlings.

Justin taught and coached improv at The PIT while performing weekly on a PIT House Team, The Wilhelm. While in New York, he taught workshops for institutions such as the NYU Stern School of Business. Justin co-created and co-hosted a podcast about improvisation entitled “Improvised New York” with Elizabeth Quinn.

In 2010, Justin co-founded Steel City Improv Theater with Kasey Daley. Since then, they have taught over 5000 people the art of improvisation and have conducted training workshops for companies and universities including: Bayer, Carnegie Mellon University, Cornell University, Development Dimensions International, Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, Kraft-Heinz, University of Pittsburgh and UPMC.