about the festival performers
Local Performers |
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Impromaniacs, |
Since 1989 these local superstars of improv impetuousness have had 'em rolling in the aisles and crying heartfelt tears. Not content with winning the hearts of Victoria improv enthusiasts the Impromaniacs have taken their show on the road and out to the unsuspecting public. Cast members have come & gone but the story gets made up as they go along. After producing Singe 2000 they decided festivals are easy and began work on the first annual Victoria International Improv Festival for 2003. Festivals are not easy, but it didn't quite kill them so they're doing it again this year, three times the size and ten times the madness. Not bad for a non-profit society dedicated to focusing the attention of the world on li'l Victoria as a festival destination. (Welcome to VIIF 2004, the largest event of its kind in the entire Pacific Northwest.) During your day how many objects to you encounter? How many of these objects have a profound effect on you? How do they make you feel? Act? Think? Well, the Impromaniacs have been having one of those days. Watch as everyday objects inspire us with their forms and emotions. With a special thanks to Randy Dixon of Unexpected Productions, the Impromaniacs present Found Objects. |
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Spilt Milk, |
Spilt Milk is a theatre company based out of Victoria, BC, that has been performing their special brand of comedy for the last 10 years. They specialize in interactive comedy performances. Their content policy is to keep the humour above-the-waist and out-of-the-gutter. |
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Throw Us A Line, |
This group never sent us a bio so we decided to write something up here to fill the space and make it seem like they did. Little is known about this mysterious group other than they do improvisational comedy. We think. At least that's why we booked them originally. Some experts speculate they might actually be a band of stealthy ninjas and hence the reason why they have managed to elude our demands for a bio write-up thus far. Others suggest that the group does not exist and is nothing more than the figment of people's imagination, much like the Ogopogo, the Lochness Monster and Britney Spears' "talent". We like to think of them as a group of sub-humanoid alien creatures hailing from Alpha Centauri--truly making VIIF 2004 an inter-galactic event. However, there is only one way to find out the truth about these guys: come out to VIIF and watch them perform! |
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W.I.T.T., |
W.I.T.T. was created with the idea of fostering youth into improv by teaching the skills in a drop in session oriented atmosphere. W.I.T.T. was created in 2000 and their big event every year is camp improv of which they will be having our fourth camp this year. W.I.T.T. will be doing a long-form improv show at this year's festival. |
Regional & National Performers |
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"C" Is For Comedy, |
"C" is for Comedy is the brain child of David C. Jones former aristic director and founder of Rock-Paper-Scissors. The aims of the company is to produce innovative and challenging comedy that is still accessible and surprising for the audience. For the festival they shall be presenting Improv In the Dark. The entire audience is in the dark and the actors wear night vision goggles, as they perform hilarious comedy 'heards' (as opposed to hilarious comedy 'scenes'...get it?). |
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Caught In The Headlights, |
Culled from the mists of imagination and Thespian urges, Caught in the Headlights performs humour that is freshly whacked and purely organic. Mixing styles of music, theatre and dance, along with genres from cinema, television, literature Headlights creates comedy that hums, sizzles, and sparks. While the troupe is relatively new, its members are mostly veterans who have boldly gone where many improvisers have goon before. |
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General Fools, |
General Fools Improvisational Theatre has been challenging Saskatchewan audiences since it's inception in 1997 with many types of long form improvisation, including the original forms: ODYSSEY, charACTOR, REALTIME and SPOTLIGHT. Currently, the seven member ensemble moves into their eighth season, performing at the Globe Theatre in Regina. General Fools has had a presence at many festivals across Canada and the ensemble members have performed in almost every large city west of Ottawa, and also into the United States. The Fools are very happy to be in Victoria for the International Improv Festival and are excited to be a part of such strong collection of companies. |
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!nstant Theatre Company, |
!nstant Theatre Co likes Improvisation as much as you do. We just like to do it a bit differently. For example this bio. We could tell you cool historical stuff or shows we've done, but instead we'll tell you what you want to know: We will be the sexiest group at the festival. we are seriously gorgeous. We are also really funny, so basically we're everything you've ever wanted in a man or Improv group. Buckle up. |
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Rapid Fire Theatre, |
Rapid Fire Theatre is Edmonton's leading improv company, fostering the growth of the art form through teaching, reinventing and perfoming. RFT produces the longest running show in town at 24 seasons, THEATRESPORTS and the longform improv hothouse CHiMPROV. Annually, RFT hosts Canada's Biggest Improv Festival IMPROVAGANZA along with The Masters Of The Obvious Theatresports Tournament and the NOSE BOWL, a TS tournament for High Schools. RFT travels to tournaments and festivals around the world, from which our players have brought home first place trophies over a dozen times. |
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Vancouver TheatreSports League, |
The Vancouver TheatreSports League is a non-profit organization that represents theatre for everyone...and great entertainment! Their brand of improvisation is a highly theatrical fusion of comedy and tragedy coupled with the enthusiasm and excitement of professional sport. |
International Performers |
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Die Gorillas, |
Ten professional actors and 2 musicians make up the Gorillas. Coming from different artistic fields in which we still work in we got together in Spring 1997 to lose our hearts to Improvisational Theatre. Since then we (4 to 12 Gorillas) have performed in app. 700 shows. |
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Unexpected Productions, |
Unexpected Productions is Seattle's oldest, and most successful Improvisational Theater Company. Today, Unexpected Production is producing a wide array of improvisational-based theater for Seattle audiences, and has developed a worldwide reputation for high quality improvisation. Comedic in style, Unexpected Productions focuses on the art of storytelling in its work. They have performed in New Zealand, Australia, Holland, Germany, Canada, and the U.S. |
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Yuri Kinugawa (Yellow Man Group), |
Yuri Kinugawa frequently performs improv with the Japanese Yellow Man Group. She has also been awarded Best Actress award at the 1998 Stockholm International Film Festival and the Best Foreign Performer 1998 New Zealand Film Award. Yuri believes that improvisation trancends language barriers and speaks to people of all ages. We are pleased to have Yuri participating in VIIF 2004. She will be performing in the Improv jams and running a professional workshop for other festival performers. |
