FAQ
Got questions? We’ve got answers.
The class.
When does the next class start?
Our next session is Fall 2026. Classes begin Sunday 25 October and run six weeks: classes on 25 October, 1, 8, 15 and 22 November. We skip 29 November for Thanksgiving, and everyone performs at our showcase at the Ice House on Sunday 6 December.
We run sessions roughly every two months. The live dates and the enroll buttons are always on the class page.
What time are classes, and how long do they run?
Always Sundays. Three time slots:
- Kids class: 9:00–11:00am
- Adult Morning: 11:00am–1:30pm
- Adult Afternoon: 2:00–4:30pm
Please show up 15 minutes early. We start right on time so everyone gets their stage time.
Where do we meet? Is parking going to be a thing?
The Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, the oldest comedy club in America. Free street parking on Sundays, plus a paid parking structure directly across the street on Mentor. You will not be circling.
What actually happens in class? Walk me through it.
Week 1 we get to know everyone, take notes, introduce comedy principles and techniques, and start sketching out your first set. Weeks 2–5 you'll continue to write, perform twice each and every week, get personalized notes, and rewrite. The goal is a tight, true-to-you set by your final showcase.
You'll work with two instructors every week, and you'll be onstage twice per class, once in each room of The Ice House (the California Room and the Legendary Room). Your second time onstage is your opportunity to bring in a completely different set and get notes on new material, or take the notes from your first set and implement them right away for another round of feedback.
Either way, you're getting two stages and two coaches every week, not just one perspective.
In the final class, our director Suzanne Luna, a 6-time Emmy winner from Ellen, joins us to dial in your performance and stage presence.
We sprinkle in improv games occasionally as warm-ups, but this is a stand-up class. You leave with a written set and the chops to deliver it.
What are Office Hours?
Adult students get Office Hours on Google Meet: one hour, once a week, separate from the Sunday class. The day and time are set each week. It's a working session for the writing component: bring the set you're working on and get notes before the next class.
I've never done stand-up. Honestly, can I do this?
That's exactly who this class is built for. Roughly half of every cohort has never touched a mic: no open mics, no improv background, never wrote a joke down before. Trusting the process is the whole gig. We'll handle the rest. We mix in beginner comics with our returning comics and have the most supportive community around!
Can I come watch a class before I commit?
Absolutely! Auditing is free and encouraged. Email us which Sunday works and we'll save you a seat in the room. Coming to a graduation showcase is also a great way to see exactly what you'd be signing up for.
What if I have to miss a week?
Life happens. We work around it. The standard fix is to double up by joining both the morning and afternoon adult classes on another Sunday. On a case-by-case basis, we can sometimes schedule a one-time 20-minute Zoom to help you catch up. It's not a guarantee, but we always do our best to make sure you're prepared along the way. Either way, we'll send targeted homework so you don't fall behind. We generally require that you attend 3 of the 5 classes to perform in the final showcase.
I don't live in LA. Do you offer Private Training?
Yes! We offer Private Training: private 1-on-1 sessions built around your schedule, and from there you're welcome to join the final showcase at the world famous Ice House Comedy Club. We've had students fly in from Northern California, Vegas, Scottsdale, even Singapore: you come in early on showcase Sunday for stage time prep before you go up.
It works, and honestly, it's a great excuse to spend a weekend in Pasadena.
How do I sign up, and what do you need from me before class one?
Enroll on the class page: pick your time slot and pay by card, or over time with Klarna.
Once you're in, we'll send a Welcome email and you are all set!
Kids & teens.
What's the age range for the kids class?
The kids class is ages 5 to 16. Younger than 5, talk to us: the youngest performer so far was 3. Stand-up is an individual art form and we help write all of the youth sets so every young performer shines!
The adult class is recommended for 17 and up, so a 16 or 17 year old may take either class. Every performer under 18 is in the afternoon all-ages showcase, whichever class they took.
Do you do summer camps or week-long programs?
Not currently. We get asked this every June, so we feel your pain. The 6-week Sunday session is the format, and it runs year-round.
My kid is an actor. Will this help with auditions and getting an agent?
This is one of the strongest tools any young actor can have. Comedic casting offices regularly call our students in after seeing their stand-up clips; one of our kids landed a Disney general off his showcase video, and others have gone onto television series regular roles, movie and Broadway bookings from our class.
And the youth showcase itself? Agents and managers from CESD, DDO, Daniel Hoff Agency, Jackson Entertainment, The ESI Network, Ivy Artists Management, AEFH, Clear Talent Group, Coast to Coast, and others come scouting. We curate a parent-approved list of kids seeking representation and pass it along, and we make plenty of intros after the show. It's a real pipeline, and we have had multiple kids per show get signed because of this.
Will agents and managers actually be at the showcase?
Very likely, and pretty consistently! We do our best to invite a wide range of representatives to come and see our showcases. No promises, but the opportunity is real, and it's free.
The showcase & recordings.
When is the showcase?
Generally the Sunday after our 5th class, same venue, the Ice House. This session it's Sunday 6 December. The all-ages afternoon showcase usually goes up at 3pm, and the adult showcases run in the evening on the same Sunday. Call time for performers is one hour before showtime. We use the VIP Room as the green room.
Will I get a video of my set?
We offer a recording package which is an optional add-on at $200 + fees, and it's worth it. It's a 4-camera shoot, professionally color-graded, with audio sweetened from the audience channels plus a hero mic. Directed by Suzanne Luna (6-time Emmy winner). You'll get the final video and photos within about a month of the showcase.
Can my mom record from her seat?
Unfortunately no. The Ice House doesn't allow audience recording. That's exactly why we offer the professional package, so you walk away with a real broadcast-quality clip for your reel instead of a shaky vertical phone video taken from the third row.
How do my friends and family buy tickets?
Tickets are available on our tickets page. The showcase is open to the public, and every invite truly counts. Fill the room with people who love you because a room full of laughter is always the best!
Team Building Workshops.
Do you do corporate team-building workshops?
All the time: Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, Snapchat, Caltech, CalArts, Kaiser Permanente, Nature's Bakery, Long Beach State University, and plenty of others. It's generally a 2-hour improv-based workshop built around communication, trust, connection, creative problem-solving, and stress management. No awkward trust falls. No PowerPoint. No one has to be funny.
People leave laughing, and actually like each other more on Monday. We encourage deepening levels of connection through verbal and non-verbal communication.
“We hired Cool Beans Comedy for our company offsite and I am SO happy we did! The team had an amazing time bonding through comedy. It was one of the most talked about parts of our agenda — the team had a blast.”
What does a corporate workshop actually look like?
We come to you (or you come to us), and we run your team through a curated set of improv games designed for whatever you're trying to build: communication, leadership, cross-team trust, presentation skills, conflict defusion. Every workshop is customized to your group size and goals. We've worked with groups as small as 10, and gone up to 75.
Hop on a quick call with us and we'll send a tailored proposal with pricing within a day or two.
Pricing & payment.
How much does the class cost?
- 2026 6-week Class Price (kids or adult): $445 + fees
- 1-on-1 private coaching: $200 + fees / hour
- Professional video + photos of your showcase set: $200 + fees (optional)
Pay by card on the class page.
What's the refund / cancellation policy?
We don't offer refunds or cancellations. Classes are capped so everyone gets stage time every week, and your seat is held for you from the day you enroll.
What to do next, and about us.
I finished the class. Now what?
First: enjoy the high. Second: re-enroll. Most of our strongest students come back for round two (and three). That's how the muscle actually gets built.
The goal is to take your dream as far as you want to take it. Connect with other students, and get after your dream!
Can you help me get on real stages and open mics?
We're not a booking agency, but we do have a great community. Many of our past students run supportive open mics and shows, and Cool Beans Comedy also produces shows throughout the year: Boys & Girls Club fundraisers, Ice House features, and others, and we regularly book alumni on those bills.
Our suggestion is to work with a few friends from class and consider starting your own weekly writing group.
How do I keep working on my material between sessions?
One-on-one coaching: $200 + fees an hour. It's great for comics polishing a tight five, or anyone who wants to further push their material forward, or is great for actors with auditions coming up.
Who are you, and why should I learn from you?
Cool Beans Comedy is the most supportive comedy community around!
It was founded by Corey Martin Craig, author of Stand-Up Comedy for Beginners. He is a four-time TEDx speaker and national keynote speaker, and the guy who's coached Nickelodeon and Disney series regulars, and performers from 3 to 83.
Clients have performed all over the world and been featured on SiriusXM. Cool Beans Comedy teaches workshops for SAG-AFTRA, has partnered with Autism Speaks and the Boys & Girls Club, and we've been at this long enough to know what works, and what doesn't.
Cool Beans Comedy has over 200 million views on social media. And we are all about diversity, inclusion, and giving voice to the underdog. Come build something fun with us!
How do I get in touch?
Email is fastest: info@coolbeanscomedy.com. Phone: (626) 344-9519.
If we take a day or two to respond, we promise it's not personal. We teach three classes every Sunday, have many private coaching clients, and so the inbox lives a hard life. But we will always get back to you.
Got a question we missed?
Drop us a line.
We'll get back to you, probably between Sunday classes.