Author Archives: aliWit

Improv for the Stage and Joy of Improv classes start October 17th, so enroll now!

WIT’s next improv classes for adults start October 17th. These will run for eight weeks 7.30-9.30pm on Thursday nights, at the Wellington High School in Taranaki St, Mt Cook.

The Joy of Improvisation is WIT’s foundation class and suitable for any level of experience, including none at all.  It has been run by WIT in association with the Wellington Community Education Centre (WCEC) for over 20 years now, and classes are always led by senior WIT trainers/performers.  This term Kitty Parker is leading, and it’s bound to be a delightful intro to the art of theatre without a script.

Improv for the Stage is our ‘next step’ course, this term led by Anrik Drenth, and is a fun dive into more elaborate ways to tell stories, dipping into different styles and formats of improv, all shaped by what participants want.  It’s the ideal course if you’ve already learnt the basics, either with WIT or another troupe, or you’ve other theatre training which used improv exercises and games, or if you’re returning to improv after a break.  The focus is on becoming stage ready, supporting your fellow players, and generally having an excellently fun time. There’ll be a show opportunity at course’s end.

Warm up your evenings with a whole bunch of laughter and revel in being spontaneous and playful with a group of lovely people.

Ferris Wheel, Winter Season 2024

THESE LOVELY SHOWS ARE DONE!!  More shows soon . . .

The Ferris Wheel format was created and taught to WIT by Wade Jackson.  Set on the classic fairground ride Ferris Wheel stars a rotating (ha!) cast , weaving stories from the lives of the characters spun more tightly than spun sugar.

“Delightful energy, alertness and vulnerability….. fresh and invigorating.” –  Theatreview NZ

When:  6pm Friday 6th September BATS
Where:  BATS 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
Tickets available now!

A shiny new committee for WIT!

(including many bits of the old committee)

WIT held its 2024 AGM on July 13th at Te Auaha in Wellington, with some attending by zoom. If you had been there, you would have heard many fine people being thanked for helping WIT be WIT, a description of the fine shows and activities that happened, and that the WIT financial situation continues to be balanced and sound, largely unchanged from previous years.

Many of the previous committee were nominated and willing to serve again (with Kitty standing down and Emma and Nathan standing up), so the Committee for 2024/25 is:

Co-ordinator – Shaila Mehta-Wilson
Secretary – Ali Little
Undersecretary – Nathan Campbell
Creative Directors – Paddy Plunket / Emma Ross
Treasurer – Aristarkh Tikhonov

WIT – Draft Agenda for the 2024 AGM

Our AGM is scheduled to be held on the 16th of July. Anyone is welcome to attend, but only WIT members are eligible to vote or be elected to the committee. Active members not able to attend physically may be able to attend electronically, please email secretary@wit.org.nz for details.

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Draft Agenda
WELLINGTON IMPROVISATION TROUPE 21st ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)

Date: Tuesday July 16th,
Time: 6:00-8:00pm
Venue: Te Auaha, 65 Dixon St, Te Aro, Wellington.
Quorum: 15 members
Chair: Shaila Mehta-Wilson, Coordinator
Secretariat: Ali Little

1. Welcome and acknowledgements
2. Apologies
3. Minutes of the previous AGM/SGM (held July 4th,2023)
4. Coordinator’s Report (Shaila Mehta-Wilson)
5. Creative Directors Report (Paddy Plunket/Kitty Parker)
6. Committee Elections a. Coordinator b. Creative Director(s) c. Treasurer d. Secretary 7. General Business

Minutes WIT AGM_04July2023Download
Micetro winner surrounded by admirers

Micetro, Winter Season 2024

This show is done!  But checkback soon for the next WIT show. 

Beloved improv elimination competition Micetro is back for another bite of the cheese.  The magnificent  Lorraine was once crowned the Greatest WIT in Wellington.  This time . . . well, there will be challengers.

A crew of eager improvisers will again battle head to head using wit, spur-of-the-moment storytelling and risking everything for an the love of the audience.  There’ll be songs!  Drama!  Pathos, bathos probably a bit of logos!    A mix of seasoned improvisers and adorable newcomers and everyone in between will play their hearts out to decide who gets eliminated and who survives to be crowned ‘Micetro’.

When: 6.30pm Thursdays nights 11 April, 2 May and 6 June

Where: BATS 1 Kent Tce, Wellington

Book tickets via BATS

A row of improv characters in front of a curtain, including a cow and some tentacles

Five Hundred Shows Later – NZIF 2023


A community full of classic improv characters come together for an epic celebration show. What could possibly go wrong?

This show happened in the past! There were a lot of doorknobs (“Every conceivable, inconceivable and improbable connotation of doorknobs entertainingly explored“), and it was a delight to be part of the 2023 NZ Improv Festival in Wellington. Maybe we’ll bring it back one day.

Five Hundred Shows explores what happens when a small town of enthusiastic amateur dramatists build the most epic show that was ever built.

Where: The Stage, BATS Theatre, 1 Kent Terrace Wellington
When: Friday October 6th, 8pm
Tickets: BATS Website or ticket office

Join the Facebook Event

Banner Spookytown Improv Jam

Spookytown – Halloween improv Jam 2023!

Halloween is when the restless spirits of the uneasy undead walk the streets of the Windy City, and therefore exactly the right time for a gently haunted improv jam.

Dress up as you like, or even disguise yourself as someone Perfectly Normal. There may well be prizes, and certainly there’ll be candy. The Jam will organinsed in a directed ‘games from the hat’ style, with suggestions used to inspire games and open scenes.

If you’d like to play you’re in! If you feel a bit shy, you’re the audience!! Doors open at 6.30pm for a group warm up, sitting down for the full jaminess from 7pm. It’s simple and fun, with plenty of friendly people to support you if you haven’t done improv in a while, or even much ever at all.

Of course, as this is a licensed venue if you’re under 18 bring a parent or guardian, and if you look under 25 (as so many of the undead do) be sure to bring your id.

Where: The PowWow Room, 74 Courtenay Place Wellington (upstairs from the Dakota Bar)
When: 31st October, 6.30/7pm
Cost: $5 Concession / $10 General, buy tickets online or at the door

Join the Facebook Event

Group of six people ignoring giant looming hand holding a scalpel

Directors Cut, 15 August 2023

This show has happened already!  

But, stay tuned for other WIT shows 

Classic comedy theatre without a script from the Wellington Improvisation Troupe.

The show will feature Directors competing with other Directors to direct a talented troupe of bold improvisors in a series of unique scenes.

Some directors will ask for audience suggestions, others will use ideas drawn from the very depths of their tortured souls. Either way, You will choose which tale is told to it’s very end.

NB that The Pow Wow Room is a licensed venue. This means that delicious beverages of various kinds will be available, BUT if you look youthful bring legal ID, and if you *are* an actual youth you must bring your legal grownups.

When: 7pm Tuesday August 15th 2023
Where:  The Powwow Room, 74 Courtenay Place, Wellington

Note that because it’s licensed premises if you’re not a grownup you’ll need to bring a parent, and if you are a grownup but look under 25 you’ll need to bring some ID.

Tickets:  cash-only doorsales or Buy Online Now $10 / $5 Concession

WIT Event on the Facebook

A shiny new committee for WIT!

(including many bits of the old committee)

WIT held its 2023 AGM on July 4th the the Garage Studio at Te Auaha in Wellington, with some attending by zoom. If you had been there, you would have heard many fine people being thanked for helping WIT be WIT, and that our financial situation continues to be sound.

Most of the previous committee were nominated and willing to serve again (with Anrik standing down and Kitty standing up), so the Committee for 2023/24 is:

Co-ordinator – Shaila Mehta-Wilson
Secretary – Ali Little
Creative Directors – Paddy Plunket / Kitty Parker
Treasurer – Aristarkh Tikhonov

WIT – Draft Agenda for the 2023 AGM

Our AGM is scheduled to be held on the 19th of July. Anyone is welcome to attend, but only WIT members are eligible to vote or be elected to the committee. This year, after the change in our procedures voted on at last years AGM, active members not able to attend (if for example self isolating due to Covid) may be able to attend electronically, please email secretary@wit.org.nz for details.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Draft Agenda
WELLINGTON IMPROVISATION TROUPE 20th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)

Date: 4 July 2023
Time: 6-7pm
Venue: Level 5 Studio 3/4, Te Auaha, 65 Dixon St, Wellington
Quorum: 15 members

Chair: Shaila Mehta-Wilson, Coordinator

Secretariat: Paddy Plunket, Secretary

  1. Welcome and acknowledgements
  2. Apologies
  3. Minutes of the previous AGM (held July 2022)
  4. Coordinator’s Report (Shaila Mehta-Wilson)
  5. Co-creative Director Report (Anrik Drenth, Ali Little)
  6. Annual Report – Treasurer (Aristarkh Tikhonov)
  7. Committee Elections
  8. General Business
WIT 2022 AGM MinutesDownload