Improv's 10 Year Anniversary...

Past Production - April 2005

Improv comedy featuring some of nearly fifty past performers, including some of the founding members. Celebrate 10 years of Venture Improv with as many of the past players that we can get together.

Founder's Notes:  In 1995, Mel Moser approached me about starting an improv comedy night at Lamplighter Lounge. Remember that den of iniquity from our youth? They offered us a pittance and free drinks. We didn't care much about the pittance, but a place to hang out with our friends and drink for free after a show was inspiring. We embarked on what we thought would be a 3 month run. 10 years later, Venture Improv has become historic in Montana theatre for being the first show to ever run continuously for over a decade. We've had over 40 actors play with the improv over the 10 years. We've seen actors like Buddy MacKinder and Jared Branden take off for Chicago, the heart of improvisational theatre. We've seen Donita Beeman step right into an improv troupe in New York with her only training having been at Venture. Three years ago we created a youth troupe called the Funky Bunch. They have grown stronger and stronger over the years, since the training possibilities encountered on an improv stage are endless.

And that is what's important about the improv for both adults and students. Improv at Venture has become "and" end, but it is not "the" end. Venture Improv is an evening of entertainment on its own, but the reason that we started the troupe years ago was to make sure that our skills as actors developed and stayed sharp. An actor who becomes adept at improvisation allows him/herself the liberty to be fully creative in the moment. Improv teaches an actor to listen. Improv at its best is topical, insightful, and entertaining. At its worst, it builds better actors. An actor who improvs cannot lose.

I once had a mentor who said, "The artist works in the creative sate of I-Don't-Know." The improvisational actor is always in a state of "I-Don't-Know." The don't know where the scene's going, they don't know what their fellow actors will say, and they don't know if the audience will respond. And still they are willing to throw themselves at their work and makea  go of it in the most dangerous form of drama ever invented. Never take them for granted.

These actors who often make it look easy are my heroes. Their bravery as performers is unmatched. I have loved inventing and reinventing the improv over the years, and every actor who has contributed deserves a great round of applausee. But a special toast to those who worked during the lean years. Those who played week after week at Lamplighter developing our skills with nobody ever coming. Had they quit, there'd be no tradition, there'd be no party tonight. Let's see if we can reconvene in another 10 years.

Press and Photos:

See Photos and read the April 1 article in the Billings Gazette's Enjoy here.

Venture Improv Alumni:

The Players

Allen Peters
Andrew Gumm
Aric Weber
Blaine Jensen
Casidee Riley
Chas Llewellyn
David Overturf
D.R. Edmonds
Jason Harris
Jim Patterson (Original Member)
Liisa Johnson
Lydia O'Neil
Lysa Fox (Original Member)
Nick Capetanakis
Roxie LaFeevers
Wendy Kessler
Zak Kreiter
M.C.:  Mace Archer (Founder)

Former Members Unable to Attend

Aaron "Bear" Malek (Original Member)
Buddy MacKinder
Chad Ferris
Chad Korb
Charlie Beecher
Dave Bovee (Original Member)
Dave Middleton
Jared Branden
Jenn Bowman
Julia Barbeau
Kris Angstman
Kyle Trott (Original Member)
Mary Monaghan
Monica Wyche
Pam Strait
Rob Smith
Samantha Dunn
Scott Fletcher (Original Member)
Seth Hanser
Thor Shenkel
Todd Pease
Tracy Mayfield (Original Member)
Troy Bohrer
Wendy Carlin

Special Thanks to the Funky Bunch

Show Dates & Times:

April 1, 2005 - 7:30 (Friday)
April 2, 2005 - 7:30 (Saturday)

Show Location: