Musical Improv Level One

Musical Improv Level One with Michael Lutton and Stoddard "Stoddy" Blackall

Full...

Check below to see the full schedule for each session, see if your class skips a week for a holiday, and check out the date and time of your class show(s).

Class Description


Learn how to put your thoughts and emotions into song and take your improv scenes to the next level! In this 8-week course you will learn the song structures you need to make up musicals on the spot. No need to be an experienced singer! Through exercises in group dynamic, support, and movement, you will learn how to turn every song you improvise into a full-blown musical number. 8 weeks of classes followed by a class performance.

Instructor: Michael Lutton

Michael has been a Magnet instructor since 2011. He has travelled the country performing in festivals and has taught workshops in Boston and Washington, DC. He has also taught several corporate and team-building workshops.

He began improvising in 2006, and was lucky to train with teachers such as Armando Diaz, Rachel Hamilton, James Eason, and Tara Copeland.

Michael currently teaches Level 1, Level 4: Monoscene, Musical Improv Level 1 and Musical Improv Level 3.

In addition to his teaching duties, Michael is the Director of the Musical Improv Program at the Magnet.


Stoddard Blackall has a bachelor of music in songwriting from Berklee College of Music and composing accolades from the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. In addition to being an all-night entertainer for Brandy's Piano Bar and The Duplex, Stoddard has served as pianist for the People’s Improv Theater, UCB, and traveling musical improv troupes such as Broadway’s Next Hit Musical and This Is Your Life.

Stoddard’s musical comic, When It’s You: The Songstrip is available at the StoddyStore, and on the shelves at Anyone Comics in Crown Heights.

His original songs can be found on all streaming services, featuring his brand new album, HoneyBe, which dropped on January 1st! Please visit Stoddardblackall.com, and make sure to catch him improvising songs every week on TikTok (@stodify)! Thank you for the undying inspiration, Frank Spitznagel!

Full Session Schedule


Session Schedule*

  1. Oct 3, 2026, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
    at Ripley Grier (520 8th Ave, 16th fl)
    (btw 36th & 37th Sts)
  2. Oct 10, 2026, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
    at Ripley Grier (520 8th Ave, 16th fl)
    (btw 36th & 37th Sts)
  3. Oct 17, 2026, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
    at Ripley Grier (520 8th Ave, 16th fl)
    (btw 36th & 37th Sts)
  4. Oct 24, 2026, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
    at Ripley Grier (520 8th Ave, 16th fl)
    (btw 36th & 37th Sts)
  5. Oct 31, 2026, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
    at Ripley Grier (520 8th Ave, 16th fl)
    (btw 36th & 37th Sts)
  6. Nov 7, 2026, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
    at Ripley Grier (520 8th Ave, 16th fl)
    (btw 36th & 37th Sts)
  7. Nov 14, 2026, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
    at Ripley Grier (520 8th Ave, 16th fl)
    (btw 36th & 37th Sts)
  8. Nov 21, 2026, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
    at Ripley Grier (520 8th Ave, 16th fl)
    (btw 36th & 37th Sts)

Show Schedule*

  1. Nov 22, 2026, 9:00 PM
    at Magnet Theater
    (254 W. 29th Street)
  2. *scheduling subject to change