Who can take our classes?
Adults 18 years and older are eligible for enrollment. Registration must be confirmed by our School staff prior to attending any workshop.
What class should I start with?
Foundation 1. We say this to the actor with stage experience and to the wallflower seeking to bud. Here's why: First, no matter how much improv experience you have, you can never revisit the basics too many times. Second, we want you to learn the "BATS lingo" and approach. Third, the Foundation 1 teachers are some of our best. Fourth, you get to test yourself (and your assumptions about yourself) in a safe, wacky, no-pressure environment. And finally, even alumni say "It's the best class in the program!"
Do I need any improv experience to take a Foundation 1 class?
Nope, none.
Do you have to be funny? Quick-witted?
No. In fact, one of the things that we teach at BATS is that good improv means NOT trying to be funny. Our Foundation I workshop will expose you to all the basic improv skills: listening, accepting offers, making your partner look good and more.
Do I have to take Foundation 1 if I'm already an experienced actor?
Yes. It's a great class and even if you have experience, you'll get something out of it. Students who have already studied with a BATS coach may opt out of Foundation I with permission of the dean…but we still recommend you take it!
If I've already taken classes like Beginning, Intermediate, Direct Feedback, etc. at BATS, what class do I take next now that the curriculum has changed?
BATS upgraded it's curriculum in January 2006. For specific questions about the new curriculum, click here or call 415-474-6776.
Can I audit (sit in and watch) a class?
No, we're sorry, but we do not allow students to audit. BATS workshops strive to create a safe, supportive environment in which students can take risks and do their best work. Visitors disrupt the class dynamic, changing the class from "workshop" to "performance."
Who's the best coach?
We wouldn't have them teaching if we didn't think they were all great! To read more about these talented teachers, click on their names. Feel free to contact the registrar if you're still undecided: 415-474-6776.
How do I reserve or hold a space in a class?
Payment. Plain and simple. Only a fully paid enrollment holds your spot in the class; registration is accepted on a first paid, first enrolled basis. Students who have not paid the full amount of tuition will not be allowed to attend the first class. Series workshop prices include a $50 non-refundable deposit; specialty classes include a $10 non-refundable deposit. BATS does not offer tuition payment plans. If BATS cancels a class that you have signed up for, you will receive a refund check for the full tuition.
What forms of payment do you accept?
Credit card, checks, and cash. To pay by credit card (Amex, Mastercard, Visa), call our registrar at (415) 474-6776. Checks should be mailed to: BATS Improv, C/O: The Registrar, B350 Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA 94123. We don't advise mailing cash, but if you must, include your name and contact information. BATS will contact you to confirm your registration. And yes, we're working on online payment options.
What if I decide to drop a class? What is the refund policy?
The cost of any series class includes a $50 non-refundable deposit. The cost of specialty classes includes a non-refundable $10 deposit. The cost of summer intensives or youth/teen camps includes a 20% non-refundable deposit
If you have registered for a class and decide you want to drop that class AT LEAST 14 DAYS BEFORE THE FIRST CLASS SESSION, you may choose to receive a refund check for the amount of the class minus your non-refundable deposit OR you may choose to reapply your payment IN FULL to another BATS class. However, if you have registered for a summer adult intensive or youth/teen camp, your payment becomes non-refundable at two weeks prior to the start of the class.
If you decide to drop the class fewer than fourteen days before the start of the class (but more than three days before the start of the class), you lose the option of reapplying your payment in full. You can either reapply your payment minus the deposit or receive a partial refund check. This option is not available for those enrolled in summer intensives or youth/teen camps.
If you decide to drop a class WITHIN 72 HOURS of the first class session (or within two weeks of the start of summer intensives or youth/teen camps) , your payment is neither re-applicable nor refundable. (Here’s why: While we want to be flexible with changing schedules, it is unlikely we’d be able to fill an extra spot in class at the last minute, so these rules are to ensure the success of the classes.) For the same reasons, if you decide you don’t like the class halfway through, we cannot offer any partial or total refund or reapplication of payment.
So, to summarize our refund policy:
- Drop at least 14 days before the start of class: partial refund OR total reapplication
- Drop between 3 and 13 days before the start of class: partial refund OR partial reapplication
- Drop within 3 days of the start of class: no refund and no reapplication
For Summer Intensives and Youth/Teen Camps:
- From the time of payment, a 20% non-refundable deposit applies to all dropped classes
- Payment becomes entirely non-refundable at 14 days priot to the start of class
What if I miss a class?
If you miss a class, BATS cannot refund your payment or give you credit for that one class. BATS does not call to confirm all class registrations.
If I miss a class, can I make it up somehow?
We don't offer make-up classes at BATS. Here's why: No two teachers are alike. Say you miss one of Diane Rachel's Foundation 1 classes. There's no reason to believe that dropping in on Rebecca's Stockley's Foundation 1 class will teach you exactly what you missed in Diane's. Also, class dynamic is sacred at BATS and popping in for just one class can disrupt the other students.
What's the penalty for a bounced check?
You will be charged a $10 fee for any bounced checks.
Do you offer financial aid or scholarships?
BATS does not offer any financial aid programs or scholarships at this time.
If I'm really good, and graduate the program, do I automatically become a Sunday Player?
Attendance in any workshop series does not guarantee stage performance with BATS. Students who successfully complete all the Foundation and Performance classes will be eligible to join the Sunday Player performance group. See the Sunday Player page for membership criteria.
How do I get into the Main Stage Company?
The Main Stage Company is BATS Improv's premier performing ensemble. While many of the Company players also teach in the school, the Company is distinct and separate from the school and The Sunday Players. The Company holds auditions once a year for its guest performer program.
How long does it take to go through all your series classes and start performing?
Some students may choose to take some workshops more than once. The new curriculum is designed so that students can move straight through the program, taking each workshop only one time. Since the classes are offered on a rotating basis, some students will move through all six classes in as quickly as five months. Others extend the experience over a period of a year or more. Every student has a unique set of skills and therefore a unique experience at BATS. We like it that way.
Will I meet the man or woman of my dreams in my class?
Uh...well, that's hard to say. Our classes are just that; we don't pretend to be a dating service. That said, San Francisco Magazine did rate us as one of the top 20 places to "meet your match" so who knows?
Can I bring my dog?
Unless it is a service dog, we say no thank you. Our improv classes are for people only.
How do I contact one of the BATS coaches?
E-mail the registrar at registrar@improv.org and she will forward your question or comment.
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