Character & Scenework: Longform Improv with Joel Bryant

Dig Deep Improv is proud to present 'Character & Scenework for Longform Improv' workshop with international guest teacher Joel Bryant!

72 hour flash offer! Save €5 with the promocode "joel72" if you book before Aug 11 at 10:00

This workshop is open to everyone - whether you're a beginner or experienced. If you have any questions about this please send us a message

Improv is fun. It’s a goof, fast-paced, and full of quick riffs off audience suggestions. But even short form improv still needs strong scenes, characters and relationships. That’s the foundation of great improv and any performance, from acting to stand-up. The stronger the relationship - the higher the stakes. Skip the exposition, get straight to the issue, and the scene builds faster, becomes more relatable, and keeps both performers and audiences invested. The Harold is a classic long-form improv format that expands these principles into connected scenes and rich storytelling. When you understand the Harold, those same skills make your short-form, storytelling and stand-up stronger too.

I learned short-form as an award-winning member of Los Angeles' Connection Comedy Theater, then continued my training at the famed Groundlings School, where the focus was relentless scene work, character development and attention to detail. After years there (including making it to their Sunday Company) I gained invaluable training that completely changed the way I approach improv. Now let’s explore it together in Luxembourg!

What to Expect

Character Work

• Build characters with depth, not just funny voices or quirks

• Discover a brand-new character through guided exercises

• Bring that character into scenes or interviews

Scene Work

• Jump into scenes with 2–3 performers and simple prompts

• I'll coach in real time, stopping and restarting when helpful

• We'll explore stronger choices, take risks, experiment, and break down what worked and why

The Harold

• Put everything together in a 30-minute Harold

• Learn the core principles as we play

• Minimal interruptions, lots of discovery, and maybe...a complete Harold by the end of class

Q&A and open discussion

Stand-Up Notes (if time allows)

• Bring 3–5 minutes of material

• Perform it as if you're onstage

• I'll offer tags, notes and ideas to help elevate the set

This is the ideal roadmap. Like any good improv set, we'll follow the energy in the room. My goal: maximize my time with you all and impart as much as I can. I’ve been blessed to be an independently busy performer for 20+ years. I’ve done the work. I’ve hit the potholes. I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. I’m happy and blessed to be able to share whatever I can to make your journey more positive and hopefully just slightly easier than mine

About Joel: Joel Bryant is a Los Angeles-based improviser, comedian, actor and MC who first stepped onstage at 17 in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. After coming up through the Los Angeles comedy scene (The Improv, The Comedy Store, Laugh Factory), he's been a comedy vagabond ever since, touring the U.S, headlining in more than 40 countries and becoming the first American comedian to perform in Antarctica. He has taught improv throughout Los Angeles and led workshops in Cambodia and Paris with multilingual performers, while also coaching stand-up comedians online and running workshops in Switzerland, Northern Ireland, France, Southeast Asia and across the U.S.

His stories of travel, family and relationships connect with audiences worldwide, and thanks to years of improv training at the famed Groundlings school, he's never shy about pulling the audience into the show. There is no fourth wall. High energy, off-the-cuff and in-the-moment are his calling cards. He's also been a multi-year main stage performer at the LA Connection Comedy Theatre and, with his partner of 20 years, toured the U.S. and entertained overseas military audiences with their two-person improv act, Composte Comedy Heap, performing entirely from audience suggestions.

In more than 20 years of stand-up, Joel has shared the stage with Bill Burr, Jim Jefferies, Nate Bargatze, Anthony Jeselnik, Iliza Schlesinger and Jay Leno, opened for Stevie Wonder, John Legend, ZZ Top and others, and was featured in a New York Times article about English-language comedy around the world. He's also a recognizable actor with credits including Monk, The Heartbreak Kid, LA Macabre and Criminal Minds. His film Candlewood was released in 2025 on Amazon Prime and Apple TV, and he recently wrapped Syndetic in Los Angeles.

You'll usually find him, luggage nearby, making audiences laugh everywhere from the darkest wine cellars of Paris to the swankiest corporate events in Singapore, the sketchiest bars in Berlin, and the classic comedy clubs of Los Angeles and New York. https://www.joelbryant.net/ 

Dig Deep is an events company and learning facility in Luxembourg run by Melissa Dalton. Dig Deep Improv involves one-off workshops, courses, 1-1 training and Improv shows where anyone can get up on stage to perform! Dig Deep also works with corporate teams, bringing Improv, Storytelling and Public Speaking workshops, Forum Theatre and bespoke teambuilding sessions to companies that are looking to bring more creativity into the work place, to improve soft skills or to bond a team together. Previous clients include EIB, Deloitte, Amazon, PwC, ESRIC, Ferrero and The University of Luxembourg. Want more info? Follow Dig Deep on Instagram and Facebook!