Melanie PennStaff

Oh hi again Improv Shop! Happy birthdays to Geramy Bonnette, Tara O'Nay, Maisie Rees, Lyndsay Shipley, and everybody else celebrating birthdays this week! 🎂🎂 Here's some fun stuff going in and around the theater: THURSDAY PRORAMMING - Tonight, Thursday February 19th, there's a whole bunch of teams to cheer on: House Team Night at 7:00 in mainstage with Bombadil, Lover Boy, and On Hold The Menagerie at 7:00 in sidestage with Queuecümber, Loitering, Thank You Next, and Grandpa's Facecard The Jam at 9:00 in mainstage hosted by the awesome Aaron Burke! 🤸 The Merry-Go-Roud at 9:00 in sidestage with SMUT, Mansplain, Mid-tantrum, and Ammo Dynamite 🧨 FRIDAY PROGRAMMING - This Friday February 20th is another busy night: The Asterisk* at 7:00 in mainstage ~ this week's theme is endurance – moments when you were just trying to get through Spit-Take Presents: Finding Florida Man at 7:00 in sidestage Cagematch at 9:00 in mainstage ~ it's returning champion Manifesto vs. new challenger Sorry We're Late!! Drawing Straws at 9:00 in sidestage SATURDAY A.M. JAM - This Saturday February 21st at 9:45-11:45 is another Saturday A.M. Jam at The Annex, hosted by Elle Morgan! This week's theme is emotional POV. These jams are free dropin workshops open to any I.S. current students or graduates, no annex subscription required; see the attached flyer for information. Come out to play and meet people and kick your weekend off into a good direction. FREESTYLE JAM - It's also the third Saturday of the month, so time for another Freestyle Jam, happening in sidestage at 5:00-6:15! Brandon Bowers facilitates this free, beginner-friendly workshop that combines freestyle rap and longform improvisation. No better time to try something kinda vulnerable and to practice a new skill in a joyful and supportive environment. 🤜🤛 SATURDAY PROGRAMMING - A full and exciting night to look forward to this Saturday February 21st: Mrs. Somebody & Friends at 7:00 in mainstage ~ Mrs. Somebody is The Improv Shop's first and longest twosie Andy and Kevin, and their friend teams will be Whatever and Gameboys POC Improv League at 7:00 in sidestage ~ it's St. Louis's first and only improv league with all Person of Color improvisers: Where It's At, Whatever, and then a league all-play! Am I the Asshole? at 9:00 in mainstage ~ it's a show inspired by the cast's favorite life advice subreddits Reverse Rorschache at 9:00 in sidestage ~ it's "what an improv show would look like as a painting" RUNNING CLUB meets again Sunday February 22nd, this time at Willmore Park, starting near the dogpark around 10:15-10:30. It's forecast to feel like winter again, so bundle up! 🧤 MONDAY JAMS - Come out this Monday February 23rd at 6:00-6:55 for more miniworkshops: Student Jam with Jeff Sheary! Grad Jam with Chase Pierce! These are another opportunity for current students and grads to play games, run drills, and meet new people. MONDAY PROGRAMMING - This Monday February 23rd, carry your post-jam afterglow energy into shows! It's week #4 (halfway through, holy shit) in this cycle of student showcases - only four more weeks after this one to cheer on our two Teams Level 2 classes in mainstage and our two Teams Level 1 classes in sidestage, both at 7:00. Then School Night returns to sidestage at 9:00 with three more teams to cheer on. 🎒 KTK COMEDY NIGHTS - KTK Community Theater is looking for improv teams to play in another Comedy Nights event on March 6th and 7th, both at 7:00! Teams interested in playing get to choose which night they play, and both shows will be at KTK North - 3519 N 14th Street. Big thanks to Joe McKenna and Kati Giblin for organizing! For information or to submit your team to play, you can email Kati directly at kati.giblin13@gmail.com and see the attached flyer for information. 🎭 WORKSHOP UPDATES: There's one spot left in Kevin McDonald's One Line Premise workshop on Sunday March 15th, 12:00-4:00! Also there are few spots left in The La Ronde Workshop, Yoga for Improvisers, The Spokane Workshop, Introduction to Sketch Writing, and Poetry for Improvisers. HMU if you have any questions about prerequisites or payment plans. Ok I think that's a wrap, team. Thank you for everything you do building such an active scene. To quote our patron saint Vonnegut, "We are dancing animals. How beautiful it is to get up and go out and do something. We are here on Earth to fart around. Don’t let anybody tell you any different." See you soon, Melanie Penn

Touch Baseball

New Substack Post! Is it a Punchline or a Button? Ryan recently wrote about how “trying to be funny” in our improv scenes (and we’re talking specifically about long form improv, here) creates the kind of pressure that distracts us from taking our characters - and their authentic feelings - seriously. Think about your favorite comedic characters from movies and TV […] None of them think they’re funny. They’re not telling jokes (“That’s what she said” excluded). They’re trying to succeed, to be loved, to protect their pride, to get what they want. The comedy comes from how sincerely they pursue those things.

Touch Baseball

We’re starting a Substack! Between working at @improvshopstl, teaching, performing, and traveling, we spend a lot of time talking about improv. This is our attempt to capture some of those thoughts instead of just rambling at each other in the car. We’ll publish once a week (Tuesdays), and we already have a small backlog up if you want to see what it’s about. Most pieces will be free, with a couple deeper-dive essays each month for paid subscribers. If you’ve taken a workshop, seen a show, or found something useful in our work, this is another way to stay connected. And if you’ve ever asked how to support the team with travel and production costs, a paid subscription is one way to do that and deeply appreciated. https://touchbaseballimprov.substack.com/ Thank you for being here.

Nathan Engle

Hello dear friends and fellow improvisers! This Saturday, February 28th at 4pm on Sidestage, is the next Open Window story telling event. Come share with other improvisers and people things that make you you, and get to know others in the community. And sometimes I bring snacks! Here are the optional prompts to think about: 1. An experience being/having an elder. (Sibling, person of importance, or just when you felt old or young) 2. What would you choose to be the most televised event in the world 3. A POC who has made a difference in your life. 4. What non-American holidays have you participated in or enjoyed? Even though there aren’t any Valentine’s Day themes, I love you all and hope to see you there!