Detroit Improv Festival Arrives Wednesday

The sixth annual Detroit Improv Festival arrives Wednesday, August 10 with performances and workshops continuing through Sunday, August 14. The festival will take place over five venues in Detroit and Ferndale with more than 50 improv troupes from across the US and Canada performing in nearly 20 shows. A complete Festival schedule follows below.

The festival kicks off at Downtown Detroit's Boll Family YMCA Wednesday, August 10 with two fundraiser performances benefiting The Detroit Creativity Project.

The week's headliner performance includes SPONTANEANATION with Paul F. Tompkins Friday, August 12 at 7:00pm with a second 10:00pm performance added at the Magic Bag Theater in Ferndale. SPONTANEANATION is a completely improvised show, from monologue to interview to narrative sketch. Paul, his special guests, his incredibly talented improviser friends, and accompanist Eban Schletter come together for an hour of comedy that none of them ever see coming. Tickets for this event are $25 and available online at www.ticketweb.com.

Tickets for other Detroit Improv Festival performances range from $5-$25 and are on sale now atwww.detroitimprovfestival.org.

In addition to live performances, The Detroit Improv Festival will also bring some of the most acclaimed improv instructors and coaches to the motor city for a week of workshops from basic improvisation to advance scene work and more. Registration for workshops ($40) is available online now at www.detroitimprovfestival.org. A complete workshop schedule follows this release.

The Detroit Improv Festival is produced by the Detroit Improv Collective, Inc., (DICo) a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to advancing the art of improvisational comedy in the metro Detroit area. DICo's artistic mission is to promote the benefits of improv to local organizations to encourage team building, goal setting and self-esteem lifting among their members.

Performances Venues for The Detroit Improv Festival include:

Go Comedy! Improv Theater
261 E 9 Mile Rd
Ferndale, MI 48220
Wednesday, August 10 @ 8:00pm
Thursday, August 11 @ 8:00pm, 10:00pm
Friday, August 12 @ 8:00pm, 10:00pm
Saturday, August 13 @ 6:00pm, 8:00pm, 10:00pm

The Boll Family YMCA
1401 Broadway
Detroit, MI 48226
Wednesday, August 10 @ 7:00pm, 9:00pm

The Ringwald Theatre
22742 Woodward Ave
Ferndale, MI 48220
Thursday, August 11 @ 8:00pm, 10:00pm
Friday, August 12 @ 8:00pm, 10:00pm
Saturday, August 13 @ 8:00pm, 10:00pm

The Magic Bag Theater
22920 Woodward Ave
Ferndale, MI 48220
Friday, August 12 @ 7:00pm

Local Kitchen
344 W 9 Mile Rd
Ferndale, MI 48220
Saturday, August 13 @ 8:00pm, 10:00pm

The Complete Performance Schedule is as follows

Ticket prices in (parenthesis).
Full festival passes with access to any performance are available for $110.
Information on troupes and performers can be found online at:
http://www.detroitimprovfestival.org/performer-info.html

Wednesday, August 10

The Boll Family YMCA
Detroit Creativity Project Fundraiser Event
Guests Monologist performances at 7:00pm & 9:00pm
7:00pm: Sara Fouracre from 97.1 The Ticket ($15)
9:00pm: TBD ($15)

Go Comedy! Improv Theater
8:00pm ($10)
- Dianasty
- Reclassify Pluto
- Law Dog
- BAUS
- Sharks & Danger

Thursday, August 11

Go Comedy! Improv Theater
8:00pm ($20)
- Double Oh
- Burnside
- SALT

10:00pm ($20)
- Big Baby
- Orson Whales
- The Offbeats
- Kevin Dorff

The Ringwald Theatre
8:00pm ($20)
- Birdbox Players
- Jeffrey The Plant
- TwoSon

10:00pm ($20)
- Jibber Jabbar
- OTR Improv
- Pretty Much Sisters
- The League of Pointless Improvisers

Friday, August 12

Go Comedy! Improv Theater
8:00pm ($20)
- MARS
- Virginia Slims
- Messing With A Friend

10:00pm ($20)
- Future Kids
- Sad Trombone
- Hugs & Pullups
- Bottle of Red

The Ringwald Theatre
8:00pm ($20)
- B.E.T.H
- Stir Friday Night
- No Waiting with Marc Warzecha

10:00pm ($20)
- Snooze Button
- Dubalicious
- The Nice Guys
- Orange Tuxedo

The Magic Bag
7:00pm & 10:00pm (Tickets for this event are $25 and available online at ticketweb.com)
- Human Amusements
- Dad's Garage
- SPONTANEANATION with Paul F. Tompkins

Saturday, August 13

Go Comedy! Improv Theater
6:00pm ($5)
- The Matt Naas Variety Show

8:00pm ($20)
- Wisenheimer
- Flagstaff
- Bearded Men

10:00pm ($20)
- Brothers Jacokes
- Summer Romance
- DAAANG Judi Dench
- DIF ALL STARS

The Ringwald Theatre
8:00pm ($20)
- Euro Trash
- Gayle
- Kornfeld & Andrews

10:00pm ($20)
- SODA
- Listen, Stupid
- Droday
- Shrimp Forks

Local Kitchen
8:00pm ($25)
- Fake Cops
- Presto Change-O
- Mama's Boy

10:00pm ($25)
- Za West
- Damaged Goods
- Planet Ant Home Team
- The 313

The Complete Detroit Improv Festival Workshop Schedule is as follows

Details on each workshop and instructor bios can be found online at
http://www.detroitimprovfestival.org/workshops.html

Friday, August 12
5:00pm - 7:30pm

Trust Your Instincts | Instructor: Karen Graci | Go U Improv Academy Training Center (SOLD OUT)
Improv Teaching & Coaching | Nick Armstrong | Go U Improv Academy Training Center

Saturday, August 13
10:30am - 1:00PM

Caring About Stuff | Andy Coen | Go Comedy! Headquarters
It's Nice To Be Nice | Louis Kornfeld | Go U Improv Academy Training Center
Take Your Time | Rick Andrews | Go U Improv Academy Training Center (SOLD OUT)
Improvise Like A Married Couple | Carla & Craig Cackowski | The Ringwald Theater (SOLD OUT)

1:45pm - 4:15pm

Make Short Form your Form | Stefan Gerhart | Go Comedy! Headquarters
POV: Passion, Originality, Voice | Laura Eichhorn | Go U The Improv Academy Training Center (Sold Out)
The Dynamic Montage | Pepper Berry | Go U The Improv Academy Training Center
Genre Workout: Tools To Master Any Genre | Bearded Men| The Ringwald Theater (SOLD OUT)

Sunday, August 14
12:30pm - 3:00pm

Commitment to Character | DAAANG Judi Dench | Go Comedy! Improv Theater
Strong Initiations | Steve Kleinedler | Go Comedy Headquarters
Your Power Improv Toolkit | Joe Bill | Go U The Improv Academy Training Center

More information and tickets for all events and workshops, are available online atwww.detroitimprovfestival.org.

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