| Here's what people are saying about ImpFest 2009 on Facebook: James Nelson If you are in Kansas City, have any interest in Improv, and DON'T have already have a ticket in your hand for every single performance during ImpFest, you are CRAZY. Why? Because this thing is epic. This thing is huge. This thing WILL be the biggest thing to happen to Kansas City Improv since the first Thunderdome - and I have no doubt that it will contribute just as much to the renovation of Kansas City Improv as Thunderdome has. Doubter McGrumpypants says "Wait, James... why? The Roving Imp has quality shows and workshops weekly, why is this so special?" Because it's the first ever ImpFest - that is, a large, exciting, sell-out event that screams the thrill of Improvisational Comedy to all who can hear it in this budding improv scene. And nothing stirs an Improv Community like a festival - just ask this devotee, whose revival of improv career was caused by the amazingly inspirational Kansas City Improv Festival in 2007. But ImpFest '09 is important for a whole 'nother reason: If you haven't noticed, the Roving Imp Theater is the only professional improv theater in Kansas City. And when it opened its doors in April '07, there was unbelievable excitement - but also lingering worry... would the Imps be able to draw crowds consistently, a feat that is disturbingly hard for improv troupes? Would the theater be able to garner enough interest from local improv diehards to make it a mainstay of Kansas City improvisers, a scattering of whom hold thinly veiled grudges against newer, less experienced troupes? And... dare I even say it... would the theater be able to stay open? As the miraculous success of the Roving Imp Theater escalated, these worries became things of the past - and ImpFest most certainly doesn't cement the success of RI - that has already become well established, just a couple years after it's opening. No, ImpFest '09 is a celebration of the triumph of the Roving Imp Theater - it's a beautiful, incredible way of saying "We made it. We're here to stay, and we are going to be rocking KC improv for as long as we want." And Festivals do something pretty amazing - they grow. They get bigger, better, wilder, and more insane every year. And years from now, when the Roving Imp is selling out $35 tickets to dozens of shows over a week of incredible improv acts from all over the country, we'll only be able to wonder how this thing ever started. Exaggeration? Well, let's look at another festival that occurred less than ten years before the Roving Imp's opening - in March of 1998. This festival had only 10 more troupe performances than ImpFest '09, and they were also performed in one relatively small theater. That was, of course, the Chicago Improv Festival, which is now the single biggest improv festival in the world, bringing in over a hundred of the most incredible improv shows in the world every year, and entertaining nearly 10,000 audience members annually (not to mention teaching hundreds of improvisers in workshops). That happened in about ten years. So here's ImpFest, Year One. And however incredible it will be (and trust me, it will be), it also brings future promise, potential, and possibility not just to the Roving Imp Theater, but to the entire KC Improv Community. It begins a saga - a tradition that will amaze us all by how quickly it surpasses itself. Don't you dare miss this. You'll be regretting it for the rest of your improv life. Be there. | Allen Trussell After a long day of work, there was much fun at ImpFest 2009! (that needs an echo effect with a deep voiced announcer) Great fun was had by all! Julie Robison Oh, I WISH you would have stayed for the rest of the shows. MY they were SO very AMAZING! David Rushing finds it sad when all good things must come to an end. No, I'm not talking about the end of the TNG series. I'm talking about the end of the Roving Imp ImpFest. Christopher Hurt says the night of ImpFest was EPIC and will be recalled in LORE, right before LORE totally sells out to THE BORG! David Franklin was really glad he got to witness The Roving Imp's first festival. It was amazing. Congratulations to all the performers on a fantastic job. David Franklin has a sore sternum from laughing so much. Thank you improv. :) David Rushing got home from the Roving Imp ImpFest opening night and is relaxing while watching Whose Line Is It Anyway. I know Whose Line isn't as good. But I still like i Jen Roser had lots of fun at ImpFest tonight! Congrats to all the performers Jenifer Harmon to the ImpFest folk: tonight was wonderful! Julie Robison can sincerely not remember being happier than she is right now. I have had the best two days in the world with one more to come. Impfest rocked, and so did all the performers. Congrats guys! Justin Eifert Just saw possibly the best night of improv of his life. And ya know what? It's only gonna get better! Impfest 09 www.rovingimp.com Keith Curtis already misses Impfest. What a wonderful 1st festival...here's to many more! Keith Curtis Well done The Roving Imp Theater...Well done! Nanci Stoeffler 'twas a fun evening at The Imp as always. Was totally entertained and at times, blown away. Looking forward to next year! Nifer Honeycutt thanks everyone who made today one of the best ones she can remember. Congratulations to the Roving Imp on a great festival! Nifer Honeycutt congratulates everyone on the killer shows tonight! Nifer Honeycutt congratulates John on a kicka-- festival opening! Nikki DuPont had a blast tonight. Thanks, John! Tom Kessler think tonight's 7 pm show, with Anomaly Orange, Biblioclast, and Spite, was the best improv show I've ever participated in. Tom Kessler If you weren't at Impfest tonight, you missed out on the chance to see one of the funniest improv sets I've seen, care of Trish Berrong, Nikki Dupont, and Meghan Mercer of Spite. Jill Bernard is not asleep yet, the show with Trish Berrong was t-o-o exciting!! Mike Jimerson I dashed out before I had a chance to tell you both your sets were hilarious last night. |
| ImpFest 2009: Three Nights, Five Shows, 11 Ensembles Thursday, Oct. 22, 8pm, $10 Anomaly Orange, Tantrum, TrivProv, Spite Friday, Oct. 23, 7pm, $9 (all ages show, 12 & under in free with advance reservation) Anomaly Orange, Biblioclast, Spite Friday, Oct. 23, 9pm, $9 Improv-Abilities Coma Chameleon Tantrum Saturday, Oct. 24, 7pm, $9 (all ages show, 12 & under in free with advance reservation) Omega Directive Coma Chameleon Improv-Abilities Saturday, Oct. 24, 9pm, $12 One Dictionary Soup Brownies Don't Lie Friday Two-Pack: Both shows for $13 Saturday Two-Pack: Both shows for $16 Festival Five-Pack: All five great shows for just $35 The Instructors!! Jill Bernard has been performing with ComedySportz-Twin Cities since 1993, and is also a founding member of HUGE Theater. Her one-woman improv piece, Drum Machine, has been featured at the Chicago Improv Festival, the Toronto Improv Jamboree, the Miami Improv Festival, Philadelphia Improv Festival, and the ComedySportz National Tournament, among others. She has taught and performed improv in Norway, Canada, and over twenty-five of these United States; and also on an episode of MTV “Made.” She has studied at the Annoyance Theater, Improv Olympic, the Brave New Workshop and other organizations; and is the recipient of the 2005 Chicago Improv Festival Avery Schreiber Ambassador of Improv Award, and the 2007 Miami Improv Festival award for Best Solo Show. Trish Berrong is the undisputed improv guru of Kansas City. She has played with Lighten Up, Funny Outfit, ComedyCity, Straight Man, Act Two, Baby! and Poke. Currently with Tantrum, Spite, and Omega Directive; producer of Comedy On The Square in Liberty; and coach of Liberty High School's Exit 16, with over 20 years performing, teaching, and directing short- and long-form improv. Tim Marks is co-director of Improv-Abilities in Kansas City, after having started improv comedy in 2000 to become a better public speaker and to have fun. Tim has improved his acting through instruction from: Second City (Chicago), the i.O. Theater (Chicago, L.A.), the Annoyance Theatre (Chicago), and has also performed with Babel Fish and Type O Positive. John Robison has been an actor and director for over 20 years, performing in & directing plays and musicals all over the Kansas City area. He currently directs and performs with the 10 Roving Imp ensembles, and has performed with Improv-Abilities, Full Frontal Comedy, Babelfish, Makeshift Militia, and the Hypothetical 7. He also performed at the 2008 and 2009 Chicago Improv Festival. John trained and performed at the world-famous i.o. (Improv Olympic) in Chicago, and has trained with the Second City Touring Company of Chicago. He was founder and artistic director of the Better Than Fair Players in Bonner Springs from 1995-2003, has directed musicals, written three original plays, two adaptations of stories by Mark Twain and Dr. Seuss, and an ABBA tribute musical. Yeah... he sings too. TO REGISTER - Choose the class(es) you'd like to take. - E-mail the class name with your name, phone number and e-mail address to classes@rovingimp.com - Once your registration is confirmed, you'll have to pay up to hold your spot. Payment instructions will come with your confirmation note. Classes are open to students ages 15 and older.Costs per session: Workshops with Jill Bernard: $45, or $35 for festival performers Other workshops: $35, or $30 for festival performers Choose one workshop from all three sessions for $100, or $90 for festival performers. | Workshops!! Session One: Fireball Theory, with Jill Bernard Saturday, Oct. 24, 11:30am-2:00pm This workshop presents Jill Bernard's Fireball Theory and offers exercises to help you improvise faster and harder than you can judge yourself. You will learn to metaphorically hit the scene running and outrun the explosion of self-loathing and doubt like an action movie hero outruns a fireball thus defying the laws of physics. Please wear closed toe shoes to this workshop. Scenic Blitzkrieg, with John Robison Saturday, Oct. 24, 11:30am-2:00pm Not sure what the problem is? This workshop will give a general overhaul to your entire improv ball of wax. Using the improv you use during every rehearsal, we can diagnose and tweak your improv, so it'll run smoother than it ever has before. Session Two: The Fix'Em Up Shop, with Jill Bernard Saturday, Oct. 24, 2:30pm-5:00pm A session with Jill Bernard to provide individual assistance on topics of the participants' choosing. An opportunity to get personalized instruction and face what's challenging you. Please wear closed toe shoes to this workshop. Nothing More Than Feelings, with John Robison Saturday, Oct. 24, 2:30pm-5:00pm Are your scenes hilarious for about two minutes, and then fizzle out? This workshop will help you integrate your fun ideas with good emotional grounding, so that once the game of the scene is over, there's still somewhere to go. Session Three: Making Connections, with Trish Berrong Sunday, Oct. 25, 1:00-3:30pm In longform, getting past the first idea is sometimes easier said than done. Let Trish Berrong free your mind, and you will not believe what amazing ideas are already out there, floating around, just waiting for you to put together for huge laughs! Letting the Game Find You, with Tim Marks Sunday, Oct. 25, 1:00-3:30pm It's like pornography. Hard to define, but it can be fun to play with. Don't be intimidated by the idea of "finding the game of the scene." Learn and do exercises that help your scenes jump right to the good stuff without fumbling around. You and the game belong together; you'll find each other. |