Hollywood, CA
The iO West (formerly ImprovOlympic West) is the Los Angeles branch of the iO Chicago. The theater is located at 6366 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, CA. iO and iO West were founded by Del Close and Charna Halpern. Today, iO West is managed by Artistic Director James Grace.
iO West
6366 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 962-7560
Twitter: @iowest
Minneapolis, MN
The HUGE Improv Theater is an artist-led company dedicated to supporting the Twin Cities improv community through performance and education.
In an effort to raise the visibility of the Twin Cities as a destination for some of the best, unscripted theater in the country, HUGE seeks to establish a home for those who love improv.
HUGE supports growth and visibility of our local improv community by producing shows, including Improv-A-Go-Go (since 2002) and the annual Twin Cities Improv Festival.
The Twin Cities is lucky to be rich with theater. Multiple smaller venues around town host well-attended solo performances, sketch-comedy, and improv shows. Additionally, there are interested students from all walks of life participating in three well-established schools; the Brave New
Institute, ComedySportz and Stevie Ray’s.
But even in this diverse theater landscape, there is no stage devoted to long form improvisation. Long form improvisation is the art of creating performances that are unscripted. It is different than playing improvised “games” or improvising within a scripted piece. HUGE gives long form improvisation – and the people who enjoy performing and watching it – a stage.
Improv is theater for everybody. The raw material of improvisation is the honest expressions, experiences and passions of the performers and audience. It’s immediate theater.
As an added bonus, good improvisation is built on conquering fears and working collaboratively in an accepting environment – skills that can’t help but have a positive effect on those who acquire them. HUGE Theater believes that if people can improvise together and laugh together, they can do anything together.
HUGE Theater
3037 Lyndale Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 412-HUGE
Twitter @hugetheater
Cambria, CA
Improv Utopia is a Non-Profit Organization that strives to bring the greater improv community together. Through workshops and other resources we want to help all improv venues succeed and grow. We bring you top instructors from all over the country and it all culminates Memorial Weekend at Camp Improv Utopia. For more information visit www.improvutopia.com
Improv Utopia
Camp Ocean Pines
Cambria, CA
Twitter: @ImprovUtopia
Austin, TX
ColdTowne [Michael Jastroch, Arthur Simone, and Justin York] evacuated New Orleans in September 2005 and landed in Austin, where the improv community was already strong and gaining momentum. A local video store owner allowed ColdTowne to launch a Chicago-style long-form improv training center (the first of its kind in Austin) next door to his establishment.
Soon ColdTowne was given the opportunity to produce shows at the space. Thanks to the success of see.hear.speak. (a three-day film, art, and comedy event), ColdTowne was given an “audition” to produce shows at a venue for a week. Test Pattern was a success and the group immediately began plans for the grand opening of The ColdTowne Theater.
The ColdTowne Theater opened on October 28th, 2006, to a packed audience. ColdTowne Theater is Austin’s main stage for alternative comedy, featuring the funniest comedians in Central Texas. The theater is currently open 7 days a week featuring all forms of comedy: improv, stand-up, sketch, film, music, and much more. Nationally recognized acts perform here as well as the best local performers. ColdTowne Theater also runs a conservatory offering the most fun acting classes Austin has to offer.
ColdTowne Theater
4803-B Airport Blvd.
Austin, TX 78751
(512)814-TOWN
Twitter: @Coldtowne
Austin, TX / Houston, TX, New Orleans, LA
The New Movement’s growing comedy community started in Austin, Texas by founders Chris Trew and Tami Nelson who have toured and taught improv nationally. TNM now offers “badass comedy shows and training” in Austin, New Orleans and Houston.
TNM has a unique approach to teaching improv, standup and sketch comedy distinguished by its commitment to what TNM Houston Director, Shyla Ray describes as being “furiously experimental.”
The teaching faculty constantly questions and often reinvents things commonly taken for granted in the improv world. Each never-before-attempted idea is met with a hearty “yes, and”, a venue, and a bunch of talented people who are willing to try anything once.
This furious experimentalism has led to The New Movement’s launching innovative show formats, tours and festivals. A few examples include: Hell Yes! Fest, The Megaphone Marathons, From Awkward to Awesome (a dating show), The Airsex World Championships, and The Improv Wins Conference.
Chris Trew, Co-Founder calls it “a community of badass people who work really hard to do badass shit, but are really easy to get involved with!” The New Movement is excellence without elitism. They seem to be equally committed to the craft of comedy and to one another.
1819 Rosewood Ave.
Austin, TX
(512) 788-2669
1919 Burgundy St.
New Orleans, LA
(504) 302-8264
Mesa, AZ
NCT Phoenix
1111 S. Longmore
Mesa, AZ
(602) 374-5638
Twitter: @nctphoenix
Phoenix, AZ
The Dearing Acting Studio is one of Arizona’s premiere actor training facilities located in the heart of North Phoenix and Paradise Valley. Our programs are nationally recognized for film, theater, improv and much more! If you love what you’ve seen on stage, caught the “acting bug”, want to get over some nerves in your work / board room, or just flat out want to have some fun, then give the studio a call and find out where to get started. Dearing Acting Studio has a program for everyone!
Dearing Studio
10806 N. 32nd St.
Phoenix, AZ
(480) 313-9901
Casa Grande, AZ
BlackBox Theatre is now in it’s 2nd year of operation in Casa Grande, AZ. Located in Central Arizona between Phoenix and Tucson, BlackBox Theatre is the home of EXiT 185 Improv Comedy Troupe; now celebrating it’s 5 year anniversary! Improv plays a large role in what BlackBox Theatre provides to the community. May 19th, 2012, BlackBox Theatre will be hosting their inaugural Improv Invitational. BlackBox Theatre was co-founded by Ken Ferguson & JJ Freyermuth. Ken is a founding cast member of The Remainders Musical Improv. When possible, Ken performs with The Foundation of The Torch Theatre, Ken has produced improv in Casa Grande since 2006. EXIT 185 Improv has appeared at PIF 8, 9, & 10.
The BlackBox Theatre
1330 E. Florence Blvd.
Casa Grande, AZ 85122
(520) 371-4944
Twitter: @BlackBoxAZ
Phoenix, AZ
The Torch Theatre company came out of a collection of like-minded professional improvisors that joined forces to make a stronger, more creative longform community in Phoenix, Arizona. It is modeled on the heart of theatrical improv: We are stronger together than we are alone.
New Times Best of Phoenix – 2011
Big Brains Nominee – 2012
The Torch Theatre
4721 N. Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ
(602) 456-2876
Twitter: @TheTorchTheatre