Chicago Improv Festival Productions

The World's Best Improv

The 13th annual Chicago Improv Festival
April 19-25, 2010

Update: 3/9/10
Mark Sutton's Artistic Directorship Statement For CIF 2010

CIF 13 marks the end of a five year run for me as Artistic Director of this festival. Over the past 5 years it has been my goal to seek out and bring to Chicago new artists and ideas in the art of improvisation. I hope that we have exposed the audience and other performers to the richness and boldness of the work from all over the world. Over these years I have met so many dedicated and talented performers and many of them have become long time friends. I share with them the passion for improvisation and the continuing sense of play and exploration that makes this work so great.

But the nature of improvisation is fluidity. Improv constantly changes, evolves, and suprises. And, it's time for the Artistic aspect of this festival to do the same.

I want to thank Jonathan Pitts for giving me the chance to bring my ideas to life and for the support he has given me over the past 5 years. I also want thank all the performers who have come to Chicago to share their visions and talents with our audiences. And, I want to thank you, the audience. Your continuing support of this festival and of live comedy means the world to both me and the performers you come to see.

I leave the Artistic Directorship in the very capable hands of Jet Eveleth. Jet's energy and passion for improvisation is surpassed only by her talent. I can't wait to see what wonderful insights and perspectives she will bring to this festival in the years to come.

Update: 3/8/10
Festival Performance Schedule Released

To read the CIF 2010 performance schedule, please click: Shows

Update: 3/5/10
Two More Award Winners Announced

Susan Messing Improvised Shakespeare Co.

CIF Productions announced two more award winners for the upcoming CIF Awards Night. The CIF 2010 Improviser of the Year is Susan Messing and the CIF 2010 Ensemble of the Year is Improvised Shakespeare Co. The CIF Awards Night will be on Wednesday, April 21 @ The Second City ETC, from 6:30pm-8:30pm.

Update: 3/3/10
CIF Productions' Co-Sponsors Video Contest For College Improvisers
CIF Productions is proud to be a co-sponsor of Showbizzle.com's new short film contest for college improvisers, The Hollywood Challenge. Already over 30 college improv teams, most of whom participated in this year's College Improv Tournament, have entered the contest. Among the prizes that the winning college film-makers will receive is a showing of their video at this year's Chicago Improv Festival.
To read more about the video contest, please click: The Hollywood Challenge

Update: 2/25/10
Jet Eveleth's Co-Artistic Directors Statement For CIF 2010

Taking the role of co-artistic director of the Chicago Improv Festival has already proven to be a challenging experience. I was delighted and slightly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of submissions, many of which came from local ensembles. The benefit of such a large and diverse number of submissions is the opportunity to showcase some of the most inspired local, national and international acts.
I have also learned that although improv commonly resides in bars or basement theaters, the art continues to gracefully evolve. It once again proves that the collaborative process continues to teach us how to be better artists.
I am proud to be hosting well-trained, passionate performers with unique interpretations of what "improvisation" can be, here in Chicago and around the world. With this in mind it is our mission is to be the messengers of the many faces of improv theater and comedy. It is an honor to represent our astounding local community and welcome international artists to the wonderful city of Chicago."

Update: 2/23/10
CIF's Lifetime Achievement Awards For 2010

Severn Darden Harold Ramis Dick Schaal

CIF's 2010 Lifetime Achievement Awards will be given to Harold Ramis, Dick Schaal, and posthumously to Severn Darden, to be accepted by his widow Heather Darden.
The Lifetime Achievement Awards will take place during CIF, on Wednesday, April 21, 7pm @ The Second City ETC. The evening's emcees will be CIF's Co-Artistic Directors Mark Sutton and Jet Eveleth. The event will be produced by CIF Assistant Producer Isla Axelrod. Complete event and ticket information will be announced soon.
To read about Severn Darden, please click: Severn Darden
To read about Harold Ramis, please click: Harold Ramis
To watch a short film about Dick Schaal, please click: Dick Schaal

Update: 2/20/10
Festival Acts And Ensembles Announced

Children of a Lesser God - Chicago, IL
CIF's Co-Artistic Directors Mark Sutton and Jet Eveleth certainly had their hands full as they looked at and considered over 160 different possible acts and ensembles for CIF 2010. It was such a difficult process that they extended their reviewing time twice.

Dusk: Improvised Tween Erotica - Austin, TX
They have now made their selections and this year's festival will showcase 65 acts and ensembles (as well as 5 apprentice teams) from 25 cities and 8 countries. 38 of the 65 acts and ensembles are from the Chicago area.

Pimprov - Chicago, IL
The 8 different countries participating in CIF makes a new high-water mark for international representation in CIF as it tops last year's total of 7 countries (which was the previous high total).

Os Improvaeis - Lisbon, Portugal
To see the official roster list of teams for CIF 2010, please click: Teams

Update: 2/16/10
1st International Ensemble Announced For CIF 2010

Improvisation & Co. - Stockholm, Sweden
CIF Productions is proud to welcome Improvisation & Co. from Stockholm, Sweden to CIF. Improvisation & Co. will perform their hit narrative musical improvised adult show Chokald! at CIF 2010. They last performed in America in September 2009 to standing ovations at Improvaganza's festival in Honolulu.
CIF Productions Executive Director Jonathan Pitts says "We're aiming to have 8 international improv ensembles performing at CIF 2010, which will be more countries playing here than any other previous year. It's a pretty exciting opportunity to be able to connect Chicago's improv community to the world's improvisers, and the world's improvisers to Chicago's improv community."

Update: 1/18/10
Big Cheers For Eveleth & Sutton

Jet Eveleth Mark Sutton

Congratulations to CIF's Artistic Director Mark Sutton and CIF's Co-Artistic Director Jet Eveleth for their recent professional accomplishments.
Mark has been cast as Rush Limbaugh in The Second City's new original musical that's opening this February called Rush Limbaugh! The Musical.
Jet has been chosen by New City magazine as one Chicago's "Top 50 Players" in Chicago's theatre and performance community for 2010.
To read about Mark's new musical role, please click: Rush Limbaugh
To read about Jet's recognition, please click: Top 50 Players

Update: 12/31/09
CIF Show In Time Out Chicago's Top 10 For 2009
A show from CIF's 2009 festival (Toronto's Impromptu Splendor with special guest SCTV alum Joe Flaherty) made the top 10 comedy shows of 2009 in Time Out Chicago.
To read the article, please click: Time Out Chicago

Update: 12/6/09
CIF Town Hall Meeting

Attention Chicago Improvisers: Your presence is requested in a Town Hall Meeting for the Chicago Improv Festival. This Wednesday, December 9th from 6-7pm in the iO Cabaret. "Questions and Answers" with the Artistic Directors Mark Sutton and Jet Eveleth. iO Theater, 3541 N. Clark St.

Update: 12/12/09
Q&A With The Compass' David Shepherd @ SC's 50th

Shepherd, Pitts, and Berman, post-Q&A @ The Second City Skybox
The Compass theatre co-founder David Shepherd was interviewed onstage by Jonathan Pitts, Executive Director of the Chicago Improv Festival, about the origins of The Second City's work at The Compass (1955-1958). The Q&A was part of The Second City's 50th Festival and took place on Saturday, December 12 @ The Second City Skybox.
David shared honest and insightful stories about his life and his life's works in improv. In the audience was Compass alumni and stand-up comedy legend Shelley Berman. Shelley also told stories of what it was like to be in The Compass, and what it was like to improvise on-stage with David.

Update: 10/29/09
CIF 2010 Changes Gets Local Media Reaction
The news about the changes made by CIF Productions for CIF 2010 received coverage in both the Chicago Tribune and The Onion's AV Club - Chicago.
To read the Chicago Tribune's blog, please click: Chicago Tribune
To read The Onion's blog, please click: The Onion/AV Club-Chicago

Update: 10/27/09
CIF Previews 2010 Fest & Names New Co-Artistic Director

Jet Eveleth
Chicago Improv Festival Productions is proud to announce the addition of Jet Eveleth as co-artistic director for the 2010 Chicago Improv Festival, April 19-25. After five years as artistic director, Mark Sutton will be stepping down from his position after this year's festival and usher in Jet Eveleth as the new artistic director for the 2011 Festival.
"I am extremely excited to be working with Jet Eveleth as co-artistic director for this year's Chicago Improv Festival," says Mark Sutton. "Jet has established herself as an outstanding performer, inspiring teacher and an innovative voice for improvisation over the past several years. Her insight, and passion for improvisation will be a welcome addition to the CIF artistic team and her presence will serve to make a great Festival even better."
"It is an honor to be the new co-artistic director of the Chicago Improv Festival", adds Jet Eveleth. "I feel that my experience teaching and performing at many of the city's leading improv institutions will serve as a solid foundation for this position. My vision for improv has developed from my years on The Reckoning, an ensemble that strives to challenge the limits of the work. I identify most as a Chicago improviser and want to promote this evolving art form with emphasis on community inclusion."
Other changes to the 2010 Chicago Improv Festival include the elimination of the main stage to focus and promote local, national and international ensembles within a community setting. This will provide the Chicago Improv Festival a better opportunity to explore the talent within Chicago and showcase how improv is celebrate by ensembles around the world.
Mark Sutton on the changes for the 2010 festival, "Improv is an intimate experience. I really think it works best for both the performer and the audience when they are connected to one another. Moving away from a Mainstage and putting more emphasis on Chicago's improv community and it's venues will further emphasize that connection. It will also continue to bring focus to the notion of ensemble based, collective creation which is what is so exciting about improvisation."
Says Eveleth, "I believe the focus on smaller venues will offer the art more intimacy and this is where improv tends to thrive. Such a decision puts the concentration more on the community and the modest nature of the art form. I look forward to participating in a festival that is willing to adapt, as improv itself is in constant transformation."
CIF 2010 will feature performances in venues with 150 seats or less, with festival programming in 10 venues throughout the city and suburbs.
-Allison Yates-

Update: 9/1/09
CIF 1-7 Archives & CIF 10-12 Archives
CIF Productions has begun a massive year-long project to get archival content, photos, and videos from CIF's 12 year history posted on-line through CIF's website, as well as Flickr and Youtube. Posted are the performance schedules from CIF 1-7 (1998-2004), and the full archives for CIF 10-12 (2007-2009) This will be an on-going project, so please check back often.
To see the archives, please click: CIF Archives

Productions