Merlin Works Improv

11/26/2025

Thank you to all the students, fans, friends, volunteers, teachers and staff that have made the Merlin Works Institute for Improvisation so magical for so many years.

#2025

11/10/2025

The Monday after has us wishing we were back onstage at The Hideout with . Thanks to all who came out and supported The Known Wizards on their 1800s quest to finish a single painting! We were honored to share this stage and weekend with so many talented performers from around the city and country.

Thank you to for the incredible action shots! And thank you to festival organizers and sponsors who made this weekend possible.

10/23/2025

Can you believe we're already using the world "holiday" to describe our next round of Merlin Works classes? It's true! Our next session runs November 3rd-December 19th, and classes are open on the site now.

Head over to the link in our bio and navigate to our "Register for Class" tab to join the fun! These condensed, six-week classes are the perfect way to get some creative juices flowing before we go into holiday hibernation.

06/18/2025

https://www.merlin-works.com/2025/06/18/summer-2025-classes-open-for-registration/
Our $25 Early Bird discount expires Sunday night!

SUMMER 2025 CLASSES OPEN FOR REGISTRATION! Hi, It’s getting hot 🔥 in here. 🎶 Why not beat the heat with a six-week class at Merlin Works? These shorter courses are still BIG on learning, while allowing you to make the most of your summer. Plus – register now and get a $25 discount on yo...

05/22/2025

Rare and awesome class alert 🚨 School founder Shana Merlin is putting on her teacher hat 🧙 this June to bring you Instant Alchemy: A Narrative Longform Workshop. This four-week intensive is perfect for improvisers who want to dive deeper into the hero’s emotional journey, character archetypes, raising the stakes and evoking themes.

Shana is a true wizard of longform improv, pun intended. She's been an internationally touring performer and an award-winning teacher since 1995. She's wicked smart, and exceptionally supportive. This is a class we won't offer often, if ever again. Register now on our site for a June 4th start date!

05/20/2025

A lot of people think of improv as fast, loud, and funny. But there's an art to slowing down onstage and developing grounded connections in real-time.

Fit for any improviser who has mastered game play and moved on to scenework, our Improv 308 intensive will teach you to take your time. Students will benefit from more advanced exercises that teach them to listen to understand vs listening to respond, which results in richer connections and more developed scenes.

BONUS: You'll get to learn from Joey Neugart, a seasoned teacher and performer whose past students have praised his specific feedback and abundance of shared improv wisdom. You will leave this class a stronger improviser than you started!

Head to our website and grab your spot in this condensed, four-week class that may be shorter on time, but big on learning.

05/13/2025

Comedic style refers to the unique way YOU express your jokes. Are they stories, or one-liners? Are you dry and sarcastic, or do you bounce across stage acting out BIG characters? While you might feel committed to your personal style, seasoned comics have practiced more than one.

Register for our upcoming June intensive "Stand Up 308: I Like Your Style" where comic Katie Felton will walk you through popular styles in joke telling. Stretch yourself to write and perform outside of your comfort zone, growing your skillset and building confidence in your abilities. Who knows? You might try on a style you like enough to keep!

Registration is open on our site - don't miss this intensive starting June 3rd!

(Pre-requisite: students who have graduated from Stand-Up 101 or higher, or who have taken classes or performed around Austin.)

05/06/2025

"What Orange Theory does for your b***y, this class will do for your joke writing.” ✍️

Stand-Up teacher Valerie Nies wants to help you get into comedy shape, just in time for summer. Swipe ➡️ to read more about her June stand-up intensive, which provides anyone who has taken stand-up 101 or higher a place to be consistent, accountable, and write some jokes.

There's no performance element to this class, just pure productivity. Come get a workout in with Merlin Works! 💪🏻

04/09/2025

Join Us April 19th for a special night of Merlin Works events!

One Night Only – Merlin Works Big Night of Shows! We may only have one night of Merlin Works events in April, but BOY – are we making it count! Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 19th and meet us at Creative Action — we’ll take care of the rest. Our stellar line-up of events starts at 6...

03/20/2025

Get to know your Stand-Up 101 teacher: Valerie Nies! Nies is a comedian and writer who has taught comedy and coached since 2017. As a comedian, she likes winning an audience and having fun through self-deprecation, which to her is cathartic and lets the audience in on the ride.

As a teacher, she enjoys helping students find what's funny about their own lives and points of view, so they can perform unique jokes only they could tell.

If you're scared of signing up, Valerie wants to let you in on a secret: so is everyone else. Tackle your fears together in our next Stand-Up 101 class beginning on April 2nd!

Register here: https://activitymessenger.com/p/3oyR3Mt

Shana Merlin

02/26/2025

We've got student showcases beginning this Saturday!

March Madness at Merlin Works Starts this Saturday! We kick off our own version of March Madness THIS Saturday, March 1st, with the first in a series of shows and events that are sure to make you smile. → Come by Creative Action at 6pm for our FREE Musical Improv Jam, led by long-standing improvi...