Salt Lake’s biggest improv event ever: Inside the eight-week improv residency at Alliance Theater

What makes improv comedy so special? The obvious answer is the contagious format: top-notch comedians take any and all suggestions from the audience  and create the performance as a team. It is a form of comedy that lives and breathes, where the entertainers act as jazz musicians, flowing with audience cues and crafting the show as an ensemble.

For David Knoell, the founder of Improv Salt Lake, it’s more than just the laughter that excites him. Improv Salt Lake is about three things: “Passion, people, community,” Knoell says. The mission of Improv Salt Lake, a non-profit organization, is not just to put on a good show here or there. Knoell and the rest of the creatives are looking to cultivate a bigger impact: one that supports comedy, promotes improv development and provides the valley with a whole lot of laughs along the way.  

A traditional improv company focuses on one objective: putting on a good show. The company will typically create a brand, something that is easy to enjoy as a fan and consistent enough to generate stability. While Improv SLC is no stranger to sold-out shows, their mission goes beyond the weekly laughs. The organization operates as a community, creating a space where creative comics and aspiring performers can come together and feel supported. It’s about creating a space where any comedy format, developed or undiscovered, can find their home and thrive. 

While Improv SLC has spent the past few years proving this concept, this September it is taking a huge step by hosting a first-of-its-kind residency at the Alliance Theater at Trolley Square. From Sept. 1 through Oct. 24, you can attend improv shows hosted by local legends, learn from the masters themselves about improv fundamentals and scenework or just stop in for a night to enjoy the fun. The classes are built for all skill levels and feature a performance at the end of the residency for each group. It’s a chance for you to stretch your trusty comedy chops, or if you’ve never performed, it’s a chance to learn from an uplifting group and try something new. Knoell is a firm believer that improv is not just about what is performed on stage. Improvisation is a skill that can be used in your everyday life. “The awesome thing [about improv] is that anybody can improvise. You don’t have to be a talented actor or a creative person. They are just tools in your toolbox that you can learn how to use,” Knoell says. 

The residency is a massive undertaking for the community at large. The vast amount of variety is bound to get any comedy fanexcited. Events will be held weekly every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Friday nights have been designated as family-friendly shows. They will still deliver the dopamine you crave, all while avoiding the adult jokes you may feel uncomfortable hearing with the little ones. Saturday nights are allocated for the adults; this is not a place for the faint of heart, and some jokes might push you out of your seat and to the edge of your comedic comfort zone. Some of the upcoming shows include Drag-Prov with Famke: an adults-only drag variety show, A Fool’s Journey: tarot improv, a politically themed variety show called Election Year and so much more. You can explore the full schedule on the Instagram page @improvsaltlake and follow along for more info. 

There is a whole lot to love at the Alliance Theater over the next two months. Come ready to learn or ready to laugh while enjoying an experience you just can’t get anywhere else. This residency is just the beginning for Improv Salt Lake. Catch a show, attend a class and have a front row seat to the start of something truly special built right here in SLC.

Read more about what’s happening around SLC:
The Death of Nero: Proudly and Loudly Queer
Clothes That Carry A Story: 17 Years of The Stockist On 9th and 9th

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