About Impro Melbourne
Impro Melbourne is Melbourne’s most diverse improvisation theatre company. Formed by Russell Fletcher and Christine Keogh in 1996 it is now run by Artistic Director Patti Stiles, General Manager Sandy Matlock and the Impro Melbourne Committee chaired by Kevin Yank.
Since 1996 Impro Melbourne has expanded its activities to produce varied forms of theatre, all using improvisation as a base, alongside a program of shows and workshops for schools. Impro Melbourne currently produces the popular Theatresports™, along with Keith Johnstone's two other competition formats Micetro™ and Gorilla Theatre™. Impro Melbourne regularly performs formats from improvisation companies in North America and Canada and has also developed and produced it's own improvised formats including long form plays where the entire evening is an improvised play, often in a particular genre such as Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams or Stephen Sondheim.
Impro Melbourne performs in theatres across the city of Melbourne including Theatreworks, La Mama, Carlton Courthouse, Melbourne Town Hall and is a regular feature at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. As well as theatre performances, Impro Melbourne has a program of demonstration shows and workshops for secondary schools which tours the state through Regional Arts Victoria.
Impro Melbourne’s reputation as an improvisation company with dynamic talent and a strong creative focus on challenging the work of improvisation has created much interest nationally and internationally. The company has worked in across Australia and in Belgium, Germany, UK, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Norway, France and Sweden.
Key performers in the company have been working as actors and improvisors in Melbourne, Sydney and overseas for over 15 years on the stage and in TV and film. Our performance Ensemble includes: Rik Brown, Jason Geary, Karl McConnell, Patti Stiles, Jenny Lovell, Lliam Amor, Rama Nicholas, Sarah Kinsella, Simon Dowling, Sean Fabri, Tim Redmond, Emilie Collyer, Mike Bryant, Mark Gambino, Anna Renzenbrink, Tim Redmond, Leah Gabriel, Kevin Yank, Jamie Robertson and Gordon Dorin.
Notable Alumni include: Geoffrey Rush, Julia Zemiro, Glenn Robbins, Colin Lane, Frank Wood, Greg Fleet, Russell Fletcher, Simon Rogers, Geoff Wallis, Siobhan Tuke, Tim Smith, Simon Palomares, George Kapiniaris, Carole Patullo, Andrew Bayly, Jim Lawson, Chris Gregory, Kate Herbert, Geoff Paine and Ross Daniels.
Our shows are truly improvised, including the technical side of our shows. Impro Melbourne has the good fortune of working with a talented crew of technical wizards including long time stage manager Rob Hails and lighting technician Stephanie Payne.