Zach Ward Announced As Managing Director of ImprovBoston

When ImprovBoston set out to find a new Managing Director early this year, they had several ideas of what that person would look like. They were looking for someone who would solidify ImprovBoston's reputation as the place to see and learn comedy in the area, someone who could capitalize on the company's artistic success, and someone to help elevate the company's reputation nationally and broaden the reach of their Corporate Services.

The theater found all of that in North Carolina native Zach Ward. Ward starts at ImprovBoston on June 13, and comes to the theatre with a wealth of experience and knowledge. For nearly 12 years, Ward has used his business and comedy acumen to turn the Chapel Hill-Carrboro North Carolina area into a national comedy destination. From the creation of the North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival, which will turn 12 this February, to the formation of DSI Comedy Theater, which celebrates six years this Fall, Ward has worked tirelessly to build the festival and the theater into a comedy powerhouse with a strong community presence.

Ward has built a connection to many improvisers across the country. For years, Ward has been traveling to Boston to teach and, since 2009, has even served as mentor for some of the theatre's staff. "Zach Ward is funny, in a ha-ha way, but he's also serious, in a 'built DSI Comedy Theater and one of the best comedy festivals in the country' way," said ImprovBoston Board President Greg Wymer. "Zach has the rare combination of being a community builder, businessman, improv teacher and performer. We look forward to Zach's leadership as he joins our Artistic Director, Will Luera, to help take ImprovBoston to the next level in the Boston and national comedy scenes as we celebrate our 30th year and beyond."

Adds Luera, "As the primary force behind NCCAF and the DSI Comedy Theater, it is clear that Zach knows how to run an organization and manage major events. This type of knowledge will prove to be invaluable as ImprovBoston continues to grow in the Boston and New England markets. As Artistic Director and a peer of Zach's, it will be great to work side-by-side with someone who understands improvisation and who has it in his DNA. I truly believe that we will be able to work together to make sure that every facet of ImprovBoston, from our shows to our training center, will be running at an optimal level that will benefit the members of our community and our audiences."

Ward jumped at the opportunity to lead ImprovBoston. "I see raw untapped opportunity in the company at ImprovBoston and potential for growth at the theater," he said. "I absolutely love the community there. I'm certainly looking forward to leading an organization like ImprovBoston during an incredible transition, bringing my experience at the helm of a for-profit comedy business and my extreme sense of entrepreneurship managing a non-profit."

Ward is a Chapel Hill-Carrboro native and has a BA in Communications from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He began his comedy career in Chicago where he received critical acclaim from the Chicago Reader and the Chicago Tribune for Dual Exhaust (Top 10 "Most Influential Comedy Duos of the Past Decade") and The Beatbox (Critic's Choice, Best Bet, Chicago's "Top 5 Latenight Shows"). A former Associate Producer for the Chicago Improv Festival and former Producer of the Toronto International Improv Festival, Zach can currently be seen performing comedy around the country.

ImprovBoston is thrilled about the potential Ward brings to the table. "Improvisation is driven by the concept of ‘Yes, and.' In a scene you start with something strong and you know your partner will agree to add to it and take it somewhere you never expected," said Associate Managing Director and Director of Education, Deana Tolliver. " Zach is coming to ImprovBoston, a respected comedy theater with a 30 year history of artistic excellence and we have no doubt that his combination of business success and brilliance as an improviser will be the most amazing display of ‘Yes, and' the national comedy scene has witnessed in a long time."

About ImprovBoston
Since 1982, ImprovBoston has entertained audiences in New England and around the country with a fresh, funny approach to improv comedy, showcasing today's best performers and training tomorrow's stars. With a full calendar of the funniest shows in Boston and nationally-known education and corporate training programs, ImprovBoston is more than just a great Comedy Club-it's a recognized center for the evolving art of improvisation. ImprovBoston is a registered 501(c)(3).

About North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival and DSI Comedy Theater
For the last 12 years DSI Comedy Theater has produced and presented one of the largest comedy festivals on the East Coast, the annual North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival. Each year, the festival welcomes improv, stand-up and sketch comedians to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area. The festival features workshops and performances from talent that has been seen on the small screen on Saturday Night Live, MTV, Late Show with David Letterman, Comedy Central, and on stages at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and Second City. As the festival grew, DSI found itself a home and in 2005, opened the DSI Comedy Theater, an 84-seat venue in North Carolina, and the company's new home for shows and the DSI Training Center. The festival and theatre have attracted high level instructors in improvisation and stand-up comedy including: Eddie Brill, Asaf Ronen, Jeff Griggs, Eric Hunicutt, Kevin Patrick Robbins, Anthony King and Jill Bernard. From the DSI Comedy Training Center and Theater in Carrboro, NC to its productions in Chicago, and professional Touring Company, the DSI name has spread around the country, drawing both participants and quality teaching staff to its theater and to the North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival year after year.

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