Twin Cities Improv Festival begins Thursday

Admit it: You miss Whose Line Is It Anyway? You miss Wayne Brady finding any excuse to sing, you miss that long-faced guy’s Carol Channing impressions, and you maybe even miss watching Drew Carey sit there and smugly do nothing. But most of all, you miss that sweet rush of nervous energy, and sometimes embarrassment, that only improvisational theater can truly offer.

Those of you who’ve been itching to yell out occupations and locations at strangers will be in luck this weekend, as Huge Improv Theater welcomes over 25 different acts for the 5th-annual Twin Cities Improv Festival. Running over four days from Thursday to Sunday, the festival will feature performances from Twin Cities improv mainstays like Brave New Workshop, ComedySportz, and Stevie Ray’s, as well as special visits from troupes traveling from places like Austin, Chicago, New York, and even Oklahoma City.

Seeking to change the often dorky public image of improv, the festival is making sure to host a diverse lineup of performance groups that are a little more high-concept than the standard Whose Line method. Chicago-based group pH’s set promises a completely improvised one-act musical, and Austin’s Elevator Action explores the anxieties of being in a cramped space with complete strangers. This isn’t exactly Michael Scott’s comedy class. 

Speaking of workshops, the festival also has a bunch available for those brave enough to see what they’d do if they were suddenly told they were, say, a lion at a country club.

Individual performances cost $10, but there are a variety of multi-pass packages available, including a $99 unlimited Ultra Pass. For a complete list of times and for more information on each individual show, visit the event’s official website.