Improv workshops are an innovative way to address critical workplace objectives.
No longer a tool used exclusively by performing artists, improv workshops lead participants through a challenging, fun and immersive curriculum in a safe, collaborative environment.
Case Study: Kellogg School of Management –
MBA Operations Team Co-Lab Workshop
In September 2025, The Revival partnered with Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management to deliver a one-hour improv-based workshop for 120 members of the MBA Operations Team. Hosted at the Kellogg Global Hub, the session launched the school’s new “Co-Lab” initiative—six cross-functional teams designed to strengthen collaboration and inclusion within the department. The workshop’s core challenge asked, “How do we foster inclusion in our Co-Lab teams?”—a question explored through the lens of improv’s core principles: active listening, trust, and collective creativity.
Facilitated by a team of six Revival instructors, participants rotated through a series of ensemble-building exercises that emphasized presence, empathy, and “Yes, And” communication. Activities such as Sound and Motion, Yes Circle, and encouraged participants to slow down, listen deeply, and build upon others’ ideas. Through laughter and shared vulnerability, team members experienced inclusion not as an abstract value but as a lived, dynamic practice—one that thrives when every voice is valued and leveraged.
By the session’s close, participants reported feeling energized, connected, and aligned around a shared sense of purpose within their Co-Labs. The workshop demonstrated how improv can bridge hierarchy, spark authentic engagement, and model the kind of inclusive collaboration that lies at the heart of Kellogg’s mission to educate leaders with “good moral character” and a commitment to community.
Case Study: JPMorgan Chase – Meeting Planner Retreat
In June 2025, The Revival partnered with JPMorgan Chase to deliver an improv-based workshop for the firm’s Meeting Planner team as part of their annual retreat. Designed around three key objectives—listening, collaboration, and confident communication—the two-hour session invited participants to “build bonds quickly,” “engender a spirit of ensemble,” and “leave a lasting impression.” Through improv, team members practiced the skills of spontaneous dialogue, adaptability, and authentic presence—qualities essential to customer-facing roles in a fast-paced corporate environment.
Facilitated by The Revival’s professional trainers, the session blended laughter and learning through a series of interactive exercises including VROOM! Conducted Story, and Rants & Raves. Each activity connected directly to workplace realities: listening before responding, supporting colleagues’ ideas, and presenting with clarity and conviction. The workshop’s playful atmosphere created a low-stakes space for participants to explore trust, empathy, and shared creativity.
By the session’s end, participants reported feeling more connected, energized, and aligned around a shared commitment to service and teamwork. What began as a fun departure from the day-to-day evolved into a meaningful reminder of the power of active listening, collaboration, and positivity—core principles that extend well beyond the improv stage and into the JPMorgan Chase workplace.
Case Study: Emory University – Building Connection Through Improv
In August 2025, The Revival partnered with Oxford College of Emory University to launch Ignite Oxford, a two-hour improv-based workshop designed to welcome 90 incoming students to campus. As part of Oxford’s pre-orientation leadership program, the session used improv theater to spark engagement, build confidence, and help new students find their footing in a dynamic community. Through laughter and play, participants explored how “Yes, and…” thinking can transform uncertainty into opportunity—an essential mindset for the start of college life.
Led by The Revival’s team of professional facilitators, the workshop combined high-energy ensemble games with structured reflection, guiding students through exercises in listening, collaboration, and spontaneous communication. Activities like Rock/Paper/Scissors Tournament, Word-at-a-Time Story, and Yes, And Conversations encouraged participants to move beyond comfort zones while strengthening empathy, presence, and trust.
By the end of the afternoon, the room buzzed with connection and confidence. Students who began as strangers left as teammates—more comfortable in their own voices and more aware of the power of collective creativity. The workshop’s success reinforced improv’s unique role in higher education: not as performance, but as practice—for leadership, belonging, and community-building.
Case Study: Ogletree Deakins – Experiential Improv Workshop
In July 2025, The Revival was thrilled to welcome the team from Ogletree Deakins for an interactive, on-your-feet improv workshop at our South Loop theater. Designed as a 90-minute experiential learning session for approximately 15 team members, the workshop explored four key objectives: building deeper connectivity, refining listening skills, strengthening collaboration, and enhancing confidence in communication and presentation.
Through a carefully sequenced series of improv exercises—ranging from energizing warm-ups to collaborative games participants practiced responding with empathy, adaptability, and presence. Activities such as ABC Shapes and Statues encouraged participants to communicate nonverbally and support each other’s ideas in real time, while exercises like Xpert Speaker helped sharpen clarity and conviction in public speaking.
The session concluded with reflective debriefs connecting each exercise back to workplace dynamics: how intention and action align, how “Yes, And” fosters inclusion, and how confidence grows through trust and ensemble mindset. Participants left with a shared vocabulary of collaboration and a renewed sense of creative connection—proof that the principles of improv can strengthen both professional communication and team culture.
Case Study: UChicago College Center for Research and Fellowships
In May 2025, The Revival partnered with the College Center for Research and Fellowships (CCRF) at the University of Chicago to design and facilitate a two-hour experiential workshop for 15 undergraduate fellows. Held in the historic Classics Building, the session invited participants to explore self-awareness, communication, and leadership through the lens of improv. The workshop supported CCRF’s mission to promote academic excellence and mentorship by encouraging students to embrace uncertainty, take creative risks, and strengthen their sense of ensemble.
Guided by The Revival’s professional facilitators, students engaged in a progression of exercises that fostered reflection and collaboration—from energizing group games like Heroes & Villains and Hey, Let’s…! to partner-based activities such as Paired Conversations and Gift Circle. Through laughter and play, participants practiced attentive listening, positive affirmation, and the art of recovering in the moment—skills that mirror the demands of research, presentation, and fellowship interviews.
By the end of the session, students reported feeling more connected to their peers and more confident in their ability to communicate ideas with presence and authenticity. The workshop exemplified the power of improv as a developmental tool—building not only confidence and creativity, but also the trust and agility that define impactful academic and professional leadership.
