Winnipeg Improv

The 15th Annual Winnipeg IF... Improv Festival Sept 30th to Oct 4th An improvised “Overdubbing” of a TV show, a “Cold Read” of an unseen script, an epic improvised battle of English vs. French and so much more... The Gas Station Arts Centre is proud to present the 2014 Winnipeg if... Improv Festival . The very first Winnipeg if... Improv Festival happened all the way back in the year 2000. It’s hard to believe that the futuristic sounding year 2000 is now so far in the past. But here we are in 2014 and we all have computers in our pockets. For this year’s futuristic Winnipeg if… Improv Festival we will be teleporting in performers from Germany, Vancouver, Edmonton and from the other end of the our Galaxy (because we have the technology). Tickets for the Winnipeg if… Improv Festival are available through the Gas Station Arts Centre by calling (204) 284-9477 or using that fancy internet and purchasing them online. It is the year 2014 — we shou...

The Winnipeg IF... Improv Festival wrapped October 5th and we've all been taking long, restorative naps since then. Now that we're rested, we'd like to give some special shout outs! Let's roll the credits... Our outstanding performers: Joe Bill (Chicago) Alistair Cook (Vancouver) Kevin McDonald (Ontario/Winnipeg) Warren Bates (Vancouver) Lucy Hill (Regina) Daniel Maslany (Regina) Kory Mathewson (Edmonton) Shawn Norman (Vancouver) and Winnipeg's own: Crumbs (Stephen Sim and Lee White), DJ Hunnicutt, the whole Dungeons & Dragons crew, Mama Cutsworth, RobYn Slade, Toby Hughes, Andrea del Campo, Chadd Henderson, Leif Ingebrigtsen, Jane Testar, Alix Sobler, Gordon Tanner, Fraz Wiest Our dedicated volunteers: Alexis Martin (House Manager) Ava Julien (Stage Manager) Janet Shum (Photographer) Angelica Schwartz (Box Office) Erin Schwartz (Box Office) Steve Currie (Usher) Duncan McNairnay (Usher) Luke Cecelon (Usher) Dan Powell (Usher) Leah...

Kevin McDonald, used to have a TV show in the '90s; and not just any TV show, a good TV show. In fact, a seminal Canadian comedy sketch show. I'll stop beating around the bush and come right out and say that it was of course the much-loved "The Kids in the Hall." Kevin McDonald will be guest starring in the Big Stupid Improv Show on the  Thursday  night ( October 3rd ) at the Gas Station Arts Centre. The show will be in the tradition of the "Armando Diaz Experience" and the ASSSSCAT 3000, which are improv shows that feature a special guest telling true stories. The cast of ensemble improvisers will then use this as inspiration to improvise scenes of hilarity. Get your tickets NOW! Call the Gas Station Arts Centre at (204) 284-9477 or click here to order online . 

 The Winnipeg if... Improv Festival ends. The curtains close. The mimed objects get packed up in the mime boxes. The D&D show hangs up their swords. The lights go up on the Bat and the lights go down on stage. The CRUMBS get swept up. Outside Joke goes inside. Everyone gets on a plane and flies to their homes. And everything is good. What a tremendously successful festival. Thank you to everyone who came to the shows, were in the shows and helped make the festival run smoother than ever. Thank you: Sarah Michaelson for holding the fort down while I was gone and for finding all typohs. Hunnicutt and Mama Cutsworth for Dj so well and so much. Angela for taking everyone's money with a smile. Tristan and Luke for curtains and projecting. Joe Bill for inspiring everyone. Mark Little for taking a chance on improv again. Kirsten for rocking the stage. Jules for not dying and for "killing it". Jessie for forcing Lee ...

Well, soon. The Winnipeg iF... Improv Festival is going to be hitting Winnipeg September 20th - 24th. The festival is produced with generous help from the Gas Station Arts Centre and from the blood sweat and tears from the Winnipeg Improv community. Keep your ear to the wind as we keep out noses to the grindstone. We will be releasing information as it gets leaked to us from out spies... Well, as the information becomes confirmed, we will release it. Until then, enjoy the hell out of the Winnipeg Fringe Festival which runs July 13th until July 25th . Shows to check out: CRUMBS at the King's Head Pub The Big Stupid Improv Show at the Planetarium Auditorium Full Screen Ahead at the Pantages Playhouse The D&D Improv Show at the Gas Station Theatre More information that is useful... CLICK HERE for venues and maps. CLICK HERE for buying advanced tickets. Thank you, and keep improvising.

The Winnipeg iF... Improv Festival keeps experimenting with improvisation and with the calendar of when we even have a festival. This year's festival will be Nov 9th - 14th at the Gas Station Arts Centre right in Osborne Village. Soon we will be releasing who will be coming and what will be going on... exciting right? And while you wait for more festival information... how about a creepy picture of a giant baby.

With the Winnipeg iF... Improv Festival starting up next week. It is time to look back at festivals past (and passed) to name drop and share who has graced the stages here for this festival. In no particular order: David Shepherd from the Beginning of Modern Improv Unexpected Productions from Seattle (Randy Dixon, Amanda Roundtree, Paul Levy, John Faga and Greg Stackhouse) Rapid Fire Theatre from Edmonton (Kevin Gillese, Amy Shostak, Julian Faid, Ian Rowe, Chris Connelly, Marc Shulte) The General Fools from Regina (Mike Fly, Amy Matysio) Phil Van Hest from Los Angeles Kevin Tomlinson from England PROJECTproject from Toronto (Julie Dumais) Mike Grajewski from Toronto Iron Cobra from Toronto (Becky Johnson and Graham Wagner) Rene Dellefont from Atlanta Monster Theatre from Calgary/Vancouver (Ryan Gladstone and Bruce Horak) Instant Theatre from Vancouver (Alistair Cook, Dave Morris and Ryan Biel) Vancouver Theatresports League (Jason Bryden and Taz Van Rassel) Plus of course th...

The Winnipeg iF... Improv Festival (version 9) Nov 3rd - Nov 8th Monday Nov 3rd The special CRUMBS radio show on 101.5 umfm at 5pm Soap Scum at the Park theatre at 8pm the live improvised soap opera. The Park Theatre show is at 698 Osborne Street and costs $5 Tuesday Nov 4th The special King's Head Festival jam show featuring special guests and improv awesomes 9pm and free (yes FREE) The King's Head Pub is located at 120 King Street. Thursday Nov 6th The first main stage show of the Festival at the Gas Station Theatre Featuring special guests and OUTSIDE JOKE Friday Nov 7th The second main stage show of the Festival at the Gas Station Theatre Featuring special guests and CRUMBS Saturday Nov 8th The third and final night of the Festival at the Gas Station Theatre Featuring a live improv movie (yes live!) The Gas Station Theatre is great (and produces the Festival) The Gas Station Theatre is located in the heart of Osborne village at 445 River Ave (call 284-9477). The Gas Station...