Improv FOR work. IMPROV FOR LIFE.

CITYSTAGES HELPS PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS THINK FASTER, LISTEN BETTER AND CONNECT MORE DEEPLY THROUGH THE CREATIVE PRACTICE OF IMPROVISATION — AT WORK, ON STAGE, ONLINE AND EVERYDAY LIFE.

WORK WITH VINCE

IMPROV ONLINE

Join Vince online this January for “Yes, and AI,” an interactive online course that invites you to explore AI as a creative mirror to reinforce improvisational principles by offering endless, low-stakes practice between live human sessions. Through improv exercises, you’ll learn to collaborate with AI as a partner in curiosity, discovery and expression.

IMPROV IRL

Join Vince, and his longtime Improv mentor, Patricia Ryan Madson, this January for “Everyday Spontaneity: Improvising Our Lives,” an in-person Stanford Continuing Studies course WELL 173. Registration opens in December — enrollment is limited,
click here for more info.

IMPROV ON-DEMAND

From 1:1 coaching to workplace team-building, Vince will partner with you to design a customized program to harness the power of Improv to create dynamic, results-driven experiences that strengthen communication, adaptability and connection across teams.

step onto Your Next stage. Stay Playfully, wonderfully, defiantly human.

IMPROV ONLINE

turn your screen into a stage

Yes, and AI … Human Connection in the Age of Algorithims

How can we stay human — curious, adaptable and connected — in a world shaped by machines?

This 3-week exploration uses improvisation principles to build core human skills: presence, adaptability and authentic connection. Through the lens of Improv's Three Core Fears (Judgment, Losing Control, and Exposure), participants will develop confidence and creativity that translates into everyday life.

Sessions begin on January 22nd. We’ll meet on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8 PM PT - click here for more details.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM VINCE’S COURSE EARLIER THIS YEAR

The Improvisor’s ToolBox: Embrace the Unexpected

Step into a safe, virtual Zoom space where creativity, connection and confidence come alive — no spotlight required. Online improv sessions transform your screen into a stage for discovery, collaboration and laughter. Through interactive exercises and real-time feedback, you can learn to listen deeply, respond with agility and bring your most authentic self forward — whether you’re leading a meeting, presenting an idea, or simply navigating everyday conversations.

IMPROV IRL

Real people. Real laughs. No script required.

Everyday Spontaneity: Improvising Our Lives

Join Vince and Improv teacher and author, Patricia Madson Ryan, in discovering how the art of improvisation can bring more ease, presence and joy into your daily life. In this playful, uplifting course, we’ll explore Improv exercises that spark creativity, deepen connection and help you navigate the unexpected with confidence and humor. No stage experience needed — just curiosity, openness and a willingness to say “yes, and” to whatever comes your way!

Offered through Stanford Continuing Studies (DRA 173) during Winter Quarter 2026, this eight-week in-person course invites you to explore the art of living more creatively and spontaneously. We’ll meet Monday evenings on Stanford Campus from 6:30–8:00 p.m., January 12 through March 16, 2026. Registration opens December 1, 2025 — contact Vince for details.

IMPROV ON DEMAND

Improv that fits YOU & your team like a glove

From 1:1 coaching to workplace team-building, Vince will partner with you to design a customized program that harnesses the power of Improv to spark creativity, strengthen collaboration, and build trust in any environment. These dynamic, hands-on sessions help professionals and teams communicate with greater clarity, listen with curiosity and adapt with confidence — even when plans change. Whether you’re leading a team, navigating change, or looking to bring more play and presence into your everyday interactions, you’ll discover practical tools to turn uncertainty into opportunity and connection into momentum.

Vince recently led two hands-on workshops where a creative team experimented with AI as a design partner. Through improv-based exercises and real-world scenarios, participants learned to prototype faster, challenge assumptions, and uncover hidden user insights. Rotating roles and interactive simulations revealed how AI could amplify—not replace—their creative process. The team walked away with battle-tested prompts, shared vocabulary for AI collaboration and fresh confidence that the right tools enhance human ingenuity.

“Improv can give us confidence and wings to fly. Come and learn to play games that provide laughter and new ways of seeing the world. I have known Vince Ricci for OVER 30 years. He is one of the top teachers of this work/play. I recommend his work.”

– Patricia Ryan Madson, Improv Wisdom author and founder Stanford Improvisors

vince ricci - IMPROV COACH, CONSULTANT & EDUCATOR

Vince Ricci is a lifelong educator, performer, and leadership coach who has spent more than 25 years exploring how Improvisation can spark creativity, confidence and connection. As a Stanford student, Vince co-founded and served as the first education director of the Stanford Improvisors under the mentorship of Improv author and educator Patricia Ryan Madson—an experience that launched his enduring passion for the transformative power of Improv.

His work has taken him around the world, from teaching writing and presentation skills at the University of Tokyo, to leading improvisation courses at Stanford University, to performing with Bay Area Theatresports. Along the way, he’s also guided professionals as a leader in the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants, serving as both board director and president. His innovative approaches to teaching and communication have been featured in Applied Improvisation Magazine.

Today, Vince brings his global experience and Stanford-honed methods to “Yes, and AI”—a Stanford Continuing Studies course that helps adults build resilience, creativity, and calm in moments of uncertainty. Whether in a classroom, on stage, or in everyday life, Vince’s mission is to help people discover how the spirit of improvisation can open doors to joy, adaptability, and authentic human connection.