In this course improvisers delve into character and well-grounded scenes focusing on the situation being funny and not the improviser shelling out one liners and jokes. You’ll learn to trust the character and work that you’re doing is funny and not relying on punchlines and call outs.

Nick Armstrong

is an Actor, Writer and Director living in Los Angeles, CA. As an Actor Nick has found success on stage as well as television making regular appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and also making appearances on the Emmy-Award winning show The Office and NBC’s Parks and Recreation. Onstage Nick performs and teaches regularly at iO West. Recently, Nick launched a 4-day retreat for improvisers called Camp ImprovUtopia for more information visit www.improvutopia.com or www.nickarmstrong.com.

The PIF Mainstage lineup for 7pm on Saturday, April 16th is

NCT Phoenix (Mesa)
Men in Shirts (Detroit)
Cog (Los Angeles)

In this workshop I will first convey how I approach a scene by listening for my position in the scene. Listening in improv, and in life, is more than just a sense, it’s a trainable skill. The first ten seconds of a scene can tell you your position in that scene and what kind of scene you are in. I will be covering what I consider to be the three primary scene types. Knowing the type of scene you are in and your position in that scene focuses your invention and makes scene-play relatively easy. Most scenes that go bad go bad in the first ten seconds. Lets fix that! I will explain what to listen for and what to do with what you’ve heard.

Miles Stroth

began his study of improvisation back in the Fall of 1989, auditioning for, and being accepted by the famed Second City Theater in Chicago. Two years and a t-shirt later(you get a t-shirt when you finish the Second City program), Miles began his study of improvisation for real when he started taking classes with Charna Halpern and Del Close at the then ImprovOlympic, now IO in Chicago. Miles has been associated with the IO, teaching, performing, directing, ever since.

Miles was a member of the seminal improv team The Family, whose members included Adam Mckay, Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, Niel Flynn and Ali Faranahkian. The Family, directed by Del Close, created and introduced into the improv world The Deconstruction and The Movie forms. Miles had the privilege of working with the late Del Close for eight years. Del saw the improv community as a tribe with himself as the Mojo Man and referred to Miles as his Warchief.

Miles has performed in well over 1000 long-form shows and has created or had a hand in creating many of the long-forms that play around the country today. Among them, The Armando, The Deconstruction, The Movie, The Lerand and Two-Person Long-Form. Among the improv shows, Three Mad Rituals, Dynamite Fun Nest, The Armando Diaz Theatrical Experience, Movement and Hootenanny, Zumpf, Assscat, Heather and Miles and Mud. Theatrical credits include, The Eight Reindeer Monologues, Hamlet! The Musical and Little with The Actors Gang in Los Angeles. Miles was the national touring alternate for Robert Dubac’s one man show, The Male Intellect: an oxymoron. Miles has appeared on Comedy Central’s Crossballs and RENO 911.

The PIF Mainstage lineup for 9pm on Saturday, April 16th is

Mail Order Bride (Phoenix)
The Foundation (Phoenix)
JoKyR & Jesster (Salt Lake City)

The PIF Mainstage lineup for 8pm on Friday, April 15th is

Light Rail Pirates (Phoenix)
King Ten (Los Angeles)
HawkinStroth (Los Angeles)

Is your scenework tired and sluggish? Are you falling back on the same tired choices and characters you always make? Do you need to get back to basics and be playful and strong again? If so, Dr. Cacky’s Improv Cleansing is for you. He’ll give you the improv equivalent of a high colonic, flushing the toxins of insecurity and indecision out of your system. You’ll also receive some personalized feedback via e-mail.

Craig Cackowski

has performed, taught, coached and directed at the iO Chicago and iO West theaters since 1992. While in Chicago, he opened five revues on the Second City Mainstage and ETC and was involved with such groundbreaking improvised shows as Close Quarters, JTS Brown, Grunt, and Frank Booth in the Blue Velvet Lounge. He can be seen regularly in Los Angeles in Dasariski and The Armando Show. Film and TV appearances include Community, Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Year of the Dog.

Here it is: all the shows and all the amazing talent you could ever wish for.

We’re bringing you the best improv from all over the valley and the nation!

Check out our full 2011 schedule of shows!

The PIF Family Stage lineup for 4:30pm on Saturday, April 16th is

Exit 185 (Casa Grande)
Grandma Hates Technology (New York)
The Jester’Z (Scottsdale)
Bare (Chicago)

This spring, some of the best improv performers in Arizona will be featured on every PIF stage!

The PIF Mainstage lineup for 10pm on Friday, April 15th is

Dangerville (Phoenix)
ColdTowne (Austin)
Dr. God (Los Angeles)