Performances
Improv Festival Oklahoma is proud to showcase a variety of improv acts from around the country. See the current show schedule below. For information about participating improv troupes, see below.
Thank you to all who participated in the Third Annual Improv Festival Oklahoma. It was a resounding success, and we look forward to hosting IFO4 next summer!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Everyone presenting a college I.D. on Thursday, July 28 will receive two-for-one admission.
7:00 p.m. - $10
Homemade Fireworks
Little Bear
The MiDolls
8:45 p.m. - $10
Obviously Unrehearsed Improv
Grandma Hates Technology
The HITMEN10:30 p.m. - $5
IFO's Improv in the Dark
Stretchin’ It
Friday, July 29, 2011
7:00 p.m. - $15
Cueless
Galapagos
Road Trip with Zach Ward
8:45 p.m. - $15
Villain: The Musical
Manick
Plays Well With Others10:30 p.m. - $15
The Victims
Red Letters
Improv-Abilities
Saturday, July 30, 2011
7:00 p.m. - $15
The Hindenburgs
Crayons Improv
FUN GRIP8:45 p.m. - $15
ˇZARZAMORA!
Roadside Couch
Red Dirt Improv10:30 p.m. - $15
Never Pickles
Everybody and Their Dog
Drum Machine with Jill Bernard
About the Performers
Thursday, July 28, 2011
7:00 p.m.
Homemade Fireworks (Tahlequah, OK)
Homemade Fireworks was formed in fall 2010 at the Northeastern State University campus. The group has supplied side-splitting laughter to comedy fiends everywhere looking for fantastic improv. The team is easily summed up as “When you stare into the Homemade Fireworks, and the Homemade Fireworks stares back.”Little Bear (Kansas City, MO)
Little Bear is a trio of improvisers from Kansas City, Missouri. Little Bear members also perform with Improv-Abilities, and they boast an aggressive, creative and fun way of playing. Improv Festival Oklahoma marks the end of Little Bear’s month-long, nine city national tour.The MiDolls (Oklahoma City, OK)
OKC’s only all female improv group began in March 2010. The MiDolls choose a different theme each performance – so far we’ve seen trailer trash, 50’s housewives, nuns, hippies, beatniks and goddesses in long form. Since we are ladies, we endeavor to serve snacks to all of our audience members at the top of the show (appropriate to the theme, of course) because that’s the polite thing to do.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
8:45 p.m.
Obviously Unrehearsed Improv! (Norman, OK)
Formed in 2001 at the University of Oklahoma, Obviously Unrehearsed Improv! (OUI!) features a cast of players who come from diverse backgrounds and represent a wide variety of academic and professional disciplines. In a mix of short-form, long-form and musical improv, OUI! shows off its talents under the direction of Kyle Bradford.Grandma Hates Technology (Milltown, NJ)
Grandma Hates Technology is a comedy improvisation duo featuring standup comedian Mike Weiss and his very funny teenage daughter, Jessica. Since their inception in 2009 Grandma Hates Technology has taken the improv circuit by storm. The show begins with a suggestion. Sometimes we jump right into a scene; sometimes we jump into a monologue. If the suggestion conjures up a memory both Mike and Jessica share, we may tell the story together as a "duologue." Then, in a Harold-like or Slacker-like fashion, we'll do a series of scenes based on the monologue/duologue.The HITMEN (Chicago, IL)
The HITMEN met during the training program at iO Chicago, and have been performing around the city and various festivals for over a year. They play in a world where all characters care for each other and no one is singled out. This helps create a positive energy in the show, allowing them to follow the fun they are creating as a team, rather than break off and forming sides. With all four on the same page, they can create absurd moments that are reminiscent of real life.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
10:30 p.m.
IFO’s Improv in the Dark
The first Improv Festival Oklahoma experienced a power outage during a performance. The performers continued in the dark, and the show was funny as ever. The second Improv Festival Oklahoma featured The Bat, a Harold performed in the dark, as taught and directed by Joe Bill. What will this year's festival feature? Come to IFO3 to find out!Stretchin’ It (Oklahoma City, OK)
Zak Miller, Jeff Burleson and A. O. Busch (not their real names) don't simply disregard their roots in the buckle of the Bible belt, they do a complete one-eighty. Stretchin' It acts as a mirror of the darkest parts of human existence, reminding each of us of the uncultured nature of humor. Without a doubt, they are OKC's favorite blue improv troupe. This show is not appropriate for all ages. You have been warned.
Friday, July 29, 2011
7:00 p.m.
Cueless (Stillwater, OK)
Cueless was established in 2009 at Stillwater’s Town and Gown Theatre by a bunch of passionate community theater types that wanted to explore a crazy notion that they might be funny. They regularly perform shows at home and around Oklahoma. They will provide short form comedy goodness for your ear and eye holes.Galapagos (Phoenix, AZ)
Galapagos was formed in the fall of 2003 and is devoted to performing long form improvisation based in strong ensemble work and characters & scenes rooted in truth. Our improvisation is often in the form of Harold, a structure and philosophy of improv developed by Del Close at ImprovOlympic in Chicago, the Deconstruction, the Armando, and include long form structures that we have developed ourselves. Whatever the specific form is, a single audience suggestion serves to inspire our explorations.Road Trip with Zach Ward (Boston, MA)
Zach Ward is the producer of DSI Comedy Theater in North Carolina, and recently he has been named the Managing Director of Improv Boston. He has performed a variety of improv acts and taught several workshops across the country. During Road Trip, he will create hilarity on his own, with help from the audience.
Friday, July 29, 2011
8:45 p.m.
Villain: The Musical (Oklahoma City, OK)
Villain is a completely improvised narrative musical in the Broadway fantasy style of Dr. Horrible, Into The Woods, Avenue Q, etc. In each show the audience chooses the Villain, who may monologue and set up scenes, in addition to driving the story. The musical improviser creates new music during each show with keyboard, guitar, and other instruments. In addition, Villain makes fluent use of an ever-changing store of props and costume pieces for a truly spectacular theatrical experience.Manick (Dallas, TX)
Manick is an improvised two-man show performed by Amanda Austin and Nick Scott. Amanda and Nick use a one-word suggestion to create an opening (source scene) with four separate time-lapse monologues in order to create a thematic inspiration for their show. Multiple characters, thorough relationship development, and creative use of space on and off the stage create an amazing two-person dynamic. They perform every other Saturday night at the Dallas Comedy House.Plays Well With Others (Austin, TX)
In his 30-year improv career, Les McGehee has performed in thousands of comedy shows across the world. “Plays Well With Others” combines Les’s unique storytelling ability with fast-paced improv games played by a stellar mix of improv veterans that Les has hand-chosen to perform with him.
Friday, July 29, 2011
10:30 p.m.
The Victims (Dallas, TX)
Bringing highly theatrical unscripted comedic mayhem to the world since 2006. The Victims perform regularly in Dallas at Pocket Sandwich Theater, Café Bohemia, and Dyer Street Bar. The Victims perform a long-form improv set based on a one-word suggestion from the audience. The Victims’ show is probably not appropriate for all ages. They’re not intentionally bad, but bad things sometimes come out of their mouths.Red Letters (Tahlequah, OK)
Bryan and Alyssa bring real relationships to the stage in their two-man hilarity. The duo teamed up in 2007 and has performed all over the country. Performing their original form The Punch, the duo explores eccentric characters and honest conversation. The audience provides a one-word suggestion. The duo then gives three snapshots of scenes to come and one eccentric couple that we see again and again. The show is aggressively hilarious and aims to find truth in comedy.Improv-Abilities (Kansas City, MO)
Founded in 2000, Improv-Abilities have performed hundreds of private and public shows, both short- form and long-form. They have grown to a company of 16 members and run the KC Improv Training Center and the KC Improv Festival. Like cubic zirconium, The Cubic Z is multi-faceted, carefully crafted, and kind of brilliant. Improv-Abilities combines big characters, clear choices and fast cuts to tell multiple stories that are truly worth telling.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
7:00 p.m.
The Hindenburgs (Dallas, TX)
The Hindenburgs started performing together with The Alternative Comedy Theater in December of 2009. The Hindenburgs take an audience suggestions to improvise a never before witnessed tale of hilarity! 30-minute stories unfold from beginning to end, complete with not-so-storybook characters using only tag-outs to edit and further plotlines.Crayons Improv (Tulsa, OK)
Crayons Improv has been performing family friendly improv since 2007. Crayons Improv uses audience participation and suggestions to create short, hilarious scenes. They’ve molded the popular improv games to fit our cooky cast of characters. They’ve also created short form games of their own.FUN GRIP (Dallas, TX)
FUN GRIP is a two-man improvisational comedy duo. Jeff Swearingen and Brad McEntire have been performing together in one group or another for years and years. They both have impeccable improv comedy pedigrees, along with healthy doses of experimental and traditional theatre training. Brad and Jeff have combined their comic might to bring to the stage a kind of celebratory brand of long-form improvisation!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
8:45 p.m.
ˇZARZAMORA! (Austin, TX)
Born late in 2010 over at least 11 imperial pints of beer at the Dog & Duck, ˇZARZAMORA! is a direct descendant of David Lampe, Jordan T. Maxwell and Estevan "Chuy" Zarate. ˇZARZAMORA! is a psuedo- cerebral improv comedy troupe in Austin, Texas who purport to know and to be able to perform the ancient origins of everything. They may not be very intelligent, but they fake it well.Roadside Couch (Dallas, TX)
Roadside Couch headlines every Friday and Saturday night at Dallas Comedy House. Some of DFW’s best improvisers perform in this fast-paced and fearless improvised show. Inspired by a single suggestion, the format of the show is as improvised as the content. No two shows are alike.Red Dirt Improv (Oklahoma City, OK)
The host troupe for Improv Festival Oklahoma, Red Dirt Improv has been entertaining audiences around the state and the region with its unique mix of short form, long form, and musical improv. Members of Red Dirt Improv have been performing together since 2001. Red Dirt Improv is proud to use the festival to provide top-tier improv performances and workshops from all around the country. Red Dirt Improv welcomes special guest improviser Zach Ward to the troupe's IFO performance.John Ferguson, AKA Count Gregore, will be our special guest monologist during Red Dirt's show. The Count will share a couple stories prompted by audience suggestion. The troupe will then explore the stories in improvised scenes. It will be ton of fun!
Count Gregore first appeared as a local horror host for "Shock Theatre" in 1958 on WKY TV, Oklahoma City. For over 50 years he hosted shows such as Creature Features, Horror Theatre, Sleepwalker's Matinee, Thriller, and Night-mare. Count Gregore will be available after the show to sell and autograph memorabilia.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
10:30 p.m.
Never Pickles (Chicago, IL)
Dan & Tina have been performing together since 2008 and know each other inside and out. A unique onstage partnership doubled with an equally-strong relationship off-stage. Never Pickles is a patient & honest, improvised look at relationships featuring two bonafide Love Morons – Austin, Texas's Dan Grimm and Chicago's Tina Jackson.Everybody and Their Dog (Oklahoma City)
Everybody and Their Dog have been doing improv in OKC since 1994 with over 30 different members of the group since that time. Three original members of the group remain – stubbornly continuing with both short and long form games in OKC and statewide. The group currently has ten members and welcomes occasional guest performers.Drum Machine (Minneapolis, MN)
Jill Bernard has been performing with ComedySportz-Twin Cities since 1993, and is a founding member of HUGE Theater in Uptown Minneapolis. Her one-woman improv piece, Drum Machine, has been featured in over forty improv festivals. Drum Machine is Jill Bernard's one-person unscripted musical featuring multiple characters in scenes, monologues and songs accompanied by the mad beats of the Zoom-Rhythmtrak 123 which Bernard calls, "Nature's finest drum machine."