Improv Illuminated

Being put on the spot might lead some to the fetal position. But stage fright need not apply when it comes to improvisational comedy—and local troupe Improv Falls has no shortage of comedic bravery.

Originally conceived in late 2018, the crew started as most local performing arts endeavors do—happenstance.

Founders and original players Bill Ballard, Emily Wilson, Debbi Jones and Dan Brendtro performed alongside one another in Ephemeral Productions’ Crimes of the Heart and discovered a mutual love for improv. And what started as casual get-togethers with fellow founder Zach Dresch eventually turned into public performing gigs.

“We all just meshed and gelled so well during that performance (of Crimes of the Heart),” Ballard said. “We just had a lot of fun and kind of wanted to keep that going.”

The group’s first gig was a private event for the Center for Active Generations, an evening celebrating people who care for and support individuals with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

“I don’t think any of them had ever seen improv before, so they didn’t know what to expect,” Jones said. “There was just so much joy shared by all of us—they had a lot of fun, and we had a lot of fun.”

“The energy was so good that we just immediately said, ‘What’s the next move?’” Dresch said.

That energizing feeling led Improv Falls to its once-monthly performance venue at Remedy Brewing Co. “It was a fun environment and a fun partnership with them to get us on our feet,” Jones said. “And it’s what established us as a group in the community.”

After a year of monthly indoor Remedy shows, the summertime offered the team a chance to reevaluate their next move. “It was a good baseline for finding out how it would work out logistically,” Ballard said, “and how we maintain this long-term.”

The unexpected nature of a bar audience provided Improv Falls with a good foundation for taking on any sort of scenario as they booked more private gigs and events beyond Sioux Falls.

“Every show is a completely different animal,” Dresch said. “It’s all about the energy you bring forward. It’s all about what you put out in the world.”

“We were never guaranteed the same reaction every night,” Ballard said. “That was always the challenge—how do we maintain a show of consistent quality and improve upon our improv?”

This led the troupe to expand venues to locations like Boss’ Comedy Club and ICON Event Hall, a move that allowed them to begin performing ticketed shows. The expansion of their offerings was well-received.

“Ticketed audiences are there for you,” Wilson said. “It helps keep the performer morale up and keeps the show going. People are invested. I think that helped keep us motivated and in the direction we’ve been moving in.”

A typical Improv Falls show includes plenty of short-form games, akin to what you might see in an episode of Whose Line is it Anyway?

“We felt it was best to start out with short-form to introduce the audience to this style first,” Ballard said. “We’ve considered going into a long-form format and prior to COVID-19 it’s something we’d discussed quite a bit, actually.”

Prior to COVID-19 halting Improv Falls’ regular performing gigs, they engaged with communities such as Aberdeen, Huron and Vermillion.

“We were laying pretty good groundwork,” Wilson said. “We were in the process of growing, so we were hoping to keep bringing in more people—making improv a form of entertainment throughout the state. COVID has obviously hindered those plans.”

But the undeniable chemistry that the five original players and their guest performers have been able to muster up over the past two years has kept the group amply excited to get back to work.

“It was very much the magic and chemistry between all of us in each scene,” Dresch said. “There are nights when one of us isn’t feeling on our game, and everyone else lifts each other up.

“That’s part of the improv mission—to keep everyone’s spirits up. It’s a team effort. The audience responds well to that.”

“I’m excited to get back into the community. Everything is so serious and so heavy, and it’s hard,” Wilson said. “I’m excited to get back to bring levity, enjoy life and laugh.

“Even if I don’t know you, we’re leaving the room as friends.”

To find out how to support Improv Falls, visit ImprovFalls.com to stay posted on upcoming events and meet the crew.