Langley-based improv theatre is launching its inaugural season of monthly performances at the Bez Arts Hub this Saturday, Sept. 30.
Very Very Improv Theatre is a new, professional improv comedy company that will feature a cast of local improvisers from across the Lower Mainland.
While the COVID-19 pandemic slashed audience attendance at live theatre events across Metro Vancouver, Scott Campbell, managing artistic director at Very Very Improv Theatre, said he sees the potential for the art in the suburbs.
“The pandemic triggered a migration of families from Vancouver to surrounding communities – families who still want the arts and culture experiences available in the big city,” he explained.
Campbell, a Langley resident himself, had his first experience with improv in high school, and regularly travelled to Vancouver to watch Vancouver TheatreSports at the Back Alley Theatre – now The Improv Centre.
“The improvisers were like superheroes to me. I wanted to be that kind of superhero. So, it was an amazing experience the first time I stepped on the stage many years later,” Campbell shared.
In university, he formed an improv group called The Panic Squad with some friends, which quickly became his full-time career and took the group around North America for several years. Campbell said he stepped away in 2009 when he started a family, but now is ready to introduce improv to his life again.
“I’m coming back to the stage as a show host. I’ve always loved interacting with the audience, taking on the role of ring leader,” he said.
“I’m excited to have cast a great group of improvisers. As show host, I get to set them up for success, creating space for them to build stories and share experiences with the audience every performance.”
Each show should “wow” and “delight” audiences, Campbell said, adding that the cast is exploring short- and long-form improv comedy skits.
“We are working to ensure the shows are accessible for everyone, and that audiences come expecting a big-city improv experience here in the Valley,” he said.
Campbell concluded that improv is a “wonderful way for audiences to see the ups and downs of life reflected back to them, and so they can laugh.”
The season launches on Saturday, Sept. 30, at Bez Arts Hub. The first show kicks off at 8 p.m.
Bez is located at #102 - 20230 64th Ave.
Tickets start at $25 plus tax, and can be bought online at bezartshub.com or veryveryimprov.ca.
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