FST Announces 11th Annual Sarasota Improv Festival

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is proud to announce that the Annual Sarasota Improv Festival will return for its 11th year on Friday, July 12 and Saturday, July 13, 2019. Since its founding by Rebecca Hopkins in 2009, the Sarasota Improv Festival has become a destination event, and the premier Festival of its kind in the Southeastern United States. This year's Festival will bring together over 20 of the top improv troupes from across the nation and as far as Canada and the UK to Florida's Gulf Coast for a weekend of spontaneous comedy. The full Festival lineup will be announced May 3. Festival passes go on sale Friday, May 3, and single tickets will go on sale the week of June 17.

At the heart of this year's festival is an artistic focus on the key elements that define all great improvisation. "Part of my vision for this year's Festival is to focus on the crucial components of Improvisation Theater," explained FST's Director of Improv and Festival organizer, Will Luera. "Those components are most evident in strong relationship-based scenes that take their time exploring the world of the characters through grounded emotions and patient scene work."

Headlining this year is Quartet, a group that knows how to shape these core elements into thrilling improvisation. Featuring four of some of the very best improvisers in the country-Craig Cackowski, Bob Dassie, Tami Sagher, and Stephnie Weir-Quartet begins their one-of-a-kind performances by asking for audience suggestions, which will inspire the direction of the following 60-minute performance. The performers then use that prompt to weave intricate storylines on the spot, resulting in a comedic, interlacing long-form narrative. "Each member of Quartet brings authentic emotion, attention to detail, and more, to the stage every time," said Luera. "They are all performers that I've looked up to ever since I was a beginner and it's an honor to have them all here in Sarasota."

Called "Ludicrously funny" by TimeOut LA, Quartet has performed in Chicago and Los Angeles for over 20 years. All of the group's members were part of Chicago's original iO (Improv Olympics) Theater when improv was first gaining a foothold in the United States. The artists behind this headlining troupe have also been instrumental in shaping some of the most beloved comedies from the past two decades-Sagher was on the writing staff of 30 Rock, Psych, and How I Met Your Mother and Weir has written episodes for The Millers, MADtv, and Raising Hope.

In addition to Quartet, this year's Festival will welcome two international improv groups: The Maydays from the United Kingdom and 2-Man No Show from Canada. This year marks the fifth consecutive year that FST will welcome artists from around the world to its Improv Festival. Introducing Festival audiences and performing improvisers to a wider array of improv styles and approaches has always been an artistic priority to Festival organizer Luera, who has travelled the world in search of today's top improvisers. Past Festivals have drawn international talent from Mexico, France, and Spain.

Founded in 2004, The Maydays are an award-winning improvised comedy company based in Brighton and London. The group won the award for Best Comedy Show in the 2007 Brighton Fringe Festival for their show Mayday! The Musical. "The Maydays are one of the premier musical groups out of Europe," shared Luera. "The sense of theatricality and style that they bring to their shows is only paralleled by their musical ability. Music has always been a big part of our Festival and I'm proud to continue that tradition with this fantastic group."

Also making its Sarasota Improv Festival debut is 2-Man No Show, the award-winning and internationally acclaimed Canadian duo. Members Ken Hall and Issac Kessler use high energy physicality to push characters into outrageous and surreal situations that surprise and delight. Toronto's NOW Magazine said that 2-Man No Show is "Hilarious and physical comedy that easily rivals anything currently on late-night TV." Luera agrees. "Anytime I'm at a festival and they are on the bill, I try my best to watch them," he shared. "This duo is hilarious and their physicality onstage adds to the ridiculous scenarios and characters they create."

Returning for the Festival are several favorites including Available Cupholders, ImprovBoston, Parallelogramophonograph, SAK Comedy Lab, and of course, Florida Studio Theatre's own home team, FST Improv. In addition to over 25 performances, 14 workshops will be held on Saturday, July 13 for those who want to learn from some of improv's top performers.

Closing the Festival is its famous finale, All Play, where all 70+ Festival artists squeeze themselves onto one stage for a raucous, completely un-scripted 60 minutes of collaborative fun. Artists from varying groups go head-to-head in friendly comedy competitions that highlight the unique styles and strengths of the Festival's full lineup.

The full Festival lineup will be announced May 3. Festival passes go on sale Friday, May 3, and single tickets will go on sale the week of June 17.

Known as Sarasota's Contemporary Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre was founded in 1973 by Jon Spelman. Starting out as a small touring company, FST traveled to places such as migrant camps and prisons. The company then acquired the former Woman's Club building, becoming the first permanent venue. Shortly after Richard Hopkins arrived, the building was purchased and renamed The Keating Theatre. In the years that followed, Florida Studio Theatre established itself as a major force in American Theatre, presenting contemporary theatre in its five theatre venues: the Keating Theatre, the Gompertz Theatre, the Parisian style Goldstein Cabaret, and John C. Court Cabaret, and Bowne's Lab Theatre.

Even with its growth, Florida Studio Theatre remains firmly committed to making the arts accessible and affordable to a broad-based audience. FST develops theatre that speaks to our living, evolving, and dynamically changing world. As FST grows and expands, it continues to provide audiences with challenging, contemporary drama and innovative programs.

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