Improv festival draws troupes from around the country

The Colorado Improv Festival just wants to make Colorado funnier.

“We just want to get the community involved and humor and comedy out there,” says Kaleb Kohart, co-founder of the RiP, the Springs-based group that organizes the festival. It returns to the Manitou Art Theatre this weekend.

“The festival was actually a little bit bigger than we thought it would be,” he says of the 2009 festival, their first.

“We thought it would be a low-key deal, and we ended up selling out every show and there was so much of a response from the troupes. It made us realize that we were on to something bigger than we thought.”

Of course, Colorado Springs was already familiar with improv: Several companies, including the RiP, have been making us laugh for years. TV shows like “Whose Line is it Anyway” have certainly raised the profile of what was once just an acting exercise.

“We actually made money,” Kohart says, a tinge of incredulity in his voice.

This year they received about 30 applications, some from as far away as New York and Canada. Eleven troupes were accepted, including the local family-friendly Stick Horses in Pants. In addition to new attendees such as Master Debaters of New York, Denver’s Hit and Run Musical Improv and The Wigs, several troupes from 2009 will return, including Improv Shmimprov from Orange County, Calif., and Chicago’s pH Productions.

They were chosen, Kohart says, to create a mix of forms — short and long — and different approaches. Two groups will certainly do short-form improv, which usually hinges fast-paced games and audience participation, but in completely different ways.

“We picked the best of the best,” he says.

“We cast less troupes, even though we got more applications (this year),” Kohart says. “But we’re giving each more playing time. They have two slots to perform.”

Like last year, they’ll also offer a handful of workshops taught by Jon Jon Lannen of FORK Production in Denver and Mike Descoteaux, music director for Second City improv company.

“So we’ll really have improv royalty in the house,” Kohart says.

He laughs.

“In fact, we’ve gone into this festival again kind of deciding that the goal of Colorado Improv Festival isn’t to make money. And we’re hoping and praying to just break even.”

Making Colorado laugh is the thing. “That’s more important than the RiP making a few bucks off it.”

colorado improv
festival

When: Thursday through Sunday

Where: The Manitou Art Theatre, 1367 Pecan St.

Tickets: $15; coloradoimprovfestival.com, 465-6321

Schedule

THURSDAY

7:30-10 p.m.:Kadan Koharrick: Apocalypse,   Stick Horses in Pants,   Hit & Run Musical Improv,    the RiP

FRIDAY

4:30-6:30 p.m.: “Character @ Curtain Call,” a workshop by Jon Jon Lannen of FORK, Manitou Art Theatre, $25

8 p.m.: Master Debaters, Improv Shmimprov, pH Productions, SansScript Players. Rated PG-13

SATURDAY

12:30-4:30 p.m.: “(Expletive.) Let’s Have Some Fun,” workshop by Jon Jon Lannen, Clarion Hotel Conference Room No. 2, $35

1-4 p.m.: “Singprov Success,” a workshop by Second City Music Director Mike Descoteaux, Clarion Hotel Conference Room No. 1, $40

5:30 p.m.:  The Wigs, Hit & Run Musical Improv, Master Debaters, Improv Shmimprov. Rated PG-13

8:30 p.m.: The RiP, FORK, pH Productions, LSD. Rated 16 and up.

SUNDAY

2 p.m.: The Wigs, Kadan Koharrick: Apocalypse, Stick Horses in Pants. Rated G.