ATTENDANCE

If you miss more than 2 classes you will not be eligible to move forward with VGI’s curriculum*, and will have to retake the class. We do not offer sitting in on a different class as a “make-up”, as each group is on their own journey.

*Exceptions may be made per the discretion of VGI.

Late Policy: Please show up to class early or on time, and inform your instructor ASAP if you will be late and/or absent for a class. There is a 20 minute grace period once class begins, otherwise you will be marked absent.

PAYMENT

Payment is expected in full before the start of class. The deadline to pay is one day before a class is scheduled to start.

Refund policy: The last day to receive a refund for cancellation is one day before the class is scheduled to start. Refunds will not be offered after class begins, besides due to exceptional circumstances per the discretion of VGI.

We have the right to exclude members who are not acting appropriately. They will not be eligible for a refund. Please see our harassment and offensive behavior policies for more information.

CLASS CANCELLATION

In case of inclement weather, or an exceptional circumstance, an announcement will be made at least two hours before your class and posted on our social media (instagram), and we will also send an email to all students.

*At this time, we do not plan to reschedule classes that are cancelled nor offer prorated refunds, and hope it is a rare occurrence for this to happen. If class is cancelled it will not affect your attendance.

HARASSMENT

You have the right to feel safe in your environment. Your instructors have the right to feel safe. If anything happens in or around class that makes you uncomfortable, we encourage you to address this with your instructor as early as possible. If you have an issue that you do not feel comfortable discussing with your instructor, you are welcome to contact any member of VGI leadership. If you do not feel you can bring your concerns to VGI leadership – or feel your concerns are not being appropriately heard or addressed – we encourage you to contact Phoenix Theater’s Improv Education Coordinator Sean Dillon (SeanDActor@gmail.com). The Phoenix works in partnership with VGI to present improv classes, but Sean is not employed by VGI, and is empowered to investigate and act upon concerns that are brought to his attention.

To read VGI’s full harassment policy, go to our website (verygoodimprov.com/policies). In summary, under no circumstances should you be expected to tolerate unwelcome sexual attention or advances from an instructor, fellow student, or anyone at VGI, whether that happens inside or outside class, online, via text, or any other method. While there are limits to what we can help with outside the walls of our classrooms, we ask you to advise us as situations arise so that we can address them to the best of our ability and identify patterns.

OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOR

All things are possible in improv, but some topics and behaviors are only appropriate for a team that rehearses regularly and has agreed to them. Because this is a safe learning environment, here are the rules:

• Please respect your classmates’ physical and content boundaries.

• Your instructor will immediately end scenes that they determine are on inappropriate topics.

• You can also stop scenes on these topics.

We have the right to exclude members who are not acting appropriately. They will not be eligible for a refund. To read VGI’s full policy, go to our website (verygoodimprov.com/policies).

COVID-19 PROCEDURES

Please do not come to class if you have COVID symptoms, or have had a fever in the past 24 hours. If you should develop COVID please let us know so we can alert your classmates of potential exposure. Please mask if you have been exposed to COVID.



PARKING & NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY

To prevent break-ins please don’t leave anything visible on the seat of your car. After night classes, please walk with a buddy.

MENTAL HEALTH

Improv is therapeutic but it is not therapy. This class is not a substitute for treatment from a mental health professional.

FEEDBACK & QUESTIONS

If you have any feedback or questions, please email VGI (verygoodimprov@gmail.com) or submit an anonymous message on our website (verygoodimprov.com/contact). Please do not hesitate to send questions, comments, or concerns our way.

It is the policy of Very Good Improv (“VGI”) to maintain a working, performing and learning environment free from sexual, racial, age-based, religious, ethnic, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, and any other form of forbidden harassment of any staff, instructor, performer, or student. Such harassment in any manner or form is expressly prohibited. It is also the policy of VGI that no individual be subjected to any unwelcome conduct that is or should be known to be offensive because of his or her gender, race, age, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or other protected category. 

VGI recognizes that the environment is not typical of common workplaces due to being a place to learn and perform comedy. The work that we do can sometimes veer toward being “blue” or “R-rated,” and the atmosphere of the community is social as well as professional. It is not the intention of VGI to mimic an office environment. While this may require a more nuanced reading of social cues than the more clearly defined office environment, it is the hope of VGI that with a combination of communication, common sense, respect, and empathy, the community can create an environment that prioritizes safety. 

All reported or reasonably suspected occurrences of forbidden harassment will be investigated (in accordance with the procedures outlined below) in a confidential manner and as promptly and thoroughly as is practicable and necessary. Where forbidden harassment has occurred, VGI will take appropriate disciplinary, educational, or other corrective action, up to and including termination from a staff position, the loss of the ability to perform or be in the audience at VGI shows and jams, or the immediate revocation of a student’s ability to take classes at VGI. We have the right to exclude members who are not acting appropriately, and they will not be eligible for a refund.

There will be no retaliation against an individual who has complained about or reported alleged forbidden harassment or who has cooperated with an investigation of alleged forbidden harassment, regardless of the outcome of the investigation. 

I. CONDUCT PROHIBITED BY THE POLICY

For purposes of this Policy, forbidden harassment includes the following:  Hostile Environment Harassment. Hostile environment sexual harassment may occur when there are unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Also, non-sexual conduct that is unwelcome and offensive and which is directed at an individual because of the individual’s gender may create a hostile environment. Racial, age-based, religious, ethnic, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, and other forbidden forms of harassment may occur when there is conduct which is motivated by or relates to an individual’s race, age, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or other characteristics protected by law or policy. Hostile environment harassment occurs when such conduct is sufficiently severe or pervasive to and does: (i) unreasonably interfere with an individual’s work, performance or ability to learn, or (ii) create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work, performance, or learning environment. 

II. RESPONSIBILITIES

VGI will make reasonable efforts to see that the actions of its leadership members, supervisory employees, directors, and instructors are free from forbidden harassment, and will take appropriate corrective action when it learns of such forbidden harassment. VGI will also take appropriate corrective action in those instances where its leadership members, supervisory employees, directors, and instructors learn of forbidden harassment of any instructors, performers, or students.   

All levels of VGI leadership, management, supervisory employees, directors and/or instructors will: 

• Reject any offer or promise of sexual or other favors made by any employee, performer, or student in anticipation of or in exchange for some employment, performance, or educational decision and at the same time advise such employee, performer, or student that such an exchange violates VGI’s policy and will not be tolerated.

• Avoid forbidden harassment, including the appearance of such harassment, by refraining from actions, language, and jokes, and by disposing of materials such as posters or magazines which could reasonably be anticipated to offend an employee, performer, or student.

• Report to VGI leadership, in accordance with the procedures set forth below, any forbidden harassment that they observe, that is made known to them by others, or that they reasonably suspect has occurred.

• Assure VGI staff, performers, and students as necessary that all forms of harassment are expressly prohibited, that VGI will investigate reported and suspected occurrences of forbidden harassment, and that VGI will take appropriate corrective action when forbidden harassment is found to have occurred.

• In addition, instructors will refrain from dating their current students, unless they were in a relationship before the class began. Directors will refrain from dating current cast members or assistant directors, unless they were in a relationship before the show began.

Developed in collaboration between Pam Victor and the “Improv Teachers' Support & Collaboration Group” Facebook group, adapted by HUGE Theater, and further adapted by VGI.

• You have the right to be and feel safe during performances, rehearsals, and classes.

• You have the right to be treated respectfully.

• You have the right to set boundaries regarding physical contact and subject matter that might trigger a negative emotional response. You have the right to dictate what kind of physical touch you will receive.

• You have the right to immediately step out of any scene, performance, rehearsal, or class in which you feel unsafe or uncomfortable. And you have the right to excuse yourself from any scene or exercise at any time without explanation.

• You have the right to inform your instructor of anything you want them to know ahead of time, such as physical or emotional conditions that might make playing certain games difficult or uncomfortably challenging.

• You have the right to speak to any instructor, VGI leadership, or any other VGI representative regarding behavior by any person that you feel infringes on your rights. You also have the right to file an anonymous report.

• If you are personally aware of any conduct that would have been a violation of your rights if directed toward you, you have the same right to report that conduct as if you were the target.

• You have the right to define what feels fun and what feels comfortable (and uncomfortable) for you without judgment from others.

• You have the right to turn down a suggestion you feel is demeaning.

• You have the right to fail.

• You have the right to be brilliant.

• You have the right to love your work.

• Exercising any of these rights will not adversely affect your ability to progress in classes, to be cast in or be booked for shows.  

• VGI is a separate entity from the Phoenix Theater (A Project of Arts Nest). Please contact VGI for any questions, comments, concerns, etc.