YARNS with Asaf Ronen (Austin, Texas)
Asaf Ronen, one half of Imp, the duo nationally renowned for improvising vignettes using as few words as possible, is now touring with his own solo show. YARNS is an exploration of different ways to tell stories whether it be a poem done completely through the silent use of the body, or a creation myths told through objects from the audience or a three-dimensional multi-sensory radio play using audience members as background. Accompanied by John Ratliff on the improvised keyboards, YARNS will present three complete and completely different stories.

For more information visit: www.yesand.com

ImprovBoston (Boston, MA)
Since 1982, ImprovBoston has entertained audiences in New England and around the country with a fresh, funny approach to improv and comedy, showcasing today’s best performers and training tomorrow’s stars. With a full calendar of the funniest shows in New England and nationally known education and corporate training programs, ImprovBoston is more than just a great comedy club—it's a recognized center for the evolving art of improvisation.

For more information visit: www.improvboston.com

ComedySportz
Not comedy about sports, but comedy AS a sport! ComedySportz is the award winning interactive comedy show where two teams of "act-letes" compete for audience laughs and points while improvising scenes, games, operas and musicals based on audience suggestions. A referee governs the action, calling fouls and keeping the match moving at a blistering pace. The audience is always a part of the interactive show, and sometimes even winds up on stage! It's clean, fast and fun for all audiences. A South Bay institution since 1987, they've been named Editor's Choice by the Wave Magazine and Best Local Theatre by the Metro's Best of the Silicon Valley.

For more information visit: www.comedysportzsanjose.com

Oui Be Negroes (San Francisco, CA)
Oui Be Negroes is the original African American Sketch Comedy Ensemble in the country. Since 1994, the company has toured all over the United States, Canada and internationally with their style of political and social humor. Originally from Chicago and now residents of The Bay Area, the Negroes (Shaun Landry, Marcus Sams and Hans Summers) return to SCIF for their fourth year.

For more info visit: www.ouibenegroes.com

Irish Mutts
Shaun Landry (of San Francisco Oui Be Negroes) and Kevin McShane (of IOwest’s Trophy Wife) team up for the well-received improv duo The Irish Mutts. With combined historical oppression of over 500 plus years, McShane and Landry bring biting and satirical improv comedy to stages nationally. “They kept the audience in stitches and in awe of their sharp wit and on-the-spot creativity.” Says the Oberlin Review and Centerstage Chicago says Shaun Landry and Kevin McShane—bring some much-needed diversity to the Chicago Improv Festival—and improv in general.

For more info visit: www.irishmutts.com

Un-Scripted Theater
The Un-Scripted Theater Company specializes in improv theater. While 95% of our shows are hilarious, and all of them have comedic elements, almost none of our shows are "improv comedy." Still confused about the difference? Come to one of our shows and see for yourself!

For more info visit: www.un-scripted.com

The Uncle Ukulele Show
The Uncle Ukulele Show is a musical solo improv show created by Nathan Melcher. As “Uncle Ukulele,” a friendly, overly-upbeat children’s entertainer, Melcher asks the audience to embrace their sense of play and remember the wonder of childhood. Together, they venture forth on a wild adventure filled with fun songs, crazy stories, silly sing-a-longs, puppet shows, and tons of audience participation. With his trusty ukulele at his side, Uncle Ukulele has been making audiences laugh since March of 2007.

For more info visit: www.nathanmelcher.com

Mark Baratelli's Improv Cabaret (Orlando, FL)
Mark Baratelli improvises a 45-minute cabaret act, supported by accompanist John B. deHaas. It's got songs like a cabaret and stories like a cabaret, but the entire thing is improvised. Ridiculous, self-indulgent and sometimes funny, Mark Baratelli brings his one-man-show to Santa Cruz straight from the 2008 San Francisco and Chicago Improv Festivals.

For more info visit: www.markbaratelli.com

Six Wheel Drive
It's longform improv at its archetypal best! Both Six Wheel Drive uses techniques loosely based on Joseph Campbell's theories of the Hero's Journey, and developed by founder Alex Lamb, previously of the Amazing Spectacles in Cambridge England.

Be astounded as, before your eyes, these players construct a new and unscripted full-length play, so complete with compelling characters, story arc and subplots that it will leave you wondering if everything was planned out ahead of time. But no! It is all unscripted, as you can verify simply by re-reading the previous sentence in full.

Players include past and current members of Loose Cannon, the Funatics, What Now? and Um...Gee...Um.

Freefall Spontaneous Theater
Moment by moment, scene by scene, witness spontaneous theater.

Freefall Spontaneous Theater bridges conventional dramatic theater and comedy improvisation in its unscripted, 100% improvised creation of ONE "long-form" piece. They take a giant leap into the unknown and miraculously land on their feet.

Most improv performances consist of 10 to 15 short, unrelated scenes in a night: a thrill a minute roller coaster ride that can leave you gasping for air at times. Long-form improv takes its time: more of an adventure, an exploration, a quest. Each "freefall" can unfold into multiple characters, story lines and settings, with each actor playing multiple roles. Freefall members bring characters and relationships to life, giving themselves permission to be comedic or dramatic depending on the truth of the characters to guide them. Seamlessly shifting from scene to scene the Freefall players invent it all, never knowing what might happen next.

For more information visit: freefall.loon.com

The Funatics!
The Funatics! are a well-seasoned troupe having performed in Santa Cruz since 2002. Expect the unexpected at their shows. Moving rapidly between fast-action, short-form games and multi-scene, long-form vignettes, they keep the audience laughing throughout the whole ride. The troupe strives for innovation, and prides itself on developing new and untested ways of engaging the audience. The Funatics! have never missed a Santa Cruz ImprovFest. Don't miss them.

The troupe players are: Glenda Dixon, Stan Einhorn, Sheryl Loomis and Terry Thomas.

Loose Cannon Theater
Loose Cannon Theater is comedy Improv rich with characters and story. Their quick-edit format keeps audience (and players!) on the edge of their seats wondering, What will happen next? Known for their irreverent antics and attention-grabbing plots, they combine long form with traditional and some not-so-traditional games to make for a diverse and unpredictable night of improv.

Loose Cannon Theater has been playing to adult audiences, as an adjunct to the Fun Institute, since 1996. Our current members are Dixie Cox, Mischa Felix, Jim Gallas, Tim Gillett, Kari Hansen, Clifford Henderson, Duke Houston, Joyce Michaelson, Eric Schneider, and the fabulous Tish Eastman on keyboard.

All shows listed at: www.funinstitute.com

ScripTease
ScripTease, now in their eleventh year of public exposure, engages in "High-Risk Comedy Where Improv Meets Strip Poker." Just like your father's improv, ScripTease makes up scenes based on suggestions from the audience. Unlike your father's improv, a ScripTease show has some scenes called "Strip Scenes." Strip Scenes have certain rules that the Teasers must follow: If a Teaser is caught breaking any rules, the ever-vigilant audience yells "Strip!" and the offending Teaser loses an article of clothing. You can tell just how well the Teasers obey rules by how much flesh is showing at the end of the show. ScripTease's goal is to expose the world to improv comedy – without exposing too much of themselves in the process!

ScripTease is Jenn Christian, Mo Kremer, Matty Marichiba, Lyndsey Marks, Tim McCray, Donal "Irish" Murphy & David Rudesill

ScripTease performs frequently in the Santa Cruz area, and they work hard for their money - so hard for it, honey. For the troupe's performance calendar, please visit www.scripteaseimprov.com

Stay Tuned! Improv
We have a blast doing improv -- and people tell us it shows!

We can't tell you what our show will be about -- 'cause we are making it up as we go. What we can tell you is that it will be sure to include a cast of funny characters, familiar and new improvised games, scenes pulled out of thin air, and spontaneous musical numbers.

Audience members help influence the direction of our shows by participating in everything from providing scene suggestions and objects to being on stage. You might even be asked to throw something at the players! 

Stay Tuned! has performed several times at First Night Santa Cruz and also in the world renowned Chicago Improv Festival.

Please see our online show schedule to learn when and where we are appearing: www.staytunedimprov.com

Dave Andrade, Nathan Andrade, Ron Barr, Kevin Lohman, Marti Mariette, Max Montgomery, and Julie Pollack look forward to laughing with you soon!

Um...Gee...Um
Um...Gee...Um celebrated our 18th anniversary in February of 2008. The troupe has been part of the Santa Cruz theater scene since 1989, always striving to present quality, in-the-moment theater that involves the audience as it entertains and encourages them to share the joy of story and spontaneity. Um...Gee...Um's mission is to spark discovery and allow the creative spirit to run wild!

Um...Gee...Um performs throughout the year at various venues in Santa Cruz, as well as presenting occasional shows out of town. The Um...Gee...Um Academy of Improv offers beginning through advanced level classes throughout the year, and has introduced hundreds of students to the joys of making it up as they go along. Um...Gee... Um also gives workshops for local schools and businesses and usually teaches a few training sessions for the annual Actors' Theatre Improvathon each fall.

Troupe members have been with the group anywhere from five to ten years. Members have trained in improvisational theater with improv master Keith Johnstone at Stanford and Calgary, Canada; with Bay Area Theatresports in San Francisco and the New Actors Workshop in New York City; and with performance artist Nina Wise and other teachers from around the country in workshops here in Santa Cruz. Some are involved in other theatrical productions in addition to their improvisation work, and they all apply their love and knowledge of improv to their other jobs as teachers, life coaches, editors, engineers, healers and trainers.

Current troupe members include: Suzanne Schrag, Todd Phillips, Chopsy Gutt, Susan Boes, and Bob Burnett (our wonderful musician).

To learn more about Um...Gee...Um, and see many lovely photos of us, visit our website at www.umgeeum.com, or call the Um...Gee...Um hotline at (831) 425-4447 for info about upcoming shows and classes.

You Had To Be There

You Had To Be There brings witty, fast-paced, satirical improv and a touch of salmonella wherever it goes! Whee! How do we do it, you ask? Why, through a varied mix of games and long-form sketches based on audience's suggestions and participation! Also, raw eggs. We swallow eight before a show. Remember: real humor comes from pain....and OH..the pain....such pain you NEVER felt.

YHTBT has performed at Cabrillo College, The Actor's Theatre, UCSC, and the Broadway Playhouse. The group has played in the Improvathon for 3 or 4 years (depends who's counting), and this is the 2nd appearance in the Improvfest.

Members of YHTBT have dabbled in theater, radio, and produced a number of short films (some of which have NOT been banned overseas).

You Had To Be There is Davis Banta, Daniel Ruiz, Bob Nasr, Brennan Marquez, and David Rudesill.