• The Peoples Improv Theater

  154 West 29th Street, 212-563-7488; thepit-nyc.com

  Maybe you want to be the next Jon Stewart, maybe you want to conquer your fear of public speaking, maybe you just want to improve your goofing-around-in-a-staff-meeting skills. Whatever the case may be, Peoples Improv Theater is an outstanding way to hone your comedy skills. Former Saturday Night Live writer Ali Farahnakian and Second City alum Armando Diaz opened the improv workshop (affectionately known as the Pit) six months ago, having coached, directed, and performed with comedians from SNL, Late Night With Conan O’Brien, and The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. Students learn the secrets of no-net comedy in classes of eight to sixteen. After one three-hour session per week (six to eight weeks per class; $250–$300), you’ll have the confidence to kill even the toughest crowd.

From the 2003 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine