With no two performances ever the same, you can never know what to expect of an evening.
We independently select everything we recommend. Buying through us may earn us a commission, which supports our work.
Article content
An extravagant feast at an eccentric millionaire’s mansion turns into a meal of murder served with a side of silly.
Article content
Just how the madcap mystery plays out depends entirely on the audience’s ability to wrangle up the best possible whodunit at the Deadly Dinner Party.
Article content
Article content
The world premiere of this new themed performance launches the 45th-anniversary season at The Improv Centre (TIC).
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
For artistic director Alan Pavlakovic, a twisted take on crime solving makes complete sense. After all, this is the same company that has turned everything from Star Trek and Star Wars to competitive trivia tournaments inside out in search of their funniest features.
Article content
Sun Spots
Article content
And no two performances are ever the same.
Article content
Article content
From its beginnings as Vancouver TheatreSports League, TIC has produced such well known comics as Colin Mochrie of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, The Drew Carey Show’s Ryan Stiles and Corner Gas’ Nancy Robertson. The Improv Centre has gained a global reputation for its talented players.
Article content
“Every rehearsal and show you do becomes a way to further hone your skills, so the more you put in, the faster and fresher you get,” said Pavlakovic. “Vancouver has created its own brand of improv styles and formats over the years that really differs from the formats and structures of other places. Anyone and everyone comes to our shows, which go from family-friendly to real-life stories all the way up to the truly absurd.”
Article content
With 10 shows on the go ranging from the eternally popular weekend TheatreSports and Deadly Dinner Party to the once-a-month Pro-Am Spontaneous Combustion, there are a lot of different directions the 29-member ensemble pursues. As an added bonus, the eight technical improvisers bring elements like spontaneous sound effects and lively lighting shifts to every performance.
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
“Unlike a normal theatre that has a few productions a year with different casts rehearsing with their own technical crews, we have this incredible ensemble that really bounces like a pinball around all of these different productions,” he said. “Besides the 29 active mainstage cast members, we also have 11 active alumni who all have considerable experience as well. There is a constant renewal taking place with new members coming in every year from all over the city as well as the world.”
Article content
Read More
-
These are the 10 concerts to catch in Vancouver this September
-
5 megastars we’d like to see at B.C. Place in Vancouver in 2027
-
Advertisement 1
Story continues below
Article content
The Improv Centre also runs five different levels of classes from beginner to advanced. Open to students age 19-plus, these popular training programs have run for over four decades and draw in a wide variety of participants. There are also a number of workshops offered to get people into improvising on stage and, often, applying what they learn to daily life.
Article content
The company has also launched The East Van Schools Improv Project, taking improv training into Vancouver schools.
Article content
“We’re about to go into our third year this September, reaching out to more schools in the region,” he said. “As well as the overall education classes to come and try out improv, we also have our House Teams where up-and-coming improvisers honing their skills up to our mainstage get to sharpen their chops.”
