First Chicago Musical Improv Festival to Run 8/13-16

In its first inaugural year, the Chicago Musical Improv Festival welcomes 30 musically talented teams as forefathers to an amazing 4-Day affair. Located in its brand new space with beautiful summer beer garden, the iO Chicago theater plays host to over 100 performers hailing from cities outside of Chicago like Miami, New York, Boston, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. In addition, and as an astonishing statement for this first year festival, "CHIMIF2015" makes itself internationally known with artists from Toronto, Canada. From August 13th - 16th, 2015, iO Chicago's Chris Farley Cabaret & Jason Chin Cabaret will be filled with whimsical harmonies and hilarious scenes.

Contrived and brought to life by Producer Stacey Smith and Artistic Director Charna Halpern, this assembly of acts will showcase the emerging musical brand of improvisation. "It's exciting that in our first year, we not only have groups from all across the country, but we have such a variety of acts. All improvised, we have groups that will improvise hip-hop, Sondheim, the Harold, rock operas, puppet musicals, solo musicals, everything!" says CHIMIF2015 Producer, Stacey Smith.

"I am a big fan of musical improvisation - it's a unique skill. I am thrilled that the first musical festival is being created by iO," says co-founder of iO & Artistic Director, Charna Halpern.

All performances will be at the iO Chicago Theater.

Tickets may be purchased via box office or online at http://ioimprov.com/chicago

The iO Theater, 1501 W. Kingsbury St., Chicago, IL 60642, (312) 929-2401

Full schedule & group bios are online.

The Chicago Musical Improv Festival - www.chicagomusicalimprovfestival.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/chicagomusicalimprovfestival

Twitter - @CHIMIF2015

#CHIMIF2015

1st Chicago Musical Improv Festival

August 13-16, 2015

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13th, 2015

iO Chicago, Chris Farley Cabaret

7pm - MINTEastwood / Rhythm Method

8pm - Los Improviachis / About Time!

9pm - Buffalo / Rapture

iO Chicago, Jason Chin Cabaret

7:30pm - Groovy Doobie Dudes / DunderMINTflin

9pm - Buzzed Broadway

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14th, 2015

iO Chicago, Chris Farley Cabaret

7pm - Limbo Land (NY) / PHamily: The Musical!

8:30pm - Improvaret (MD) / The Improvised Sondheim Project

10:30pm - Yum Yum Twins / Clusterfudge! (Miami)

iO Chicago, Jason Chin Cabaret

7pm - La Donna Improvisata (NY) / ImprovBoston (Boston)

8:30pm - Beatvox (Toronto) / Here

10:30pm - Stacked / babyGrand (Pittsburgh)

Midnight - Musical Improv Jam (Special Event)

Talented improvisers will be selected at random to play short-form musical improv games where hilarity is sure to ensue!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15TH, 2015

iO Chicago, Chris Farley Cabaret

4pm - Storytown

7pm - Limbo Land (NY) / More Cowbell

8:30pm - Brouhaha: an Improvised Puppet Musical / B.U.M.P. (Boston)

10:30pm - Mansical / Anarchy: an Improvised Rock Opera

iO Chicago, Jason Chin Cabaret

6pm - CHIMIF All-Star Set (Special Event)

All-Stars from different comedy troupes (and cities!) get together to perform together for the first time!

7pm - La Donna Improvvisata (NY) / ImprovBoston (Boston)

8:30pm - Beatvox (Toronto) / babyGrand (Pittsburgh)

10:30pm - The Deltones

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16th, 2015

iO Chicago, Chris Farley Cabaret

7pm - CSz Musical Mash-Up

A selection of new and old musical improv games performed by players from Chicago's home for game-based improv, CSz Theater Chicago.

8pm - Daddy Warbuck / The BaseMINTs

iO Chicago, Jason Chin Cabaret

7pm - La Di Dah

8:30pm - Musical Armando (Special Event)

Veteran Chicago musical improvisers perform scenes and songs based on monologues and stories from a very special guest.

CHIMIF2015 SPECIAL EVENT

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16th, 2015

Improv Nerd with Jimmy Carrane featuring Jeff Bouthiette

MCL Chicago

3110 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago, IL 60657

Tickets available at box office or online at www.mclchicago.com

Improv Nerd with Jimmy Carrane will be recording LIVE at MCL as part of the inaugural Chicago Musical Improv Festival in this one night only event. Jimmy's guest in this episode is Jeff Bouthiette, Head of Music Program at The Second City Training Center.

Improv Nerd is a live interview show hosted by Jimmy Carrane, a well-known improv teacher and former host of Studio 312 on Chicago Public Radio. In his show, Jimmy interviews icons in the world of improv and comedy, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes look at their creative process. More info at JimmyCarrane.com.

CHICAGO MUSICAL IMPROV FESTIVAL STAFF

Stacey Smith, Producer

Charna Halpern, Artistic Director

Alex Honnet, Creative Director at iO Chicago

Jonald Reyes, Assistant Producer

Chloe Gingold, Hospitality Coordinator & Social Media