A Rare Opportunity: Improv with Stephen Guarino

London’s Best Performing Arts school - Lights Up Perform

When the Stars Align: Welcoming Stephen Guarino to Lights Up! Perform

At Lights Up! Perform, improvisation sits at the very heart of everything we do. It’s our foundation — the building block from which confidence grows, creativity expands, and performers learn how to truly trust themselves. So when someone comes into our orbit who shares that same deep love and respect for improv, it feels a little bit magical.

That’s exactly what happened with Stephen Guarino.

We first came across Stephen when we went to see Titanique in the West End in 2025. From the moment he stepped on stage, he completely blew us away. His timing, his fearlessness, his ability to listen, respond, and create in the moment — it was pure improvisation at its finest. It wasn’t just funny or clever; it was alive. We left the theatre buzzing, talking not just about the show, but about him.

As luck — and timing — would have it, our paths crossed again. A close friend of Kristen’s knew Stephen, and suddenly that spark of admiration turned into conversation. Then, in one of those wonderful “only in this industry” moments, Stephen was cast in Cinderella in Richmond alongside Helen George — who happens to be a very close friend of Yvette’s. Once again, our worlds collided.

It felt like the universe gently nudging us together.

As we got to know Stephen, what stood out immediately was his passion for improvisation — not just as a performance skill, but as a life skill. Stephen talked openly about how improv has shaped him, grounded him, and given him tools he uses both on and off stage. When he learned more about what we do at Lights Up! Perform, and how improv is central to our work with children and young people, there was an instant alignment.

Stephen is internationally recognised for his screen work — from his unforgettable role as Derrick in Happy Endings, to I’m Dying Up Here, and his three-time Emmy-nominated performance in Netflix’s EastSiders. He’s appeared in over 60 TV shows and films, including This Is Us, Sex Lives of College Girls, The Goldbergs, Generation V, and many more. But alongside all of that, he is also a deeply respected improv performer and teacher.

New York is often considered the home of modern improvisation, and Stephen has spent years performing and teaching there at the highest level, including starring for a long time in the off-Broadway cult hit The Nuclear Family: An Improvised Musical. This is someone who truly lives and breathes improv.

For us, bringing people like Stephen into our space is what Lights Up Perform is all about. We believe in constant learning — for our students and for ourselves. We believe in exposing young performers to real industry professionals, real stories, and real experiences. And we believe that when children get to learn from people who genuinely love what they do, something powerful happens.

After a lot of diary juggling, conversations across continents, and trusting the timing, we’re beyond excited that this has finally come to fruition. Stephen will be joining us for a special one-off improv masterclass, and we honestly can’t wait — to watch our students grow, to learn alongside them, and to share in the joy that great improvisation brings.