"New York's Comedy School."

-CBS TV

"The very best this wonderful city has to offer."

-The New York Times

"Best, most acclaimed top of the line stand-up comedy workshop anywhere."

-America's Talking

"Stephen Rosenfield is the best stand-up comedy teacher in North America."

-Marc Breslin, owner and booker of the largest chain of comedy clubs in the world - Yuk Yuk's

Student Testimonials

"People often ask me if I believe in 'Comedy Schools'. I don't. Unless it's Stephen Rosenfield's Stand-Up Comedy Workshop.

He's not a wannabe comic who's just teaching while waiting for his big break. Steve Rosenfield is simply a teacher, professor, a Master of the art of comedy and that is why he's the best, Plus I never have to worry about him stealing my jokes!"
- Sunda Croonquist

Sunda has appeared on Comedy Central, HBO, CBS, VH-1, Lifetime, was featured in the movie "Sex and Bullets" with Judd Nelson.

"If you could only have one relationship in stand-up comedy, make it ACI. Over the last 19 years ACI has established itself as the National Center for stand-up performance. Headliners find their voice at ACI and return year after year to brush up their technique. Just about every comic you've ever heard of has passed through ACI."

- Ted Greenberg

Ted Greenberg is an Emmy-Award winning comedy writer formely with David Letterman. He performs stand-up regularly throughout the northeast. He has been studying at the American Comedy Institute since 2005.

"As a corporate speaker I was motivated to take The American Comedy Institute?s year long program. Stephen Rosenfield and his staff are those rare diamonds that have taken me to the next level. My bookings have increased and my ability to write and deliver humorous material is the edge I was looking for?it has definitely set me apart from my colleagues."
- Brad Szollose

The American Comedy Institute is New York's Comedy School.

For training in comedy writing and performing, it is, according to the New York Times, "The very best this wonderful city has to offer."

"At the American Comedy Institute, we offer people training to persue comedy professionally or simply as something they love and want to learn how to do well.

Our comedy school offers two programs:

Stand-Up Comedy Workshop. Offered 9 times a year, the Stand-Up Comedy Workshop is designed to develop your own strong comedy material, and confident skillful delivery. It is offered to both beginners and advanced students.

The One-Year Professional Program. This program is the only comedy school of its kind in the United States, encompassing comedy performing and comedy writing in all its venues, from live performance to performing and writing for TV and film. Starting each September, is for people who know they want careers in comedy.

Making a career of comedy comes down to two things: Get Good and Get Seen. We provide our students with opportunities to do both. They perform at major clubs such as Gotham Comedy Club and Stand-Up New York. The One-Year Professional Program culminates in a showcase at Gotham Comedy Club attended by talent agents, managers and casting directors."

Stephen Rosenfield's students have made devlopment deals with CBS, ABC, Fox, Paramount, the Henson Co. and Tribune Entertainment to star in their own sitcoms.

He has produced, written and directed comedy shows at Gotham Comedy Club, Stand-Up New York, The Comic Strip, Gotham, PSNBC, The Improv, The Duplex and Don't Tell Mama.

Stand-Up Comedy Workshop

Whether you are just starting or already performing, The Stand-Up Comedy Workshop will help you:

• Create funny new material
• Punch up your current material
• Learn how to get more laughs from your ideas
• Get more laughs by performing characters and acting out scenes
• Crystallize your comic persona
• Learn advanced comedy writing techniques
• Increase your understanding of how to get agents, managers, and bookings

With intensive training in classes and private writing sessions conducted by award winning comedy director, Stephen Rosenfield, you will create your own stand-up set and perform at your choice of two great clubs: Gotham Comedy Club or Stand-Up New York.
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One-Year Professional Comedy Program

The One Year Professional Program in comedy performing and writing prepares students for careers in comedy.

Our faculty has taught students who have gone on to appear on:

• The David Letterman Show
• The Conan O'Brien Show
• HBO
• Comedy Central Presents
• Premium Blend
• Star Search
• Last Comic Standing
• That 70's Show
• MadTV
• Ed
• 24
• Saturday Night Live
• Seinfeld
• Welcome to New York
• Ellen
• Two Guys and a Girl
• Comedy Clubs around the World

Our students have signed development deals to star in their own sitcoms. They have appeared in one-person shows, on Broadway and in national TV commercials. They are performing stand-up in every comedy club in New York, Los Angeles, as well as clubs across the country and around the world. They have written for Saturday Night Live, The Chris Rock Show, The Dennis Miller Show, Norm Show, and Married with Children. The movies they have written include In the Company of Men, Nurse Betty, and Urban Legend.

The One Year Professional Program classes include:

• Stand-up Comedy
• Comedy writing
• Improvisation
• Sketch Comedy
• Sitcom Audition Technique
• Acting
• Commercial Audition Technique
• Industry Showcase

The One Year Program culminates in an Industry Showcase at Gotham Comedy Club, where students perform both their stand-up and sketch comedy. In past years, casting directors from CBS, ABC, NBC, HBO, MTV, Paramount, WB, and Nickolodeon, along with leading agents, managers, and bookers see the work of The One Year Program's graduating students.

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