Discover the techniques that festival duo Wine & Weasels (Susie Sargent & Jerry Ruoti) use to move from scene to scene without breaking the momentum of a show. Too often, improv loses steam during the spaces between the scenes—relying on clunky sweep edits, predictable tag-outs, or waiting for a blackout. This workshop changes that. Through enthusiastic and supportive coaching, you will learn how to make distinct, definitive character choices that allow you to pivot instantly into a brand-new scene without leaving your spot on stage. You’ll also discover how to make other characters “appear”, so you can expand the cast of the scene without directly asking other improvisors to join you. You'll walk away with practical tools to keep your audience locked inside the world of your show from the first beat to the final edit.

Instructor: Susie Sargent has spent thirty years coaching and performing improv, with a foundation in the character-driven storytelling of SF’s BATS Improv. She performs as half of the duo Wine & Weasels in improv festivals and around the SF Bay Area. She teaches nationwide, focusing on the technical and emotional craft of the work.

Susie’s approach prioritizes listening and shared intention over the pressure to be "the funniest." Her coaching style has been described as “infectiously passionate”. She leads with humor, warmth, and vulnerability, creating a supportive environment where players can safely push their comfort zones. Her goal is to help improvisers build fluid, high-velocity shows that keep the audience fully immersed.

Financial Assistance

We understand that financial circumstances can sometimes make participation challenging. Please know that your presence, voice and contributions are valued here, and we are committed to making our programs as accessible as possible.

We have a few ways to help folks experience our classes. First off, all of our volunteers can take up to one full level class every term. Our volunteers learn positions at the theater and agree to a regular schedule at either our box office, tech booth, or our HM position which helps get the shows started on time. If you have a skill or trade or item that could be of benefit the theater, we're open to talking to you about it. We also offer payment plans for more flexibility, look into them at check out.

If those options aren't helpful, we offer an inclusion scholarship that will help Rise best reflect Denver. If you feel that you have a perspective and experience that Rise could benefit from we offer scholarships each term for our leveled classes. Apply below.

Link to Scholarship Program: https://risecomedy.com/rise-comedy-inclusion-scholarship/

If you have circumstances beyond these options or would like more details on any of them please reach out to [email protected] with the subject "Financial Assistance"