by Sarah Durham

With three groups, seven in-house teams, workshops around the globe, and weekly shows, not to mention the annual Sarasota Improv Festival, FST’s Improv program might be the most ambitious in all of Florida.

This fall, we’re kicking off an all new Improv season with the audience favorite, Out of Bounds, where two teams of improvisers go head-to-head to compete for the most audience laughs. “The competition is a key part of the show,” explained FST’s Director of Improv, Will Luera. “Not only is the audience involved by giving the performers prompts, but they also distribute points to their favorite team until a winner is determined. Competition raises the stakes for the performers because they try even harder to impress the audience.”

When X Meets Y: Home for the Holidays returns for one-night-only. Inspired by one location and three notes on the keyboard, the cast weaves a song-filled story of love during the holidays. “Laughing together at the stress that comes with the happiest time of the year is a great break from the holiday season,” said Luera. “Using audience suggestions, our cast will create a multi-generational family reunion that not only improvises the scenes, but musical numbers as well.”

In December, Resolution Rewind takes a look back at some of our most popular Improv games from 2018, and the New Year’s Eve performance caps off the night with a party and champagne toast.

If you’re looking for a way to get involved, or just want to dip your toe in the water, give one of our many improv classes a try. FST offers numerous classes year-round in improv, sketch, writing, acting, and more. “A great deal of our recruitment comes out of our education program. If someone is showing the skill and the passion for the art, we’ll look for opportunities for you to get involved,” said Luera. If an 8-week commitment seems a bit daunting, Luera encourages community members to try one of our Saturday drop-in classes. “It’s two hours, as opposed to two months, and is a good way to test out your interest.”

For more information on our education program, visit our website or call Pamela Smith at 941.366.1350. For questions about the improv season, show times, or tickets call our Box Office at 941.366.9000, or visit floridastudiotheatre.org.