After 25 years of providing Chicago with groundbreaking, star-making, world class improvisational comedy, the legendary Improv Olympics Theater brings The Improvised Musical to Columbus. This production features all the elements of a big time Broadway musical-huge group numbers, larger than life characters, tight harmonies, and dynamic choreography. However, every line, note, and step of this musical is completely improvised-made up right there on the spot based on suggestions from the audience.
CAPA presents iO Theatre in The Improvised Musical at the Southern Theatre (21 E. Main St.) May 2, at 8pm. Tickets are $25 at the Ohio Theatre Ticket Office (39 E. State St.), all Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase tickets by phone, please call (800) 745-3000 or (614) 469-0939. The Southern Theatre Ticket Office will open two hours prior to the performance. Students between the ages of 13-19 can purchase $5 High Five tickets while available.
Founded in 1981 by Charna Halpern, with assistance from the late Del Close starting in 1984, the iO Theater has prospered as a comedy training center and performance venue. Located a few doors away from Wrigley Field, iO is renowned for the performing and teaching of long form improvisational theater.
Charna Halpern has been teaching performers how to work together for more than 25 years. Having founded iO in Chicago and Hollywood, Charna's theaters are meccas for training in the art of improvisation and recruiting stops for television shows like Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and MADtv.
Halpern's first book, Truth in Comedy, co-written with her late partner Del Close, acts as a guide for teaching and performing improvisation to theaters and groups across the world. Specializing in creating a group mind with hilarious end results, she is now sharing her secrets and skills with businesses to give them the creative edge they need to compete in the corporate world.
Halpern and her work are featured in Season XX of MTV's hit show The Real World.
Famous iO alumni include Mike Myers, Tina Fey, Chris Farley, Vince Vaughn, Amy Poehler, David Koechner, Neil Flynn, Jon Favreau, Andy Richter, Jack McBrayer, Jason Sudeikis, Rachel Dratch, Adam McKay, Tim Meadows, Seth Meyers, Angela Kinsey, Stephanie Weir, Mo Collins, Matt Besser, Horatio Sanz, Ike Barinholtz, Rich Fulcher, Dan Bakkedahl, and many more.
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