Melanie PennStaff
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Happy Thursday, Improv Shop! And happy birthdays to Jodi Werner, Jacob Kepford, Katherine Spearing, Ellie Worley, Griff Moore, Elyse Guttmann, Phoebe Richards, and everyone else celebrating birthdays this week! 🎂🎂 Here's some updates in and around the theater: 📣 CLASS REGISTRATION IS OPEN 📣 for the May-July session - that's a new cycle of core classes plus five electives: The Armando Workshop ~ Wednesdays 7-9pm - prereq = Level 4 Yoga for Improvisers ~ Saturdays 10-11:30am - no prereq Poetry for Improvisers ~ Sundays 12-2pm - prereq = Level 4 Scenework Lab ~ Sundays 12-2pm - prereq = Level 3 The Harold Workshop ~ Sundays 2:15-4:15pm - prereq = Level 4 AMA about payment plans and retaking a class with a discount! HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES - Also, we're also offering a new session for High School Level A, slated to run six weeks on Saturdays 12-2pm starting June 6th (with a week off July 4th). If you have high schoolers in your life that would benefit from classes, sign them up and spread the word! THURSDAY PROGRAMMING - Tonight, Thursday April 9th, is a real teams fest: House Team Night at 7:00 in mainstage with Basement Family, Moist, and On Hold The Menagerie at 7:00 in sidestage with No Helmet, Parrot Trap, Sophie Tucker, and Nine Kids in a Trenchcoat The Open Jam at 8:45 in mainstage with YOU we hope! 🫵 The Merry-Go-Round at 9:00 in sidestage with Enis & Taylor Snyder, Going Down?, I Like You Sweaty, and Soft Meats FRIDAY PROGRAMMING - More shows around the corner this Friday April 10th: THE ASTERISK* at 7:00 in mainstage ~ this week's theme is tax season The Thankies at 7:00 in sidestage with Thank You Next and guest team Floorplay Cagematch at 9:00 in mainstage with new champion D.A.D. vs. challenger Soft Meats Loose Ends at 9:00 in sidestage with Heavy Meadow + Coral, News at 8 + Amanda, and Loitering + Katy KNOTTY BY NATURE - The fiber arts craft club that inspired Loose Ends meets again this Saturday April 11th between 10:00 and 2:00! This week's meetup will be at Espresso Yourself, open to anyone who'd like to socialize with friends and a craft project. 🧶 Contact Cassie Ema at crepn2@gmail.com for information! MUSICAL IMPROV JAM - This Saturday April 11th is also another monthly musical improv jam, 5:00-6:15 in sidestage! Brandon Bowers will be facilitating, and Dean Moran will be accompanying. 🎹 The musical jam is a free drop-in workshop for anyone who'd like to try some musical games and sing in a zero-pressure environment. Open to participants of any and all musical and improv abilities, so bring friends! SATURDAY PROGRAMMING - Speaking of musical improv, we're in luck with more shows Saturday night: The One Four Fives present an Improvised Musical! at 7:00 in mainstage Harold Houdini at 7:00 in sidestage ~ it's Potato Wedgies, Covergirl, and a mystery guest team all performing the traditional longform piece The Harold for a full 30-35 minute set each The Gift at 9:00 in mainstage with Queuecümber, No Helmet, and Goon Platoon Shirts and Skins with Comic Strip and Friends at 9:00 in sidestage with "St. Louis's least clothed improv team" plus fully clothed guest team Mansplain RUNNING CLUB meets again this Sunday April 12th, starting around 10:15-10:30. This week's meetup will be at Forest Park near the Blue Angel Jet by the planetarium entrance. Runners, joggers, walkers, saunters of all paces are welcome - and doggos too! 🏃 MONDAY JAMS - More opportunities to work, play, and meet people in these free dropin miniworkshops both 6:00-6:50-ish this Monday April 13th: Student Jam in mainstage* with AJ Surrell! Grad Jam in sidestage* with Kevin Puetz! *Due to the big turnout of Student Jams, we'll be swapping rooms counter to last week! MONDAY PROGRAMMING - This Monday April 13th is also another busy show night: Teams Level 1 Student Showcase at 7:00 in sidestage, plus two special showcases by students of last session's Monoscene Workshop Teams Level 2 Student Showcase at 7:00 in mainstage The Gift at 9:00 in sidestage with BRAINWORMS!, Whatever This Is, and Artful Dodgeball Ok I think that's it for this week, gang. Remember to check improvshop.wiki when you're curious about team rosters, and HMU with any questions, comments, plugs, shout-outs, etc. Thanks for cultivating another active, joyful week. With gratitude, Melanie Penn (she/they) (636) 628-6676 www.theimprovshop.com