BATS Improv Announces New Artistic Director

BATS Improv, located at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco has announced that long time company member, Ken Robertson, will take over as Artistic Director, effectively immediately. Robertson will assume the role previously held by Kasey Klemm who served as Artistic Director since 2011. Kasey will continue with BATS as a Company member, coach with BATS School of Improv, and a trainer for the BATS' Improv at Work corporate program. www.improv.org

"It's a tremendous honor to be named the Artistic Director for such an incredibly talented ensemble," said Artistic Director Ken Robertson. "I look forward to serving both the performing company and the passionate community they've created, which has become a second family to me."

Before becoming a member of the BATS performing company Ken Robertson earned his MFA in theatre performance from the National Theatre Conservatory (where he studied with many members of London's Royal Shakespeare Company), and performed with various scripted theater companies including the Denver Center Theatre Company and the Colorado Shakespeare festival. During that time he also worked as a professional stuntman and fight choreographer.

Ken took his first BATS class in 2003, and immediately fell in love with both improv and the BATS organization. He became a guest performer with the BATS company in 2008, and was invited to become a full company member in 2010. In addition, Ken has over a decade of experience working in graphic design, engineering and high-tech management with various companies in the Bay Area, and has held titles as both Art Director and Senior Software Engineer.

About BATS

Founded in 1986, BATS has become the premier improvisational performing company and improv training school in the Bay Area, attracting more than 12,000 audience members and 1,300 workshop enrollments every year. www.improv.org