Arizona's Premier Improv Training Center

The Art of Improv.

Think fast. Laugh hard. Speak up.

8360 East Raintree Drive, #110, Scottsdale, Arizona
480.612.0298

Scottsdale improv classes. Come as you are. Leave a little funnier.

The Outcasters is an improv training center in North Scottsdale, Arizona, offering weekly drop-in improv classes ($20), online classes on Zoom ($10), and corporate training, all led by author and coach Joe Hammer.

Build confidence, think faster on your feet, and laugh harder than you have all week. No experience. No audition. Just show up and have fun!

Live Classes in North Scottsdale
Wednesdays, 6–8 PM, off the Loop 101

$20

Online Classes on Zoom
Tuesdays, 6–7:30 PM AZ time, max 10 students

$10

Improv Books by Joe Hammer

The Improv Edge

Blank to Brilliant

Also by Joe: The Unconscious Authority

5.0 ★★★★★

Check out our class reviews!
See what our students are saying →

Every class is taught by Joe Hammer, communication coach and author of The Improv Edge and Blank to Brilliant.

Laugh more. Communicate better. Step outside your comfort zone.

Looking for a fun, supportive way to boost your confidence, think faster on your feet, and connect with others? At The Outcasters Improv Training Center, our improv classes are designed for real people who want to laugh more, communicate better, and step outside their comfort zone… no acting experience required!

Led by improv director and communication coach Joe Hammer, founder of The Outcasters and author of The Improv Edge and Blank to Brilliant!, classes combine professional coaching with an energetic, welcoming atmosphere that helps students grow at their own pace. Joe’s teaching style blends comedy, creativity, confidence-building, and real-world communication skills into an experience that’s both transformational and ridiculously fun.

Whether you’re naturally outgoing or painfully shy, improv helps you become more comfortable in conversations, more confident speaking in front of groups, and more present in everyday life. You’ll learn to trust your instincts, quiet overthinking, react in the moment, and have FUN doing it. Many students join simply looking for a creative outlet… and end up discovering a whole new side of themselves!

Want to get serious with your improv?
Become a PREMIER MEMBER NOW

Register for a class

Pick your night and save your spot.

Why the Valley picks The Outcasters

Arizona’s premier improv training center, where anyone, shy or outgoing, can build confidence, think faster, and laugh more every single week.

Improv as a life skill

Joe trains leadership teams for a living. You’ll leave with tools for meetings, interviews, presentations and first dates, not just better scenes.

Joe teaches every class

No comedian instructors. Two books on improv and communication, decades of corporate training, and a coach who knows your name.

Drop in any week

No semesters, no auditions, no competition. Improv is a learnable skill… and we teach it in a way that makes the process exciting, supportive, and completely pressure-free. Come when you can. Want more? Go Premier.

Beginners are the point

Nobody is expected to “perform” or already know how to be funny. Some of our most successful students walked through the doors convinced they had no creativity at all… and soon became masterful improvisors!

Meet your instructor, Joe Hammer

Joe Hammer has been actively presenting powerful personal and business development seminars and entertainment programs for decades. Complementing his books, THE IMPROV EDGE and BLANK TO BRILLIANT, Joe’s improv classes and workshops deliver high-impact content from his extensive training with Magnet Theater, Upright Citizens Brigade and Impro Theatre, including disciplines with fellow improv authors Mick Napier of The Annoyance Theater and Will Hines of UCB.

Joe’s classes go beyond simple improv games; you’ll discover practical and constructive principles of both short and long form improvisation, all while enjoying ample stage time, personalized coaching and considerate feedback. There’s something new in every class!

And it’s all taught in a safe, respectful, and non-judgmental setting. No egos. No harassment. No criticism. Just progressive improv training in a positive environment!

Joe with Ryan Stiles and Jonathan Mangum of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

“At The Outcasters, improv isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being playful, fearless, creative, and fully present. Come discover why so many students say improv has changed not only the way they perform… but the way they live!”

Joe Hammer
Founder & Director, The Outcasters Improv Training Center

What students say…

“I came to The Outcasters having never done improv. One night and I’m hooked!”

“Joe Hammer’s Outcasters Improv classes are the best in the biz. Whether you are new to improv or an experienced performer, Joe will take you to higher levels quickly.”
★★★★★

“A fun way to learn how to listen and build off someone else’s input, a priceless skill in the world of business. It is a safe, non-judgmental, encouraging environment!”
★★★★★

“A fun time. Lots of laughter. Your stomach is going to hurt by the end of the night!”

“It is so fun! In fact I plan my weeks around Wednesdays now!”

“This is NOT a competitive environment, and it attracts a wide range of interesting, kind students from various backgrounds.”
★★★★★

“I fell head over heels for improv classes on my first session. Everything was amazing: the people, the structure, Joe’s insight, the laughs!”
★★★★★

“Everyone was extremely welcoming and Joe was a fantastic teacher. I felt comfortable participating and didn’t feel I had to worry about any judgment. We were all in it together.”
★★★★★

“The best class I’ve ever participated in! I can’t wait until next Wednesday!”

“I enjoyed learning so much from Joe! He reminded me how even the small things in a scene are what truly bring it to life.”
★★★★★

Pick your way in...

Hilarious improv games, scene work, character development, storytelling, and quick-thinking activities. Beyond the laughs, students often notice improvements in public speaking, social confidence, leadership, dating, networking, and everyday communication.

Live drop-in class

Wednesdays, 6–8 PM, North Scottsdale

$20

The heart of The Outcasters. Two hours of play with a welcoming crew from across the Phoenix area.

Classes are designed to feel encouraging, inclusive, and beginner-friendly. Expect warm-up games, scene work and plenty of laughs, with Joe’s coaching to help you grow a little more every week.

Come solo or bring a friend. First-timers are always welcome, and we’re just two minutes off the Loop 101 at Raintree.

Drop-in class details Register Now

Online Zoom Class

Tuesdays, 6–7:30 PM AZ time · $10

Capped at 10 students, so you get real stage time from home.

Online class details Register Now

Premier Membership

Both weekly classes, plus more · $75/mo

Get serious with your improv training. All weekly class plus quarterly immersive workshops and more.

No registrations required.

Premier details Register Now

Corporate Training & Team Building

For companies and teams

Keynotes, workshops and team building that help your people listen, adapt and collaborate.

See corporate training →

Workshops

Public and private

Go deeper into short-form and long-form improv.

See workshops →

Corporate improv training in Phoenix & Scottsdale

Business doesn't come with a script.

A customer changes direction. A presentation goes sideways. A team needs to solve a problem now. INFLUENTIAL INTERACTIONS is Joe Hammer’s improv-based training that teaches your people how to respond: listen better, adapt faster and collaborate under pressure.

Unlike comedians attempting corporate training, Joe has spent decades as a professional speaker and business trainer. It isn’t improv for the stage. It’s communication training.

Engage, Adapt & Influence… Get the Improv Edge in Business!

Communicate with Confidence. Listen with Impact.

The Improv Edge keynote

A high-energy opener for your conference, offsite or leadership summit that gets the room engaged and thinking differently about communication.

Interactive workshop

Hands-on training in listening, adaptability and collaboration, built around your team’s real challenges… and in a fun way!

Lasting team habits

Practical tools participants use immediately for thinking faster, collaborating better and handling the unexpected with confidence.

Here’s what some of Joe’s clients have to say…

1–3 of 16

Joe and his team provided a very fun and impactful experience for our executive team. I immediately saw everyone highly engaged... What a fun and valuable lesson to listen carefully before responding. I would highly recommend this experience for a team!

It was one of the most raved-about experiences we've ever presented… It will change the landscape of how you do business!

Joe was able to help us move into a space of vulnerability and ease... Our team-building session with Joe and The Outcasters led to high team morale; it genuinely increased our joy and time spent together.

Joe did a great job getting everybody immersed right from the get-go. It was definitely one of the highlights of our summit. We would absolutely recommend them to anyone!

The team was very trepidatious about doing improv, and the Outcasters created a safe space for the team to let their guards down... Those who hadn't done improv before said it was not what they were expecting, and they had a great time!

I want to give a big 'thank you' to Joe. It was an amazing session… I can't recommend this highly enough!

We've used Joe several times to come out and talk to our team... he breaks it all down in keeping people a little more intuitive in what they're saying and how they're reacting.

Trusted by Arizona organizations including

Banner Health, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Advise Insurance, Fingerpaint, GMR Marketing, Driven Inc., Business Growth Academy, The Panozzo Team and more progressive companies recognizing the value in improv communications for their organizations.

On-site anywhere in Arizona, virtually, or at our North Scottsdale training center. Corporate training in Phoenix

As featured in the Scottsdale Independent

Hear it from the executives.

Banner Health’s leadership team, Advise Insurance’s agents and the creatives at Fingerpaint have all put Joe to work. See what they said about the experience, and imagine your team in the room.

Hire the troupe

Clean, audience-driven shows for your event

Corporate improv shows

Entertainment built for your crowd

Improv for a Cause

Fundraising shows for schools and nonprofits

Improv classes in Scottsdale & Phoenix: quick answers

“I have been attending improv classes with The Outcasters for six months and have found them to be an enjoyable diversion from my regular routine. Joe runs the class effectively, introducing games to hone our skills, providing insightful tips, and facilitating a welcoming and friendly environment. Mistakes and blunders are inevitable yet forgiven and I highly recommend the class for anyone looking to experience some laughs and develop their interpersonal skills.”

Outcasters student

What is The Outcasters?

An improv training center and comedy troupe in Scottsdale, Arizona, founded by Joe Hammer, author of The Improv Edge and Blank to Brilliant. We offer weekly adult improv classes, Zoom classes, youth programs, workshops, live shows and corporate improv training.

Where are classes held?

8360 East Raintree Drive, Suite 110, in North Scottsdale, about two minutes off the Loop 101 Raintree exit. Students come from across the Phoenix area, including Tempe, Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert. Online classes are open to anyone.

When are classes and how much do they cost?

Live drop-in classes: Wednesdays, 6–8 PM, $20. Zoom classes: Tuesdays, 6–7:30 PM Arizona time, $10. Premier Membership: $75/month for both weekly classes plus quarterly immersive workshops.

Do I need acting or comedy experience?

No. Most students have never been on a stage. You don’t need to be funny, and there are no auditions unless you want to join the Outcasters troupe.

Are these improv classes for actors?

They’re for everyone. Because they’re taught by a corporate communication trainer, the focus is on everyday skills: listening, confidence, speaking up and thinking on your feet. Actors are welcome too.

Who teaches the classes?

Every class is taught by Joe Hammer, a corporate trainer and professional speaker with decades of experience teaching communication skills. He wrote The Improv Edge, Blank to Brilliant and The Unconscious Authority.

Why learn improv from a corporate trainer instead of an actor?

Actors teach improv as a performance craft. Joe teaches it as a communication skill, the same way he trains leadership teams and healthcare staff. You still get plenty of laughs and stage time, and you leave with tools for meetings, interviews and everyday conversations.

Do you offer improv for kids or companies?

Yes. Youth classes serve ages 8–17. Corporate training, team building and keynotes are available on-site anywhere in Arizona, virtually, or at our Scottsdale training center.

Still curious? See more FAQs or ask us directly.

Your first scene is this Wednesday...

Twenty bucks. Two hours. Zero pressure. Worst case, you make new friends and laugh a lot…

The Outcasters Improv Training Center
8360 East Raintree Drive, #110
Scottsdale, AZ 85260

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