Brighton Improv - Level 4: Intro to Musical Improv

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Class description

An Introduction to Musical Improv

Lyrics from nowhere, harmonies like magic and all-singing, all-dancing choruses, musical improvisation looks a bit like a miracle. And it doesn’t require special skills, knowledge of musical theory, or a background in musical theatre. You don’t even need to be able to sing. Like any improv, you create a character, build the emotion, and work with your partner (and the musician). Great songs come out of great scenes.

Breaking down musical improv into manageable chunks, our twelve-week introduction will take you from your first ‘la-la-la’ to set games, open scenes, and songs, even a showing in front of family and friends.

Not just for those who already love to sing, this course builds emotional expression, freedom, and confidence. Skills which can be applied in any improv class, as well as elsewhere in your life. After all, if you can improvise a whole song, what can’t you do?

End-of-term Showcase

You'll perform in an end-of-term showcase for friends and family on Saturday, 5th December at the Lantern Theatre.

Important Notes:

  • While we strive to maintain the advertised showcase schedule, dates are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. Refunds will not be issued in the event of a showcase date alteration.
  • Although most of our students perform at the end of their courses, all showings are optional. They are not tests or graduations; they are just a chance to do what you have been doing in class and receive the adulation of your loved ones.

    • Teachers

    Heather Urquhart

    Heather is an award-winning improviser, trainer, and creative facilitator who works at the joyful intersection of performance and professional development. She performs internationally with Olivier Award-winning Showstopper! The Improvised Musical, The Maydays, and The Comedy Store Players, and is a sought-after teacher of musical and narrative improvisation. Her approach is playful, honest, and rooted in years of live experience, onstage and off. As Founder and Head of Corporate Training at AndAlso, Heather helps businesses apply the principles of improv to real-world challenges like communication, collaboration, creative thinking, and adapting to the unexpected. She has designed and delivered training for clients including Amazon, Investec, GSK, King’s College London, NHS Leadership Academy, The British Council, and many more. Originally trained in physical theatre, Heather studied improvisation in Chicago at iO and The Annoyance Theatre. Her facilitation style blends humour, warmth, and sharp insight, helping people feel comfortable enough to stretch, experiment, and discover new ways of working. Whether she’s coaching a group of senior leaders or guiding a room full of improv newbies, Heather’s superpower is making the scary stuff feel exciting—and even fun. Favourite improv moment: Giving the England Rugby Team a crash course in improv, then performing a show with them for the sports press. Watching elite athletes who thrive under physical pressure suddenly wrestle with the unknown onstage was a reminder that everyone’s comfort zone looks different, and that courage comes in many forms.