Thunderbolt Comedy develops performers.
Thunderbolt Comedy produces shows and trains performers through performance-focused classes.
Programs are led by Chris Griswold and collaborators with three decades of experience in improv performance, directing, and teaching internationally.
Accessible training. High standards. Real audiences.
PHILOSOPHY
“Instructors treat students as performers from the beginning.”
Advanced improv training that’s welcoming and accessible.
Many improv programs optimize for one of two things: accessibility or elite training.
Accessible programs can be welcoming but often stop short of developing strong performers.
Elite programs can develop strong performers but are often closed or intimidating.
Thunderbolt Comedy was created to bridge that gap.
Instructors treat students as performers from the beginning. Expectations are clear, the work is taken seriously, and the environment remains collaborative and joyful.
Teachers partner with students in the learning process. Performers understand what they are learning, why they are learning it, and how to succeed.
Failure is not something to avoid — it is how improvisers learn. The goal is to create an environment where performers can experiment freely while developing real stage skill.
See how these ideas show up in our classes.
PRODUCTIONS
“Performers develop fastest when training leads to real audiences.”
Training leads to performance.
Thunderbolt Comedy classes often culminate in full productions developed by the ensemble.
Past class productions have included:
• Documentary Live!
• Meetcute: The Improvised Rom-Com
• The Improvised Superhero Movie
Thunderbolt Comedy has also produced independent live work including Thunderbolt Comedy, Indie Harold Night, and the variety show Curiosity Box, which played to sold-out audiences.
A recent production highlight is Good Girl, a solo cabaret created with UK performer Rhiannon Jenkins.
Since its premiere in 2023, the show has toured internationally and appeared at major Fringe festivals including Edinburgh Fringe, Brighton Fringe, Camden Fringe, Providence Fringe, and Rochester Fringe.
The production has received coverage from outlets including BroadwayWorld, The Chortle, Lost in Theatreland, and LouReviews, with critics describing it as:
“Bold performance comedy. Unrelenting and brazen.” — BroadwayWorld
“Chaos and control in perfect tension. Audience delight is infectious.” — Chortle
These productions reflect Thunderbolt’s core belief: performers develop fastest when training leads to real audiences.
HISTORY
The first Thunderbolt Comedy workshop, “Improv: ‘I’m always right’ – For Women” with Jessie Jolles, 2012
“Bold performance comedy.
Unrelenting and brazen.”
— BroadwayWorld
2011
Thunderbolt Comedy launches in New York with a weekly live show.
2012
Workshops and classes begin alongside the productions, built around the idea that performers develop fastest through live performance.
2016
Thunderbolt launches a house team program, creating four ensembles and expanding its training ecosystem.
2019
Thunderbolt expands to the San Francisco Bay Area, where classes and shows regularly sell out.
2020
Thunderbolt moves online during the pandemic and launches the Improv Discussion & Resources community, helping connect and support more than 11,000 improv performers worldwide.
2021
Thunderbolt’s work expands through collaboration with UK performer and director Rhiannon Jenkins.
2023
Thunderbolt produces the premiere of Good Girl, a solo cabaret created with Rhiannon Jenkins.
The show debuts in London and begins its UK Fringe festival run including Camden Fringe, Brighton Fringe, and Edinburgh Fringe.
2024
Good Girl expands internationally, appearing at Edinburgh Fringe, Providence Fringe Festival, and Rochester Fringe Festival, with multiple sold-out performances and growing press coverage.
2025
Thunderbolt relocates to Boston following Chris Griswold’s appointment as Assistant Director of the Center for Comedic Arts at Emerson College.
Good Girl continues with return runs at Rochester Fringe Festival and performances in London.
WHAT STUDENTS GAIN
Students in Thunderbolt programs develop:
• strong stage presence
• sharper comedic instincts
• ensemble collaboration skills
• confidence performing for audiences
• a clear understanding of how improv works
Many students begin as hobbyists. When treated as performers, they rise to the challenge and develop real stage skill.
Train With Thunderbolt