Magnet Genius Machine is the corporate training and workshop division of the Magnet Theater & Magnet Training Center, an improvisation, sketch comedy, and storytelling school.
get in touchTo think fast, you have to slow down and listen – to your client, to your gut, and to each other. Improv is ‘listening training.’
All of our workshops harness the power of ‘Yes, and…’ This mutual agreement is the basic principle of all good improvisation. We say “Yes” to each other’s ideas, and then build directly off that idea with “and…”
Make your partner (colleague, co-worker) look like a genius, and they will start doing and saying things that are, well, genius. When we begin with an attitude of support, creatively flourishes.
Stories are tools we use to make sense of the world. Stories have a profound impact on us because they engage different parts of our brains at the same time, generating a web of new emotional and logical connections in our mind. We use stories to educate, persuade, convey our values and bring us together. Crafting a good story and telling it well are skills that can be learned and practiced.
We use improvisation to help groups generate ideas. Innovating takes teamwork, focus, energy and risk. Our ideation facilitator packs all of those elements into a high-performance session, using a process designed to remove the obstacles that prevent great ideas from getting through, and tricks us into building on an idea before we have a chance to give up on it. Sessions work well when designed around a specific goal or set of business problems.
Rick Andrews is an instructor and performer at The Magnet Theater, and has been studying, performing, and teaching improvisation since 1999. He began improvising with Improv Boston.
Ed Herbstman began teaching improv to organizations with SC Communications in Chicago while he was a member of the Second City National Touring Company.
Melanie Hoopes is the Executive Storytelling Coach for The Rutgers Executive Leadership Program for Women and holds a Master’s Degree from NYU’s Gallatin School Of Individualized Study with a concentration in Education, Performance and Nutrition.
Elana Fishbein is a performer, instructor, and Director of the Youth Program at the Magnet Theater. She holds a Master’s degree in Educational Theater from NYU.
Nick Kanellis is an instructor, performer, and coach at the Magnet Theater. He was born and raised in Iowa, and began his theater and improv training at Northwestern University.
Jocelyn is a former corporate attorney at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, and represented clients such as Goldman Sachs, Citibank, General Electric and American Capital Strategies.
Megan is a writer, performer, teacher and native New Yorker. She has been studying improvisation for over a decade and performed with Second City aboard the NCL Gem.
Louis Kornfeld is a teacher and long-time ensemble member at the Magnet Theater.
Peter McNerney is head of the Conservatory Program at the Magnet Theater.
Adam has been performing in New York City for the past ten years. He’s an 21-time StorySLAM Champion at The Moth, and a 2-time GrandSLAM Champion.
Hannah Chase is a teacher and performer of improvisation, as well as a career counselor.
It’s easy to start the conversation and see how we can meet your needs.
Fill out the form or reach out to us at:
corporate@magnettheater.com