A dozen comedy troupes are on the schedule for the 1st Annual Houston Improv Festival. This is live, unscripted comedy created on the spot by the various troupes, which vary greatly in style and size. Houston-based two-woman team Ophelia’s Rope is made up of Autumn Clack and Ruth Shauberger and works in the Deconstruction style (a long form structure that includes a run, an anything-goes breakneck scene near the end of the performance).
Another group is the eight-member ComedySportz, which has called Houston home for 21 years. That group features two teams that compete against each other in comedy games. There’s also Austin’s Improv for Evil, an eight-member group that has carved out their own style, a sinister mix of narrative, montage and music.
The festival isn’t a head-to-head competition, but rather a showcase. The program varies from night to night, so you’ll have to attend all three nights to see all of the groups. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Midtown Art Center, 3414 LaBranch. For information, call 713-521-8803 or visit www.houstonimprovfestival.com. $10.
March 22-24, 2012
This article appears in Mar 22-28, 2012.