Corporate Improv Training: Just What the Economy Ordered.

Business Editors & Entertainment Writers

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 31, 2002

Who would have thought that a small comedy theatre in Minneapolis would have the one type of corporate training that defies the economy and continues to grow in popularity despite recent events?

"For ten years, I have seen the profound effects that improvisational training can have on the corporate workplace, but never have I seen a time in which it is so vital for all of us to learn to improvise," said John Sweeney, corporate trainer and owner of the Brave New Workshop (BNW) Theatre. And, if the recent explosion of new clients is an indicator, Sweeney is right. Increasingly, more and more companies are realizing that well-established improvisational-based training can have a dramatic, positive and long lasting impact on employees working in a volatile economy.

Using an experiential learning process that blends training and entertainment, BNW's improvisation-based training helped clients like General Mills, GMAC-RFC, ConAgra Foods, Texas Instruments, and St. Paul Companies motivate employees, inspire vision, and deliver tough messages. Participants are taught to recognize that many of the qualities needed to create a good improv scene are equally effective in establishing a productive and innovative work environment, work team, and, most importantly, worker.

Steve Boland, former Manager, eBusiness Institute at Minnesota Technology, explained, "Our staff is still using techniques from our Brave New Workshop training months later. It has had a greater impact than any previous team-building efforts because it not only stays with you, but it brings a smile to everyone's face when the exercises are mentioned... Our staff never expected to both laugh and learn at a staff retreat! We got great evaluations and great team results from working with BNW."

Boland continued, "While other training groups have good messages, none work as quickly or last as long as BNW's techniques... John Sweeney and crew did an excellent job of exploring some very specific workplace issues with our staff."

Recently accepted into the National Speakers Association, Sweeney is perhaps the most experienced corporate improv trainer in the country and, drawing on several successful years in corporate real estate, has acted as consultant to companies seeking an improv-based view of their organization. In addition to Sweeney, the Brave New Workshop employs a stellar group of trainers, actors, and writers who are as comfortable in a boardroom as they are on stage in front of a sold out house of theatergoers.

"Testimony to the quality of our trainers is the fact that our corporate services business continues to grow drastically in an economy riddled with budget cuts," Sweeney pointed out, "and we've been able to expand our workshops to offer: creativity and innovation, teambuilding, communication, leadership, and change management training topics."

About Brave New Workshop

The Brave New Workshop (BNW) delivers a unique brand of improvisation, training, comedy, and music to corporations and organizations across the country. BNW services include: workshops and training across a variety of topics as well as client-specific learning points; live event entertainment; custom comedy sketches & audience-interactive improvisation; and keynote speeches.

Founded by Dudley Riggs in 1958, the BNW is the longest running satirical comedy theatre in the country and has exposed more than three million people to its world famous satirical comedy and improvisation.

For more information about the Brave New Workshop Theatre and improv-based training and entertainment, please visit http://www.bravenewworkshop.com/bncrelease.htm or call 612/332-6620.