Biography

Originally from the United States and a Tokyo resident since 1994, Chris Wells is a founding member of the Tokyo Comedy Store (now Improvazilla), where he directs the Improvazilla Impro Dojo. He was an Asian Region Representative for the International Theatresports Institute’s Board of Directors for 8 years, and he is an approved ITI instructor.

Improv has been a cornerstone of Chris’ life in Japan and since high school, where he competed and excelled in impromptu and extemporaneous speaking. With a BA in Psychology, he is interested in the transformative aspects of improv in people’s lives, improv performances, and how improv and mindfulness connect.

He focuses on the issue of minority representation within the context of Johnstone-style storytelling, as well as musical improv theatre at the TCS Improvazilla Show. He teaches weekly and intensive improv workshops at his studio and has taught in Tokyo, Costa Rica, Argentina, the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Germany, Italy, Hong Kong, China and Dubai. He can teach in English, Spanish, or Japanese.

He is a Senior Advisor for the consulting agency EY Japan, and designs and facilitates innovation workshops for their Tokyo wavespace innovation center. He also conducts team-building and creativity workshops for corporate and educational clients through his own company, including Yamaha Music English teachers, Nikko Shoken, Citibank, Yamaha Music, International Christian University MBA program, Pioneers Festival, and Eiko Seminar.

In addition to his work in the world of improv, he is a professional narrator heard around the globe on NHK World, in the audioguides of Japan's national museums, and on JR East train platforms and on two of Japan’s bullet train platforms, announcing when the next train departs in a soothing voice. So if you travel to Japan, you will definitely hear his work! He’s even voiced a few Ultramen!

More information: itmimpro.com

Chris’s Workshops

The Therapist’s Couch (6 hours) – workshop to show

Level: Intermediate+

Step into the world of The Therapist’s Couch, an improv format where each block of scenes begins with a “therapy session.” A character sits with their therapist to talk about an issue (suggested by the audience), and their words unlock a cascade of interconnected scenes. What follows is a blend of comedy and drama — grounded, human, and surprising.

This workshop explores psychological concepts such as family dynamics, shadow work, the subconscious, attachment styles, and defense mechanisms — not as therapy for participants, but as storytelling tools. Improvisers will learn how to weave these principles into scene work that feels truthful, imaginative, and emotionally rich.

By the end of this six-hour intensive, participants will:

Practice creating characters with real human drives and flaws.
Discover how psychological frameworks can fuel authentic relationships on stage.
Develop the ensemble skills to perform The Therapist’s Couch format, balancing pathos and play for a dramedy-style show.

This workshop is not therapy. It is a creative study of psychological ideas used as a springboard for improvised theatre. Players will leave with fresh tools to deepen their scene work, not personal counseling.
Improvisers who want to expand beyond quick gags and learn to create psychologically rich, character-driven scenes. This workshop is ideal for players interested in exploring the overlap between improv and psychology, and in building characters with authentic human traits.

Punching Up!, humour with and about minorities (6 hours)

Level: Intermediate+

In Punching Up!, humour with and about minorities, Chris Wells leads an incisive and lively workshop that asks: How do we use satire, humour, and improv to speak truth to power — without reinforcing marginalization or doing harm? This is a process of exploration for improv ensembles, and not prescriptive. What does it mean to “punch up” — addressing powerful voices, institutions, authority — instead of “punching down” on people who are already vulnerable? How can we include minorities thoughtfully in our shows, rather than completely avoiding them?

Chris has taught Punching Up! on four different continents and in two languages — in Buenos Aires, Dubai, Vancouver, Milan, Wurzburg, Tokyo and more — and enjoys exploring regional differences with participants. Using a mix of design thinking-derived exercises, discussion, short scenes, and feedback, participants will:

Understand the ethics and risks of satire and social comedy in improv.
Practice tools for creating material that is provocative, honest, and respectful.
Examine minority and identity dynamics in comedic work, based on their specific cultures, exploring how to include, not exclude.

Improvisers who want to deepen their social awareness, sharpen their comedic instincts, and engage with social justice themes in performance. A willingness to reflect and experiment is essential.

Shelve the Suggestion! (3 hours)

All levels

What do you do with an audience suggestion? Too often, improvisers grab it immediately and burn through its potential. This workshop explores how to use timing and pacing to make suggestions truly shine. You’ll practice when to bring a suggestion in right away — and when to consciously shelve it, letting it sit in the background until the perfect moment.

Through games, scene work, and guided exercises, participants will:

Discover strategies for delaying a suggestion without losing its energy.
Learn how shelving a suggestion can create surprising call-backs, connections, and comedic delight.
Explore the balance between honouring the audience gift and crafting imaginative, layered scene work.

By the end, you’ll have new tools to turn any suggestion into a springboard for playful, inventive, and satisfying improv — keeping both your audience and your scene partners delighted.

Improvisers at all levels who want to deepen their understanding of suggestion use, heighten surprise, and refine timing in their performance.

Voices! (3 hours)

All levels

Bring your characters to life by unlocking the power of your voice. In this workshop, voice actor and improviser Chris Wells shares practical tools for developing and using distinct vocal choices in your scene work. You’ll walk away with a few new voices you genuinely enjoy performing — and the know-how for when and how to use them for maximum comedic or dramatic impact.

Chris brings his professional background to the room: he’s voiced Ultraman Orb, Hikari, and Fuma in three seasons of the delightfully over-the-top series Ultra Galaxy Fight, lent his voice to multiple video games, and is the familiar voice of Japan Rail East, heard across train stations all around Japan.

Through warm-ups, experimentation, and scene work, participants will:

Explore pitch, rhythm, and vocal texture to create memorable characters.
Practice switching voices seamlessly in a scene.
Learn to ground vocal choices in truthful emotion so they’re more than just “funny voices.”

Improvisers curious about voice acting techniques, performers wanting to expand their vocal range, and anyone looking to add fresh layers to their character toolbox.

That’s It! (3 hours)

All levels

Improv comes with a lot of terminology — game, platform, tilt, offers, wimps, justifications — and it can get confusing fast. That’s It! is a simple, powerful tool developed in Tokyo that cuts through the jargon and helps improvisers zero in on what really matters in a scene: the moments that satisfy both you and your audience.

In this workshop, Chris Wells shares a clear, flexible framework that works across different improv traditions and styles. Through exercises and scene work, you’ll learn how to:

Recognize the “That’s It!” moments that bring a scene alive.
Build scenes around the things that feel satisfying to play, instead of chasing rules.
Strengthen confidence by trusting what resonates for both performer and audience.