Betse's Info
Betse Green has been a very active member of the Portland Improv scene since 2002. Currently, she is an ensemble member and teacher at Curious Comedy Theater and CSz (ComedySportz) Portland. She also performs regularly with the acclaimed indy teams B&B, B.A.B.E., Broad Selection and Bliss. Her talents have been showcased performing and teaching at improv festivals and theaters across the Globe and she has Directed Festival Ensembles at the San Diego Improv Festival, Impride Festival (San Diego), Laugh Riot Festival (Phoenix) and directed the first ever Festival Ensemble at the San Francisco Improv Festival.She currently teaches classes and performs in-person and online adapting her style of teaching and performing to accommodate this medium.
Betse's studies have included ComedySportz, IO Chicago and under Master Class instructors including Coco Galore, Jill Bernard, Susan Messing, Joe Bill, Dave Razowsky and Tracy Burns. As a Certified Applied Improvisation Architect/Teacher she has created and facilitated applied improv curriculum in classrooms and corporate business.
With nearly two decades of improv experience, Betse Green knows a thing or two about “YES; AND…!” while still being able to address barriers both nervously personal and inherently societal. As a player & instructor, she has performed all over North America and Europe. Her curiosity compass points directly toward forming strong, grounded characters, whose honest relationships form the heart of the scene. She likes to play for the others: those people and situations that can otherwise be forgotten on the improv stage, as is apparent in her work with people possessing a wide range of abilities and experience. Her workshops explore a variety of topics-from improv basics, to guiding experienced players through complex territories such as race and gender, and how artists can incite and continue these conversations from the stage. Yet paramount to any ideology is FUN! Betse’s lust for life has made her a staple of the Oregon improv community and continues to propel her imagination and dedication to Portland’s improv stages and beyond
Betse's Workshops
"I've worked with Betse a number of times in the last 15 years. She is a delightful presence and brings intelligence, sensitivity, playfulness and a keen understanding of personal dynamics in which she supports and makes everyone around her even better in performance & workshops. I would work with Betse again any time & any where, in a heartbeat! " - Joe Bill - IO Chicago
"On the warm up workshop: Do you remember why you do all those warm up games?? Well, Betse does! Betse is a master at fitting the right warm up to the skill you want to practice or the show you want to play. Betse seems to have an endless variety of games which she teaches in the most loving and positive way you can imagine. And besides all the learning I also had tons of fun during this workshop. You will never look at warm ups the same after this workshop!" - Nardje Trepels - Impro Amsterdam (workshop participant)
"Don't always believe the saying, those who can't do a certain profession, teach. In Betse Green's case, those who can perform Improv can also do a terrific job of teaching it! Betse's gifts as an accomplished Improviser provide her with a wealth of ways to show any student how to discover the game and the fun of Improv. She is particularly adept at giving feed-back that encourages and empowers. A brilliant player and a gifted teacher. " - -Ellison W. (Student)