The West Coast School (Groundlings/LA)
1974-present
The LA-centered lineage — character-first, sketch-adjacent, industry-facing; the Groundlings as anchor, UCB LA as late-arriving counterweight.
Known for
- Groundlings was founded 1974 by Gary Austin; character-focused training optimized for SNL and film casting.
- Craft difference from Chicago: stronger emphasis on distinct, highly-characterized voices; weaker emphasis on long-form ensemble work.
- SNL pipeline (Will Ferrell, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Cheri Oteri, Phil Hartman) is Groundlings-heavy.
Connected to
Schools & Theaters