Over the course of the last week 70 performers auditioned for Star Trek: The Next Improvisation. We were blown away by the response and talent. Thank you to everyone that came out.

We're very proud to announce the cast for 2023. Can't wait to see where they take us this fall!

Star Trek: The Next Improvisation

Directed by Maria Bartholdi, Assistant Director Laura Berger

• Alsa Bruno
• Anna Tobin
• Bradley Machov
• Chris Rodriguez
• Danna Sheridan
• Gregory Parks
• Justine Myers
• Karyn Wilson
• Lucas Vonasek
• Michael Renner
• MJ Matheson
• Sarah Busch
• Sean Dillon
• Shoshana Daniels
• Susannah Eckberg
  

HUGE Improv Theater is moving to a new location at 2728 Lyndale Ave, slated to open in September 2023. Construction costs are at an all-time high, and the lost income is rough on a small nonprofit! One of the ways we’re raising funds for that big move is by asking people and businesses to sponsor a chair in the new HUGE Theater. For a donation of $500, a little placard with your name or business is affixed to one of the seats, and you get to be a little part of the joyous HUGE experience for countless patrons, students, and performers.

For individuals, this is a great way to make your mark; celebrate your improv journey or the journey of someone you love, commemorate a beloved improv group, or honor someone no longer with us.

For businesses, this is a fantastic way to show your support of the arts and the LynLake neighborhood, and maybe even inspire some of the tens of thousands of people who come to HUGE each year to patronize your establishment!

We need your help! Click here to sponsor a chair and be a part of HUGE.

For anyone feeling more ambitious, we do have larger sponsorship opportunities… everything from a “brick” plaque in the lobby, all the way up to the stage itself!

We’re going to create the audition schedule for Creature Feature soon! Sign up if you want in:

https://docs.google.com/forms/...

Step ONE: Our official statement

As everyone else learned the news, we at HUGE Theater were made aware that our landlord made a $500 donation to David Duke in 2016.

HUGE is a nonprofit theater dedicated to building a healthy and diverse improv community. We are in year 3 of a 10-year lease on our building, which has housed our theater from the time we opened in December 2010 – in the middle of a snowstorm and during a recession.

What held HUGE Theater together then, and now, is our incredibly supportive and expansive community.From our first days we have worked to build an inclusive community and to illuminate the path from student to stage so we could share this art form we love. Improv is a deeply personal art form and a multitude of voices are needed to tell new and interesting stories.

We are proud to host and give our ongoing support to the Tiny Funny Women Fest, the Black & Funny Festival, monthly POC jams, monthly Queer jams, monthly 40+ jams, and two Women-Trans-Femme classes. We have worked thoughtfully with other theaters nationally to form a Student Bill of Rights and Boundaries guidelines to make sure our classes and stage are inclusive and free of threat or intimidation of any kind.

For these reasons and more, we would like to formally tell Nazis and the KKK that they can fuck straight off.

[ unanimously approved by the full Board of Directors – Aug 29, 2017 ]

Here’s the short version:

This summer, HUGE Improv Theater will be moving from its original home at 3037 Lyndale Avenue, to a new, larger space at 2728 Lyndale Ave. This has the potential to be amazing, but transforming that facility into a theater and education space is going to cost upwards of $750,000. Falling short of that goal will mean cutting back on and delaying our build-out plans. We vitally need financial support right now to reach that goal. If you can help, please do!

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

SPONSOR A CHAIR! Individually or as a team, group, or family, make a $500 donation, and you can get your name or preferred dedication on one of the 125 seats in our new theater! We also have other sponsorship opportunities.

JOIN OUR INVISIBLE IMPROVATHON! Much like our Improvathon in November, we're asking our whole community to come together and reach out to their networks in a fundraising push throughout May. It is "invisible" because there are no performances, just a lot of outreach. We need all hands on deck!

DONATE IN ANY AMOUNT! If a sponsorship isn’t in the cards right now, every bit helps! We’re thrilled to welcome donations in any amount you care to give.

HELP RECRUIT A MAJOR DONOR/SPONSOR! Might you, someone close to you, or the company you work for be in a position to make a major gift or sponsorship? We would LOVE to discuss the difference that gift could make, and the recognition we are able to provide. Email Managing Director Sean Dillon.

Here’s the longer version:

When HUGE opened its doors in 2011, it hosted around 50 performances and a handful of classes. The growth in the Twin Cities improv community since that time has been explosive, and in 2019 HUGE had over 700 class enrollments with long waitlists, and over 450 performances for over 17,000 ticketholders with numerous sell-out performances. It became clear that our current space could not meet the needs of the people — students, performers, and audiences — that we’re dedicated to serving. While the pandemic put a dent in those stats, we are already seeing steady progress back to that level of activity. We need room to grow.

In 2017 it also came to light that our current landlord financially supports extremist causes that are incompatible with HUGE’s values. At that time, we committed to ending our business relationship with that landlord as quickly as possible. While it was not feasible to break our lease, that lease expires in August 2023, just months from now.

So it is time for us to move. And luckily, we were able to secure a lease on a new space at 2728 Lyndale, a building that we had previously tried to purchase in 2019. While the financing for that purchase fell through, we are thrilled to be able to move forward with many of the plans we developed at that time, as renters. And the possibility of eventually purchasing the building outright still exists.

Because of pandemic supply chain problems, construction costs have skyrocketed since our last build-out in 2011, and it may cost as much as $750,000 to complete construction on our new space. And because we don’t own the building, many lenders have been hesitant to approve a construction loan to get the work done. And so we are depending on our own cash on hand, grants, major gifts and sponsorships, and lot of individual donations.

What happens if we don’t have the funds? We have to build out in phases. And the new space will look unfinished and only be semi-usable perhaps for years. In the long run, it will cost more to complete and will force HUGE to tighten its belt in ways that worsen our service to our community (higher ticket prices, fewer scholarships, less taking risks and funding programs that don’t pay for themselves). So we need help. And quickly — construction begins in May.

Thank you for anything and everything you can do! There will be further opportunities — to help us move, paint, etc. — coming down the line. But for now, unfortunately it is all about those funds friends.

GIVE HERE!

P.S. - To all of you who gave to HUGE’s building campaign in 2019, thank you and we have not forgotten you! Those funds are sustaining the building effort RIGHT NOW. Those that gave $1000 or more to that effort will be getting a “brick” plaque on the walls of the new space as promised to commemorate your amazing gifts!

Hi everybody!

We’re pleased to let you all know that Carin Bratlie Wethern (she/her), Artistic Director of Theatre Pro Rata, has agreed to step into the position of Whistleblower Representative/Compliance Officer for HUGE. This role was previously filled by Jack Reuler of Mixed Blood Theater, and we thank him for his long service!

What does this mean? HUGE maintains an open-door policy for reports of unethical behavior by anyone involved at HUGE (including harassment and abuse of position). We welcome anyone to report to any member of our leadership, board, or faculty, who will work to see such concerns addressed fully and appropriately. We also have an anonymous feedback form on our website and a working relationship with the group Fair Play MN, that can help women, trans, femme, and non-binary folx with reports of harassment or abuse within the comedy communities.

But we know there might be instances where a reporter may not feel comfortable bringing their concern to someone at HUGE or within the improv community, or may feel their concern not been appropriately addressed. The Whistleblower Representative/Compliance Officer role provides an alternative path; a person who is not employed or beholden to HUGE, nor a part of the improv community, who is empowered to investigate and act on concerns about HUGE that is brought to them. While we hope it is never needed, we always want that option to be available, for the sake of community safety.

In her role as Artistic Director of Theatre Pro Rata, Carin has a stalwart reputation for straight dealing, thoroughness, and an abiding concern for the importance of safety and equity in the Arts. For these reasons, we’re grateful to her for accepting this role, even as we at HUGE continue to commit to making it as superfluous as possible. Should you ever need it, Carin’s contact email is carin@theatreprorata.org.

A link to our Whistleblower policy is always available on the Performers page of our website: https://www.hugetheater.com/pe...

It's that time again! HUGE is looking for your show ideas for the Fall/Winter 2023 season.

With our big move on schedule for this summer, the shows that are selected from this batch of proposals will be the first to appear on our brand new stage at 2728 Lyndale!

We plan to open the new theater in September. Shows will run for the months of September and October or November and December as they did in our old space. That said, the timing of the weekend shows will be changing slightly with the transition to our new stage. Rather than starting the night off at 8:00p, we are moving everything back to 7:30p. That means the first show of the night will run from 7:30p to 8:45. The second will run from 9:00 to 9:45 and the third will run from 10:00 to 10:45.

Please submit your show ideas here - we're excited to start the planning process. Contact Info@HUGETheater.com or Becky@HUGETheater.com with any questions. Can't wait to see what you've been cooking up!

I am thrilled to announce the casts for Throwback Night 2023. We had nearly 100 people sign up to audition; a big jump in comparison to the auditions we've held recently. While it is fantastic to see so many talented players, it made the casting process very difficult. I want to reiterate my thanks to everyone that came out. This community is amazing. So here they are folks; Throwback Night 2023!

The Armando - Directed by Jen Scott, Assistant Director Matt Prindle
Angelique Lisboa
Britt Johnson
Christopher Rodriguez
Derek Landseidel
Destiny Davidson
Erin Sheppard
Jada Pulley
Jennifer Erickson
Justine Myers
Kelsey Dilts McGregor
Nels Lennes
Rachel Buhman

The Butch - Directed by Butch Roy, Assistant Director Ari Newman
Anshul Chawla
Dan Linden
Erica Solomon
Erik Ostrom
Evelyn Vocu
Gubby Kubik-Nielsen
Jex Arzayus
Kristin Ragnacci
Naomi Schroeter
Patrick McIntyre
Ryan Klima
Sandra Struthers
Shelby Shroeder
Wesley Erickson

The Free Association - Directed by Alexis Camille, Assistant Director Becky Hauser
Adam Mellerup
Alicia Wheelock
Bradley Machov
Chip Gehrig
Dorian Beal
Erik KN
Jack Callahan
Liz Council
Lucy Scherschligt Zarns
Michael Rogers
Paige Kraemer
Will Schroeder

In an effort to make sure everyone knows and has the same resources, here are the links to the official guidelines we are using. HUGE does not have the scientific expertise or resources to make exceptions or deviate from this guidance.

If you should test positive for COVID or be exposed to COVID, the CDC has a calculator to determine how long you should isolate and mask: https://www.cdc.gov/coronaviru...

Here are guidelines to determine if you were exposed: https://www.cdc.gov/coronaviru...

“Close Contact through proximity and duration of exposure: Someone who was less than 6 feet away from an infected person (laboratory-confirmed or a clinical diagnosis) for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three separate 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes). An infected person can spread the virus that causes COVID-19 starting 2 days before they have any symptoms (or, for people without symptoms, 2 days before the positive specimen collection date).”

Isolation guidelines:https://www.cdc.gov/coronaviru...

As 2022 comes to an end I’ve been thinking about the community that surrounds HUGE and how much it’s grown since I started volunteering at the front desk years ago. Casting the Anniversary Show is an impossible task; the cast of HUGE is in the hundreds these days and massively talented. The goal of the Anniversary Show this year is to present a cross section of that talent and celebrate how far we’ve come. 2023 is going to be a good one, everybody. I hope you will join us on January 28th at 8:00pm - tickets are complimentary for HUGE members and on sale soon.

Alexis Camille
Alsa Bruno
Ari Newman
Breanna Cecile
Brian Hodge-Rice
Butch Roy
Chip Gehring
Chris Rodriguez
Dorian Beal
Duck Washington
Erik Kubik-Nielsen
Erin Kennedy
Gubby Kubik-Neilsen
Hannah Wydeven
Isabella Dunsieth
Jada Pulley
James Rone
Jen Scott
Jill Bernard
Joe Rapp
John Gebretatose
Josh Kaplan
Julietta Benson Borman
Karyn Wilson
Katie “KQ” Quinn
Laura Berger
Liz Council Choate
Maria Bartholdi
MJ Matheson
Neco Pacheaco
Nels Lennes
Nora Neisen
Rita Boersma
Ruben Gomez
Sean Dillon
Shoshana Alexander-Daniels
Susannah Eckberg
Tyler Michaels King

Systems new and old

** Edits have been made to reflect the current Artistic Director **

Some Updates, some new News and some old News you may not have known!

One of the strange upsides to big internal changes – like bringing our new Artistic Director on board and up to speed – is having to explain our systems and what they’re meant to do.

It gives us a rare chance to stop and look at many of the systems we’ve put in place over the years, take a really good look at how we do things and ask ourselves if they still make sense or if there’s a better way to handle show proposals, communicating with artists, the flow of information to producers and more.

We also uncovered some areas where we’ve put systems and internal policies in place that aren’t flashy or newsworthy on their own, but artists (or other theater companies – some of whom ask to use our policies as a template) might like to know about!

One of the most immediate changes is whom to contact about things!

THEN: Butch had been a frequent point of contact for artistic matters only because he is one of the only full time staff and is always online to field questions more quickly.

NOW: Becky is the person to contact about all artistic matters – show proposal questions, auditions, ideas you would like to discuss, changes to your show proposal or upcoming run of shows – Basically, if it appears on stage or is part of getting your idea ready for the stage : Becky.

Butch will still head up logistics questions and production support – things that require revisions to the website, about staffing or technical needs for your shows – Basically, the building, staff, website, ticketing system or all the invisible bits of production support would go to Butch.

If you’re still not sure where to send your question, idea, concern, etc – please feel free to email both Becky and Butch and we can help!
Always feel free to ask

Becky@hugetheater.com – and / or – Butch@hugetheater.com

Show Proposal changes

The Show Proposal system has changed!
THEN: The show proposal form stayed open at all times to capture the fully-formed pitches for productions looking for a stage, crazy new ideas that might need some help to bring to life and everything between – which created a constant backlog and left lots of people waiting and we sometimes ended up following up on ideas that people had moved on from, forgotten about or from groups that no longer existed.

NOW: The form will open twice per year to cover the upcoming “season” with enough time to get shows booked and confirmed, schedule auditions (if needed) and make sure artists and HUGE have enough time to properly promote upcoming shows
Every proposal will get a confirmation email from Becky and the seasonal schedules will be posted when they are booked and confirmed – shows will need to re-submit each season they would like to be considered, which will give HUGE a clear idea of which shows are active and ready for the season ahead and give producers and artists a clear, timely answer so they aren’t left waiting on HUGE when they could be looking at other venues or opportunities.

:: One system that we’ve had in place for years is designed to manage conflicts of interest and avoid nepotism in our pipeline process, being an artist-led company we knew this would be an issue early on – which is why no member of the HUGE management is allowed to book their own groups or shows for our stage. Those productions must be approved independently by another member of the management team.

This policy remains in place and extends to shows by/featuring any performer currently or previously in a relationship with HUGE staff – to make sure our process is serving our community with an even hand as well as protect artists by preventing anyone from being able to extend or withhold consideration inappropriately ::

Info to/from producers and casts

This is an area that many people may not know about as well as something we’re working to expand – As part of our efforts to make sure we’re hearing from the artists we serve about their experiences at HUGE, we’ve had a policy of asking for feedback from shows.

:: we ALWAYS encourage everyone to reach out and contact us if there is a concern, question or something that just doesn’t feel right – please – at any time, using whichever channel you feel most comfortable using ::

THEN: After the close of a show, Breanna would send a Google Form to the director/producer/point of contact for the show and/or Facebook group about the run of the show – those answers would be collected and shared with the Artistic Director and Executive Director and show directors.

NOW: We now ask for names and emails for all cast members so we can send the feedback form directly to cast and follow up directly if needed.
We’ve also added another round of feedback to HUGE productions (and are trying to find a good way to coordinate with outside productions as well) in an effort to hear concerns sooner so we can have conversations and make adjustments while the show is open rather than waiting until it is too late to hear about things that could’ve been addressed – that will be collected toward the end of the rehearsal process so we can hear about rehearsals and how the cast is feeling heading into opening of a run and then again at the close of the show.

All the feedback is seen by the Artistic Director and Executive Director – feedback that is meant for the Directors will be compiled and shared with them via email and/or in person to ask any follow up questions to help us all improve the process and experience of performing, producing, directing and being directed at HUGE.

Reporting from Directors: We’ve added language to make sure directors are letting HUGE know about issues within their casts, even if matters are discussed and handled to the satisfaction of everyone involved.
Every complaint from a cast member about another cast member, regardless of severity or outcome, must be documented with theater management.
We are looking for patterns of behavior across shows and over time.

Auditions and Casting

One of the most sensitive areas there is – also one we’ve quietly made some changes and put systems in place and continue to look at for ways to make the experience more welcoming, rewarding and transparent.
The biggest changes over the past years have been focused on inclusion. We have been making sure (as best we can based on scheduling needs) the auditioning groups are more diverse by making sure no one is ever “the only” in an audition group, i.e. the only female-identified performer in a group of men, or the only person of color with a group of white performers.

Likewise, the expansion of the audition panel to make sure we have a variety of eyes and ears and voices included in the process of casting – In addition to increasing representation among the decision-making in an audition process, we hope this increases the chances that an auditioner will see someone who looks like them “behind the table” in theater jargon.

We hope this representation means there will be someone in authority to help recognize and call out problematic situations that come up in audition scenes, in hopes of removing the burden from the auditioned.

:: Our conflict of interest policy explicitly covers auditions as well – not only are HUGE staff prohibited from making casting decisions about someone that is a conflict of interest (anyone in a current or previous romantic or business relationship), they will not be present for those auditions – this has been the case for some time and has worked invisibly and silently as audition rosters list conflicts and staff members remove themselves from the audition space for the duration without any action required from the person auditioning ::

After a few years off, Throwback Night is back on Fridays at 8:00p in March and April! The show features three casts performing classic improv structures. This year we are celebrating forms that were developed or widely used at HUGE over the last 11 years. The show will include:

• The Armando - Directed by Jen Scott, Assistant Director Matt Prindle. This classic storytelling form from iO Chicago has been seen many times at HUGE. Jen and Matt will introduce the form and then work with the cast to make it uniquely their own.

• The Butch - Directed by Butch Roy, Assistant Director Ari Newman. Developed by the cast of Show X, The Butch is a fast-paced, brain breaking form designed to take you to new and unexpected places.

• The Free Association - Directed by Alexis Camille, Assistant Director Becky Hauser. Originally an improv exercise, The Free Association became a structure after development by The Bearded Company. This highly physical form is all about heightening and absorbing characters through group development.

Requests for auditions are now open here: https://forms.gle/S3b8fpMG72oTEvdr7

Auditions for Throwback Night are open to all. We believe our stage should reflect our city - BIPOC performers are strongly encouraged to apply. If you are unable to find an audition slot that works for you, please reach out to info@HUGETheater.com to arrange an alternate time.

Weekends

Fridays
8:00p - Nudge with opener Sweet Teeth
Relational! Gripping! Awkward! Comedy improv group Nudge, featuring veteran improvisers and friends Rita Boersma, Katy Kessler, Tim Hellendrung, Butch Roy, Taj Ruler, and Jen Scott.

9:30p - Poems for Each Other (January)
Theo Langason carves out space and time for connection, nostalgia and improvised songs based on beautiful memories provided by the audience.
Black People Win! (February)
An improvised game show that celebrates everybody Black! Featuring Alsa Bruno as your host and Khary Jackson on bass.

10:30p - Opera Punks
The Improvathon hit Opera Punks is back! Featuring Isabella Dunsieth, Ruben Gomez, Michael Rogers and more.

Saturdays
7:00p - Hot Pot
Hot Pot presents “Family Style” - Like a delicious meal of hot pot, every performance of this show will cook up a different set of improv ingredients. Choosing from a menu of classic improv styles and techniques (things like monologues, musicals, and artsy organic transformations), Hot Pot will create a brand new form each week. The end results are guaranteed to be fun, surprising, and full of laughs. Featuring Liz Council Choate, John Gebretatose, Ari Newman, Jada Pulley, Chris Rodriguez and Karyn Wilson

8:00p - Off Book
Half-scripted, full speed ahead. Directed by Sean Dillon and Isabella Dunsieth

9:30p - The Mess
A brand new improvised masterpiece, every Saturday night! Featuring Rita Boersma, Mike Fotis, Molly Ritchie, James Rone and Jake Scott. (Always see The Mess.)

Monday nights return!

8:00p - The Dirty Dozen
Powerhouse woman and non-binary performers take the stage for a fast-paced improv adventure. Featuring: Laura Berger, Mikala Bierma, Christina Boucher, Emily Coveyou, Susannah Eckberg, Lizzie Gardner, Chip Gehring, Siri Hellerman, Erin Kennedy, Nora Neisen, Neco Pacheaco, Katie “KQ” Quinn, Anna Tobin and Hannah Wydeven.

HUGE Wednesdays

Bikiniprov - Sun-soaked beach vibes meets existential dread in this genre-bending improvised musical adventure! Featuring Ryan Blix, Bret Meyer and Jenny Wahl.
Darth Hogbeaf - Darth Hogbeaf follows their bliss at top speed through infinite possible universes. Featuring Christina Boucher, John Eisenrich, Mike Fotis, Erik Nielsen, Matt Prindle, Julia Weiss.
DUH - Have you ever considered that improv can reveal the answers to all of life’s burning controversies? Well, the answer is DUH! We will debate and provide advice on topics given to us by our audience each night. Featuring Jill Bernard, Liz Council, Gubby Kubik, Shea Roberts Gyllen, Jada Pulley and Karyn Wilson.
Fluffy - Fluffy is a playful celebration and a critical exploration of the fantasy genre in its many forms. Featuring Liz Council, Damian Johnson, Shea Roberts Gyllen.

Special Events

Based on a True Story (BOATS) - every first Saturday of the month at 3:00p through March
Inspired by Playback Theatre, Theater of the Oppressed and varied storytelling traditions, BOATS uses an interactive form of improv that invites audience members to tell stories and see them reimagined on the spot. Whether or not you choose to share something you have always wanted to share, never expected to share, or do not share anything at all, we want you to feel seen and uplifted. BOATS is not just a show, it is a joyful community healing experience that we need your help to create. Come tell. Come watch. Come change. Featuring: Alsa Bruno, Dorian Beal and Jada Pulley with Khary Jackson on bass.

We've got an amazing line-up of performances for HUGE's 2022 Improvathon on November 16 & 17! Come watch up to 28 hours of improv with us while supporting HUGE Theater!

— NOTE: Your donation is your ticket, seating is first-come-first serve at the door. Proof of vaccination required —

HUGE Theater is lucky to be a sponsor of the Queer & Funny Improv Fest on Sunday November 20th. Read all about the mission and this year's plans at queerandfunny.weebly.com. Here is a peek at the schedule with links to register for classes and buy tickets for the show!

​Location
HUGE Theater
3037 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis, MN, 55408

Here is a little 2022 update of a favorite essay from Jill Bernard.
The brain you had when you were a kid was just a little bit softer than the brain you have now. Let’s take a step back and soften up your grown-up brain, to let more things in. Here are some practice improv exercises from various sources, for you to do by yourself.

• • Walk around a place naming things the wrong name, i.e. point at the chair and call it a soda fountain or a gleebeldy glook.
• • Do a crossword puzzle or a Sudoku wrong. I recommend not limiting yourself to letters and numbers.
• • Close your eyes and turn your head any direction you’d like. Open your eyes and look at what’s in front of you in the frame of your vision. Appreciate it like it’s a painting or a photograph someone deliberately composed in just this way. Try to analyze the symbolism, and the artist’s intent.
• • Brush your teeth with the wrong hand.
• • Reach into space with your hands and grab an invisible object. Grab first, then look in your hand and see what it is. Notice all the details. Set it down, then reach into space and grab something again, try different sizes and weights. (This is from Mick Napier, his excellent book “Improvise: Scene from the Inside Out” has a few more.)
• • Take the wrong route home.
• • Draw a really terrible picture of a bunny and mail it to Jill Bernard HUGE Theater 3037 Lyndale Ave S Minneapolis MN 55408 U.S.A.
• • Open a document on a computer or get out a sheet of paper, and just start writing. Write whatever comes, even if it’s just, “I don’t know what to say, I don’t know what to say.”
• • Here is a variation on the game WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Find two initials in the room you are, like L.B. Then just make little verb/object or adjective/verb combos out loud, i.e. Lighting Bridges, Losing Brian, Listening Boringly, Limiting Barry, Lightly Baking, Listlessly Burying, etc. If you’d like you can physically act them out, or just keep it as a verbal-quickness exercise.
• • Tell a one-word story where you blink to separate the thoughts for yourself. [Eyes open] “once” [eyes closed] “there” [eyes open] “was” [eyes closed] “a” [eyes open] “grandmother” [eyes closed] “who” etc. This is hard to sustain for long because your brain catches up and starts unifying your thoughts into one thinker, so start over lots of times.
• • Do four little mini character monologues with the same first line of dialogue, spreading out around the room and taking different physicalities.
• • Put on your headphones and dance around to your favorite song completely unleashed and free of inhibition. It’s best to do it somewhere where it is entirely possible you will be caught.

Your brain has pathways, and unless you find ways to get off those pathways, you’ll never have a new thought. See if you can surprise yourself today.

WHAT IS IMPROVATHON?

The single most important day in HUGE’s year. 28 hours of continuous improv. HUGE’s only operational fundraiser each year. A massive community event.

Over 50 different improv groups and shows — sometimes as many as 200 people — take the stage in 20-30 minute slots, starting at 8pm on a Wednesday and going until midnight the FOLLOWING DAY! All of those groups are fundraising, semi-competitively, on behalf of HUGE, with a goal this year of raising over $60,000!! And the leadership staff is there the entire time, testing the limits of their physical and mental endurance. This event is timed to coincide with GiveMN’s Give to the Max Day, when every donation — no matter the size — gets HUGE entered in drawings for $1K-10K bonus prizes!

WHEN IS IT?!

8pm Wednesday, November 16 - midnight November 17, 2022

WHERE IS IT?!

For the VERY LAST TIME, Improvathon will take place at 3037 Lyndale Ave, HUGE’s original home. By this time next year, we’ll be in our new location at 2728 Lyndale. So you don’t want to miss this last chapter of our magical 3037 history!

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?!

So many ways!

• * Sign your improv group up to perform at Improvathon, with a group commitment to raise at least $500! Registration will be open through October 25.
  
  
• * Sign up as a member of the “Iron Audience,” committing to stay at the theater for the full 28-hour event, with a goal of raising at least $100!
  
  
• * Sign up to volunteer… at the box office, as a photographer or sponsor-hunter, or to run errands and just generally keep the place running for a couple hours.
  
  
• * Come see shows during Improvathon. Every suggested-donation admission we receive adds to our total!
  
  
• * Encourage friends and family to give on Give to the Max Day!

OTHER FAQS:

WHAT ARE THE COVID POLICIES?!

All performers, volunteers, and audience members will abide by HUGE’s standard COVID policies: proof of vaccination (initial series) required, boosters and masks strong encouraged.

In addition, Iron Audience and leadership staff (who will be around for the whole event) are required to take a rapid test before arriving on Nov 16. And the backstage spaces will be reserved for the next two groups performing (our food table will be in the lobby).

I’M UNCOMFORTABLE FUNDRAISING BUT STILL WANT TO PARTICIPATE. CAN I?!

We’d LOVE to have you attend or volunteer. But we are asking all of our performing groups and Iron Audience to fundraise. And we've got some great advice to share to help make fundraising painless -- most groups make it to the $500 mark without much trouble.

CAN I PERFORM WITH MORE THAN ONE GROUP?!

Totally -- but keep in mind that each group is responsible for fundraising $500. So be careful about spreading yourself TOO thin.

YOU SAID IT’S SEMI-COMPETITIVE?

Yeah! We'll have a leaderboard on our Give-to-the-Max-Day site, and our top-fundraising Iron Audience and top 3 groups get a piece of HUGE swag (like a mug or hoodie) as a thank-you. Our #1 top fundraising group also gets a free workshop or coaching session during the Twin Cities Improv Festival or Black and Funny Improv Festival!

WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?!

Improvathon is an “operational” fundraiser. It supports the day-to-day costs of running HUGE Theater. That means it supports our class scholarships, our low ticket prices, our ability to pay performers, and our ability to underwrite important programs and festivals that may not pay for themselves. This money isn’t specifically for the build-out of our new space, but it helps us keep our doors open, so we can open our new doors. Ultimately, it is all the same bucket.

WE CAN'T WAIT! THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS BIG ADVENTURE!

Any more questions? You can send those to sean@hugetheater.com!

As a performer with several years of training in both improv and scripted acting programs, Neco will take you through vocal exploration exercises that can help you take your performance to the next level.

In this workshop you’ll expand your awareness of how your body and voice are interconnected, and how you can best set yourself up for success to project and explore character vocality. We’ll focus a lot of time on breath work and practicing getting out of the way of our natural ability to make a lot of sound. We’ll then explore the different sounds we can make with our voice and explore best practices for how to sustain various types of pitches, tones, and character voices for long periods of time.

By the end of this workshop, we hope to achieve the following goals:

• • Increase your confidence in your ability to project
• • Set you up to project healthily and consistently
• • Find new sounds you can make and use in your character work
• • Provide you with warmups you can use before any performance

Sign up and learn a bit more here: https://forms.gle/SfqNvbMykNTD3YME6

Shows submitted this round by September 30, 2022 will be considered for January-June of 2023, our final months in the 3037 Lyndale Avenue space. After that, we will make our big move down the street. We’re excited to see what you’ve been working on!

Submit here!

Register HERE

Course Description
Summer League is a two-day improv workshop, Saturday and Sunday, August 27-28, from 1-5 pm with a student showcase on Sunday from 4 pm - 5 pm. This class is for Black, Indigenous, and people of color, age 18+. The main objective is to play and learn improv games from two BIPOC teaching artists. We will work on improv short form games.

Schedule
Saturday, August 27, 1 - 4 pm, and Sunday, August 28, 1 - 5 pm. The student showcase will be on Sunday, August 28, 4 - 5 pm at HUGE Theater.

About your instructors

Photos of John Gebretatose on a white background and C Michael Menge on a black background.

C Michael Menge (They & He) is a Black trans theater-maker in pursuit of liberated joy. Named Best Actor Twin Cities 2019 by City Pages, C Michael has worked with theaters such as Mixed Blood Theatre, Pillsbury House + Theatre, the Jungle Theater, the Playwrights' Center, HUGE Improv Theater, Blackout Improv Comedy, and more. He was a 2020 Jerome Naked Stages Fellow, recipient of a Minnesota State Arts Board Creative Support for Individuals grant, and co-facilitator of the Black and Funny Improv Festival. Their art centers joy, embodiment, and the exploration of trans aesthetics.

John Gebretatose has been performing stand-up, improv, and sketch comedy in Minnesota's Twin Cities for over ten years. He is an instructor and Director of Diversity & Inclusion at HUGE Improv Theater in Minneapolis, MN, and has taught improv workshops in theaters, hospitals, corporate workspaces, K-12 schools, and colleges. He has also led and facilitated diversity and inclusion programming for improv theaters worldwide through his mission to uplift all voices. John trained and worked at the Brave New Workshop and is a founding member of Blackout Improv, Late Nights Minneapolis (a sketch comedy show), and co-founder of the Black and Funny Improv Festival. He has traveled the world performing, teaching, and directing improv.

Register HERE

Holidays HUGE is closed :
July 4th
Easter Sunday
Thanksgiving Day
Xmas Eve
Xmas Day
(optional) New Years Eve

We are open New Years Day

Important HUGE dates:
Happy Hour with the Board - August 31st, 5-7pm
Improvathon 2022 kicks off : Nov 16th at 8pm
Give to the Max Day : Nov 17th
HUGE 12th Anniversary show - Jan 28th, 2023
IAGG 21st Anniversary - May 21st, 2023
TCIF 17 - June 21-25th, 2023

HUGE Theater has some very exciting news to share:

HUGE’s lease on its current space at 3037 Lyndale Ave will expire at the end of August 2023. We will not be renewing that lease.

We have signed the contract on a new long-term lease on the southern half of 2728 Lyndale Ave, the space that currently contains the store Art Materials, starting September 2023. This is the very same building HUGE attempted to purchase in 2019, until loan funding fell through. So we are very excited to be able to move forward on many of the plans we made at that time.

This move will bring the footage of the Theater up from roughly 4000 to roughly 6750 square feet, allowing us to expand in nearly every regard: additional classroom/rehearsal space, additional restrooms, a larger stage, more seats, and an expansive and welcoming lobby. We’ll be able to hold more classes, seat more patrons, and accommodate more community partnerships and outreach efforts. And it will help us raise the profile of HUGE and the improv community it serves.

We at HUGE are so excited to be moving into this next chapter of the Theater’s life, with all the opportunities it will bring. There will be more news and chances to help in the coming days. But for now, we just wanted to know!

With love,
The leadership of HUGE Improv Theater

Over the past two weeks 90 people auditioned for Creature Feature and another 60 auditioned for Star Trek. We were blown away by the talent in the community and the passion for the genre each show represents. Big thanks to everyone that came out. After much deliberation and discussion, we are proud to announce the cast for each show.

Creature Feature

Directed by Anna Tobin and Brian Hodge-Rice

• Angelique Lisboa
• Ari Newman
• Bobby Gardner
• Christina Boucher
• Erik Nielsen
• Erin Sheppard
• Isabella Dunsieth
• Jex Arzayus
• Jordan Bainer
• Karyn Wilson
• Laura Berger
• Marty Wessels
• Michael Rogers
• Nora Coyle
• Siri Hellerman

Star Trek

Directed by Maria Bartholdi, Assistant Director Laura Berger

• Anna Tobin
• Bradley Machov
• Chip Gehring
• Chris Rodriguez
• Derek Landseidel
• Hannah McNamee
• Justine Myers
• Lucas Vonasek
• Meghan Wolff
• Michael Renner
• MJ Matheson
• Neco Pacheaco
• Ruben Gomez
• Sarah Busch
• Susannah Eckberg

Here it is! The schedule for Star Trek : The Next Improvisation auditions!

Quick reminder: don't forget your vax card and mask - you will need them both when you check in! Please email Becky (Becky@HUGETheater.com) if you need to change your time or have questions.

If you want: we are holding a mock audition on June 1st from 6-7 pm at the theater to give you a feel for the process. You're not required to come, but if you're feeling some nerves we recommend it. Mock auditions will be run by John (john@HUGETheater.com). Please contact him to RSVP.

May the odds be ever in your favor

Here it is! The schedule for Creature Feature auditions!

Quick reminder: don't forget your vax card and mask - you will need them both when you check in! Please email Becky (Becky@HUGETheater.com) if you need to change your time or have questions.

If you want: we are holding a mock audition on June 1st from 6-7 pm at the theater to give you a feel for the process. You're not required to come, but if you're feeling some nerves we recommend it. Mock auditions will be run by John (john@HUGETheater.com). Please contact him to RSVP.

That's right! HUGE is excited to announce that Star Trek: The Next Improvisation will explore the final frontier once again on Saturdays at 8:00pm in September and October. With direction by Maria Bartholdi and Laura Berger, we're ready to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO ONE HAS GONE BEFORE!

Auditions for Star Trek are open to all. We believe our stage should reflect our city - BIPOC performers are strongly encouraged to apply. Fill out this form by Wednesday, June 1st to request an audition time: https://forms.gle/Gd45X2qS3n1z...

Contact Becky@HUGETheater.com with any questions.

REGISTER HERE!

HUGE’s mission — the reason we exist — is to support our local improv community. And that can’t mean just classes and opportunities for stage time; it also means supporting improvisers with the tools to be working artists. So each year we host an Artist Summit — a kind of symposium on skills (aside from improv itself) to help improvisers grow and flourish. We’re pretty jazzed at the bumper crop of insight we have lined up this year:

Saturday, May 28

2:30pm:
Paths to the Stage, presented by HUGE Artistic Director Becky Hauser
The question we hear most from recent students and other early-career improvisers is “Now what?” You’ve got the foundation, now how do you become someone who performs improv in the Twin Cities? This session is for you.

4:30pm:
Staying the Course, presented by HUGE Director of Diversity and Inclusion and Blackout founder John Gebretatose
It is one thing to put up a three-week run of a new idea. How do you move from there to building a group/show that stands the test of time? How do you set expectations, build healthy communication, and grow together as performers?

Saturday, June 4

3:30pm
Musicians and You, a panel discussion
Live music can take many improv shows to the next level. But how does that happen? A panel of improv accompanists of various backgrounds will share their insights on how best to engage, rehearse, and perform to get the most out of the musician/improver relationship.

5:00pm:
Hitting the Road, with the Joe Rapp of The Bearded Co.
The Twin Cities are an amazing place for improv, but there is also a wider world out there! The Bearded Co. has performed festivals, toured the country, and even sprouted an LA franchise! Come hear insights on what it takes to broaden your improv horizons beyond our local community.

Sunday, June 5

4:00pm
Improv with a Business Mindset with Hannah Wydeven of The Shrieking Harpies
Take your improv to the next level by becoming organized, structured and consistent with how you handle the logistics of your team. Learn how to manage your team for financial success, as well as how to use marketing tools to actually get butts in seats. Walk away with practical tools to build your brand and your audience.

Sunday, June 12

6:00pm
Marketing Idea Exchange, led by Jen Scott
Sometimes we’re our own worst promoters. Come talk about your show, then exchange ideas with the rest of the group about the effective and creative ways you could be getting the word out to a wider audience!

ALL SESSIONS ARE FREE! We will make video recordings available to all registrants after the fact, but there is no substitute for being in the room to ask questions! Register here to attend or receive video links after the fact.

As always, vax proof and masks are required!

REGISTER HERE!

Creature Feature, HUGE’s longest running show, is holding auditions!

Creature Feature is an improvised monster movie that uses a never-before-seen monster suggestion to explore the tropes of the monster/slasher films we all grew up with. Some of the most accomplished and talented improvisers in the Twin Cities have been a part of it - we’re excited to see where it goes this year under the direction of Anna Tobin and Brian Hodge-Rice.

We believe our stage should reflect our city. BIPOC and LGBTQ+ performers are encouraged to audition. Please fill out the form below to request an audition time.

AUDITION DETAILS:
Auditions will be scheduled on Thursday, 6/2 from 6:00 - 8:00p and Saturday, 6/4 from 10:00-3:00p on the HUGE stage. The cast will be announced on the HUGE Theater blog on Wednesday, 6/8.

REHEARSALS:
All performers must be able to attend 5 of the 6 rehearsals - all rehearsals will be held at HUGE.

Tuesday 7/12 - 7:00 - 9:00p
Tuesday 7/19 - 7:00 - 9:00p
Tuesday 7/26 - 7:00 - 9:00p
Tuesday 8/16 - 7:00 - 9:00p
Tuesday 8/23 - 7:00 - 9:00p
Tuesday 8/30 - 7:00 - 9:00p

PERFORMANCES:
Creature Feature will run on Fridays at 8:00p in September and October at HUGE Improv Theater. All performers must be able to be in at least 6 of the shows.

The cast will be paid 60% of the total ticket sales less $50 to be divided by the group at the end of the run.

Complete the audition request here: https://forms.gle/hHF1cRAn6tyS8nfu7

Thanks for your interest!

Here are some links to pay outstanding tuition!

Pay $20: https://buy.stripe.com/dR6aGMc...
Pay $60: https://buy.stripe.com/7sI9CI6...
Pay $100: https://buy.stripe.com/6oE8yE6...

If you would like to pay another amount, please write to info@hugetheater.com and we'll send you an electronic invoice.

Thank you so much, we love having you as a student!

Summer is almost here and that means Summer Potluck is right around the corner! We're excited to bring the smorgasbord back to the theater in June and July. It's going to be absolutely delicious.

Potluck features two groups on Saturdays at 8:00p. Each group will play for 25 minutes. The show is a curated mix; groups are invited by HUGE or selected based on the submission form below. Different groups will perform each night of the run - this show is not a 2 month commitment! Potluck is a chance to play on the HUGE stage 1-3 times on a Saturday during the summer months.

If you are interested in submitting your show/group for a spot in Summer Potluck, please fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/7nSXom1HmPDi...

Keep in mind that not all submitted shows will be scheduled. The form will gather availability/interest; we will add you to the line up as timing and availability will allow.

The form will close on May 2 and we will complete the schedule by May 6 - look to hear back from us during that week.

Thanks for your interest - hope to see you around HUGE soon!

A friend asked for an old blog entry that got eaten when we moved to this beautiful new website! So here it is:

The brain you had when you were a kid was just a little bit softer than the brain you have now. Let’s take a step back and soften up your grown-up brain, to let more things in. Here are some practice exercises from various sources:

• • Walk around your room naming things the wrong name, i.e. point at the chair and call it a squirrel or a gleebeldy weebelly.
• • Do a crossword puzzle or a Sudoku wrong. I recommend not limiting yourself to letters and numbers.
• • Close your eyes and turn your head any direction you’d like. Open your eyes and look at what’s in front of you in the frame of your vision. Appreciate it like it’s a painting or a photograph someone deliberately composed in just this way. Try to analyze the symbolism, and the artist’s intent.
  
• • Brush your teeth with the wrong hand.
• • Make an art project out of the things in your junk drawer.
• • Take the wrong route home.
• • Draw a really terrible picture of a bunny and mail it to an unsuspecting friend or hide it in a library book.
• • Open a document on a computer, and just start typing. Type whatever comes, even if it’s just, “I don’t know what to type, I don’t know what to type.”
• • Play one-word story with yourself by closing your eyes every other word. (http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/Word_at_a_Time_Story.html)
• • Play Initials – find two letters, like DW, and make up little activities as quickly as you can – drawing whistles, draining wolves, diabolically writing…
  
  Your brain has pathways, and unless you find ways to get off those pathways, you’ll never have a new thought. See if you can surprise yourself today.

The show proposal from is open and ready for submissions! Shows submitted this round will be considered for June-December of 2022. The form will close on April 11th.

There are a few new time slots we’ve included; Mondays from 8:00 – 10:00p AND Saturdays from 7:00-7:45. We’re excited to see what you’ve been working on!

Submit here!

About HUGE

“Minnesota’s Funniest Non Profit Board” on The Line

The Line talks to Jill Bernard about HUGE – “Cheap Laughs for Tough Times”

IndyWeek on HUGE’s “Improv Student Bill of Rights” and sexual harrassment in the industry

How One Twin Cities Improv Theater Pays Performers on Paste Magazine

Special guest shows

Mike Birbiglia at HUGE promoting film “Don’t Think Twice”

Twin Cities Live host John Hanson on his guest appearance at Show X – [VIDEO]

FOX9 coverage of Viking’s punter Chris Kluwe at Show X – [VIDEO]

Shows

Twin Cities Pioneer Press on HUGE’s 5th Anniversary

The Star Tribune on Family Dinner — “A Comedy Show Aimed at the Heart”

“All The Buzz”—HUGE & Family Dinner on The Oracle

The Star Tribune on HUGE Celebrating The Harold’s 50th Anniversary

Saturday Morning Submarine Show on MPR Art Hounds!

Twin Cities Improv Festival

“The Rest is Still Unscripted”—Minnesota Daily on the 11th Annual Twin Cities Improv Festival at HUGE

The “HUGE Effect”, the evolving improv scene and TCIF7 in the SW Journal

City Pages on the 6th Annual Twin Cities Improv Festival at HUGE

Black & Funny Improv Festival

“A Huge Hit”—MSR on first Black & Funny Improv Fest

Star Tribune on BFIF—”Black Improv Performers Matter”

Star Tribune—”A Black Man’s Crusade to Diversify the Twin Cities Improv Scene”

Star Tribune—”Funny, Gifted, and Black”

Improvathon Coverage

City Pages on the Improvathon

MinnPost on the Improvathon and HUGE’s Fundraising

Twin Cities Pioneer Press on the Improvathon

Photos

Download press photos at:
https://tinyurl.com/HUGEpresspictures
Photo credit names are included in the file names. Please contact HUGE for additional details.

MEDIA CONTACT:
admin@hugetheater.com
612-306-8340