A play-based workshop for building meaningful friendships

Making friends as an adult can be hard. I know — as a recent Seattle transplant, I’ve experienced how hard it can be to make new friends from scratch.

That’s why I’m creating a workshop series full of laughter, play, and genuine connection. This isn't a networking event or a forced icebreaker circle—it's an experience rooted in improv and personal storytelling, designed to help you turn neighbors into friends.

In my 10+ years as a theatre educator and team building facilitator, I’ve learned a lot about how to help folks cut through the small talk and develop friendships that will last. In this workshop, you’ll join other folks who want to make friends IRL with people in their local community. I’ll lead you through exercises rooted in improv and personal storytelling that will help you find your people.

This workshop is for you if:

• You want to meet new people and go beyond surface-level chats

• You’re curious about improv but feel intimidated by the pressure to be funny/original (no such pressure exists here!)

• You’re open to laughing, playing, and taking small risks with kind strangers

Why this matters:

A third of Americans report that they don’t know any of their neighbors (Pew Research Center). And a nearly 90-year longitudinal study conducted at Harvard found that the quality of a person’s relationships is the number one factor that predicts whether someone will have a happy and healthy life, more than exercise, income, or sleep.

We all know we need friends. We lived through a pandemic where we experienced the alienating jolt of being cut off from in-person interaction. But just because we value friendship doesn’t mean it’s easy to foster, especially in a new city.

Why improv?

There’s a lot of research out there that indicates that improv, and that playing in general, helps us cope with stress and lead happier lives. A 2020 study found that participating in improv improves well-being, creativity, and an ability to tolerate unpredictability. Similarly, a 2019 study found that participating in improv increased hope, creativity, and willingness to take risks, even among people with social phobias.

I’ve personally experienced all these positive effects of improv. I used to have bad social anxiety, and to be honest, sometimes it still rears its ugly head. But the habits of mind that improv has allowed me to practice has had a huge impact on my ability to enter social situations with curiosity and excitement rather than fear.

Ready to start building your community in Seattle?

IRL: Improv for Real Life workshops will be launching in summer 2025. Sign up now to be notified of events in your area!