Eighth Annual Detroit Improv Festival Brings Big Names To Detroit

Metro Detroit will be the center of the comedy universe as top names in sketch and improvisational comedy arrive for the eighth annual Detroit Improv Festival August 8-12. Headlined by Paul F. Tompkins, this year's festival will take place over four venues in Ferndale with more than 60 improv troupes from across the US and Canada performing in more than 20 shows, there will be something for everyone.

The festival begins Wednesday, August 8 at Go Comedy! Improv Theater and continues through Sunday, August 12 with performances at Go Comedy! Improv Theater, The Ringwald Theater, and The Magic Bag, and Affirmations, all in Ferndale.

The week's headliner performance includes Paul F. Tompkins and Spontaneanation Thursday, August 9 at 7:00pm and 10:00pm at The Magic Bag. A live-recorded improvised comedy podcast, each episode of Spontaneanation contains two segments: an interview with a special guest, followed by an improvisational scene that contains elements from the preceding interview, taking place in a setting given by that week's guest. Each interview begins with a question supplied by the previous episode's guest, without revealing their identity.

Additionally, Tompkins begins each show with a brief improvised stream of consciousness monologue. The improvisational scene and monologue are scored by Eban Schletter on piano. Tompkins will stay in Detroit for two additional improv shows at 7:00pm and 10:00pm on Friday, Augut 10 at the Magic Bag where he will be joined by members of Spontaneanation and former Detroiters Jaime Moyer (Modern Family, KC Undercover, 2 Broke Girls) and Marc Evan Jackson (Jumanji, Brooklyn Nine Nine, The Good Place) The festival will also include the Los Angeles based improv troupe, Flying Chuck (performing at Go Comedy on Thursday at 10pm) with pro wrestling star John Morrison, hosted by former WWE superstar Damien Sandow (now known as Aron Stevens). A slate of improvised podcasts has also been added to this year's line up including Roach Koach, The Nice Guys, History Made Up, and My Nieghors Are Dead, all recording live episodes.

Tickets for all Detroit Improv Festival performances run from $10- $25 with a full-festival pass available for $120. Tickets for shows at The Magic Bag (8:00pm and 10:00pm on Thursday, August 9 and Friday, August 10) are $25 and available online at www.ticketweb.com Tickets for all other Detroit Improv Festival performances are available online at www.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 8 @ 8:00pm, 10:00pm
Thursday, August 9 @ 8:00pm, 10:00pm
Friday, August 10 @ 8:00pm, 10:00pm
Saturday, August 11 @ 6:00pm, 8:00pm, 10:00pm

The Magic Bag
22920 Woodward AveFerndale, MI 48220Thursday, August 9 @ 7:00pm, 10:00pmFriday, August 10 @ 7:00pm, 10:00pm
The Ringwald Theatre
22742 Woodward Ave
Ferndale, MI 48220
Thursday, August 9 @ 8:00pm, 10:00pm
Friday, August 10 @ 6:00pm, 8:00pm, 10:00pm
Saturday, August 11 @ 6:00pm, 8:00pm, 10:00pm
Affirmations 90 W 9 Mile Rd
Ferndale, MI 48220
Saturday, August 11 @ 6:00pm, 8:00pm

The Complete Performance Schedule is as follows
Ticket prices in (parenthesis).
Full festival passes with access to any performance are available for $120.
Information on troupes and performers can be found online at:
http://www.detroitimprovfestival.org/performer-info.html

Wednesday, August 8

Go Comedy! Improv Theater
8:00pm ($10)
- Natural Born Killaz (Detroit)
- Plant Parenthood (Grand Rapids)
- Filbert (Portland)
- The League of Pointless Improvisors (Ann Arbor)
- The Gay Agenda (Detroit)
- Thursday Interns (Detroit)

10:00pm (Free)
Fresh Sauce Improv Jam

Thursday, August 9

The Magic Bag7:00pm ($25)
- ABC Family Presents (Detroit)
- Spontaneanation with Paul F. Tompkins, Eban Shletter, Tawny Newsome, Janet Varney, and Eugene Cordero
10:00pm ($25)- Forever Fifteen (Detroit)
- Spontaneanation with Paul F. Tompkins, Eban Shletter, Tawny Newsome, Janet Varney, and Eugene Cordero

Go Comedy! Improv Theater
8:00pm ($15)
- HugSquared (Detroit)- Sad Trombone (Philadelphia)
- Courtesy Shuttle (Rob Belushi & Tim Stoltenberg - Los Angeles)
10:00pm ($15)
- Quicksand (New York City)
- Sofa (Grand Rapids)
- Pepperoni Pizza Cats (Toronto)
- Flying Chuck (Los Angeles)
The Ringwald Theatre
8:00pm ($15)
- Pretty Daddy (Detroit)
- Four First Names (Orlando)
- Presto Change-O (Detroit)- Hildreth & Sukow (Chicago & Los Angeles)

10:00pm ($15)
- Planet Ant Home Team (Detroit)- Pennyworth (Chicago)
- Karen From Accounting (Detroit)- The Lusty Mannequins (Toronto)

Friday, August 10

The Magic Bag 7:00pm ($25)- MARS (Detroit)- 2-Man No-Show (Los Angeles & Toronto)
- Paul F. Tompkins & Friends with Tawny Newsome, Eugene Cordero, Jaimey Moyer, and Marc Evan Jackson
10:00pm ($25)- Reclassify Pluto (Detroit)- Big Baby (Philadelphia)
- Paul F. Tompkins & Friends with Tawny Newsome, Eugene Cordero, Jaimey Moyer, and Marc Evan Jackson

Go Comedy! Improv Theater
6:00pm ($5)
- Yo, Is This Racist (Podcast)
8:00pm ($20)
- Lady Jay (New York City)
- Jibber Jabbar (Chicago)
- The Lusty Mannequins (Toronto)

10:00pm ($20)
- Hardy Boys (San Diego)
- Merit Badge (Chicago)
- Fake Cops (Toronto)
- Empanada Grande (Grand Rapids)

The Ringwald Theatre
8:00pm ($20)
- Juliet & Juliet (Minneapolis)
- Local Spot (Baltimore)
- Courtesy Shuttle (Los Angeles)

10:00pm ($20)
- Character Fondue (Detroit)
- Zilla Improv (Louisville)
- Simply Coney (Los Angeles)
- Horror of Terror (Chicago)

Saturday, August 11

Go Comedy! Improv Theater
6:00pm ($15)
- Hugs & Pullups (Chicago)
- Pretty Much Sisters (Atlanta)
- OTRImprov (Cincinnatti)
- Baby Leroy (Detroit)

8:00pm ($20)
- The Brothers Jacokes (Detroit)
- Stir Friday Night (Los Angeles)
- 2 Man No-Show (Los Angeles & Toronto)

10:00pm ($20)
- Listen Stupid (Detroit)
- My Momma's Biscuits (New York City)
- PUMPS (Los Angeles)
- DIF All Stars (Jaime Moyer, Marc Evan Jackson, Karen Graci, Nick Armstrong, & more)

The Ringwald Theatre
6:00pm ($15)
- Cash & Carry (Detroit)
- Amanda & Emily (Orlando)
- Off Book - The Improvised Musical (Los Angeles)

8:00pm ($20)
- Ensemble Troupe
- Two Sketchy Dames (Cincinnatti)
- Shrimp Forks (Los Angeles)

10:00pm ($20)
- Snooze Button (Kansas City)
- Darth Vader Ginsburg (Toronto)
- Dubalicious (Detroit)
- Off Book - The Improvised Musical (Los Angeles)

Affirmations
6:00pm ($10)
- Roach Koach Podcast
- The Nice Guys Podcast
8:00pm ($10)
- History Made Up Podcast
- My Neighbors Are Dead Podcast

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

Thursday, August 9
5:00pm - 7:30pm

Intro to Comedy Podcasting | Nate Dufort (My Neighbors Are Dead) | Go U! Traning Center

Friday, August 10
4:30pm - 7:00pm

Strong Characters Right Now! | Andy Perkins | Go U! Improv Academy Training Center
Slow Down! Objects at Work | Chris Moody | Go U! Improv Academy Training Center

Saturday, August 11
11:30am - 2:00pm

Choose Confidence | Karen Graci | Go U! Improv Academy Training Center
Out-Jumping Improv: Being Your Own Evil Knievel | Issac Kessler & Ken Hall Go U! Improv Academy Training Center
Ladies Love Improv | Jaime Moyer | Ringwald Theater
Bad Manners, Better Scenes: Helping the Scene by Helping Yourself | Rob Belushi & Tim Stoltenberg | Go Comedy! Improv Theater

2:30pm - 5:00pm
In The Heights | The Lusty Mannequins | Go U! Improv Academy Training Center
FUN FUN FUN | Jay Sukow | Go U! Improv Academy Training Center
Strong Initiations & Listening: An LGBTQIA Only Workshop | Steve Kleinedler & Ralph Andracchio | Ringwald Theatre
Expanding Your Imagination & the Space-Time Continuum | James Quesada | Go Comedy! Improv Theater

Sunday, August 13
12:30pm - 3:00pm

A Great Big Pile: How to Make Group Scenes Work | Justin Catchens & Jeanell Allen | Go U! The Improv Academy

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

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