From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, 2013, the North Webster Community Center will be hosting a course for children ages 8-12 on the basics of comedy improve. Children outside of the age range may have a parent call to have attendance considered.

The event, which is scheduled during the North Webster students’ spring break, will encourage listening skills, trust building, self confidence and learning to work together.

The course will be instructed by Jill Olson, who studied improvisation at the iO Theater and Second City. Olson has performed on Soundchek and AIRBOURNE! at the iO Theater. Olson is also the producer of Storytown, a full improvised, interactive story for children ages 3-10 and their families. She has performed with The Moving Dock Theatre Company in “Unsung Stars,” “Frugal Love,” “The Quiltmaker’s Gift,” and “Dear … Reply, Forward, Send.” In addition to performing she has studied playwriting at The Chicago Dramatists.

Writing credits include “Left Unnamed” as part of the fifth Annual Women’s Performance Art Festival with Stockyards Theatre Project and Eleanor in “American Machine.” She wrote and produced “Mayfly: A Collection of Short Plays.” Jill Olson has served as Program Coordinator for “This Is ME” and currently handles children’s programming for The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival in connection with Stage 773 Theater. Before moving to Chicago, Jill taught creative dramatics in the Baltimore School system.