The Providence Improv Fest runs June 25th -29th

Now in its fifth year, The Providence Improv Fest showcases local talent and is the highlight of the Improv year.

The Improv Fest begins on Wednesday night with the Local Improv Blowout, a no-holds-barred contest in which the audience picks the best up-and-coming local act.

Thursday through Sunday they present improv every night at Trinity Rep, Perishable Theatre, and AS220, three of downtown Providence's premiere theater venues.

"We are always looking to showcase the different permutations of the improvisational craft," said Mauro Hantman, Artistic Director of the FEST in a recent press statement, "whether it involves the use of different performance elements such as music, movement, or theatrical styles, or it's exploring the use of media such as film. The groups this year are very exciting and push the boundaries of the form."

Returning this summer are FEST favorites, the NY Neo-Futurists, who do 30 plays in 60 minutes under the direction of the audience, as well as Code Duello, a two-man group that re-enacts the historical duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. Also returning are Neutrino Boston who create live, improvised movies, and from England, the Oxford Imps, who do musical improv.

New this year is Parallelogramophonograph, an Austin, TX troupe who perform a French Farce-style longform show. Also making their FEST debut are a number of other groups, including Sid Viscous, who perform an inline skating show called "Sid on Ice," Vlad Tenenbaum, a one-man pantomime-based improv show from Portsmouth, RI, and groups from Miami, FL and Salt Lake City, UT.

Free, introductory, improv workshops are open to the public each evening of the festival. Over the weekend there will be inexpensive daytime master classes for people with improv experience taught by nationally recognized teachers.

There are parties at night, and even a midnight improv jam, where performers from different teams mix it up in a no-holds-barred improv throwdown.

Tickets to a single show cost $10, which includes two groups, about an hour and a half of improv. There are discounted, student, multi-performance and festival-long passes available.

Tickets are on sale through ArtTix at www.arttixri.com or by phone at (401) 621-6123.

For more information visit www.providenceimprovfest.com