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Improv Sun Apr 22 2012
Preview: 15th Chicago Improv Festival - North Coast
This week marks the 15th annual Chicago Improv Festival, bringing improv troupes from across the country and around the world to the city that's known far and wide for it's improv tradition. Among the many troupes visiting our fair city this week is North Coast, a troupe from NY that will be making their CIF debut. I spoke to troupe member James Robilotta, and he told me what the troupe is looking forward to this week.
"We're super excited for our first time at Chicago Improv Festival", he said. "We've done a number of other festivals but Chicago is where it all started -- it's the mecca of improv, when improvisers pray we all face towards Chicago. It will be great to do what we love doing in the city where it all started."
What's different about North Coast?
North Coast is unique because we're one of the only troupes in the country that incorporates beat box and free style into the act; we're excited to showcase that. This (the festival) is a great opportunity to see what people from around the country are doing, we're excited to see a lot of Chicago teams. We've been to improv festivals in Boston, North Carolina, and NY, and some Chicago teams have come out to NY -- but not many, it's kind of exciting to be flip flopping and coming out to see Chicago.
Do you expect this week will be one long party?
Partying with improvisers is always a good time, you don't actually ever have a conversation, you're too busy heightening what the last person said. You don't really get to know anybody (at the parties) but you have fun doing it.
North Coast is just one of the troupes on the docket for this week's festivities. They will be performing at the Athenaeum on Friday night at 10pm, and at the Indie Cage Match show on Saturday at 10:30pm. For tickets and info visit Chicago Improv Festival.
