Milwaukee improv comedy troupe has new home A look inside Ampersand Theater and learn more about the art of "long form" improv. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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EDEN: A MILWAUKEE IMPROV COMEDY TROUPE HAS A NEW HOME. THIS IS EXCITING NEWS FOR YOU GUYS. FINALLY YOU GUYS HAD GRAND OPENING CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEKEND. TELL US, WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT IN THIS NEW SPACE? >> EVERY WEEKEND WE WILL HAVE SHOWS FOCUSING ON COMEDY, SPECIFICALLY LONGFORM IMPROV AS WELL AS SKETCH COMEDY. THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT PERFORM EACH WEEKEND -- EACH WEEKEND IS A DIFFERENT GROUP OF SHOWS. A TYPICAL NIGHT WILL HAVE TWO GROUPS PLAYING WITH AN INTERMISSION. WE HAVE GROWN A LOT THE PAST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS TO THE POINT NOW WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERFORMERS. WE HAVE HOUSE TEAMS THAT ARE PERFORMING GROUPS, AND INDEPENDENT TEAMS WE WILL HAVE AS WELL. EACH WEEKEND IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THAT IS GREAT BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF VARIETY. THOSE SHOWS HAPPEN ON A REGULAR 6-7 WEEK BASIS. EDEN: I WAS TALKING OVER THE COMMERCIAL BREAK, WHEN WE THINK OF COMEDIANS TAKING THE STAGE, WE THINK OF NEW YORK CITY, CHICAGO, LOS ANGELES, BUT WHAT WOULD YOU SAY SETS MILWAUKEE APART? >> I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY IN MILWAUKEE TO BE BILLED HAVE YOUR IDEA -- TO BE ABLE TO HAVE YOUR IDEA AND PUT IT ON STAGE IS REALLY UNIQUE BECAUSE THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT. IN BIGGER CITIES THERE IS LOTS OF COMPETITION. IN MILWAUKEE, WE ARE THE ONLY LONGFORM IMPROV THEATER IN THE ENTIRE CITY. THE WHOLE SURROUNDING AREA, WE HAVE A LOT OF TO DRAW FROM WHEREAS IN THOSE CITIES YOU MIGHT BE FIGHTING FOR A SPOT WITH 1000 OTHER PEOPLE. THERE’S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO GET YOUR IDEA ON STAGE. EDEN: NOT JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK OUT COMEDY SHOWS, BUT ALSO YOU CAN ATTEND WORKSHOPS, YOU OFFER LESSONS, WHAT ARE THOSE ABOUT? >> WE OFFER LESSONS IN LONGFORM IMPROV AND SKETCH COMEDY. WE HAVE A NEW SESSION STARTING TONIGHT THAT IS SOLD OUT, AND WE HAVE A TUESDAY SESSION WE HAD TO ADD FOR INTRODUCTION TO LONGFORM WHICH THERE ARE STILL SOME SPOTS. WE HAVE A CORE CURRICULUM OF FOUR CLASSES WE WILL GIVE YOU FROM THE BASICS ALL THE WHIP TO MORE ADVANCED SKILLS PER IT BE HAVE ELECTIVES FOR YOU CAN LEARN DIFFERENT STYLES OF LONGFORM BECAUSE THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH YOU CAN DO IT AS WELL AS SKETCH WRITING. GOING TO BE DOING A WORKSHOP ON AUDITIONING AS WELL. EDEN: HOW MUCH DO THESE CLASSES RUN? >> THE INTRODUCTORY CLASS IS $180. OTHER CLASSES ARE $200. ELECTIVES ARE USUALLY AROUND $100. THE CORE CURRICULUM IS 8 WEEKS, AND THER

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