Today education is in crisis. Citizens and institutions alike are demanding that classroom instruction dramatically increase learning effectiveness. Especially in higher education, instructors must expand their repertoires to include active learning approaches that challenge students to function as adult learners who take responsibility for their learning. So how can community college faculty encourage students to participate in their own education? One proven way is to bring theatre into the classroom. Theatre techniques, particularly those structures used in improvisation, are an effective way to get students to connect actively with each other and engage more fully with the material they need to learn. These exercises are simple, and neither professors nor their students need to have a degree in theatre to engage in them fully. In this article, the author offers simple suggestions and activities that have worked in her classes, and that may also help other teachers to engage their students on a more active level. She focuses on three areas: creating the space, involving students physically, and involving students vocally.