Unexpected Productions

Duo Comedy Showcase 2025
2025-01-08 20:00 - 21:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | Unexpected Productions Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Seattle’s one and only open mic dedicated to two-person improv teams! Watch as duos create hilarious, quick-witted, and seemingly impossible scenes right before your eyes—entirely made up on the spot. It’s comedy chaos, brilliantly constructed and spontaneously performed.At Duos, everyone gets their moment in the spotlight. Newer improvisers hone their craft while seasoned pros experiment, play, and try something new. Who knows?
All experience levels are welcome! Sign up your team and give the audience a show they’ll never forget. You could be the next Key & Peele, Tina Fey & Amy Poehler, or even a chaotic duo like Deadpool & Wolverine. email duoshowcase@gmail.com
Whether you’re performing or watching, this is Seattle’s midweek comedy fix you don’t want to miss. Come laugh, play, and discover the magic of improv!

IMPROV 100 WEDNESDAYS - Intro to Improv - Build Confidence Winter 25
2025-01-08 19:00 - 21:30 | Unexpected Productions Improv School ISSAQUAH/EASTSIDE, 1315 NW Mall Street, Suite 4, Issaquah, WA, 98108, United States
How do they do that? Learn the basics of improvisation. Discover how to actively listen, to use your own life to create stories, and work on the fundamental principles of improvisation. The class focuses on team building and the concept that “If your teammate looks good, then you will look good”. Emphasis will be placed on understanding and utilizing basic scene work skills and most importantly, having fun. Lots of laughs and lots of stage time. Under the guidance of our amazing faculty, you will learn to:· Be a Better Listener· Conquer Fears· Spark Creativity· Meet New People/Make New Friends· Become a Better Problem solver· Gain Confidence· Fail Easier· Say Yes More in Your Life· Get Out of Your Comfort Zone· Become a Better Public Speaker· Discover More About Yourself· HAVE A BLAST
All students begin at this level. It’s a prerequisite to the other levels.
Dates: 8 Wednesday classes
Time: 7:00pm-9:30pm
NOTE: Attendance at the first session of your course is mandatory as it sets the agenda for the entire quarter. If you think you will have to miss the first class, please consider registering for the next quarter.
Location: 650 S Orcas St Seattle 98108 Suite 101
Maximum Students: 16
Cost: 275.00 ($287.39 including fees)
Prerequisite: None
Ages: 18+
“You are learning more about improv, more about yourself, making interesting friends, while you are learning and stretching in ways that will make life better both at work and socially, yet everyone is smiling so hard your face hurts … How many stars is that worth?”Jonathan A. 5 Stars Yelp
**Cancellation policy: If you must cancel before the first class, we offer credit only towards a future class. We are unable to offer refunds. If you cancel after the first class we will not offer credit towards a future class. Again, we are unable to offer refunds.

700 Level Class Showcase
2025-01-08 19:00 - 19:45, 2025-01-01 19:00 - 19:45 | Unexpected Productions Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Witness the creation of believable characters, inspiring scenes, and some improv magic by 700 level class.

IMPROV 100 TUESDAYS - Intro to Improv - Build Confidence Winter 25
2025-01-07 19:00 - 21:30 | Unexpected Productions Improv School ISSAQUAH/EASTSIDE, 1315 NW Mall Street, Suite 4, Issaquah, WA, 98108, United States
How do they do that? Learn the basics of improvisation. Discover how to actively listen, to use your own life to create stories, and work on the fundamental principles of improvisation. The class focuses on team building and the concept that “If your teammate looks good, then you will look good”. Emphasis will be placed on understanding and utilizing basic scene work skills and most importantly, having fun. Lots of laughs and lots of stage time. Under the guidance of our amazing faculty, you will learn to:· Be a Better Listener· Conquer Fears· Spark Creativity· Meet New People/Make New Friends· Become a Better Problem solver· Gain Confidence· Fail Easier· Say Yes More in Your Life· Get Out of Your Comfort Zone· Become a Better Public Speaker· Discover More About Yourself· HAVE A BLAST
All students begin at this level. It’s a prerequisite to the other levels.
Dates: 8 Tuesday classes
Time: 7:00pm-9:30pm
NOTE: Attendance at the first session of your course is mandatory as it sets the agenda for the entire quarter. If you think you will have to miss the first class, please consider registering for the next quarter.
Location: 5700 6th Ave S Suite 109 Seattle 98108 https://goo.gl/maps/LpCDFP2j5wvWnNYw5
Maximum Students: 16
275.00 ($287.39 including fees)
Prerequisite: None
Ages: 18+
“You are learning more about improv, more about yourself, making interesting friends, while you are learning and stretching in ways that will make life better both at work and socially, yet everyone is smiling so hard your face hurts … How many stars is that worth?”Jonathan A. 5 Stars Yelp
**Cancellation policy: If you must cancel before the first class, we offer credit only towards a future class. We are unable to offer refunds. If you cancel after the first class we will not offer credit towards a future class. Again, we are unable to offer refunds.

Triplet: One Life, Three Ways, Improvised
2025-01-05 19:00 - 20:00 | Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley at the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Experience the magic of a beautiful improv show that weaves together three audience suggestions to create a single life story portrayed by Seattle’s most skilled improvisers. We all dream about who we’ll become as we age and often reminisce about our younger selves. Bring your aspirations for the future, your cherished and not-so-fond memories, and the challenges and joys of your current life. Sit back and watch as we intertwine them in Triplet: One Life, Three Ways, Improvised.

IMPROV 100 SUNDAYS 4:00 pm- Intro to Improv - Build Confidence Winter
2025-01-05 15:30 - 17:00 | WA
How do they do that? Learn the basics of improvisation. Discover how to actively listen, to use your own life to create stories, and work on the fundamental principles of improvisation. The class focuses on team building and the concept that “If your teammate looks good, then you will look good”. Emphasis will be placed on understanding and utilizing basic scene work skills and most importantly, having fun. Lots of laughs and lots of stage time. Under the guidance of our amazing faculty, you will learn to:· Be a Better Listener· Conquer Fears· Spark Creativity· Meet New People/Make New Friends· Become a Better Problem solver· Gain Confidence· Fail Easier· Say Yes More in Your Life· Get Out of Your Comfort Zone· Become a Better Public Speaker· Discover More About Yourself· HAVE A BLAST
All students begin at this level. It’s a prerequisite to the other levels.
Dates: 8 Sunday classes
Time: 3:30pm-5:000pm
NOTE: Attendance at the first session of your course is mandatory as it sets the agenda for the entire quarter. If you think you will have to miss the first class, please consider registering for the next quarter.
Location: 5700 6th Ave S Suite 109 Seattle 98108 https://goo.gl/maps/LpCDFP2j5wvWnNYw5
Maximum Students: 16
Cost: 275.00 ($287.39 including fees)
Prerequisite: None
Ages: 18+
“You are learning more about improv, more about yourself, making interesting friends, while you are learning and stretching in ways that will make life better both at work and socially, yet everyone is smiling so hard your face hurts … How many stars is that worth?”Jonathan A. 5 Stars Yelp
**Cancellation policy: If you must cancel before the first class, we offer credit only towards a future class. We are unable to offer refunds. If you cancel after the first class we will not offer credit towards a future class. Again, we are unable to offer refunds.

Acting for Improviser with Cynthia Lair Winter 25
2025-01-05 11:30 - 14:00 | Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley at the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Bring your improvised scenes to life and experience what it means to fully inhabit the characters you create. Learn to embrace the imaginary circumstances in which we improvise.
This workshop is designed to give improvisers space to practice simple techniques that help bring a deeper authenticity to scenes. Bringing acting skills to improv builds the connection between characters and forms a stronger bond with the audience. We will do this by looking closely at moments; how we pursue action and allow reaction. Bringing more reality to these helps create more compelling stories.
As well as techniques from other master acting teachers, this class focuses on pursuing objectives that result in emotional responses, as well as internal and external actions. Emphasis is placed on slowing down, listening, and allowing offers to land before responding honestly – moment-to-moment improv. Practicing these techniques can bring richness and reality to improvised scene work.
Dates: Jan 5, 12, 19 and 26
Time:11:30am – 2pm
Location: Unexpected Productions Improv School, Georgetown Studios, 650 South Orcas, Suite 101 Seattle, WA 98108 https://goo.gl/CMCRQp
Maximum Students: 14
Cost: $150
Prerequisite: Improv 200 or equivalent or by teacher approval
Ages: 18+
Instructor:
Cynthia Lair began her life as an actress with a B.A. in theater. From there she became an acting apprentice at the Actors Theater of Louisville, followed by professional roles in regional theaters. After moving to NYC she continued her training with Uta Hagen and her performing with on-stage roles and on-camera roles in numerous national commercials. Some of her favorite theater roles, The Kathy & Mo Show, The Glass Menagerie, and Hard Times came after moving to Seattle. Her theater work combined with improv training has led to much fun in improvised plays such as Four Hearts, Shakespeare Unexpected, Atomic Sci Fi, A Shadow in the Doorway, and Austen Unbound. Cynthia has been an ensemble member and teacher at Unexpected Productions since 2015.

Improvised Shakespeare Workshop Level 2, Starting 1/5
2025-01-05 10:30 - 15:00 | Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley at the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Continue in the world of the Elizabethan theatre with Alan Hawkins in this Shakespeare Workshop Level Two. This workshop will continue where you left off in the first workshop, exploring the techniques and approaches that will help you paint with all the colors of the world’s most recognized playwright. Students will perform in a Student Showcase the next night, Monday, Jan 6, at the Market Theatre at 7pm 1428 Post Alley 98101.
Improvise scenes, perform monologues and play games based on the exercises in this workshop.
Date: Sunday, 1/5
Time: 10:30 – 3 pm with a half-hour lunch
Location: 5700 6th Ave S Suite 109, Seattle, WA 98108
Maximum Students: 16
Cost: $130.00
Prerequisite: Alan’s previous Shakespeare Workshop
Showcase: Monday, 1/6 at 7 pm at the Market Theater
Location: 1428 Post Alley Seattle 98101
Teacher Bio: Alan Hawkins Improviser/Teacher/Facilitator
Alan Hawkins is an improviser from Los Angeles and Chicago. He has performed, directed, and taught theater and improv since 2004. Alan graduated from The Second City Conservatory, The Second City Musical Conservatory, The iO West Program, The Chicago ComedySportz Training Center, and The Annoyance Program. He has been fortunate enough to participate in many festivals across the US with the three-man group Extra Shelves and has been a guest player with Grand Theft Improv in London, UK. He was also an instructor and director for the Teen Comedy Festival in Chicago. Alan is an ensemble member of Unexpected Productions, the longest-running Theatresports theater in America.
NOTE: Please note that this class has a great deal of movement and action. Please dress accordingly and bring a bottle of water.

Seattle Theatresports Improv 2025
2025-01-04 21:30 - 23:00, 2025-01-03 21:30 - 23:00, 2025-01-03 08:00 - 17:00 | Unexpected Productions Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Be a part of the magic of Theatresports, Seattle’s favorite improv competition for over 40 years! Join us at the iconic Gum Wall in Pike Place Market for a high-energy showdown featuring the city’s best improvisers creating hilarious scenes, songs, and games—all inspired by your suggestions.
With two teams battling, a lively host, judges you can boo, and the legendary gum wall race, this fast-paced show is packed with unforgettable moments and endless laughs.
Doors open at 9 PM every Friday and Saturday, with the show starting at 9:30 PM. Don’t miss the fun—be part of the action!
TheaterSports, all the way! They are goofy, silly, funny, unabashed, clever, witty people. I didn’t know what to expect before going but found myself laughing at practically everything they did or said. This is improv comedy at its finest. Lea A., 5 stars, Yelp

No Strings Attached: An Improvised Puppet Show for Grownups
2025-01-04 19:30 - 20:45, 2025-01-03 19:30 - 20:45, 2024-12-28 19:30 - 20:45, 2024-12-27 19:30 - 20:45 | Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley at the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
At Unexpected Productions’ Market Theater, puppets let their hair down (or strings loose) in No Strings Attached—a hilarious, adults improv puppet show. After a long day entertaining the kids, these puppets are ready to play—singing bawdy songs, cracking jokes, and getting up to all kinds of outrageous fun. And the best part? You call the shots with your suggestions!
Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind comedy show at Pike Place Market. It’s puppets, it’s improv, and it’s guaranteed to make you laugh.
THIS SHOW CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT, LANGUAGE, AND SITUATIONS

Creating Stage-Worthy Personal Stories Workshop Winter 25
2025-01-04 15:00 - 17:00 | Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley at the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Unleash your inner storyteller and captivate your audience, whether it’s in a professional setting, among friends and family, or on stage. Gain confidence and bring your stories to life. Share your unique narrative and make a lasting impression.
Learn the power of personal storytelling and the art of vulnerability in this fun 6-week class. Develop relatable, engaging, and entertaining personal stories from your life experiences. The workshop explores the art of oral storytelling, including story creation, enhancement, and presentation. You’ll learn simple, practical story guidelines and step-by-step tools to create honest and incredible stories.
Kent Whipple, founder of the storytelling program at Unexpected Productions Improv School, is the instructor. He teaches intro and advanced classes, is the narrative coach for the improv ensemble, and hosts Inside Story, a storytelling show. He was also featured on the PBS show, Stories from the Stage, showcasing the power of real stories told by masterful storytellers.
This workshop is suitable for novice storytellers, or to enhance the skills of a seasoned performer. Attendance at the first session is mandatory, as it sets the agenda for the entire class. Please ensure you are vaccinated and bring proof of vaccination to show your instructor at your first class.
Skills taught in class include successful storytelling techniques, identifying story arcs, creating story stakes, identifying story-worthy material, and gaining audience trust. The objective is to create a stage-worthy story to be presented in front of a live audience.
Dates: Saturdays. 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm NOTE: Attendance at the first session of your course is mandatory as it sets the agenda for the entire quarter. If you think you will have to miss the first class, please consider registering for the next time the class is offered.
Location: Market Theatre 1428 Post Alley Seattle 98101
Maximum Students: 12
Cost: $285
Prerequisite: None
Ages: 18+

IMPROV 100 SATURDAYS- Intro to Improv - Build Confidence Winter 25
2025-01-04 13:00 - 15:30 | Unexpected Productions Improv School ISSAQUAH/EASTSIDE, 1315 NW Mall Street, Suite 4, Issaquah, WA, 98108, United States
How do they do that? Learn the basics of improvisation. Discover how to actively listen, to use your own life to create stories, and work on the fundamental principles of improvisation. The class will focus on team building and the concept that “If your teammate looks good, then you will look good”. Emphasis will be placed on understanding and utilizing basic scene work skills and most importantly, having fun. Lots of laughs and lots of stage time.
Under the guidance of our amazing faculty, you will learn to:
· Be a Better Listener
· Conquer Fears
· Spark Creativity
· Meet New People/Make New Friends
· Become a Better Problem solver
· Gain Confidence
· Fail Easier
· Say Yes More in Your Life
· Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
· Become a Better Public Speaker
· Discover More About Yourself
· HAVE A BLAST
All students begin at this level. It’s a prerequisite to the other levels.
Dates: 8 Saturdays classes
Time: 1:00pm – 3:30 pm
NOTE: Attendance at the first session of your course is mandatory as it sets the agenda for the entire quarter. If you think you will have to miss the first class, please consider registering for the next quarter.
Location: 5700 6th Ave S Suite 109 Seattle 98108 https://goo.gl/maps/LpCDFP2j5wvWnNYw5
Maximum Students: 16
Cost: 275.00 ($287.39 including fees)
Prerequisite: None
Ages: 18+

Loose Cannons Improv 2025
2025-01-02 20:00 | Unexpected Productions Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Every show at Loose Cannons is a one-of-a-kind experience—exciting, unexpected, a little dangerous, and always ridiculously fun.
Part One: The night kicks off with a unique performance from special guest improvisers showcasing their signature style or a never-before-seen format. Your suggestions fuel the fire, and the improvisers will ignite the stage, bringing your ideas to life.
Part Two: Buckle up because anything can happen. This half begins with a single audience suggestion—and that’s where the chaos begins. Improvisers dive in, riffing, playing, and building connections through a dynamic opening game. It could be a song, a monologue, or a whirlwind group association—whatever emerges will spark the stories, scenes, and surprises that follow.
The performers are true loose cannons, and you’re the one lighting the fuse. What will they create? It’s entirely up to you. Come for the comedy, stay for the thrill—you never know what will explode onto the stage.
Unpredictable, Unfiltered, Unmissable

Xtreme Theatresports New Year's Eve Party! 2024
2024-12-31 22:00 - 23:59 | Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley at the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Join Unexpected Productions for a night of humor, friendship, and bubbly as you welcome the new year with laughter.

Celebrate an unforgettable New Year’s Eve celebration filled with laughter, companionship, and champagne! Join Unexpected Productions for Seattle’s one-of-a-kind, fast-paced comedy improv battle, featuring 20 hilarious improvisers divided into four teams.
The audience scores each performance with cards marked 0-5, making this a party you won’t want to miss. We’ll be giving away amazing gifts and providing all the hats, streamers, and party favors you can think of. As the clock strikes midnight, we’ll raise our glasses for a special champagne toast, marking the start of a new year.
The Xtreme teams will perform from 10 pm to almost midnight, leading up to the countdown for our fantastic New Year’s bash! Doors open at 9 pm sharp. Come join in on the fun!
LOVED IT. HILARIOUS. Can’t remember the last time I laughed that hard. You can participate if you want but they don’t call on anyone who isn’t voluntarily raising their own hand (so your jerk friends can’t get you into anything against your will!). Tickets are cheap and so are drinks – you get more than you pay for on both counts. Really nice people running it, too. All in all a great New Year’s Party for very little expense. Can’t wait to go back!!
Yelp 5 Stars
Event price not valid with any other offers or discounts, including two-for-one passes or Unexpected Productions’ VIP passes or free tickets.
All ticket sales are final and non-refundable. There are no refunds, exchanges or transfers. Please confirm your date.

Improv Happy Hour
2024-12-29 19:30 - 20:45, 2024-12-28 19:30 - 20:45 | Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley at the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Start your night off with a laugh! Come to an hour of spontaneous fun! This improv comedy show is a blast for all ages.

The Internal Narrative Improv Workshop with Joe Bill
2024-12-29 12:00 - 15:00 | Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley at the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
This workshop will focus on the fundamentals of the ACTING part of narrative improvisation. We will practice skills that connect our internal process to our external words and actions, and yes, I will also use some neuroscience ideas to help introduce you to your Engineer and Jazz Brain and help you bring those sensibilities into harmony when you’re improvising scenes in a Narrative context! We’ll cover the importance of The First 30 Seconds in a Scene, Listening Through Emotion, Psychological Awareness and Narrative Strategy, Forwarding Relationships, Manifesting Story and Comedic Promises so that both Story and Comedy are a consequence of the connection between characters that we care about. We’ll also touch on Comedy Through Connection and Hot Reads as techniques we can use in the moment to engage each other, our story, and our audience. I will also offer some personal and general feedback to help you apply these skills going forward in your Impro/v life!
This will feel very much like an acting class because it is!
Date: 12/29/2023 12:00pm -3:00pm
Location: 5700 6th Ave S Suite 109 Seattle. WA 98108
Maximum Students: 16
Cost: $180 ($189.57 including booking fees)
Prerequisite: None
Ages: 18 and above
About the Instructor: Joe Bill is widely regarded as one of the best teachers of Improvised Storytelling and Scenic, Longform & Duo Improvisation in North America today. He is one of the founding members of Annoyance Theater Chicago where, for 12 years, he performed in and/or directed more than 60 different shows. Joe is ½ of the first touring Improv Duo in North America, BASSPROV, created in 2000 with Mark Sutton. They are still performing at Festivals and theater engagements globally 24 years later. Since then Joe’s been touring all over the world teaching, directing, and improvising with several other amazing Duo Partners like Patti Stiles (Our Play), Jill Bernard (SCRAM!), Stacey Hallal (Stacey & Joe, We Slept Together) Lee White (Paradigm), Heather Urquart (Blues Hammer), Felipe Ortiz (Les Disciplinos) and David Razowsky (Razowsky & Bill), ALL in different, original formats and styles. He’s touring his solo scripted show, written as he successfully took on and survived Surgeries & chemo associated with 3 different cancers from late 2022 to early 2024, Joe Bill: Surviving Consciousness, (Lessons learned from Cancer, LSD & Michael Jordan) all over the U.S. and the world. In April 2024 he debuted it at the Auckland Imrprov Festival in Auckland, NZ. He has since preformed it at Festivals and Theaters across the USA and will record it at Curious Comedy Theater in Portland, OR in early 2025. He is the creator and host of Story Chain, a virtual (and now sometimes live!), 90-minute, international story sharing event that he developed in 2020 during the Pandemic. He was the Director of Corporate Training at iO Chicago for 15 years and started training and performing there in 1985. He was a Guest Artist in Residence at The Second City Training Center & Conservatory where he taught intensives in Duo Improvisation and Improvisation for Actors for 10 years.Award (Best-Taped Live Performance – The Minnesota Wrecking Crew), with The Imponderables nominated for the same award.
He was recently in Montréal as a part of the Just for Laughs Festival with the reunion of The Kids in the Hall, and also with his show “Hammy and the Kids” with Craig Northey, based on his two dysfunctional families, his father (“Hammy”) and The Kids in the Hall.

Seattle Theatresports Improv 2024
2024-12-28 21:30 - 23:00, 2024-12-27 21:30 - 23:00 | Unexpected Productions Market Theater, 1428 Post Alley, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
As you enter the Gum Wall, you’ll notice a buzz of excitement in the air. Everyone here is gathered to have a good time and laugh. Families of all ages are lining up at the concession stand, where you can smell the fresh buttered popcorn, and over at the bar, they are serving icy and inexpensive drinks.
When you enter the theater, you’ll feel the music’s beat. You’re experiencing Theatresports, a high-energy improv show where teams of improv professionals create spontaneous scenes that are so hilarious, quick-witted, and perfectly constructed that it’s hard to believe they are made up on the spot.
Join us every Friday and Saturday at the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market, with doors opening at 9 PM and the show starting at 9:30 PM.
TheaterSports, all the way! They are goofy, silly, funny, unabashed, clever, witty people. I didn’t know what to expect before going but found myself laughing at practically everything they did or said. This is improv comedy at its finest. Lea A., 5 stars, Yelp

Mouth Wide Shut: A Physical Improv Comedy
2024-12-28 18:00 - 19:00 | Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley at the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
The art of silent comedy with the unpredictable fun of improvisation.
Mouth Wide Shut is a love letter to the history of physical comedy and improvisational theater. Drawing inspiration from silent movies, classical mime, and contemporary groups like Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil, it’s like a mashup of the best of the past and present that’s both nostalgic and cutting-edge. And the fact that you play such a crucial role in shaping the show makes it even more unique.
It’s not just about watching comedy; it’s about becoming part of the comedic journey. “Mouth Wide Shut” promises to be an evening where laughter knows no bounds and surprises lurk around every corner! This show is a delightful and unforgettable experience that promises to entertain audiences of all ages!
“Mouth Wide Shut is clever and very funny.” Ryan D., 5 Stars Google
“Went as a suggestion from a local. Best decision I’ve made in a whim! Such a good show…had an amazing cast, kept me laughing the entire time. Would love to go again.” Terra M 5 Stars Google
“This was the first time I’ve ever been to an improv show and I was definitely entertained. I had no clue what to expect and didn’t know how improv shows worked, I just came in with an open mind and enjoyed every minute of it!” Kristina L. 5 Stars Yelp

Joe Bill: Surviving Conscious
2024-12-28 18:00 - 19:00 | Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley at the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Mark your calendars for 12/28 and join us for a truly special evening with Chicago improv legend Joe Bill! In this heartfelt and captivating solo show, Joe takes the stage to share bizarre, humorous, and deeply personal stories of surviving three different cancers. With lessons drawn from spiritual misadventures, LSD trips, and even Michael Jordan, this scripted performance blends raw honesty, edgy humor, and profound insight. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind journey through resilience, laughter, and the human spirit.
All ticket sales are final and nonrefundable. There are no refunds, exchanges or transfers. Please confirm your date.

The First 30 Seconds Improv Workshop with Joe Bill
2024-12-28 12:00 - 15:00 | Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley at the Gum Wall in Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
In Improvisation scenes, the ending often lies in the beginning. I will show you how to begin your scenes with focus & playfulness and how to begin to bring your inner Engineer & Jazz Musician into Harmony through the way that you listen. We’ll focus on the first 30 seconds of a scene to discover your characters (How they do, What they do, Who they are) evolving from the recognition of “How am I?” and “How are you?” & “How are WE?” I’ll help increase your awareness of the two types of dialogue (Circumstantial & Interpersonal) to give you the best chance to play an honest, grounded scene rooted in depth and discovery AND how comedy & story come as a consequence of connection rather than goals you’re desperately chasing.
Date: 12/28/2023 12:00 pm -3:00 pm
Location: 5700 6th Ave S Suite 109 Seattle. WA 98108
Maximum Students: 16
Cost: $180 ($189.57 including booking fees)
Prerequisite: None
Ages: 18 and above
About the Instructor: Joe Bill is widely regarded as one of the best teachers of Improvised Storytelling and Scenic, Longform & Duo Improvisation in North America today. He is one of the founding members of Annoyance Theater Chicago where, for 12 years, he performed in and/or directed more than 60 different shows. Joe is ½ of the first touring Improv Duo in North America, BASSPROV, created in 2000 with Mark Sutton. They are still performing at Festivals and theater engagements globally 24 years later. Since then Joe’s been touring all over the world teaching, directing, and improvising with several other amazing Duo Partners like Patti Stiles (Our Play), Jill Bernard (SCRAM!), Stacey Hallal (Stacey & Joe, We Slept Together) Lee White (Paradigm), Heather Urquart (Blues Hammer), Felipe Ortiz (Les Disciplinos) and David Razowsky (Razowsky & Bill), ALL in different, original formats and styles. He’s touring his solo scripted show, written as he successfully took on and survived Surgeries & chemo associated with 3 different cancers from late 2022 to early 2024, Joe Bill: Surviving Consciousness, (Lessons learned from Cancer, LSD & Michael Jordan) all over the U.S. and the world. In April 2024 he debuted it at the Auckland Imrprov Festival in Auckland, NZ. He has since preformed it at Festivals and Theaters across the USA and will record it at Curious Comedy Theater in Portland, OR in early 2025. He is the creator and host of Story Chain, a virtual (and now sometimes live!), 90-minute, international story sharing event that he developed in 2020 during the Pandemic. He was the Director of Corporate Training at iO Chicago for 15 years and started training and performing there in 1985. He was a Guest Artist in Residence at The Second City Training Center & Conservatory where he taught intensives in Duo Improvisation and Improvisation for Actors for 10 years.Award (Best-Taped Live Performance – The Minnesota Wrecking Crew), with The Imponderables nominated for the same award.
He was recently in Montréal as a part of the Just for Laughs Festival with the reunion of The Kids in the Hall, and also with his show “Hammy and the Kids” with Craig Northey, based on his two dysfunctional families, his father (“Hammy”) and The Kids in the Hall.
