A Word From the IC Founders...

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Cincinnati Team Building

Coincidentally … A Word from the IC Founders

We blinked in January and now it’s nearly mid-May. Craziness. 2018 has been an amazing year for Improv Cincinnati, and it’s all because of you, our wonderful community of students, performers, and supporters.

So far this year, we’ve welcomed 135 new students in our ranks as improvisers through our monthly Intro to Improv Workshops and Level 1 classes. On the other end of the spectrum, we’ve been able to tip our hats and raise a class to 12 students who have completed Level 5.

We’re also thrilled to announce that the ticket sales generated from last round’s showcase admission funded three diversity scholars in Level 1. You’ll be meeting them on our blog soon.

We’ve held at least one show every weekend at our home theater, Clifton Performance Theatre. We’ve hosted some new friends as featured heavyweight improvisers, such as Jen Burns, Jessica Harris, and Dan Harris, and we’ve had some collaboration shows with local sketch comedy group The Company, HappyGAS out of Bowling Green, KY, The Louisville Improvisers, and TBD out of Columbus. Not to mention, we were proud to host new SNL featured player, Luke Null!

This isn’t us, it’s you all. Thank you for saying “Yes, and …” to IC and being a part of our community.

Looking Ahead

As we look ahead to the summer, here are some things worth putting on your calendar:

  • Student Teams - Starting in June, our new student teams will be featured. Students who have completed IC's five Core Curriculum classes are eligible to audition for Student Teams, and they’re going strong! Stay tuned to our Facebook page for when they’ll perform.

  • May 21-27: Class Showcase Week - Celebrate what your fellow improvisers have learned in this last session with your friends and family! The #1 way to get better as an improviser is to perform in front of an audience. Current students get in free to other student showcases. Ticket sales and donations will again fund Diversity Scholarships for the next round of classes.

  • Cincy Fringe Festival - Monday, June 4 at the Woodward Theatre: Our new all-girl house team "Brovaries" will be performing at Cincy Fringe Festival

  • We’ve also got several near-and-dear IC members producing and performing scripted works in this year’s Fringe Festival. Times and dates may vary, and we’ll be sharing information on our Facebook page. If you'd like to volunteer in return for passes to Fringe shows, please contact Cait Riley. She needs all the help she can get!

  • July 4: Northside Fourth of July Parade - Improv is one of the two only original American art forms, so why not celebrate it on Independence Day? Catch us on Hamilton Avenue at this local campy favorite, the Northside Fourth of July Parade. We're thinking about building a float too. Interested in being involved? Let us know!

  • August: Something Special - If you loved IC’s Stranger Things parody last December, be on the lookout for news about a special scripted performance hitting CPT in August. It’ll leave you... spellbound (ahem).

Our shows and lineups are different every weekend, with opportunities for new and emerging student and house teams. Don’t miss a show by liking us on Facebook, where we’ll post and announce new shows every week.

Classes

Here’s what’s ahead for students and those considering becoming IC students:

  • Intro to Improv Workshops (monthly) - Have a friend you’ve been trying to convince to give improv a try? Direct them to our Intro to Improv Workshop. There’s one on May 12 and one on June 9.

  • Level 1 Classes - Starting June 19th (Tuesdays) or June 21st (Thursdays). These fill up, so be sure to save your spot. Learn more.

  • Elective: Power Improv Intensive - Tatiana Godfrey will make you a “Viewpoints” master through this week-long (June 11-15) elective. Aside from performances, there’s no better way to get out of your head - and it's perfect for those interested in joining a house team. Learn more.

  • Teen classes - After a long hiatus, teen classes are back! This L1 class starts June 12 and is taught by Chance T. Kilgour. If you've got a teen or know someone who does, please send them this way! Learn more.

  • Team Building/Skill Building - IC offers several ways to help develop individuals and teams. Want to energize and cultivate collaboration with your team - or to kick off a multi-day training session? Try a team building workshop. IC will soon also offer public speaking coaching and brainstorming facilitation.  Book an opportunity with your team this summer. Learn more. 

  • IC students also receive the benefit of students-only social events, such as Board Game Night (the next one is Sunday, May 13, 7:00 p.m. at The Chameleon) and Mixers (the next one is Sunday, May 27, 7:30 p.m. at The Chameleon). Plus, all currently enrolled IC students can get into weekly Saturday shows for free with Rush Tickets!

Thanks for an amazing start to 2018. We hope to see you soon at future shows, workshops, classes and more.

Gratefully,
Jon and Colin