A longtime dream becomes a reality for local improv group
Come one, come all! Improv Chattanooga’s co-founders, Kevin Bartolomucci and Steve Disbrow, announce the opening of their home theater, First Draft Theater at 1800 Rossville Avenue, Ste. 106, right beside Wayne-o-Rama. June 30th is the magical night when the doors will open.
If you don’t yet know what improv theater does, imagine an episode of Whose Line Is It Anyway, where comedians show off their chops during fast, rule-based games. That’s just the beginning. Improv comedy also includes longer-form pieces where actors may extemporize on a running storyline all evening.
No two shows will ever be the same, because the actors create their material anew each time. Lots of shows feature audience interaction, whether selecting teams for competition night or tossing out comedy suggestions.
Nooga!, an improv soap opera set in Chattanooga, will open this August for the first of two six-month seasons. Set in famous buildings around town, episodes will build an ongoing plotline, “similar to a tele-novella,” Steve says.
Comic Entrepreneurs
First Draft Theater has been changing quickly since Steve found the location in mid-May. Terry Cannon, former proprietor of the Loose Cannon, has been exceptionally supportive. Steve and the company have completed theater construction and are busy with finishing touches. They’ve also built two ADA-compliant bathrooms.
“We’ve always been looking for a space,” Steve says. “We had the First Draft Theater name ready to go. It was a nice happenstance to find this. It’s a location where people will be able to see our signage from their cars. Come on by and see us!”
Improv Chattanooga has only just started building its future. Stretch goals for First Draft Theater range from getting a beer license to hosting an improv comedy festival, where troupes from all over the country can play and compete.
Come Early, Come Often
Improv Chattanooga will be offering four shows a week: “Improv Showdown” on Fridays at 8 p.m., and then “The Long Game” at 10 p.m., followed on Saturdays witn the “Saturday Night Long Form” at 8 p.m. and the “Good Ol' Fashioned Improve Show” at 10 p.m.
Other performances and special events will be announced throughout the season.
Rates: $10. Existing passes will be honored. CFC season passes: $3. Discount phrase: I love the science column in The Pulse: $3.
Rent the Space
First Draft Theater is available for rent, with sound and light support available. Featuring a moveable 8- by 16-foot stage, First Draft Theater is suitable for weddings, dance shows, burlesque performances, musical events and more. The space holds about 80 people and has plenty of parking nearby.
To learn more, visit facebook.com/FirstDraftCHA.