June 26, 2023 – Sarasota

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) announces that single tickets for the 13^thAnnual Sarasota Improv Festival are now on sale. The premier Festival of its kind in the southeastern United States, the Sarasota Improv Festival will feature over 20 of the top improv troupes from across the country and as far as Canada and the United Kingdom.

Taking place July 20, 21, and 22, the 13th Annual Sarasota Improv Festival features more than 29 performances, 80 artists, and 16 workshops. Single tickets for this year’s Festival range from $5-25 and are now on sale at SarasotaImprovFestival.com or 941.366.9000. A full Festival schedule and pricing breakdown follows the end of this release.

“Helping put this Festival together has been a real highlight of 2023 for me,” said Will Luera, FST’s Director of Improv. “Over the years, the Sarasota Improv Festival has become a destination event, introducing the community to some of the best improvisers in the art form. I’m eager to see audiences new and old experience the limitless creativity and impressive talent of these groups.“

Headlining the 13th Annual Sarasota Improv Festival is MC Hammersmith, a multi award-winning comedian and hip hop improviser from the United Kingdom. Self-described as “the world’s leading gangsta rapper to ever emerge from the ghetto of middle-class west London,” MC Hammersmith uses audience suggestions to spontaneously craft lyrics and rhymes with no preparation. Called “The world’s leading freestyle rapper” by The Advertiser and “A hip hop rap genius” by 1079 Life, MC Hammersmith will perform for the very first time in the United States at FST’s Sarasota Improv Festival.

Another international improv group will be joining the Festival: 2-MAN NO-SHOW. One of the most in-demand Canadian troupes, 2-MAN NO-SHOW is known for their hyper-physical performances and off-the-wall antics onstage. Critics have called the pair’s performances “Gut-busting,” “Priceless,” and “One of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. And I absolutely loved it.” The dynamite improv duo has been nominated for two Canadian Comedy Awards for Best Improv Troupe and Best Comedic Show, and was a critics’ pick at the New York, Chicago, and Toronto Comedy Festivals.

This year’s Festival marks the sixth year that FST has welcomed artists from around the world to its annual Improv Festival. Past Festivals have drawn international talent from Mexico, France, Great Britain, and Spain. 

Returning for the Festival are several fan favorite troupes, including Available Cupholders(Austin, TX), Big Bang Improv (Boston, MA), Dad’s Garage (Atlanta, GA),Parallelogramophonograph (Austin, TX), North Coast (New York City, NY), and of course, Florida Studio Theatre’s own resident improv team, FST Improv. 

In addition to Festival headliner, MC Hammersmith, a total of nine troupes will make their Festival debut this summer. HERE: The (Improvised) Musical (Columbus, OH), a two-person improvised musical created on the spot, and Ripley, an all-female and non-binary improv collective based in Los Angeles, will both travel to the Gulf Coast for this destination event. 

Seven Florida troupes—Impromptu, Improv U, Swan City Improv, The Commodore, Wallares, and Wet Bandits—will also perform at the Sarasota Improv Festival for the first time.

“We really wanted the Florida improv community to be engaged in this year’s Festival,” added Luera. “We thought that having a large representation of Florida-based groups at the Festival would be a way to help improvisers from across ‘The Sunshine State’ connect. It will be exciting to see what new partnerships and collaborations grow out of this event.” 

For those who want to learn from some of the top improv artists around the world, 16 workshops led by Festival performers will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2023.Workshops will cover a wide range of topics and run for two hours each. 

The 13^th Annual Sarasota Improv Festival is produced by Florida Studio Theatre and is sponsored by Absolut Vodka, Art Ovation Hotel, Baymont Inn & Suites, Boo’s Ice House & Dog Bar, Embassy Suites, Herald-Tribune Media Group, Hotel Indigo, Jameson Irish Whiskey, LG Kramer Flooring, Malibu Rum, Palm Printing, Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax Revenues, The Shubert Foundation, Springhill Suites, The Westin, Winebow Fine Wine & Spirits, and 99 Bottles Taproom & Bottle Shop. This Festival is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Single tickets, Festival passes, and workshops are now on sale and can be purchased at SarasotaImprovFestival.com or at 941.366.9000. 

SINGLE TICKET PRICING

Single tickets for Festival Headliner – $25

Single tickets for Musical All-Stars, Featuring MC Hammersmith – $25

Single tickets for Sarasota Showcase – $5

Single tickets to all other performances- $10

FESTIVAL PASS PRICING

Three Day Pass – $79

Two Day Pass – $69

Saturday Pass – $59

Friday Pass – $49

Thursday Pass – $20

WORKSHOP PRICING

Workshops are $35 each for each 2-hour session, or $90 for 3 sessions.  

FULL FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, JULY 20

7PM – Improv I-4Ever: Featuring FST Improv (Sarasota, FL), Swan City Improv (Lakeland, FL), and The Commodore (Ybor City, FL)

8:30PM – For Pete’s Sake: Featuring Treble in Paradise (Sarasota, FL), Wallares (St. Petersburg, FL), and Wet Bandits Improv (St. Petersburg, FL)

10PM – Tournament of Fools

FRIDAY, JULY 21

6PM – FST Improv (Sarasota, FL)

7PM – HERE: The (Improvised) Musical (Columbus, OH)

7PM – Parallelogramophonograph (Austin, TX)

7PM – Orange Tuxedo (Los Angeles, CA)

8PM –Available Cupholders (Austin, TX)

8PM – Dad’s Garage (Atlanta, GA)

8PM – 2-MAN NO-SHOW (Toronto, Canada)

9PM – Big Bang Improv (Boston, MA)

9PM – North Coast Improv (New York City, NY)

9PM – Ripley (Los Angeles, CA)

10PM – Musical All Stars: Featuring MC Hammersmith

SATURDAY, JULY 22

11AM – Improv Fest Family Show

4PM – Sarasota Showcase: BUSTED!, Early Bird Special, and Impromptu (Sarasota, FL)

5PM – Ripley (Los Angeles, CA)

5PM – Orange Tuxedo (Los Angeles, CA)

6PM – Alligator Alley: Just the Funny! (Miami, FL) and Improv U (West Palm Beach, FL)

6PM – Big Bang Improv (Boston, MA, Sarasota, FL, and New York City, NY)

6PM – 2-MAN NO-SHOW (Toronto, Canada)

7PM – North Coast Improv (New York City, NY)

7PM – Available Cupholders (Austin, TX, and Los Angeles, CA)

7PM – HERE: The (Improvised) Musical (Columbus, OH)

8PM – Parallelogramophonograph (Austin, TX)

8PM – SAK Comedy Lab (Orlando, FL)

8PM – Dad’s Garage (Atlanta, GA)

9PM – MC Hammersmith (United Kingdom)

10:30PM – All Play