What we're about
In 2022 we're keeping it really simple...
Here at Monkey Butler we think you'll come for the improv and stay for the community.
Give it a try!
FAQ
What is Monkey Butler?
Monkey Butler is a comedy company that began in May ’07 which features improv, stand-up and specialized workshops. It began with seven people in a living room and turned into the fastest growing comedy organization in Los Angeles, along with weekly improv workshops and sketch comedy in Denver, Boulder, Boston, England, and Berrien Springs. After Monkey Butler closed its theaters in the Greater Los Angeles area in 2013 only the Colorado location remained in operation. Today, Monkey Butler workshops can only be found in Denver and Boulder. There are performances, pop- up shows, and workshop showcases year-round.
How are Workshops set up?
The improv workshops are set up to give each student the best possible training at the most appropriate level of instruction for their skill level. Currently there are five different levels of workshops: Foundations (Level 1), Intermediate Improv (Level 2), Advanced Improv (Level 3), Intro to Long Form (Level 4) & Mainstage Improv (Level 5). If it is decided you should be moved to a higher level of instruction, then you will not be made to take months of classes below your skill level. Every new student, however, must take at least one Foundations workshop. After that workshop, please ask your instructor to assess your performance and let you know if you should stay at Level 1 or move onto a higher level. Once you move into another level, the student begins a 3-Week Trial Period for the teacher to assess whether you should continue at the higher level or go back to the previous one for more training. Recommended reading: Improvise, by Mick Napier
When can I perform in an improv show?
The Foundations Workshops, Intro to Long Form & Advanced Workshops have a show at the end of each season of curriculum. Level One performs in the One Buck Butler show on Saturday night where tickets are unsurprisingly $1. The Level Two Team performs at the end of their season in the Two Buck Butler Show which is (you guessed it) $2. We could go on and let you know what the Level Three and Four shows are called, but we think you've got it by now. Every workshopper is encouraged to see as many shows as possible: the more shows you see the better you learn!
How do I get on an improv team?
Every MB Mainstage Team member started out in the workshops, so you must begin in the Foundations Workshop and work your way up. There is no set time frame when a student is ready to become a Mainstage performer, but we’ve found that roughly one year in workshops is a typical time frame for most of our current team members. How a student progresses depends not only on their natural talents, but on their commitment level, their ability to take notes from instructors, and their personal development in improvisation. Once in Level 4, every student joins The Barrel, which is the “up-and-coming team.” From there they are placed into Mainstage Teams due to individual progress as well as spots opening up on Mainstage Teams or new teams being formed.
Why are the Workshops free?
After having taken classes and graduating from the Groundlings, UCB, iO WEST programs, all the instructors at MB wished they could be a part of an organization that gives back to the community. So MB became that organization because it’s fun & it’s nice to give back.
Where else can I go to take a Workshop outside of Boulder?
Monkey Butler Denver
Thursdays at 7:00pm
Sewall Child Development Center
940 Fillmore St
Denver, CO 80227
Upcoming events (4+)
Join us live and in-person for a brand new season of Monkey Butler Improv in Boulder. Once a week we will be hosting a FREE workshop for any and everyone to join regardless of skill level or age. Our family-friendly spaces will guide you through 20 weeks of our original curriculum and enhance your improv experience. No minimum number of workshops are required and you can drop in whenever your schedule allows. Consider adding Monkey Butler to your calendar this new year.
Come for the improv
Stay for the community
_ _
What do I need to know?
Monkey Butler is an improv experience that takes groups through four possible sets of improv curriculum. For this season, I (and a few guest teachers along the way) will be leading out in FREE weekly lessons which will encompass all you need to know for the Level One (Intro to Improv) which will culminate in a live improv show at our practice venue. Afterwards, if you are interested, we will give you the opportunity to move up into the Level Two (Intermediate Improv), Level Three (Advanced Improv), and a Level Four course which deals with Long Form Improv. If by the end of all of that you’re still needing to scratch an improv itch in your life, we offer a Level Five (which is actually not a course with instruction, but a regular stage team who performs regularly as they are able) for you to perform with!
Each of the Level One workshops are open to all ages and all skill levels and adheres to a family-friendly environment to allow for everyone to play comfortably. We encourage you to sample this first workshop and see how things go for you and then make plans to attend as many workshops as you are able. There is of course no commitment needed and we are happy to have you whenever your schedule allows.
Safety Protocol UPDATE:
We meet in the Community Room at the Boulder Adventist Church, which as of Friday, February 18 at 17:00, the mask mandate for Boulder County was revoked. This means that masks are encouraged for participants, but are considered optional for all attendees. Despite this change, we are committed to providing a safe space for everyone through this pandemic era. For that reason, throughout the workshop, ventilation fans in the ceiling will be pulling air up and out of the auditorium. This ensures that there is a steady airflow in the space which will lower the potential for aerosol transmission. Additionally, the room will be equipped with four AHAM certified air purifiers which have the capability of exchanging the air inside of the venue six times per hour (the minimum requirement as set by the CDC for indoor events). With all of the precautions in place, we can reasonably expect that anyone who arrives for our workshops will be as safe inside our space as they would be standing outside!
That all being said, for those looking to join Monkey Butler for the first time, for those whom have joined us online and are now ready for the experience of in-person practice, or those who may dropping in again after last attending in 2019, we are excited to welcome you back to the same family-friendly, open to all skill levels, all ages, and all inclusive improv environment that Monkey Butler has built its storied foundation upon!
If you have any questions, concerns, or if there is anything we can clear up further for you, please don't hesitate to reach out here on the Messenger in MeetUp or contact me directly via text/phone on my cell phone at[masked]. You can also reach me via e-mail at [masked]. If all else fails, there is a section on the main page which gives more detail to everything I've mentioned above. But if something still is not clear after you peruse the "Stuff That We Think is Important"
- Cynthia
- Kate W.
- anne B.
- 10 attendees
As the Level Two season came to a close this weekend, we have space on Monday to open up the stage to both Level One and Two to play together. For the remainder of the first season of 2022, we will be offering two hours of free-for-all sandbox-style jam open to anyone and everyone looking to get more reps on stage! Each week will be a choose your own improv adventure where you pick the games we play and who you want to try them out with. Games will include those in Level One and Level Two to expand the horizons of those working through the Beginner's workshops to see if Level Two might be the right fit.
Drop-ins are welcome even if you don't join for Level One from 6-8 (because four hours of improv might not be for everyone). But everyone is welcome to join Level One as they are able to pick up on the curriculum that will be the basis for constructing scenes in the sandbox!
As always, we hope you come for the improv and stay for the community.
See you all in the sandbox!
- Cynthia
- anne B.
- J. M.
- 5 attendees
In a Monkey Butler Improv FIRST, our Level One troupe is TOO BIG for just one show. So we're doing two weekends in a row of family-friendly comedy here in Boulder for your enjoyment! Join us for the first night of frivolity showcasing the talents of our Level One team here in Boulder on June 4. All are welcome to come and celebrate the achievements of (half) of this awesome team! Admission is $1 at the door which open at 7:00pm.
Come for improv
Stay for the community
- Cynthia
- mowglie
- Christine C.
- 6 attendees
As the Level Two season came to a close this weekend, we have space on Monday to open up the stage to both Level One and Two to play together. For the remainder of the first season of 2022, we will be offering two hours of free-for-all sandbox-style jam open to anyone and everyone looking to get more reps on stage! Each week will be a choose your own improv adventure where you pick the games we play and who you want to try them out with. Games will include those in Level One and Level Two to expand the horizons of those working through the Beginner's workshops to see if Level Two might be the right fit.
Drop-ins are welcome even if you don't join for Level One from 6-8 (because four hours of improv might not be for everyone). But everyone is welcome to join Level One as they are able to pick up on the curriculum that will be the basis for constructing scenes in the sandbox!
As always, we hope you come for the improv and stay for the community.
See you all in the sandbox!
- J. M.
- 1 attendee
Past events (91)
- J. M.
- Cynthia
- Dave
- 6 attendees
