IC Hosts October Town Hall

On Sunday, September 29th Improv Cincinnati invited the broader community of performers and students to attend the second Town Hall meeting of 2024. These meetings are intended to be an opportunity for the ever-growing and expanding community to meet the leaders, hear the news firsthand and ask questions.

The meeting kicked off with updates from each department on developments and accomplishments since April.

Artistic updates included: Open Auditions were held the first two weeks of October at CCT for over 40 people. Michael Sawan has assumed the position as Tech Director as of Oct 1st, with Tone overseeing the department. Two additional stage lights have been installed. The stage mics are still problematic but continue to be troubleshooted. Show times on Friday and Saturday nights will be changed to 7:30 and 9:00 starting in November. The new PSC rubric and updated process was shared, and post Town Hall was distributed to the performer community. 

Education updates included: Instructor Summit in June produced an official, “Instructor Agreement” outlining IC’s expectations for teachers. Colin has been sitting in and reviewing classes. Jerome York held a Clowning Intensive class, and Tracy Connor is currently teaching an Acting for Improvisers. 102 Drop-In classes are picking up steam. Trike Duo is visiting from NYC on 10/26. 

Operations updates included: Front of house was arranged to give more space and allow for addition of a “Swag Wagon” and teams bulletin board. Clean up around the theater continues. A Community Survey went out in August and solicited feedback on a host of relevant topics.

Marketing updates included: A broad data assessment project is near completion. IC has outlined marketing expectations for teams and shared that with the performer community. IC is close to hiring a Marketing Manager. 

Sketch updates included: The Green Room writing initiative, starting Nov 5th. Sketch Writing 101 starting in Nov 7th. Also working on a bigger Sketch presence on the new IC website. 

Affinity Groups have scheduled recurring Jams on Thursdays. Monica Lee has stepped up to be the overall coordinator for the individual affinity groups until her departure from Cincinnati in December. The Wonder Brain specialty show is in full swing, with a show date of Nov 9th. 

IC’s Mentorship program kicked off another cohort in September. Currently there are 23 mentor/mentee pairings. 

For the specific notes taken during this Town Hall as well as the one in December 2023 and April 2024, see this doc.

Improv Cincinnati Launches September 2024 Mentorship Cohort

Improv Cincinnati's Mentorship Program: Level Up Your Funny in a Year!

Big news! Our third cohort of the Mentorship Program launched on Sunday, September 29th, with a crew of 8 pairs, from fresh-faced students to seasoned performers.

Erin Kessler, our Cohort lead, says, “This program is all about creating a supportive space where improvisers can stretch their creative muscles and take risks. We’re proud of the connections built here and the growth we see in each mentor and mentee.”

So, what's in store? Monthly meet-ups, a handy handbook, and a whole lotta laughter!

The goal? To help up-and-coming improvisers develop their skills and confidence and maybe even discover their inner mentor!

Erin adds, "Mentorship is a cornerstone of what we do. It’s not just about teaching improv techniques—it’s about fostering relationships that encourage exploration and personal growth. Each cohort leaves an impact that resonates far beyond the stage.”

Ready to join the fun? Keep an eye out for future application rounds, or simply high-five any of our Mentors and Mentees and soak up the vibes!

Both interested Mentor and Mentee applicants can sign up for future cohorts of the Improv Cincinnati Mentorship Program at https://forms.gle/TsfoFJVi7EFHNX5ZA

April Town Hall Update

Thanks to everyone who attended the Town Hall Saturday afternoon! If you missed it, here’s a recap of the news.

We kicked off January 2024 as the Year of Accountability. Three new directors were hired, the IC Advisory team was created and met in January, and the Performance Support Committee was established. We’ve defined roles & responsibilities, created Q1 goals and reported on those goals through monthly emails.

The Artistic Department created a new look for advertising and a brand bible. IC’s website is mid-overhaul, including a Performer Resource page. A Coaching Class was held in March and a Hosting Workshop is planned for May 26th. With the tech overhaul, we now record our shows. Rachel can supply teams with a copy, upon request. Our drive will be emptied every 3 months.

The Education Department updated course syllabuses and began sending them out to each class. IC held a Musical 101 class, and a 201 is coming soon. An IC Teacher’s Summit will be held in June, date TBD. On 4/22 we held DEI training for staff, teachers and coaches on mental/physical disability awareness, and antisemitism awareness will be held 5/19.

Sketch Department is celebrating it’s 2nd year. Sketch team, Subject To Change is celebrating 1 yr anniversary. Next Sketch class, fall of 2024. Director Series coming in fall. Contact Teddy: funnychef@gmail.com.

Theatre news: Thursday night shows are coming soon! Spring Auditions are April 28th. Clowning coaching opportunities are available for teams, Labs and Jams are going strong. Affinity groups are forming, there’s an vent 4/29 7-9pm at Arcade Legacy. Contact Jonathan: jbitzer80@gmail.com. IC’s Mentorship program has been growing since January, 14 pairs now, you can apply anytime. Contact Erin: erinfgkessler@gmail.com.

Team building events are up by 75% in Q1. You can receive $225 in IC credit if your team building referral turns into an event! Contact Jon: info@improvcincinnati.com.

CCT had an electrical overhaul; new house lights, individual bathroom light switches, new bar lights, etc. New speakers are on order, and org plans for the backs rooms are slated for summer.

An email list for Volunteer opportunities exists. Fill out this form to receive them!

Despite losing Kelly Morton as Marketing Director, we’re moving forward with reassessing purpose, values, and offerings. Plans for a merch cart for teams to sell wares is coming soon. Congrats to Crash Course, for being the 1st team to secure a sponsor!

____________________________________________

Suggestions/Feedback /Questions:

• Mentor program is wonderful.

• Kudos to the communication - tremendous improvement in the last year.

• Clarify, what can IC credit be used for? Anything that can be bought on Fourth Wall: classes, workshops, shows.

• Intro Workshops & Classes: We’re missing out on opportunities for concessions. Can we sell any kind of concessions?

• Reminder: Anyone can contribute drinks to back fridge!

• Look into installing water fountain for water bottles by bar.

• Eric P: Very grateful.

• Can we drink before shows? Is that written anywhere? Official rule: Don’t perform buzzed or inebriated. Recommendation to wait until after show to drink. If it’s affecting your performance, you will be pulled.

• Consider having teams do Stacked, rather than having a mix of people. 

• Frequent questions from students: Who will be my next teacher? Where will class be? Is it possible to have that info sooner than it is currently? Seconded. 

• Thanks for having ComedySportz here.

Improv Cincinnati Launches January 2024 Mentorship Cohort

Big news! Our inaugural Mentorship cohort kicked off on Sunday, January 14th, with a crew of 8 Mentorship pairs, from fresh-faced students to seasoned performers.

Erin Kessler, our Cohort lead, says, “I’m so incredibly grateful for every Mentor who has joined us for this journey, and proud of all the mentees for trusting us to match them with a Mentor who will help them grow!”

So, what's in store? Monthly meet-ups, a handy handbook, and a whole lotta laughter!

The goal? To help up-and-coming improvisers develop their skills and confidence and maybe even discover their own inner mentor!

"I truly believe in the power of mentorship," Erin says. "This program can be life-changing. That's why we want to pair up as many improv veterans as possible! I challenge the leaders in our community to let their students, teams, and friends know this program exists and encourage them to sign up as Mentors and Mentees. This program is FREE, and it's gonna be epic!"

Ready to join the fun? Keep an eye out for future application rounds!

Both interested Mentor and Mentee applicants can sign up for future cohorts of the Improv Cincinnati Mentorship Program at https://forms.gle/TsfoFJVi7EFHNX5ZA

IC Town Hall Recap

Hey there, fantastic folks who joined us at the most recent IC Town Hall, thanks for spending your evening with us! In case you couldn't make it, no worries—here's the scoop on what went down.

First off, we reminded ourselves and each other of our purpose and values, which you can catch up on right here. It's the heartbeat of what we're all about!

We reminisced some of the amazing highlights since our last get-together:

Remember the Improv Leadership Summit in October? We had a blast hosting over 100 improv geniuses from around the globe right here in Cincinnati! Think big names like Mick Napier from Annoyance Theatre, Coko Galore from Second City's main stage, and Michael Lutton from Magnet Theatre in NYC—it was an epic experience that put IC on the map. There were a whole lot of workshops for the IC community as well as a “campfire conversation” with Mick Napier. 

Over the last year we've had visits from so many improv legends like; Susan Messing, John Lehr, Louis Kornfeld, Rich Talarico and more. The energy they brought was infectious and their workshops were game-changing! 

Oh, and have you seen our snazzy new marquee? It's a beacon in the night, helping us showcase the awesome shows happening each week.

Since April and the inspirational Kitchen Sink Show, we’ve had a whole host of additional, amazing collaborations, including; 

• The Pride show🏳️‍🌈

• Alphas ♀️

• Wonderbrain ♾️

• Dungeons & Drag Queens ⚧️

• ComedySportz 🏆

Looking ahead to 2024, as a company we’re focusing on mutual accountability.  IC Leadership is stepping up and adding new staff and advisors to help keep us accountable and to help us grow in incredible ways:

🌟 Clearly defined roles and responsibilities 🌟 Amped-up efficiency and organization 🌟 Rock-solid internal and external communication 🌟 Checks and Balances 🌟 Diverse input and ideas from our team as well as advisors 🌟 Regular cross-department meetings 🌟 Quarterly goal-setting sessions to keep us on track

We're shaking things up into five departments:

• Education Team led by Colin Thornton, who's jazzed about bringing back Electives

• Marketing Team under Kelly Morton's wing, aiming for top-notch branding consistency

• Operations Team headed by Kelly Gruber, focusing on ace internal communication and leadership

• Artistic Team co-led by Tone Branson, curating the vibe and developing coaches

• Improv Applied Team guided by Jon Ulrich, masterminding corporate team building

The department heads will meet monthly to collaborate, and keep each other on track with short term and long term goals. Each quarter a bigger advisory group will meet to give perspective, offer feedback, problem solve and ideate. Stay tuned for an infographic to help wrap your head around it all, as well as updates from us on what we’re up to. 

More you say? Yes! There’s even more exciting stuff happening:

• Erin Kessler is helping to revive our Mentorship Program! If you're itching for inspiration or want to be a mentor/mentee, apply here! Or contact Erin with any questions at: erinfgkessler@gmail.com. 

• Caleb Robinson, Morgan Christie, and Monica Nash (among many others) are keeping the fire burning for the independently-led diversity initiatives—join the Affinity Groups for social connections and activism. We’ll have more info to share about this soon.

• Peter Boylan's leading the Headlines Writing Group for comedy writing enthusiasts—reach out to him at pjboylan@juno.com to join the fun!

• 2024 has also introduced the Queen City Cup, a cagematch style show where improv teams compete while performing under a given challenge. Check out the website for dates. Reach out to thequeencitycup@gmail.com.

Big thanks also to everyone who shared their thoughts, ideas and feedback. We appreciate the feedback and we’ve noted it all here. (Let us know if we’re missing anything!)

Thanks for being part of this amazing journey. Can't wait to see all the incredible things we'll achieve together this year! 🚀✨

Congrats to New Performers at IC

Thank you to everyone who auditioned for house teams. We love that there’s so much talent and passion for improv in Cincinnati. We are pleased to announce these additions to our teams: 

Blitz - short form 
(new team structure, coach & new designation as House Team) 
Kevin Bauer - coach
Aaron Ellis
Jessica Carlin
Teresa Wood
Chance Kilgour
Kelley McCollom-Uyeno
Josh Elstro
Mark Mascolino
Mark Ford

New House Team #1 - long form
Chris Filippi
Ben Bradley
Martina Schneider 
Brantley Goodrich
Daniel Lattimore
John Clark
Hillary Dale
Alexander Smith

New House Team #2 - long form
Paul Johnson
Eric Langlois
Nick Lanza
Eric Pederson
Patrick Redrick
Heidi Olson
Sam Stephenson
Catie Doebler

Sock Block - long form
Jonathan Bitzer

War Candy - long form 
Eric Holmes
Zach Mingie

Hambrosia - long form
Diana Kresge

Veracity
Alex Morris
Chris Filippi

Top Secret
Ben Bradley
Martina Schneider

No new additions to Hot Mic, Subjects to Change, or Cute Chaos Committee

Fall Auditions

Are you ready to take center stage and showcase your improv skills? Improv Cincinnati is thrilled to announce auditions for our coveted House Teams! We're looking for talented performers who know how to bring the magic of the harold to life. Don't miss your chance to be part of our dynamic improv family.

🗓️ Audition Dates:

• Wednesday, October 25th

• Sunday, October 29th

• Monday, October 30th

⏰ Audition Times:

• Timeslots available throughout the day. Please indicate your preferred time when signing up.

📍 Location: Clifton Comedy Theatre, 404 Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45220

🎭 About the Audition: Prepare to showcase your harold skills during the audition. For those unfamiliar, the harold is the cornerstone of long-form improv and allows for creativity, teamwork, and quick thinking. Be ready to engage, surprise, and delight our panel of judges with your unique take on this classic format.

💡 What to Bring:

• If you’re not already a student or graduate of IC’s academy, please bring a resume and headshot.

• Comfortable clothing for movement.

• A positive attitude and an open mind!

📝 Registration: To secure your audition slot, please fill out our registration form here. Limited spots are available, so don't delay in signing up!

🎉 Join Improv Cincinnati's House Teams: If selected, you'll become an integral part of our tight-knit improv community. House team members have the opportunity to perform regularly, collaborate with fellow improvisers, and receive coaching and training from experienced company members.

📧 Questions: If you have any questions or need more information, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at info@improvcincinnati.com.

🌟 Don't miss your chance to shine on stage with Improv Cincinnati's House Teams. Mark your calendar for the audition date that works best for you, and we can't wait to see you there! Break a leg! 🌟

First Annual House Team Draft

The first annual “House Team Draft” has concluded. Thank you to everybody who auditioned. It wasn’t an easy choice. Many who auditioned were strong improvisers. We encourage everyone to keep playing, keep having fun, and to love improv for improv’s sake. And now without further ado, here are the people selected as trial house team members.

Hammer Space drafted Martina Schneider, Ben Bradley, and Mol Sullivan

Ghost Toast drafted Kirstin Brooks, Jarod Higgins, and Teresa Woods

War Candy drafted Jennifer Martinez and Garrett Murphy

Sock Block drafted Evan Beckmeyer, Rabbit Giraud, and Bre Helm

Hambrosia drafted Madi Cantrell

and Cute Chaos Committee would like to welcome as official team members Molly McCuistion and Caleb Robinson

Congrats to all the new additions. Looking forward to your contributions to your teams!

IC Town Hall Recap

Thanks to everyone who attended the IC Town Hall. We gathered, we shared ideas and opinions, and we gave awards!

HIGHLIGHTS SINCE THE LAST TOWN HALL

• Performers created a new Diversity Council to help IC live up to our value of being welcoming and inclusive.

• We launched new shows: Wisenheimer, Improvised Murder Mystery, and Chance Kilgour’s original holiday show Clickbait Christmas

• We welcomed some amazing guests: Bianchi & Byland, Big Grande, and Joel Axelrod.

BIG UPDATES

Free Shows For Students — We’ve heard the complaints. The current free show policy is too complicated. It’s important to us that students see shows, so we’ve overhauled our procedures to reduce the friction. Here’s how it will work…

• No more coupon codes or lining up late for rush tickets.

• Just show up (early if you’d like) and tell the box office your name to enter.

• Each student receives four tickets for themselves to use for any single IC show (doesn’t include ComedySportz or Alphas). One ticket cannot be used to get an All Evening Pass - that would require two tickets.

• Free entry is dependent upon availability.

AUDITIONS! - We have heard the feedback that you want auditions twice a year. The next auditions on Sunday May 21st will be closed to IC graduate teams, 501b students, and invitation only for IC underclassmen. The house teams themselves will be involved in recruiting new players. Sign up here!

New Merch: We want to make it easier for our community to buy IC merch to their preferences. Now you can order merch from TeePublic web store! Customize your shirts with your own taste for style, fabric, color, etc. You want a blue sweatshirt with IC logo? You got it. You want an IC pillow? You got it.

New Sketch Program — Teddy Shivers has done an awesome job creating our sketch comedy program from the ground up. We now have three new levels of classes, a new sketch house team (below), and new shows on the horizon.

Volunteers Needed: Big thank you to volunteers like Geoff Murray, Sean Hachey, Eugene Oliphant, and Alex Ward. We rely on our volunteers to keep us thriving, which is why we have a generous incentive program where donating your time will pay you back in ShowClix credits for workshops, classes, or shows. Go here to volunteer for May! Or email info@improvcincinnati.com to volunteer to be a vibe curator in our tech booth.

UPCOMING SHOWS & WORKSHOPS

• Next weekend we will be visited by Second City mainstage alum Susan Messing and John Lehr (the sheriff in Hulu’s Quickdraw). Get your tickets

• June begins an ongoing residency where ComedySportz will perform at Clifton Comedy Theatre

• Legendary improviser Dave Razowsky visits at the end of June for workshops and shows.

• Some of our LGBTQ students and their allies will produce a Pride show on June 17.

• Check out the original production “Dungeons & Drag Queens” on June 30/July 1st.

Thanks everyone!

2022 in Review

We wanted to take a second to reflect on the many things that Improv Cincinnati and the IC community accomplished in 2022. There’s a lot to celebrate!

Clifton Comedy Theatre got a lot of love this year. We converted the space into a black box, complete with new floors and a swanky outdoor awning. We painted the set, added new carpet to the middle and back rooms, hung a new TV, adorned the walls with new pictures, and added sound dampening to the back room. This was thanks to the help of IC stalwarts Colette Lindemann and Kelly Gruber (and now Teddy Shivers)!

In terms of shows, we brought back our free outdoor shows at Clifton Plaza for the summer. We tried our hand at Cincinnati Night Live (CNL), a new sketch show each week – and Weisenheimer, an MS3TK style movie parody show with Esquire theatre. Halloween brought a series of spooky-themed house team shows. And we were glad to host the indie team, Alphas, who consistently brought the laughs with their mix of sketch and improv. We welcomed a large list of special guests – improv legends like Joe Bill and Mark Sutton (Bassprov), Carla Cackowski, Susan Messing, and LA’s Big Grande. Even Mayor Aftab and City Manager Long performed at a Veracity show!

The IC Academy launched a new class (501B: Premise-Based Long Form) to help students more fully round out their advanced improv skills. And we’re lucky to now have access to local public schools for classes, which gives us more room for our ever-growing community.

On the team building side of things, in addition to plenty of local team building workshops, Jon delivered four major keynote presentations – including one to Capital One in Washington DC. We even gave a workshop to all the department heads for the city of Cincinnati.

And we don’t want to forget our Six Year Anniversary/New Year’s Eve party in April, and our end of year Holiday Party in December. CCT is happiest when it’s packed with people, and the community definitely came out for these events! We hope to keep growing the IC community in 2023 with more mixers, more events, and more teams. We’re proud of our performances and classes, but the true spirit of IC is our welcoming and inclusive community.

Lastly, we want to thank everyone who voted for us to win City Beat’s Best of award for Best Local Improv/Sketch Comedy group. It was our second year winning, and that always helps us feel like our hard work is paying off.

Big thanks to everyone who contributed to the above accomplishments! We hope you’ll join us for everything to come in 2023!

Town Hall October 2022 Recap

Big thanks to everyone who came out to join us on Tuesday! We very much appreciate your time and feedback!

-Jon & Colin

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Meeting Notes

Meet the Team

Colin Thornton - Artistic & Education Director (Shows and and classes)
Jon Ulrich - Executive Director (Team building)
Colette Lindemann - Operations Manager (Theater space)
Brady Dunn - Tech Director (Lights and sound)
Kelly Gruber - Administrative Assistant and Lifesaver
Tone Branson - Designs
Delmar Davis - Facebook Marketing
Teddy Shivers - New Sketch Program!

Accomplishments since Feb 2022 Town Hall

Theater upgrades:

• Exterior: New awning and rain drainage mitigation

• Theatre Space: New floors, Painted to become a black box theater, new TV for pre-show and in-show content, and new mixtiles photo gallery for house teams and retired teams.

• Greenrooms: Progress with organizing/cleaning the utility bathroom and tech closet, and added sound dampening to the back room

Shows:

• Bigtime guests: Bassprov, Susan Messing, Carla Cackowski, The Mayor, EB Byland

• Cincinnati Night Live - We accomplished the near-impossible task of creating a weekly original sketch comedy show with hosts and musical guests. While the process was a little bumpy, the net result was pretty awesome.

• Wisenheimer - This is a new collaboration with Esquire Theater where our team of smart asses offer commentary to movies that are deserving of mockery. The next movie to be scorched is Fear of Clowns on Sunday, October 30th at 7:00pm.

• Outdoor shows - Thanks to everyone who braved the heat and shared your talents at the plaza.

• Auditions = Three new house teams

• Halloween shows - Each OG house team is performing a Halloween-themed long form show. Check out Werewolf, Fearscape, and Treachery at the House of Ham this weekend.

Community

• Six Year Anniversary NYE: COVID couldn’t stop the party. It may have been delayed, but it was awesome.

• Volunteer incentive program: All volunteers receive $5 in credit for any IC show, workshop, or class.

• Return of rush tickets: All existing students and performers receive free admission to shows. Ask us if you don’t know how it works.

Classes

• Practice teams - One of our values is to provide the skills to succeed, the opportunities to try, and the freedom to fail. Our Practice Team Program allows IC graduates the opportunity for weekly coaching and monthly performances. This program is still in development, but we’re excited to see it grow. We had our first practice team town hall a few months ago.

• New classroom venues - We are back at our original Dramakinetics classroom venue at North Church in Northside (anyone remember Coincidence Improv?). And we are collaborating with Cincinnati Public School for use of their classroom at Fairview-Clifton German Language School.

• 501B: premise-based long form — a new level that focuses on UCB-style premise-based formats like the Armando and pattern game.

Team Building 

• Lots! - including special trips to Orlando and DC for 2022 Institute of Supply Management Conference and session w/Capital One Directors

Personnel 

• Kelly Gruber has been added to provide support with areas of weakness: organization and marketing. She acts as a double-check for all show info, she submits all shows to event pages, she sends out weekly show emails to the newsletter list, and she provides spot help whenever we need it (like hanging the sound proofing curtain in the backroom, and spearheading the runoff mitigation project!). Her next mission is creating “connection posts” to broaden our social media messaging.

• Colette had a scare with a vicious stomach virus that sent her to the hospital. We’re happy to see her (mostly) recovered, and she’s under orders to never get sick again because she’s invaluable to IC.

• Brady Dunn is in the process of adding new software in our tech booth, which will make lighting and sound more efficient and professional. Stay tuned!

Upcoming Changes and Future Plans

Importance of protecting women and minorities - We need to take care of each other onstage. If someone is “walked on” or “walked over” in a scene, bring it up. (Ie, someone starts a scene with an idea. Another performer enters the scene and ignores it or hijacks it.) If you are impacted negatively in a scene this way, a few options provided at the meeting by Tatiana Godfrey:

1. Acknowledge it happened, continue the scene and not address it further

2. Acknowledge it happened, continue the scene but say you’d like to discuss later

3. Stop the scene, take a break, discuss when comfortable. 

   Assume good intentions, but don’t ignore the unintended impact. 

Diversity Council - Caleb Robinson, Morgan Christie and DeVon Cunningham have volunteered to lead a new initiative to foster and support diversity. The council’s overall goals will be to increase diversity in the IC community and mainstage shows, and to provide resource and training to keep IC a safe space for everyone. They’re planning to create a workshop on “not punching down” in January. Keep on the lookout for more.

Holiday Show - IC’s annual holiday show is coming! This year’s “Clickbait Christmas” will be written by Chance Kilgour and Elliot Teemley, and directed by Tatiana Godfrey. Auditions are Sunday October 30 from 10am-12:30pm. Learn more and register for auditions here. 

Sketch Program Rises from Ashes of Mistakes - Colin made some mistakes with CNL (communication and expectations) and Sketch Lab (scheduling snafus and charging for a student show). This mea culpa has made us realize that we need a dedicated Director of Sketch Education. Welcome Teddy Shivers! Teddy has taken almost every sketch and improv class available at every improv theatre in New York City, and he shows an unrivaled passion for sketch comedy. We’re happy to have him join the team. Watch for the new sketch program to begin in January!

New Swag - We just restocked our black paint splatter t-shirts (they’re slightly softer this time) and we’re also in the process of acquiring new soft sweatshirts and stylish hats. To reserve a sweathirt or hat, click this link.

Sponsorships - We’re piloting a new sponsorship program which will allow teams to be paid for any sponsors they recruit. More to come. 

Suggestion Box - Do you have a suggestion that wasn’t mentioned at the town hall? Please email us at info@improvcincinnati.com. Do you want to email us anonymously? Use the Suggestion Box (though we’d certainly prefer folks contact us directly so we can have a conversation. It’s difficult when we can’t reply…). 

Get Involved

• Want to teach, coach, produce a show, etc? Let us know! 

• Did you know IC has a Patreon? Patrons get free workshops, discounts, and merchandise. 

• Are you a member of the IC Community Facebook group?

• Refer IC for a Team Building or Private Show.

• Write reviews on Facebook, Google Maps or Yelp for Improv Cincinnati

  • Or for Improv Touchstones or Yeti or Not on Apple Podcasts

Discussion/Feedback/Ideas

“Forever” Classes - 

• We’re in the process of trying to pilot a weekly drop-in class (or two)? 

• One iteration would be for students who loved 101 class but don’t want to progress past. It would be like a neverending 101 :) 

• The other iteration would be a weekly Scene Study class, similar to the monthly drop in workshops we’ve been doing - just weekly now. Could have a different theme each month. 

• Let us know if either of these ideas strongly interest you!

Mixers - 

• We’re considering hosting weekly mixers every Friday after the 8pm shows. These would have more of a short form bent, as audience members would be welcome to participate. 

• Another possibility is to hold mixers Sunday night, which would be either long form only or a mix of short form and long form. 

• Some suggested having the mixers before the shows begin. Might not be possible with theater prep for shows. 

• What’s your preference? 

Bar shows - Kevin Bauer is interested in spearheading more bar-prov shows around Cincinnati. These typically pay in free beer. If you’re an interested performer, get in touch with Kevin! 

Camera - 

• Lots of discussion about how it would be nice if IC had an in-house camera to record shows. 

• Would allow teams to easily see performance recordings, allow people who can’t get to the show can still watch, provide examples for classes, etc. 

• The problem is that this would either be expensive or low quality. We’d also need a solution for how the recordings would potentially be edited and uploaded online. 

• Maybe recruit college students?

• If you’re someone interested in trying to brainstorm and/or manage this solution, please let us know. Until a solution pans out, phone recordings are always an option. IC could certainly provide a phone tripod in the event you don’t have an audience member available to record.

• Another suggestion is to generally encourage more recording by audience/community members, to have a shared Google drive where people can upload recordings. 

Show logistics - 

• We’ve already begun implementing the suggestion for a weekly email to performers with things like who’s hosting, who’s doing tech, who’s in the cast, and what is the coupon code.

• Possibly stagger call time order by 15min?

Marketing Discussions…

• Suggestion for more on-the-street marketing, passing out flyers, hanging flyers, etc, especially in Clifton and Northside. We’d love to have a “Street team” to do this (or something more cleverly named). Would you join the cleverly named street team to help spread the info about IC?

• Facebook - It’s helpful if people share other people’s posts, tag each other, invite others to Facebook events.

• Agree upon collective hashtags. #ImprovCincinnati … others? 

• Website could benefit from addition of house teams

• Is anyone interested in being part of a Marketing Committee to help coordinate all these things?

Environment 

• Please carpool when possible!

Volunteering

• Request for the return of Improv(e) Cincinnati volunteering events

Thanks again to everyone who came out!

Auditions for IC's holiday show, Clickbait Christmas

We’re thrilled to announce auditions for Clickbait Christmas by Chance Kilgour and Elliot Teemley, directed by Tatiana Godfrey.

We are casting the roles of:

• Holly- 20/30 something. Passionate, hardworking, jaded. Female actor.

• Chris- Holly’s slightly older brother. Paranoid conspiracy theorist. Male actor.

• Jangle- An elf who works for Santa in a personal assistant type role. Good at his job. Protective of Santa. Actor of any gender.

• Ensemble- An actor of any gender who plays multiple roles.

• Star- A little girl who believes in Santa and is on the Nice List. Female child actor.

Auditions are on Sunday, October 30th, from 10AM-12:30PM. There will be sides (excerpts from the script) available at auditions, no need to prepare anything beforehand. More information about the rehearsal and performance dates can be found in the application below. Reach out to director, Tatiana Godfrey, at godfrey.tatiana@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Want to audition? Apply here!

Announcing New Teams

After a weekend brimming with auditions, Improv Cincinnati is excited to announce that we are adding three new house teams. We know auditioning can be a tough experience. Thanks to everyone in our community who took a risk and gave it a shot!

Team #1: Adam Miller, Chris Fillipi, Mark Ford, Azi Sedaghat, Kelley McCollum-Uyeno, Kevin Bauer, Sean Hachey, and Jenn Goff

Team #2: Teddy Shivers, Mo Cox, Sam Fisher, Kelly Gruber, Hunter Alda, Jonathan Duerbeck, and Jared Lutes

Team #3: Chris Wang, Peter Boylan, BJ Casey, Rachel Ball, Michael Sawan, Jason Harris, Dan Wasik and Kate Snyder

We look forward to the moment when these new teams will make their debut on IC’s stage.

The IC Town Hall - In Review

The Ups and Downs of the Pandemic - The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely hard on theatres (not to mention everyone else!). Fortunately, IC never let the virus stop our fun. Classes continued with masks. And shows moved outdoors to Clifton Plaza where we reached a wider audience with our new microphones and sound equipment (not to mention free performances!).

The pandemic also became an opportunity to connect with the international improv community. We continued our Improv Touchstones podcast with incredible guests like Jonathan Mangum from Whose Line Is It Anyway and Dave Pasquesi from Book of Boba Fett. We also had some amazing workshops with Rich Talarico from Key & Peele and improv power couple Rance Rizzutto and Tara DeFrancisco from Columbus.

We were also very happy to bring on new staff members. Our new stage manager and Queen of CCT is Colette Lindemann. Our new tech director is Brady Dunn. Our new marketing consultant is Delmar Davis. And our new mainstage coaches are Tatiana Godfrey and Chance Kilgour.

Shuttering our doors really put a crimp in our annual revenue, but we were very excited and thankful to see our community step up and join our patreon. In addition to receiving quarterly merch, our patrons receive exclusive access to workshops, drop-ins, and free tickets. It’s truly a win-win.

Student Safety - Our goal in 2021 continues into this year, and that is to improve and enhance our existing student safety protocols and procedures. We know that this is an ongoing process and that we always have opportunities to grow, but we’re happy that so much has been accomplished…

• We clarified and improved our Safe Space Committee process for investigating and resolving reports and revised the “Report a Problem” page.

• Jon and Colin participated in an online course, specifically geared toward making improv theatres safer.

• The company members attended sexual violence training by Women Helping Women.

• We created a “Bill of Rights” for students and performers, which is now posted in every room at CCT.

Getting Our House in Order: We’ve decided to make Clifton Comedy Theatre our home for a while. That being said, we need to make some upgrades to the space. Here are some of our plans…

• A new branded awning

• New lighted signage so people can find us more easily

• A new refinished floor - epoxy resin on concrete.

• A new paint job in each room of the theatre.

• New photos on the wall

• A new tech booth and new bar.

Coming Soon! We have some fun ideas for the upcoming year. We’ll be welcoming and announcing special guests. We’ll be having a belated New Year’s Eve (and 6 year birthday) party on April 30th. And we’re planning a variety show in the summer called Cincinnati Night Live with guest hosts, sketches, news segments, and musical acts.

Thank you for being a part of our community. As the world thaws from a two year winter and spring into the roaring twenties, we hope you come see a show, take a fun workshop, make some new friends at a 7-week class, or schedule an uplifting and lively team building event. We can’t wait to see you again!

Colin & Jon

Sam Fisher Takes Over October

Sam Fisher is a Cincinnatian who moved to Los Angeles a few months after Jon Ulrich relocated to Cincinnati from Baltimore. While Sam was away learning improv at UCB and Westside Comedy, Jon and Colin were creating "Coincidence Improv". And while Sam was performing at UCB LA, Second City Hollywood, and IO West, Improv Cincinnati was in the process of becoming an improv hotspot with multiple classes, scripted and unscripted shows, and a thriving community of fun-loving weirdos (that's you LOL).

Sam has returned (for the time being), and we're happy to welcome him to the IC family. He's clearly grown and developed as an improviser during his five years away. So, we're giving him all of October to introduce himself to our community...

Improv Drop-In: On Sunday, October 10 6-8pm, Sam will lead a drop-in focused on a format called "Soundtrack", in which the scenes are inspired by random songs. As always, participants will receive individual coaching and feedback. Register here.

Supercharge Workshop: On Sunday, October 17 6-8pm, Sam will lead a workshop called "The Inner Game of Improv", which will be an approach to game-of-the-scene that is rooted in mindfulness. Register Here.

New Faces - New Teams!

We’re excited to announce some new faces for Improv Cincinnati’s house teams. Congratulations on exhibiting IC’s touhstones of truth, vulnerability, positivity, presence, and playfulness.

Improv Cincinnati gives students the skills to succeed, the opportunities to try, and the freedom to fail. Thanks to everyone who auditioned. We look forward to seeing our graduates perform!

New Long Form Team
Anna Boegehold
Jessica Carlin
Madison Hoffpauir
Todd Youger
Liz Bevis
Alex Folk
Brantley Goodrich
Colette Lindemann
Julie Scherer

BLITZ - New Short Form Ensemble
Katerra Borkowski
Erin Kessler
Augustin Sanchez
Chris Fillipi
(and others)

Wampus
Claire Liron Patterson

Graveyard Toast
Laila Ammar
Nathan Tubbs

No Joke... Adam Cawley visits in June!

Second City Mainstage alum Adam Cawley popped in to the comments on Facebook to say that he wanted to visit Comfort Station, one of America's best bars owned by IC alumni Stuart King. Adam is a working actor living in Los Angeles, so he was only half joking. Or was he? A few hours later, Improv Cincinnati locked in Mr. Cawley for a weekend of workshops and a show. When one of your favorite improvisers says he wants to visit, you extend an invitation. That is the law.

Adam will be teaching a super-sized "Advanced Armando" supercharge workshop over two days on June 19 and 20, 9:00am - 12:00pm. Learn how to perform true-story-inspired improv show from an improv legend who writes for television and teaches improv internationally.

Register immediately at the link above. Or consider subscribing to our patreon to receive opportunities for free and discounted workshops like the one Adam is providing.

The Science of Happiness Through Improv

Over the past year, most people have personally experienced the mentally unhealthy side effects of social isolation. Reports of depression have tripled since the beginning of the pandemic. When the world returns to normal, everyone will need to find ways to give themselves an infusion of happiness. One potential source of positivity is the joy and friendships that can be found in the improv community. Here are three ways that improv can boost your overall level of happy vibes.

1. Improv Creates Social Interaction - Some are saying that the post-covid reality will be a continuation of working from home and more meetings through the cold connection of Zoom. People are social creatures; they need the social interaction and bonding they find in lively and interactive communities. In short, togetherness makes us happier.

   It should come as no surprise that the fun atmosphere of an improv class encourages friendship and bonding. It’s the same feeling of spiritual renewal that you might get from a yoga class, but with even more interaction between fun-loving strangers from a variety of ages and backgrounds. And not only are these students regularly fueling up their empty tanks of social interactions, they’re also learning tips and tricks that will continue to enhance their social lives outside of class.

   Research done by positivity psychologists Ed Diener and Marty Seligman discovered that people who describe themselves as extremely happy generally had one thing in common: strong social connections. It seems that being around other people is a necessary condition for very high levels of happiness. In fact, loneliness and isolation can be as unhealthy as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The circumstance of the pandemic has created a worldwide handicap for people achieving their optimal level of happiness. And though many people are doing their best to compensate for their loss of in-person socializing with zoom meetings, the truth is that virtual interactions are an artificial sugar for the true sweetness of socializing in real life.

2. Improv Helps Us Focus On Others - Before every performance, improvisers will give each other a reassuring tap and say “I got your back”. This simple tradition is significant because each performer is making a promise of mutual support to the other members of their team. One helpful principle of improv is the principle that we should focus less on ourselves and more on our scene partners. Improv is a team sport. Shows are often more successful when everyone appreciates, supports, and wholeheartedly engages with their teammates’ choices.

   Research done by Michael Norton and Liz Dunn reveals that a significant source of happiness is derived from altruism and mutual support. It turns out that charity, volunteering, and tithing offer a long-lasting hit of dopamine. It’s not necessarily the giving of money that makes you feel good, it’s the idea of surrendering your ego to help others. Helping others is good, not only for yourself but also for the people in need. Kindness and empathy are encoded in human DNA because helping the tribe has always been a survival mechanism.

3. Mindfulness One quality of good improv is that the most rewarding scenes are discovered in the moment through active and deep listening. By observing the what, how, and why of their scene partner’s behaviors and words, a curious performer can unlock secrets within the scene that gradually reveal themselves. When improvisers are distracted by anxious thoughts and ruminating on past mistakes, they lose the benefits of being aware and present. Whether you are listening to your scene partner like someone newly in love or like someone who is incredibly paranoid, you’ll find avenues to explore that are enriching and scenically nutritious.
   
   The biggest villain in the war of staying present are the smartphone devices we keep tethered to our souls. You might even be reading this article on your smart phone. These powerful all-knowing multipurpose devices are small enough to fit in our pockets. By all rights, our phones should be making us happier, but the opposite seems to be true. Research shows that enjoyment of face-to-face social interactions can be undermined simply by leaving your cell phone on the table during dinner. Other research shows that just the presence of a smart phone reduces how much we enjoy spending time with our children. If smartphones are the villains, the hero in this story is mindfulness meditation. Among the many benefits of mindfulness meditation, one benefit is that it offers the true gift of making us happier. Ignoring the distraction of smartphones may be easier said than done, but human well-being is optimized when people lean in to the present moment.

Nobody can promise that improv (or anything) can 100% make you happier. The attainment of happiness is complicated simply by the fact that it’s hard to measure and define. However, what we know to be true through scientific studies is that certain things reliably seem to increase happiness: social interaction, prosocial altruism, and eliminating distractions. There are many paths to strengthen these qualities of happier people, but consider improv class as an all-in-one cure to boosting your mood.

State of the Theatre 2020

By now, you already know the innumerable ways that 2020 sucked. In the spirit of improv, let’s focus on 2020’s positives and the plans we have for 2021. 

One of our long term goals is to become a Cincinnati comedy destination. IC has always had an awkward charm (and we never want to lose that!), but we felt it was time for the theatre to start dressing for the job we want. That meant several notable improvements. Thanks to 2019’s Kickstarter fundraiser we were able to incorporate: 

• Dedicated ticketing software

• New box office with procedures for house staff volunteers

• New tech booth (nicknamed Locknuts Lindemann) with updated procedures for our tech volunteers, AKA “vibe curators”

• New speakers and microphones

• A new modular set design with walls, doors, and windows that are interchangeable.

• More weekly shows and more efficient scheduling.

Another major 2020 achievement was the creation of a standardized reporting procedure for the safety of our students, performers, and staff. To that end, we created a web page where anyone can make an anonymous report. All reports will be thoroughly investigated by our student safety committee, which is filled with passionate members of the community who care deeply about this topic. 

On the front end, we now ask everyone involved with IC to sign a pledge that defines our culture and expectations. We want improv to be fun and welcoming to everyone. IC has zero tolerance for bigotry and sexual harassment. Pump your fist and say “Hell yes!” if you agree. We’re imagining everyone doing this, and it feels good.

We’re glad we reached these achievements early in the year because the pandemic then simplified our focus to: keep the theatre alive! We're still in the midst of this mess, but here are five ways we've survived so far

1. The Revolution Will Be Zoomified: We switched to performing on Zoom with weekly broadcasts to Twitch and Facebook. Admittedly, the magic is not always the same when improvising over the internet, but our teams made the most of the circumstances by creating new formats and developing creative solutions. Honestly, these performers kept the engine running, and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude. And a huge shout out to Brenden Davis, Josh Elstro, Mark Mascolino, and Tone Branson for producing those shows!

   The wise and lovable Sean Dillon helped us learn improv class can work surprisingly well on Zoom! His weekly drop in class, Zoomtopia, helped spearhead the way for other IC classes to be held online. (Sean also did a bang up job of hosting the recent IC Holiday Party).

2. It’s a Small World: We turned the limitations of the pandemic into advantages by connecting our community with world class performers and teachers. We had masters and improv legends on our Zoom stage and in our virtual classroom; these are opportunities we likely would not have had without COVID. Silver lining.

3. New Mediums: We launched two new podcasts. Improv Touchstones is an interview podcast with notable Improvisers who talk about their lives and the quality ingredients of good improv. It's pretty cool that we had the chance to interview our heroes. Worth a listen!

   Yeti Or Not is an audio enhanced improvised performance podcast that is inspired by the discussion of a suggested question. It's a really slick show filled with talented performers. Please subscribe and enjoy.

4. Uncle Sam and Gaslight Properties: We would be in bad shape without the PPP loan and Hamilton County Cares Grant funding. We're thankful for these boosts to our financial morale. We also received much-needed rent reduction from Gaslight Properties. The owners love the idea of a comedy club in Clifton and have treated us very well. Grateful!

5. New Faces: OSU (and IC) student, Audrey Neyer, volunteered to be our marketing intern, and we’re pleased as punch. If you notice any new marketing efforts, it’s thanks to Audrey. 

6. The Community Has IC’s Back: Despite fewer in-person opportunities, we’re still feeling the love from the IC community. We have much to be thankful for - the many students who braved our outdoor, socially-distanced classes. Everyone who attended the regular Friday lunch Zoom calls or watched (or performed in) one of the online shows. The incredibly thoughtful and generous participants in the recent Secret Santa gift exchange. And everyone who has donated money to keep IC going. It’s clear that this community is involved for more than just laughs. You all are the fuel that keeps IC going and we could not have done it without you. 

As we move into 2021, you might be wondering how we will continue to evolve and how you might help. The downtime has made us ponder how to bounce back. Here are some goals…

1. An Official Bar - No news to announce, but we thought we might as well speak this goal openly so that it will manifest into reality.

2. New Staff - Jon's having a baby, which means we will be needing to hire a Chief of Staff who can keep us organized while Jon focuses on his growing family. He’ll still be working his magic as Executive Director, but we might see less of him for a bit.

3. Patreon - a monthly membership where your donation becomes a win-win. Your monthly contribution will help IC thrive, and in return, you will receive rewards and benefits like merchandise, monthly workshops, and other exclusives. Check it our here!

We will get through this together. If you are ever feeling down, just know that we have your back. Improv Cincinnati has become a family where we have a “Yes And” spirit -- this is the way.

Our gratitude,
Colin and Jon

Save Our Stages!

The Save Our Stages initiative will be included in Pelosi's package that will go to vote in the house this week!  

All that's left now is to contact your in House Reps reminding them how desperately we need their support & asking them to ensure SOS is included. They are negotiating and drafting the legislation as I type.  We cannot stress enough the importance of letting house members know how badly we need their support! 

For a super quick, super easy email to your representatives, visit www.saveourstages.com and fill in your information to send!