BATS Improv
Encyclopedia
BATS Improv is a non-profit improvisational theatre
company in San Francisco. Founded in 1986, their unique style of acting-based improvisational theatre is well-known in improv circles around the world. BATS is the largest improvisational theatre company and school in Northern California.
BATS takes its inspiration from the work of Theatresports
creator Keith Johnstone
and from San Francisco's own tradition of experimental improvisation. BATS is known for the quality, depth, scope and variety of its improvisational theatre programming.
Since 1986, BATS helped create and define a unique San Francisco style of long-form improvisation--a single-story 2-hour show, complete with intermission--which is distinct from improv seen in much of the rest of the country.
BATS is in residence at the 200-seat Bayfront Theater at historic Fort Mason Center in San Francisco and performs and offers classes year round.
In addition, BATS runs a successful corporate training program, performs improv in schools as a popular participant in the Bay Area's Young Audiences program, and provides free improv workshops through its Laughing Stock program to people living with HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, cancer, and other chronic, life-threatening illness.
Notable BATS performers and alumni include:
Affiliated improv groups include:
Improvisational theatre
Improvisational theatre takes many forms. It is best known as improv or impro, which is often comedic, and sometimes poignant or dramatic. In this popular, often topical art form improvisational actors/improvisers use improvisational acting techniques to perform spontaneously...
company in San Francisco. Founded in 1986, their unique style of acting-based improvisational theatre is well-known in improv circles around the world. BATS is the largest improvisational theatre company and school in Northern California.
BATS takes its inspiration from the work of Theatresports
Theatresports
Theatresports is a form of improvisational theatre, which uses the format of a competition for dramatic effect. Opposing teams can perform scenes based on audience suggestions, with ratings by the audience or by a panel of judges...
creator Keith Johnstone
Keith Johnstone
Keith Johnstone is a drama instructor whose teachings and books have focused on improvisational theatre and have had a major influence on the art of improvisation.-Education:...
and from San Francisco's own tradition of experimental improvisation. BATS is known for the quality, depth, scope and variety of its improvisational theatre programming.
Since 1986, BATS helped create and define a unique San Francisco style of long-form improvisation--a single-story 2-hour show, complete with intermission--which is distinct from improv seen in much of the rest of the country.
BATS is in residence at the 200-seat Bayfront Theater at historic Fort Mason Center in San Francisco and performs and offers classes year round.
In addition, BATS runs a successful corporate training program, performs improv in schools as a popular participant in the Bay Area's Young Audiences program, and provides free improv workshops through its Laughing Stock program to people living with HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, cancer, and other chronic, life-threatening illness.
Notable BATS performers and alumni include:
- Greg ProopsGreg ProopsGregory Everett "Greg" Proops is an American actor, stand-up comedian and television host. He is widely known for his work as an improvisational comedian on the UK and U.S. versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?...
- Masi OkaMasi OkaMasayori "Masi" Oka is a Japanese-American actor and digital effects artist.He has performed in numerous feature films and TV series, most prominently as Hiro Nakamura in the NBC TV series Heroes from 2006 until its cancellation in May 2010. He resides in Los Angeles, California.-Early life:Oka...
- Gerri LawlorGerri LawlorGerri Lawlor is an American actress and voice actor. She is the co-creator, along with Marc Gimbel and Stephen Kearin, of the fictitious Simlish language used in The Sims....
- William HallWilliam Hall (actor)William Hall is an actor, director, trainer, mask maker in San Francisco, California. He is the editor of The Playbook, Improv Games for Performers....
Affiliated improv groups include:
- True Fiction Magazine
- 3 FOR ALL
- Fratelli BolognaFratelli BolognaFratelli Bologna is a business theater company based in San Francisco.The group brings their theater skills to the business world through engaging trade show presentations, creativity training, improv training, meeting facilitation and theatrical interventions during conferences...