by Amanda Moths

On the heels of the biggest Sarasota Improv Festival yet, Florida Studio Theatre Improv is back with a brand new season of laughs, gaffes, and unpredictable fun.
Kicking off our 10th Improv season is the classic game show-style battle of the improvisers, Out of Bounds. What better way to celebrate the return of football season than by bringing the spirit of competition to the Improv stage?

Every Saturday night, two teams of experienced improvisers go head-to-head, unleashing their best extemporaneous creativity to compete for points awarded by the audience. The team with the most points at the end of the night is the winner. Come by every Saturday night to cheer for your favorite FST Improv cast members and welcome new faces to the cast – Michael Fraser, and Tim Beasley, as well as former cast member Andrew Deeb.

FST Improv’s fall season is highlighted by the return of two audience favorite improv shows: When X Meets Y: Home for the Holidays and Resolution Rewind. These two special performances run on select dates, so make sure you get your tickets ahead of time!

Nationally recognized, When X Meets Y, returns December 15 and 22 to bring you laughter and give you a little comedic relief from holiday stress. Using audience-selected prompts of one location and three random notes on the keyboard, the cast weaves a holiday-themed love story.

Then, laugh the holiday calories away with our season finale, Resolution Rewind playing December 29, 30. Before you watch the Pineapple drop, join FST Improv for a look back at some the most popular games and sketches of 2017. Be ready to shout out your highlights of the last year and join us for a champagne toast to bring in the New Year.

Can’t get enough of what you’re seeing on stage? Discover your own spontaneous self with classes taught by some of your favorite FST Improv cast members. FST’s Actors’ Lab offers ten improv classes for all levels – from beginner to advanced. “Being a part of FST Improv has been simply wonderful,” said Associate Artist Jason Cannon. “Quite selfishly, I get the ‘high’ of acting and making an audience laugh, while also improving myself as a performer, and making wonderful friendships!”

This season, FST is offering six all-new Improv workshops including Acting for Improvisers, Punchlines and Parodies, Improv 501: Advanced Long-Long Form, Improv 601: Free-Form, and Improv Academy. These classes will help strengthen your comedic timing, explore short and long-form techniques, and refine your funny skills. In addition to Improv training, FST’s adult Actors’ Lab program offers workshops in acting, script analysis, and musical theatre.

FST Improv plays every Saturday all year ‘round. To purchase tickets or view the complete schedule, visit floridastudiotheatre.org. Tickets are also available by calling the box office at (941)366-9000. To enroll in one of our many adult workshops, contact Education Administrator Pamela Smith at (941)366-1350.