Summer Puppet Theater Improv

It's Friday Fun-day!  Kick off your weekends at Borelli's this summer!  Children will participate in our Puppet Theater Improv class while mom and dad are welcome to join other parents and relax in Borelli's restaurant space.  The restaurant will be open to order food or beverages. 

Puppet Improv Fridays is a summer theater class designed for early childhood performers, using puppets as a fun and approachable way to explore the basics of improvisation. Through guided games, storytelling, and character play, children build confidence, creativity, and listening skills in an age-appropriate, engaging environment. Held on Friday afternoons, this joyful class is the perfect way to kick off the weekend with imagination, laughter, and play. 

Ages: Rising Kindergarten and 1st grade

Session dates: July 10 - August 7

Location: 2124 W Lawrence in Borelli's Performance Space

Time: Fridays 4:30 - 5:30

Tuition: $150

A minimum of 5 children is needed to run the class. The class will be limited to 8 children. Make-ups are not available for group classes. 

Students are expected to follow instructions from the teacher and be respectful at all times. Should discipline be an issue we will first reach out to parents. If a problem continues we may regretfully ask students to forfeit the remainder of the session to ensure quality of instruction for all students.

Step the Beat, Drama, Piano, Trumpet, Saxophone, Clarinet  Alex is a Seattle born multi instrumentalist, band leader, and theatrical comedian who broke into the Chicago scene in 2018. He has been making music since memories could form, but began his formal education through his band program at 12. 

He continued his education through the Gonzaga Jazz program followed by further education through involvement with jazz festivals in Seattle and Chicago. In his theater experience, Alex is an improvisational comedian with over 10 years of experience at the Blue Door Theater, Jet City Improv, the iO theater, and the Second City Musical Conservatory. He has been in several independent stage plays through the Annoyance and Pocket Theater. 

Alex’s pedagogy is holistic and community-oriented in nature. He believes that ultimately theater, and performance as a whole, should be for people, by people, and with people. His philosophy fosters a supportive environment for students of all backgrounds to connect and learn from each other to advance the art to new vistas.

Theater,  Ukulele, and Piano   Saoirse moved from Dublin, Ireland to Chicago in 2023.  She is a trained theatre artist and producer, with a Master's degree in Theatre Practice from University College Dublin where she also gained experience in Theater Education.

Saoirse is passionate about learning new things and exploring different forms of expression. She is fluent in Irish and has experience teaching piano, harp and ukulele. She most recently directed the Finding Nemo production for Musical Chairs Studio, assisted with the production of Into the Woods and is the Director of Musical Chairs Theater Company. This Fal, she will be producing Alice in Wonderland at Queen of Angels School.

She loves working with children and contributing to the development of their creative spirit and self-confidence. Her previous experience as assistant director for American Montessori Academy exposed her to working with children of all ages in a creative engagement-based approach which she carries forward today in her teaching.