I’m coming to see a show! Do you sell food and drinks?
Stomping Ground is a BYOB venue and you’re welcome to bring your own food and drinks to the show! Guests who are 21+ may bring their own alcoholic beverages but we ask that you enjoy them responsibly. Coolers are permitted but we recommend that you bring ice as we don’t always have it available. We also have snacks (chips, candy) and drinks (water, soda) for sale and limited alcoholic beverages.
How do I get on stage at Stomping Ground?
There are a few avenues to finding your onstage home at Stomping Ground:
- The Training Center- The most direct route is through the comedy Training Center! We offer classes in stand-up, improv, sketch comedy, musical improv, storytelling, and more, and many of our classes include a student showcase where students show off their new skills. The Training Center also holds auditions for House Teams, which are improv teams that are formed and coached by SG staff and open for established improv teams.
- Your one-stop shop for all Performer Opportunities can be found here. On our Performer Opportunities page, you can find info about show submissions, auditions, and our monthly jam. We hold open auditions for flagship improv shows twice per year as well as auditions for sketch comedy revues and seasonal shows.
- The Throwdown– For established improv teams, we hold an annual “throwdown” where teams go head-to-head with other improv teams and have an opportunity to be seen by production staff and considered for performance opportunities. You can find out more about the Throwdown here.
- The Thunderdome- Stomping Ground has a monthly competition-style improv show the first Friday of every month. Anyone is eligible to sign up for the Pay What You Can Thunderdome workshop so that they can learn the games and have an opportunity to perform. The next workshop date can be found here.
- Open Auditions- Once per year in the Fall Stomping Ground hosts Open Auditions where anyone of any skill level can hop onstage and be considered for all of our mainstage shows. Make sure you’re signed up for Newsletter here and select Adult Classes to get news about auditions.
- Hop onstage at our weekly Thursday jam! The jam is held every Thursday. The first Thursday is The Formula: All-Black Improv Experience. The second Thursday of the month is the open Improv Jam. The third Thursday is a Short Form improv Jam. The fourth Thursday of the month is a Musical Improv Jam open to anyone. See the full calendar and start times here.
How can I get on your newsletter list?
Click here to sign up for our email newsletter.
How can I find more information about your scholarships?
We have scholarships available through our Diversity & Inclusion initiative. You can find out more info and apply here.
What is the best way to find out what’s happening at SG?
You can follow Stomping Ground on social media on Facebook and Instagram for the most up-to-the-minute information on shows, classes, and everything else we’re doing. You are also welcome to join the Student & Performer group on Facebook. Last but not least, subscribe to our email newsletter by clicking here.
How can I become an instructor? What are the qualifications? Who do I contact if I am interested?
We’re always on the lookout for the best instructors in DFW and beyond to give our students the best comedy education possible. We also have our own curriculum and pedagogy for teaching. Anyone who is interested in becoming an instructor at Stomping Ground Comedy Theater will go typically go through the five levels of our program and take our Coaching and Directing Improv class which is offered twice a year, which is a requirement for anyone who wants to teach for us.
What are your volunteer opportunities?
As a young non-profit, we are always looking for volunteers. You can find more information by visiting here.
I would like to set up a private workshop for a group of colleagues or friends; whom should I contact?
You can find out more about Improv for Work and private workshops by going here.
Do you do shows or workshops for companies or organizations?
We do! Visit our Improv for Work page for more info.
Do you rent your space out or ever do private shows?
We do! If you’re looking to rent our space for a rehearsal, event, meeting, or something else, send an email at rental@stompinggroundcomedy.org. If you would like to book a private comedy show for your friends, family, or colleagues email us at artistic@stompinggroundcomedy.org to talk about your options and get information on pricing. We aren’t typically aren’t able to accommodate multi-show runs but one-time engagements are sometimes possible. Please note that we are typically booking at least two months in advance.
What kind of classes do you have at SG?
We try to offer something for everyone at SG:
- We have comedy classes for adults including improv, musical improv, stand-up comedy, storytelling, sketch-writing, and more. You can find our current offerings here.
- We also offer classes geared towards unique populations like Caregivers, those on the Autism spectrum, people with anxiety, and much more! You can find more info by visiting our Improv for Life page.
- For Youth, we have classes, workshops, and camps that can be found here. You can also book a private, customized Destination Imagination workshop for your group or a private workshop for a birthday party or event by emailing artistic@stompinggroundcomedy.org.
- We also offer team-building workshops and customized classes for companies, corporations, and other organizations through our Improv for Work program. You can find more about what we do here.
I have a comedy show that is touring or is well-established in another city and I am interested in bringing it to Stomping Ground. How do I do that?
If you have are interested in bringing your touring show to Stomping Ground, email artistic@stompinggroundcomedy.org to see if your show is a good fit.
Do you offer shows and classes for kids?
We do!
*We offer camps for kids during the summer season and occasionally during the holiday seasons and spring break which can be found here.
*We offer after-school improv classes, Improv for Anxiety, Improv for Autism workshops and classes specifically geared toward young people. You can email improvforlife@stompinggroundcomedy.org to bring a class to your organization or school. We currently have partnerships with Booker T Washington School for the Performing & Visual Arts, Winston School, Oak Hill Academy, and home school collectives.
*When it comes to shows, we love to offer family-friendly activities and entertainment! Each of our shows has a rating- E for Everyone, T for Teen, and M for Mature; we make sure to specify the rating of each show within the description. You can see all of our shows on our show calendar here.
How do I get more involved in Improv for Life?
We’re so glad you’re interested! You can head over to the Volunteer page and select Improv for Life when filling out the form.
I gave a donation to Stomping Ground. Is it tax deductible?
Yes! Stomping Ground Comedy Theater and Training Center (EIN 82-1417970) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization and all contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. If you would like a receipt showing all donations you’ve made to us in a calendar year, email our Director of Development, Jocelyn Tiner, at development@stompinggroundcomedy.org
I have some experience doing comedy. Do I need to start at Level 1 in your classes?
We believe there can be great value in starting at the beginning of our program–it’s a great way to become a part of the community, learn our specific improv philosophies, meet new people in your improv journey, and even brush up on your fundamentals. However, we also want to acknowledge your prior experience and help you make the most of your time with us. Students who want to be considered for advance placement in our Core Improv classes should email their previous experience and training to the Training Center Director (education@stompinggroundcomedy.org) for permission. Level Two Improv is the highest level students may be placed in without having taken the prerequisite classes at Stomping Ground.
How many levels do you have in your Training Center and when can I start performing?
Currently, we have five levels of improv, three levels of musical improv, three levels of sketch comedy writing, one level of storytelling; and one level of stand-up; most of our classes host a showcase at the end of each level. Each program is designed to give students what they need to become confident performers and writers. Additionally, we are always striving to add more workshops, electives, and advanced classes to offer you the most comprehensive and well-rounded comedy education possible! We know that reps are key to becoming a great performer, so we also offer opportunities for our students to practice including Thursday Night Jams. All of our events can be found on our calendar here.
I have a question you didn’t cover in your FAQs. How do I contact you?
Send us an email at contactus@stompinggroundcomedy.org.
What is your mask policy?
Stomping Ground will continue to follow the recommendations of the CDC and look to them for guidance in our next steps. We want to do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and continue to make the pandemic a thing of the past. Our students and performers are the heart of the Stomping Ground community and our number one goal has been to make sure they feel safe when stepping through our doors. We appreciate your support.