Ocean State Improv Festival
June 5-9, 2024
Festival Details
The five-day Ocean State Improv Festival brings together artists and troupes to create an interconnected community that teaches, learns, inspires, and performs together on Rhode Island’s beautiful southern coast!
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Nightly performances showcase the fantastic talents of performers from all over the world. 11 performances, including mixers, featuring 15-20 troupes total.
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A broad slate of workshops and multi-day intensives by top-flight teachers immerse you in new experiences, passions, and a worldwide network of inspiring collaborators.
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“Mixer shows” (Theatresports, Micetro, Pirate, and the Duo Bracket Challenge) and workshop showcases let individual artists and members of troupes perform alongside new friends.
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Connect with members of the world-wide improv community!
Show Schedule
Wednesday, June 5
7 pm: HAGS (RI), Whatever Fate Decides (RI), Galaxy View Improv Drive-In (RI), Hilda (MN), Untold Tales (RI)
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9:30 pm: The Bit Players (RI), Bryan vs. Music (OR), Confluence (PA)
Thursday, June 6
5 pm: The Silver Lining (MA), The Pacheacos (MN), Magical Lying Hour (TX), Me Plus Who? (IL & You)
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7 pm: Brotha Brotha (MN), Some Things May Never Happen (NV), Juliet & Juliet (MN/CA)
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9:30 pm: Pirate Improv Mixer Show - Directors from across the festival compete to see whose vision wins the day as the audience chooses whether directors win doubloons or walk the plank!
Friday, June 7
5 pm: Ice Cream Manifesto (RI), Bollix Manor (NY), Mona and Shara Do Improv (CA), Bait & Switch (RI)
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7 pm: The Unpronounceables (MN), Juliet & Juliet (MN/CA), Foul Play: Improvised Agatha Christie (MN)
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9:30 pm: Micetro Mixer Show - Performers from across the festival compete in scenes and songs for the audience's love! They get eliminated throughout the show until we have crowned the Micetro winner!
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11 pm: Pop Hearts (RI), The Improvised Twilight Zone (MN), My Town (MN)
Saturday, June 8
2 pm: People People (MA), Campfire Dragons (CT), Charismatic Megafauna (OH), Breakfast Boys (NY)
5 pm: Shakespeare Workshop Showcase, But of Mind (AK/CA), The Raving Jaynes (NY), NEAT (MN)
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7 pm: Hell Yeah! Musical Improv (NY), Star Trek: The Next Improvisation (MN)
9:30 pm: Theatresports Mixer Show - Performers from across the festival form teams and go head to head in the ultimate improv showdown!
11 pm: Patty Cakes (MN), Serious Theatre with Real Actors (Global)
Sunday, June 9
1:30 pm – 5:30 pm: Duo Bracket Challenge on the Performance Patio
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Duo Bracket Challenge: Over the fest, folks pair up and submit new duos; 16 are selected for the bracket challenge. Duos are paired head-to-head, and each gets 2 minutes of time on stage. The audience votes for who moves on.
Festival Passes and Tickets
Want to see shows at the festival? We've got your options covered!
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All-Access Festival Pass: $170 You get tickets to every performance and an Ocean State Improv Festival t-shirt! If you sign up for 9+ hours of workshops, you get an All-Access Festival Pass for free!​
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Day Pass: Wed/Thurs - $45, Fri/Sat - $65) You can get a Day Pass to see all of the shows on a specific day of the festival. Performers get a free Day Pass for the day of their performance and discounts on all passes.
- Individual Show Tickets: You can of course get tickets to each show individually if you want! Choose your own price based on our new pricing system for all of our performances. We want everyone to be able to enjoy these incredible performances!
- ​​Standard ticket price for OSIF shows is $25.
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$35 tickets are available to help support the Jack Albanese Scholarship Fund.
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$45 tickets are available for anyone who can afford a little extra to support this and future festivals.
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$10 tickets are available for anyone 25 & under and anyone who needs them.
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Performers get special deals on all passes!
Workshops
The Ocean State Improv Festival is focused on providing opportunities to create a community of improvisers that teaches, learns, inspires, and performs together!
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If you take 9+ hours of workshops, you get a free All-Access Festival Pass! (That's 3 workshops or 2 if one is a two-day workshop!)
Workshops are open to everyone and anyone! Below, you'll find a listing of all the workshops. (Scroll down to find out more about the workshops or click the links to see descriptions!)
If you take 3 workshops, you get a free All-Access Festival Pass!
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Workshops are $40 for one-session or $80 for a two-session workshop.
We want everyone to be able to take the workshops, so reach out to Maggie Cady at cady@thecontemporarytheater.com for financial assistance if needed! Really, we mean it.
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Thursday
10 am - 1 pm:
Scene Brain, Game Brain with Joe Bill*
The Power of The Second Move with Rhiannon & Chris Griswold-Jenkins
2 pm - 5 pm:
Theme of the Scene with Ruby Willmann
Comedy from Connection with Joe Bill*
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Friday
10 am - 1 pm:
Deconstruction Basics with Joe Bill
Listen Up! with Rhiannon & Chris Griswold-Jenkins
2 pm - 5 pm:
Improvised Shakespeare with Sami Haeli & Meghan Wolff
The Space Between... with Diana Brown
Characters on Characters on Characters with John Gebretatose
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Saturday
10 am - 1 pm:
The Power of Presence: Acting with Confidence Onstage - and Everywhere Else with Stephanie Rae*
Joyful Diagnosis Bootcamp with Ruby Willmann
The Unspoken No: Your Path to Radical Agreement with Rhiannon & Chris Griswold-Jenkins
2 pm - 5 pm:
Playing Safely with Our Sensitivities with Alsa & Morgan Bruno
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Sunday
10 am - 1 pm:
Do The Most: Amplifying Your Improv Voice with Stephanie Rae
Musical Improv with Keith Munslow
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*Denotes that a workshop is full. Email Maggie Cady at cady@thecontemporarytheater.com to get on the waiting list.
Workshop Descriptions
Sat, June 8
Morning: 10 am - 1 pm
The Power of Presence: Acting with Confidence Onstage - and Everywhere Else with Stephanie Rae
Sat, June 8 from 10 am - 1 pm
This dynamic session is focused on finding and harnessing your unique inner
confidence through the power of applied improv. Participants will learn to embody their presence both onstage and in outside life, through interactive exercises and improvisational games. With expertise and guidance in a supportive environment, participants will hone their abilities to think on their feet, trust their instincts, and project confidence in every interaction. Get ready to explore and embrace your personal power, and leave equipped with new skills to navigate both the stage and the world with assurance and poise.
This workshop is full. Email Maggie Cady at cady@thecontemporarytheater.com to get on the waiting list.
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Afternoon: 2 pm - 4:45 pm
Playing Safely with Our Sensitivities with Alsa & Morgan Bruno
Sat, June 8 from 2 pm - 4:45 pm
As improvisers, we play with everything that is within us and anything anyone around us is willing to offer. Our communities have become more and more aware of the possible harm that can come from creating art, so it has become incumbent upon improvisers to balance liberative play with a safe, joyful experience. This discussion-based workshop will engage participants in how to co-create playfulness with an audience and steward joyful boundaries so that everyone involved in the play feels free to 'mask or unmask' to their comfort level, including the audience. Our play deserves playfulness, even when it's uncomfortable.
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Sun, June 9
Morning: 10 am - 1 pm
Do the Most: Amplifying Your Improv Voice with Stephanie Rae
Sun, June 9 from 10 am - 1 pm
Have you ever been encouraged to be less ‘yourself’ onstage? Less loud - or
less quiet. Less ‘cultural’ - or less assimilated. Just...less. Not today. Become your very most “you” in grounded scenes and long form exercises focused on drawing from a place of truth to create something magical and new. Nerd out, be loud, go silent, make obscure cultural references - perform in a way that honors your most authentic self and connect with others without shrinking. Come prepared to learn from different perspectives and let your inner self shine!
Musical Improv with Keith Munslow
Sun, June 9 from 10 am - 1 pm
In this engaging and interactive workshop, participants will have the opportunity to delve into the art of creating improvised musicals in real-time. With a focus on building songs organically (rather than following song forms) Keith will guide students through engaging exercises and techniques that emphasize collaboration, spontaneity, and musicality. Through group activities, scene work, and singing, participants will enhance their ability to freestyle songs on their feet, harmonize with others, and create surprising and memorable musical moments. Whether you're a seasoned performer or new to musical improv, this workshop promises to be a fun and enriching experience that will challenge and inspire you to explore the limitless possibilities of creating music and storytelling together!
Housing
There are many nearby hotels and B&Bs in the South Kingstown and Narragansett area. We also have some community homestay options with locals available with advance notice!
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Are you a Rhode Islander interested in hosting some amazing improvisers? Every year we need kind local folks to help us house our visiting friends! Reach out to Maggie Cady at cady@thecontemporarytheater.com for info!
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Travel
We are located in Wakefield, Rhode Island in beautiful South County.
Driving: We are 20 minutes off of I-95 at 327 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879.
Train: Kingston Station on the Northeast Corridor of Amtrak is 15 minutes from the theater. Wickford Station on the commuter rail from Boston is 15 minutes from the theater. We will have transportation from the stations available if you let us know your arrival time.
Air: Providence T.F. Green Airport is half an hour from the theater, and Boston Logan Airport is an hour and a half from the theater. We will have transportation from the Providence Airport available if you are traveling within certain timeframes at the beginning and end of the festival. (It's harder for us to get transportation in the middle of the festival because we're all busy at workshops and shows!)