A 3-Hour Improv & Comedy Writing Workshop

You’ve got funny scenes. Great instincts. Strong characters.
But how do you turn that into comedy that lasts?
In this fast-paced, idea-packed workshop, Boom Chicago alumnus Michael Orton-Toliver teams up with sketch writing veteran Steve Dawson (of The Dawson Bros) to help you push your improv further - and onto the page.

We’ll explore how to:

• Identify and sharpen the game of your scene

• Heighten without losing clarity

• Push beyond the first laugh

• Spot sketch-worthy ideas inside your improv

• Turn improvised moments into structured written comedy

This isn’t just about “being funny.” It’s about understanding why something works - and how to build on it.
Steve Dawson has written for major film and TV projects, including work with Working Title, Judd Apatow and Richard Curtis, and his trio The Dawson Bros’ feature film Fackham Hall is out in cinemas internationally.
Michael Orton-Toliver co-created Borderline (Channel 5), has worked with Lena Dunham, Netflix, BBC Radio 4 and Apple, and is the co-founder of London’s leading improv theatre, The Free Association.
Between them: serious comedy pedigree. In the room: playful, generous, hands-on learning.
Perfect for beginner-intermediate improvisers who want to get funnier - and start writing.


From Scene, to Game, to Sketch. Being an improviser means having a litany of comedic tools at your disposal. But what’s the best way to use them? How can you build comedy that lasts? FA Co-Founder and Boom Chicago Alumn, Michael Orton-Toliver has teamed up with Sketch Writing Veteran Steve Dawson (of The Dawson Bros) to bring a unique improv class focused on skills that go beyond the scene. Mike and Steve work on how to push your scene to be the funniest it can be AND how to use the scene to inspire your written work - like Sketches and Screenplays. If you’ve ever wondered about how to take your improv skills and apply them to writing - this is the class for you!

BIOS:

Steve Dawson is one third of The Dawson Bros - a trio of comedy writers who have written for an array of award-winning television shows and films. Their first feature film ‘Fackham Hall’ - a period drama spoof - is out in cinemas across the UK and USA. They have recently completed family comedy screenplays for Working Title and Alfonso Cuarón’s Esperanto Filmoj and were on set writers on Judd Apatow’s ‘The Bubble’. They have also written additional material for Richard Curtis and Sacha Baron Cohen movies.
Michael Orton-Toliver is an American comedy writer, producer, and improviser, living in London. In addition to Co-creating, writing, and executive producing Borderline (Channel 5) and The Literary Adventures of Mr. Brown (BBC Radio 4). He’s worked with Working Title, Apple, and you can watch his latest series ‘Too Much’, out on Netflix, now. Michael was the Director and co-founder of The Free Association, London’s biggest Improv school and theatre. He formerly served as Co-Artistic Director for the world-famous comedy troupe Boom Chicago, Amsterdam and has also toured with Second City theatre, out of Chicago.