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I'm convinced that the Annual Improv Festival at the iO West (Improv on Olympic) Theater is one of the best-kept comedy secrets in Los Angeles. How else could I have scored tickets over the last two years to see the likes of Eric Idle, Harry Shearer, and the casts of MadTV and The Office in such an intimate theater?
This year's festival has already begun and will continue through June 7. If you're looking for something fun to do over the next two evenings, I'd highly recommend checking it out. Tickets range from $5 - $20, so it (hopefully) won't break the bank.
Performers will include Andy Richter, cast members from The Office and Super Troopers, Bob Odenkirk, Dave Koechner, Mo Collins, Tim Meadows, and my personal pick for the best long-form improv team ever, Beer Shark Mice.
Word on the street after Beer Shark Mice's fantastic show last week was that (due to their busy TV and movie schedules) they will probably no longer have a residency at the iO West Theater and will limit their performances to festivals such as this one.
Full schedule and list of performers after the jump.
Friday's Schedule
8 p.m. - Chris Farley Award Presented to Andy Richter
Tim Meadows, Mike Coleman, James Grace, Pat Finn, Pete Hulne, Cindy Caponera, Bob Dassie
9 p.m. - Opening Night - The Improvised Musical
Shulie Cowen, Joshua Funk, Derek Miller, Hilary Ryan, Norm Thoeming and Music Director Andrew Melton
10 p.m. - Beer Shark Mice
Pete Hulne, Mike Coleman, Pat Finn, Dave Koechner, Paul Vaillancourt
11 p.m. - The Friday 40
Jill Alexander, Nick Armstrong, Scott Gimple, Dave Holmes, Julia Wackenheim
Saturday's Schedule
6 p.m. - The Chris Farley Show Book Panel
Joel Murray, Pat Finn, Bob Odenkirk and more
7 p.m. - Lampshades w/ The Office's Creed Bratton
Kate Flannery, Scot Robinson, Creed Bratton
8 p.m. - Ask a Ninja in Ninja Prov
Dave Hill, Mike Coleman, Betty Cahill, Jason Pardo, Molly Erdman, Mike Coen and Eric Hunicutt
9 p.m. - The Cast of Broken Lizard's Super Troopers
Kevin Heffernan, Paul Soter, Erik Stolhanske, Steve Lemme, Michael Weaver, James Grace, Molly Erdman, Seamus McCarthy, and Mike Coen
10 p.m. - The Cast of The Office
[SOLD OUT - though as of the time of this post, tickets are still available for The Lampshades featuring Office cast members Kate Flannery and Creed Bratton]
Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Creed Bratton, Mo Collins, Eric Hunicutt, Dave Hill, Mike Coleman and more
In addition to the shows in the main theater, additional shows are being held in the Andy Dick Experimental Black Box Theater. Please check the iO West website for more information.
