2nd Annual Chicago Musical Improv Festival to Return to iO Chicago This August

From its first inaugural year in 2015, the Chicago Musical Improv Festival returns to iO Chicago in 2016 with more jazz hands, more talents from across the nation, and of course, more musical singing! With 36 groups featured in this 4-day summer event, performers will be hailing from Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City. From August 25th to 28th, 2016, the Second Annual Chicago Musical Improv Festival will fill iO Chicago's Chris Farley Cabaret, Jason Chin Cabaret, and the Mission Theater with artistic melodies and side-splitting scenes.

As this specific form of improv becomes a staple within the comedy community, the Chicago Musical Improv Festival nurtures to showcasing only the best of its kind. CHIMIF2016 Producer Stacey Smith talks about what's new with this year's festivities: "Our focus this year is on variety. We have so many different forms and styles. We have an improvised rock opera, improvised spoken word, an improvised puppet musical, an improvised concept album - the list goes on! It's so inspiring to see how the musical improv scene has grown, even in the last year. Plus, we're ending our festival with Terry O'Quinn. Dreams really do come true!" Not only will Stacey be wearing the hat of Producer, but she'll also be performing in the Festival, and be a featured guest on Jimmy Carrane's well-known podcast, the Improv Nerd. The Improv Nerd will be recording Live on Saturday, August 27th, as part of the Musical Improv Festival.

"I am so thrilled that iO will be hosting the 2nd Annual Musical Improv Festival. There's nothing like it anywhere and musical improv is my favorite thing to watch. It's a challenge for the performers to not only improvise a show but to create a musical with songs and choreography -its an amazing, exhilarating thing to watch," says co-founder of iO & Artistic Director, Charna Halpern. Amongst many talents, Opening Night will be a featured act in the Mission Theater. Halpern adds, "Opening Night is one of the hottest shows in Los Angeles and Chicago will love them. But what I really look forward to is the mash up between them and my Chicago musical troupe The Deltones. That's going to be hilarious." The Hollywood based ensemble makes up a Broadway-style musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion.

And as every musical act closes with a powerful number, the Chicago Musical Improv Festival makes no stops on its closing night! On Sunday, August 28th, CHIMIF2016 closes with The Musical Armando featuring Terry O'Quinn as their guest monologist. Terry O'Quinn is well known for his roles on ABC's Lost (2004), Primal Fear (1996) and The X Files (1998).

All performances will be at the iO Chicago Theater. Tickets may be purchased via box office or online at ioimprov.com/chicago. The iO Theater, 1501 W. Kingsbury St., Chicago, IL 60642, (312) 929-2401. Full schedule & group bios are online at www.chicagomusicalimprovfestival.com.

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2nd Annual Chicago Musical Improv Festival:

August 25-28, 2016

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25th, 2016

iO Chicago, Chris Farley Cabaret

8pm - Los Improviachis / La Di Dah

9pm - Pop Soda / Comedy Dance Collective

10pm - Daddy Warbuck / First Time or Fan

iO Chicago, Jason Chin Cabaret

7:30pm - DeFrancisco

8:30pm - Office Party / pH Productions

9:30pm - Groovebox / Oh My Lanta

10:30pm - Anarchy: An Improvised Rock Opera

FRIDAY, AUGUST 26th, 2016

iO Chicago, Mission Theater

8pm - Opening Night (LA)

iO Chicago, Chris Farley Cabaret

7pm - Bombshell / The Answer is Yes

8:30pm - After Party / Sondheim

10pm - Eastwood / Mansical

iO Chicago, Jason Chin Cabaret

7:30pm - Spectacle Spectacular / Cat Lady

9pm - Brouhaha: An Improvised Puppet Musical / All-Star Show

10:30pm - Matt Geiler (LA) / Musical Mashup!

Midnight - Musical Improv Jam (Special Event)

Talented improvisers will be selected at random to play short-form musical improv games where hilarity is sure to ensue!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27th, 2016

iO Chicago, Chris Farley Cabaret

7pm - About Time / M&N Music Duo (Boston)

8:30pm - Lisa Mizzeli (Pittsburgh) / Stacked

10pm - Stefan Definitely (LA) / Buzzed Broadway

iO Chicago, Jason Chin Cabaret

7:30pm - Limboland (NYC) / KC Improv (KC)

9pm - La Donna Improvvisata (NYC) / Opening Night (LA)

10:30pm - Matt Geiler (LA) / The Deltones

SUNDAY, AUGUST 28th, 2016

iO Chicago, The Mission Theater

7pm - PREACH! / Here

8:30pm - Musical Armando Featuring Terry O'Quinn

Veteran Chicago musical improvisers perform scenes and songs based on monologues and stories from a very special guest. For the Chicago Musical Improv Festival, this year's special guest is Terry O'Quinn.

CHIMIF2016 SPECIAL EVENT

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27TH, 2016

5pm in iO Chicago, Jason Chin Cabaret

Improv Nerd with Jimmy Carrane featuring Stacey Smith

Improv Nerd with Jimmy Carrane will be recording Live in iO Chicago's Jason Chin Cabaret for one time only. Jimmy's guest in this episode is Stacey Smith, the Producer of CHIMIF2016, Teacher, Director & Performer.

Improv Nerd is a live interview show hosted by Jimmy Carrane, a well-known improv teacher and former host of Studio 312 on Chicago Public Radio. In his show, Jimmy interviews icons in the world of improv and comedy, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes look at their creative process. More info at JimmyCarrane.com.

CHICAGO MUSICAL IMPROV FESTIVAL STAFF

Stacey Smith, Producer

Charna Halpern, Artistic Director

Alex Honnet, Creative Director at iO Chicago

Jonald Reyes, Assistant Producer

Sheri Flanders, Social Media

Michael Silver, Hospitality Coordinator

Rence Nemeh, Publicity Assistant

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