A group of six people gathered around a man on his hands and knees on a wooden floor, with various surprised and animated expressions, indoors with yellow curtains and greenery in the background.
A group of six people joyfully dancing and laughing together in a room with wooden floors, a clock on the wall, and a green moss wall art. Four of them are standing while one is squatting, and they are all smiling and engaging in lively movement.

Welcome to
The Playful Stage

We are a Long Beach improv school where creativity meets personal growth. Our classes blend creative play, real connections, and bold self-expression, all in a supportive and inclusive space.

Whether you are new to improv, acting, or sketch comedy - or a seasoned performer, you'll find your voice, your confidence, and your community here.

The Playful Stage is a Black/Latinx/Queer-Owned
Small Business in Long Beach, CA

Upcoming Courses

Flyer for an improv course titled "Improv Essentials" by The Playful Stage, a six-week workshop running from July 27 to August 31, 2026, on Mondays from 7 pm to 9:15 pm at 4651 E. Anaheim St. Long Beach, CA. The flyer features a group photo of divers
Poster for a sketch comedy writing performance class at The Playful Stage, featuring photos of people in costumes and actors on stage, with details about class schedule, instructors, location, registration fee, and show date.
Poster for 'Improv Essentials Daytime Edition' on The Playful Stage, featuring a group photo of nine diverse people and a portrait of instructor Richard J. Martinez. The event runs Wednesdays from August 5 to 26, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 4651
A colorful flyer advertising 'Step-Up Play,' a theatrical performance workshop led by instructor DeRod Taylor at The Playful Stage in Long Beach, California. The flyer features images of people acting on stage and details about class schedule, perfor
Poster for a playwriting workshop titled 'Playing the Part: Acting with Penelope' at The Playful Stage, featuring instructor Penelope Pauley, who has she/her pronouns. The workshop explores scripted acting in an inclusive space. It runs from August 2
Flyer for 'Improv Essentials' six-week improv course on The Playful Stage, featuring a photo of diverse group of people smiling and posing together. Instructor Richard J. Martinez's photo in the bottom left. Course runs Mondays from September 8 to Oc
Poster for The Playful Stage's advanced improv course titled 'Genre Studies,' featuring images of characters from various genres including a superhero, cowboy, detective, witch, alien, and monster, with instructor Richard J. Martinez's photo and cour
Flyer for 'Improv for Personal Development' class at The Playful Stage, featuring a group of people on stage, with instructor Eric Price smiling in the foreground. Details include dates, times, location, and registration info.

Upcoming Drop-Ins & Workshops

Flyer for a free improv class titled 'Intro to Improv' scheduled for Thursday, August 20, 2026, from 7 pm to 9 pm at The Playful Stage, located at 4651 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA. The flyer features a photo of two people engaging in an improv act
Promotion for a workshop titled 'Rehearsing Resistance: Disrupting Racism Through Improv,' scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 1 pm to 4 pm, led by Dr. Evelyn Carter and Richard J. Martinez, at the Playful Stage, with a free workshop and im
BravePlay.png

Upcoming Events

Flyer for 'Play & Sip' improv jam nights at The Playful Stage in Long Beach, featuring improv games, drinks, and community. Event details include Thursdays at 7:30 PM, $5 registration, two-drink minimum, starting July 2nd. Hosted by Derod, with conta
A poster for 'The Playground,' an improv student jam night event, featuring a background with a chalk drawing on asphalt, a collage of photos of diverse people performing improv on stage, and details about the event including date, time, location, re
A promotional poster for a performance called 'The Tree House' by TPS improv students, scheduled for Sunday, August 16 at 3 pm at 4651 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA. The poster features a stylized tree with a house outline on top, set against a red
Poster for Play Day: Dungeons and Dragons event at The Playful Stage. Includes a colorful photo of dice and game towels, with pictures of two smiling men. The event is scheduled for Sunday, August 30, 2026, from 2pm to 6pm, at 4651 E. Anaheim St., Lo

Featured Filmed Performances:

See More Videos

Featured Blog Entries:

A colorful promotional image for a blog titled 'How Improv Cured My Language Anxiety,' featuring a smiling man with glasses and black hair, wearing a white t-shirt, and a collage of photos below with people interacting in various settings.

A colorful promotional image for a blog titled 'How Improv Cured My Language Anxiety,' featuring a smiling man with glasses and black hair, wearing a white t-shirt, and a collage of photos below with people interacting in various settings.

By Ali Kimmel (she/her)

By Ali Kimmel (she/her)

By Richard J. Martinez (he/him)

By Richard J. Martinez (he/him)

By Richard J. Martinez (he/him)

By Richard J. Martinez (he/him)

Newsletter:

A woman and a man are clasping hands, looking at each other in a wooden stage setting. The woman has red hair, a green t-shirt, dark jeans, and a watch. The man has curly dark hair, glasses, a maroon polo shirt, a gray zip-up hoodie, and black pants.
Group of diverse actors on stage, making expressive gestures and faces, dressed in colorful costumes, against a black background, suggesting a theatrical performance.
Four women, two sitting and two standing, are making puppets and watching a puppet show in a room decorated with a moss wall and a clock. There is a table with puppet supplies and a yellow curtain on the side.
Two people, a man and a woman, are laughing and holding hands, appearing to dance or play together indoors in front of a blue curtain, with a clock on the wall.