Parents,

We're lucky here in Portland. We've got a variety of theater, acting, and improvisation camps for children all over the city. But there's a problem...

None of them - except for us - are staffed by adults with decades of professional acting or theater experience.

Our own child is attending a camp this week at The Judy. It's a lovely organization and facility and he's having a good time! But his camp is being supervised by teens on summer break and young adults with little professional acting training or experience. Worse, our son is one of 20+ kids in his cohort.

We do it differently. No more than 10 kids per cohort. Only teachers who come with many years or decades of experience on staff to train them.

I've been improvising professionally for over 30 years. I am a longtime member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG/AFTRA) and continue to act on TV, film, and commercials. I've performed with some of my heroes: Emmy-Award winning comedians John Larroquette and Ray Romano; Saturday Night Live alumni Jon Lovitz & Mark McKinney & Larraine Newman; Mindy Sterling from the Austin Powers movies; Emmy-Award Winning comedy actor Fred Willard; and both Kevin McDonald & Dave Foley from The Kids in the Hall.

I'm proud that my training, talent, and professionalism continue to attract such well-known comedians an actors to want to work with me. I take that same training, talent, and professionalism and channel it into what we do at Change Through Play.

Everyone on my teaching staff are adults who've been acting on stage in both scripted and unscripted work for a very long time. Those tasked with teaching children have - of course - taught kids for a long time. In addition, all teachers are trained personally by me, including with curriculum prep.

I'm writing today because, now: we want to work with your kids and give them the kind of training, talent, and professionalism that they just won't get from any other acting, comedy, or improv program in Stumptown.

All are welcome: actors, performers, and those with zero background on stage. Improvisation isn't just a tool for creating comedy on stage: it's also an extraordinarily valuable set of life skills.

We still have openings in both of our upcoming July Summer Improv Camps: 4 in our Middle School camp & 6 in our high school camp.

With just 10 spots per camp, your child will learn to:

• work collaboratively with others
• trust their instincts & be brave
• make new friends
• think quickly on their feet
• build confidence through unscripted play
• learn to communicate both verbally AND non-verbally

Did I also mention that it's a ton of fun?! There's a reason the word "Play" is in our name, y'all.

Click here to learn more or just scroll down. Then, give your kids the gift of getting far more than they'll get anywhere else in town as they play, learn, and grow.

We're looking forward to meeting you and your kids next month. Until then, Happy July 4th/250th Birthday of America to all of you! 🇺🇲 🎇

David Koff
Founder, Change Through Play Improv Studio

For Middle Schoolers:​
​CAMP IMPROV

Camp Improv is a one-week summer experience where middle schoolers can play, laugh, and build real confidence in a fun, supportive space.

Through high-energy games and guided scene work, campers will learn to think on their feet, collaborate with others, and express themselves with confidence (no acting experience needed!). Whether your child is outgoing, shy, or somewhere in between, they’ll find a welcoming community and a whole lot of joy here.

For High Schoolers:​
​SUMMER IMPROV WORKSHOP

Our Summer Improv Workshop is a one-week experience designed for high schoolers ready to play, laugh, and grow their confidence in a supportive, high-energy space.

Through dynamic games and scene work, students will learn to think on their feet, collaborate, and express themselves with confidence. By the end of the week, students will create and perform fully improvised scenes together.

Whether outgoing, shy, or somewhere in between, this is a space to try something new, make friends, and discover the power of saying “yes.”