06/08/2026
"I hate the word homophobia. It's not a phobia. You're not scared. You're an as***le." -Morgan Freeman (yes, THAT Morgan Freeman)
And that's the voice of God, so...Happy Pride Month! This June, Rogue's theme is EMPATHY and what better way to love our LGBTQ+ friends, family, and acquaintances than to cognitively, compassionately, and emotionally increase our ability to empathize (speaking of which: Our 2nd Annual Pride-Themed Rogue Variety Show is this Saturday! More info to come!). Join us for some empathetic improv this Monday, June 8th at The Clinic in Mar Vista!
THE SCHEDULE
7:00 - Advanced Improv w/Mary Hynes
10:00 - Hangout
11:00 - Head to Cafe 50s for a bite to eat!
CLASS LOCATION
The Clinic
11600 Venice Blvd.
Mar Vista, CA 90066
Street parking available.
Want more details?
7-10PM ADVANCED IMPROV WITH MARY HYNES!
Mary will be leading an Advanced Drop-In Improv Class focused on the theme of EMPATHY. If the class gets too large, we'll split it up so everyone can get in more reps. Bring a friend!
MARY is a professional improviser, actor, educator and stage manager. Her performance and teaching career brings her back and forth between NYC, Chicago and L.A. She has worked with Gary Austin, Michael Gellman, David Razowsky and Scotty Watson and studied at The Second City where she is a faculty member. Her teaching style is inspired by her classical theatre education, Viola Spolin, Anne Bogart, and the mentors above with an emphasis on character and physicality. She is one of the pioneers for Second City’s Virtual Training Center and believes in the living theatre and its ability to adapt and transform with the ever changing times.
What else?
-Share: Bring a snack!
-Connect: Join Rogue on Discord!
-Donate: Time (wanna help with admin?), Talent (submit to an upcoming show!), &/or Money!
INCREASE EMPATHY AT ROGUE:
1. SELF-CARE: Unplug for the evening, be present! If you need to use your phone, please go outside to use it. Your teacher and classmates will appreciate your focused support and commitment.
2. CARE FOR OTHERS: Please do not invade another's personal space by touching them (i.e. hugs, picking them up, jumping on their back, etc.). Everyone may have different boundaries, but in an open class with a mix of acquaintances and strangers, it's safest to just not go there.
3. CONTENT CARE: Be aware of the content of your scenes. Anything racist, sexist, ageist, culturally insensitive, or out-of-bounds/cringe-worthy is not allowed. Duh right? It needs to be said. Things to avoid: Stereotyping - especially based on gender, ethnicity, or age (just because you're in a scene with someone you perceive as older than you doesn't mean you have to label them a grandparent- or parent for that matter); playing caractitures of people groups you do not personally represent (this includes accents); and talking over anyone, especially women.
These rules are here so everyone can feel safe and taken care of. We want you to be able to express your creativity freely! Let's be better improvisers, teammates, and humans!
June Theme: EMPATHY. This month we'll be exploring how empathy can improve our improv scenes, stories, and artivism. If we legitimately care about our fellow scene partner, the characters we play/speak about, and, most importantly, each other as people, our art will connect with others more. It's in this connection that we can feel confident enough to grow and reach our own potential. And empathy can help all of us shed the side of ourselves that leans towards being a prick. Don't be a prick. At least for a month. :)
ROGUE'S JUNE SCHEDULE
Monday, 6/1 - Drop-In Improv Class 7-10pm in Mar Vista
Wednesday, 6/3 - Storytelling Workshop & Open Mic 8-10pm in Los Feliz
Monday, 6/8 - Drop-In Improv Class 7-10pm in Mar Vista
Saturday, 6/13 - Rogue Variety Show 8:30-9:30pm at The Clubhouse in Los Feliz
Monday, 6/15 - Artivism 6-7pm + Drop-In Improv Class 7-10pm in Mar Vista*
Wednesday, 6/17 - Storytelling Workshop 8-10pm on Zoom or in Filipinotown (RSVP)
Sunday, 6/21 - Laughtivism Improv Jam 4-6pm + Movie Night 7-10pm in Filipinotown
Monday, 6/22 - Drop-In Improv Class + Improv One-On-Ones 7-10pm in Mar Vista
Monday, 6/29 - Artist Roundtable 6-7pm + Drop-In Improv CLOW 7-10pm in Mar Vista
*New date for our monthly Artivism workshop
Stay tuned to other workshops and opportunities that may pop up during June!
June's Challenge: Help alleviate another's distress. Be an active listener. Be an active doer. Be active. GO ROGUE by intentionally initiating a conversation with someone with the goal of being a sounding board. Don't wait for your turn to talk. Ask them questions. And follow-up questions. Not questions you want to know but connected questions that help them reflect on their situation (you may need to reconsider how you normally ask questions...). Don't make it about you. Focus. Engage out of compassion, not agenda. If you're only talking to someone because you want something from them (i.e. validation, attendance to your show, a date), you're thinking of yourself before them. No connection, no empathy. Open yourself up to being there for others this month.
Rogue - A closed mind leaves you empty
P.S. We need your help! To keep Rogue free and low cost, we need financial support. No donation is too small or big! Venmo: Rogue-Improv. Let us know if there's another electronic way you'd like to contribute (Zelle, Google Wallet, etc). Thank you!