Wavelength

Wavelength is an ensemble of professional actors and educators that leverages the research-based benefits of humor, laughter, and improvisation to train, motivate, and inspire professional educators. Founded in 1980 by Jim Winter, a former high school English teacher, Wavelength connects the dots between teaching and acting, a realization that came to Winter while studying improvisation at the Players Workshop of Second City in Chicago.

The ensemble, convinced by Winter that their skills in celebrating and satirizing political and social situations would be beneficial to educators, has since focused their humor on educational themes, recognizing the endless material it provides. Wavelength has delivered its humorous and insightful keynote performances to over 1.5 million educators across more than 2500 school systems both in the U.S. and internationally.

Wavelength not only performs but also offers teacher-training workshops that apply theatrical and improvisational communication techniques to boost educators' creativity, collaboration, and classroom efficacy. Their shows, developed into award-winning DVD training packages, are typically hour-long performances by a team of five, including four actors and a piano accompanist, featuring a blend of audience-inclusive improvisations and scripted scenes.

The technical needs for Wavelength are minimal, requiring only that they be seen and heard, adaptable to both modest and elegant school settings, with audience sizes ranging from 35 to 10,000. The ensemble currently includes 25 actors and musicians, all trained in educational issues and improvisational performance, providing flexibility in booking and performer availability.

Wavelength’s notable alumni include actors like Bob Odenkirk and Dan Castellaneta, and screenwriters such as Danny Rubin and Mary Ruth Clarke, highlighting the ensemble’s impact on both educational and entertainment sectors. Acknowledged as "the best in-service ever" by numerous teachers, Wavelength has crafted six live performances that excel in engaging and inspiring audiences, respected for their professionalism and insightful approaches to educational challenges through their foundational credo: Communication through Comedy.