Brave New Workshop (Minneapolis)

Brave New Workshop is the oldest continuously operating satirical comedy theater in the United States, founded in Minneapolis in 1958 by Dudley Riggs — a former circus performer who pioneered the concept of audience-interactive improvised comedy in America. Riggs opened the theater as 'Dudley Riggs' Brave New Workshop,' predating the founding of Second City by a year, and for over six decades the theater has produced sharp, socially conscious sketch and improv comedy from its Minneapolis home. The theater has staged over 400 original revues tackling topics from Cold War politics to social media culture, establishing a tradition of using humor as a lens for examining American life. In November 2022, the theater's historic home was officially renamed the Dudley Riggs Theatre in honor of its founder, who passed away in 2020 at age 88. The Brave New Workshop was acquired by Hennepin Theatre Trust (now Hennepin Arts) in 2016, ensuring the institution's long-term financial stability while preserving its creative independence. The theater's legacy as a training ground stretches back decades, with its alumni scattered across Hollywood writers' rooms, late-night television, and Saturday Night Live.

In 2025, Brave New Workshop continues to operate from its intimate theater space in Minneapolis's Hennepin Avenue arts district, producing a year-round schedule of original satirical revues alongside its robust training program. What distinguishes Brave New Workshop from other improv institutions is its deep commitment to satirical comedy — while theaters like UCB focus on comedic game and iO emphasizes long-form structure, BNW trains performers to use comedy as a tool for social commentary, political satire, and community engagement. The theater produces approximately four to five new mainstage revues per year, each developed through a collaborative process that combines improvisation, sketch writing, and ensemble creation. Under the Hennepin Arts umbrella, BNW has expanded its programming to include corporate training, community outreach, and partnerships with Minneapolis-area schools and nonprofits. The training program has grown to serve hundreds of students annually, making it the premier comedy training destination in the Upper Midwest and one of the most respected programs between the coasts.

Getting started at Brave New Workshop begins with the Improv Level 1 class, which requires no prior experience and is open to anyone age 18 and older. Registration is handled through the theater's website, with new class sessions starting approximately every six to eight weeks throughout the year. The training curriculum is organized into progressive levels covering improv fundamentals, scene work, character development, sketch writing, and satirical revue creation. Each level typically consists of eight weekly sessions of two to three hours each, and students must complete each level before advancing to the next. The admissions process is straightforward — there are no auditions or prerequisites for Level 1, and the theater actively encourages people from non-performance backgrounds to enroll. BNW also offers intensive workshops, weekend drop-in sessions, and summer programs for students who want to supplement their training or cannot commit to a full multi-week course.

The training experience at Brave New Workshop reflects the theater's satirical DNA — classes go beyond standard improv exercises to include sketch writing workshops, political satire creation, ensemble-building techniques, and the collaborative revue development process that BNW has refined over six decades. Instructors are drawn from the theater's current and former cast members, all of whom are experienced performers with deep knowledge of BNW's house style. Students in advanced levels get the opportunity to participate in student showcases on the BNW stage, performing for live audiences in the same space where the mainstage company presents its revues. The theater's corporate training division, BNW Creative, also creates pathways for students interested in applying improv and comedy skills in business settings — facilitation, team building, and creative problem-solving. One unique feature of BNW's program is the emphasis on writing as well as performing — students learn to create original sketch material from the earliest levels, a skill that most improv schools do not introduce until advanced courses. The intimate size of the program (classes typically cap at 14 to 16 students) ensures personalized attention and strong ensemble bonds.

Brave New Workshop attracts a diverse student body that reflects Minneapolis's vibrant arts community — aspiring performers, corporate professionals, educators, and hobbyists who share an interest in comedy with substance. The theater has a particularly strong following among performers who are drawn to politically engaged and socially conscious comedy rather than purely entertainment-focused improv. Notable alumni include Al Franken (Saturday Night Live writer/performer and U.S. Senator), Louie Anderson (Emmy-winning comedian and actor), Pat Proft (writer of the Naked Gun and Hot Shots franchises), Peter Tolan (co-creator of Rescue Me), and Mo Collins (MADtv, Fear the Walking Dead). The theater has also been a launching pad for Twin Cities comedy legends who have built successful careers in the regional market. BNW's student body tends to skew slightly older and more diverse than typical improv school populations, partly because the theater's satirical focus appeals to people with life experience and strong opinions about the world.

Classes at Brave New Workshop cost approximately $225 to $275 per level in 2025, with each level providing eight sessions of instruction. The complete training track from Level 1 through the advanced levels runs roughly $1,000 to $1,500 total, making BNW competitively priced against comparable programs — significantly cheaper than completing the Conservatory at Second City ($1,350 to $2,400) and comparable to iO Theater's training track. Drop-in workshops and weekend intensives are typically priced in the $50 to $125 range. BNW offers occasional scholarship opportunities and discounts for students who enroll in multiple levels at once. The theater's corporate training programs are priced separately and are designed for organizations rather than individual students. There are no hidden fees or mandatory performance costs beyond the class tuition, and students receive complimentary tickets to select BNW mainstage shows as part of their enrollment.

Brave New Workshop is the ideal training choice for Minneapolis-area performers who want high-quality comedy education without relocating, and for any performer specifically interested in satirical, socially engaged comedy. If you value comedy that says something meaningful about the world — not just comedy that gets laughs — BNW's training philosophy will resonate deeply with you. The program is also an excellent fit for performer-writers who want to develop both their improvisation and their sketch writing skills simultaneously, as the revue creation process builds a unique skill set. However, if your primary goal is a professional improv or sketch comedy career in New York or LA, you should plan to supplement BNW training with time at a coastal institution like UCB, Groundlings, or Second City, as the industry connections and brand recognition are more concentrated there. If you want pure long-form improv training without the sketch and satire components, iO Theater or UCB would be better starting points. For corporate professionals interested in applying improv skills to business settings, BNW's corporate training programs are among the best in the country.

Take full advantage of BNW's unique sketch writing curriculum — the ability to both perform and write original comedy material is a rare combination that will set you apart in auditions, submissions, and writers' room interviews. Attend as many BNW mainstage revues as possible to study how professional sketch comedy is structured, how transitions work, and how performers balance humor with genuine social commentary. If you are seriously pursuing a comedy career, use your time at BNW to build a strong foundation and then plan a strategic move to Chicago (the natural next step from Minneapolis) where you can train at Second City or iO while maintaining the satirical sensibility BNW taught you. Network actively within the Twin Cities comedy community — Minneapolis has a surprisingly robust comedy scene with multiple venues, open mics, and independent shows that provide stage time beyond BNW. Ask your instructors about BNW's casting process for mainstage revues, as being cast in a BNW show is the highest-profile performing opportunity in the Minneapolis comedy scene and a significant resume credential.