Author Archives: aliWit

Micetro winner surrounded by admirers

Micetro IS BACK, Tuesday July 18th 2023

This show has happened, and it was delightful … check for more shows happening soon

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: 7pm Tuesday July 18th

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

b-movie filmstrip banner

Auckland Improv Fest 2023 – Attack of the Killer B-Movie

WIT was scheduled to take Attack of the Killer B-Movie to Auckland back in 2020.  April 2020 – so that didn’t happen then.  But it’s happening April 2023 – we are VERY EXCITED.  There are plans for a Wellington relauch of the classic genre game too.  YAY!!

“If you’ve ever enjoyed a heaped helping of cheesy retro cinema goodness, this should put a grin on your face ”   Review of WIT’s Attack of the Killer B-Movie! During the 2016 Fringe

Hilarious titles. Ridiculous Monsters. All improvised.

WIT brings you an improvised show following the classic elements of B-Movies. Join our unsuspecting cast, as a series of unfortunate events lead them to a horrifying discovery… who will survive? Who will find love? And why is the phone always dead when you need to call for help?!

The story will be shaped by suggested movie titles given to the cast by the audience – see what we create for you!

Covert Theatre, 51 Mackelvie Street, Ponsonby, Auckland
Sunday 16 April 2023 8:00pm – 9:00pm
Tickets are on Eventfinder 

Visit our Facebook Event Page for the latest details, show photos, cast gossip and the rest.

DETAILS of all things Fest on the Auckland Improv Festival Website

cast and crew

two people smiling out of a tinsel window, jar of jam beside

The Ferris Wheel – Christmas 2022

THIS SHOW HAS HAPPENED!!  
There’ll be more shows on soon

A SHOW THEN A JAM!!!  WIT SHALL BE MERRRY!!!

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

Set on the classic fairground ride this unique show will star a rotating cast (ha!), weaving stories from the lives of characters spun together.  The Ferris Wheel format was created by Wade Jackson for Auckland’s Improv Bandits, and WIT has loved it with permission for years.

Our Jam will be a selection of ol favourite games from the year with suggestions drawn from a hat: take part or watch the fun, both are good options.

WIT is Wellington’s community based improv troupe, its players share a love of storytelling and work together as a team to inspire the audience.

When:  7pm Tuesday 12 December 2022
Where: The Pow Wow Room, 74 Courtney Place Wellington.  This is a licensed venue, so bring ID if you look youthful, or a parent or guardian if you actually are youthful.
Schedule (approximately):  Ferris Wheel from 7pm to 7.40pm, break for snacks then an improv jam to finish the year from 8-8.30pm

Websites:
WIT Event Facebook Page

A shiny new committee for WIT!

(including many bits of the old committee)

WIT held it’s 2022 AGM on July 19th. For the first time the option was available for members to attend via Zoom. Despite a few technical difficulties this option worked well, and ensured a quorum was met.

There was a not unexpected small loss last year due to the low number of shows, Wit’s financial situation continues to be sound.

Several members of the previous committee were available to stand again, with Thibault and Hayley stepping back, Ali returning to the role of co-creative director, and Paddy joining as Secretary. Therefore, the Committee for 2022/23 is:

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


row of people, with text of AGM, Annual General Meeting, July 19th 6pm Te Auaha

WIT – Draft Agenda for the 2022 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: 19 July 2022
Time: 6-7pm
Venue: Level 5 Studio 3/4, Te Auaha, 65 Dixon St, Wellington
Quorum: 15 members

Chair: Shaila Mehta-Wilson, Coordinator

Secretariat: Ali Little, Secretary

  1. Welcome and acknowledgements
  2. Apologies
  3. Minutes of the previous AGM (held July 2021)
  4. Coordinator’s Report (Shaila Mehta-Wilson)
  5. Co-creative Director Report (Anrik Drenth, Hayley Cherryblossom)
  6. Annual Report – Treasurer (Aristarkh Tikhonov)
  7. Committee Elections
  8. General Business
WIT_2021_AGM_reportDownload

Director’s Cut – Thursdays 7th and 28th July 2022

Our July shows have happened and were a bunch of fun!   The old notice can stay here to remember them by …

Group of improvisors in very dim light

Some of the WIT Crew after the show

Directors! Directors competing with other Directors to direct a talented troupe of bold improvisors!! Expect an exciting mix of directed games and open scenes, some drawing on audience suggestions, others drawn from the very depths of the tortured soul of a director.

**New Venue Alert**
This show is at R Bar, and the Cuba St access is via a flight of stairs. BUT, there is ramp access from Pringle Street, and if you need to use it, just contact the bar and they’ll make sure the right doors are open. There’s a mobility-accessible toilet too.

Also, this is a licensed venue, meaning that there are delicious alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages available. However, if you’re under 18 you must bring a parent or guardian, and if you look under 25, bring id.

Tickets will be $10, either door sales or via a ticket link here just as soon as we can organise one.

So prepare to “drop anchor and join your Mateys” at Wellington’s original Pirate Hideaway and Rummery

What: Director’s Cut
Who: The Wellington Improvisation Troupe (WIT)
Cost: $10
When: Thursdays 7th and 28th July 2022
Where: R Bar, 49 Courtenay Place
Facebook Event:  Thursday 7th and Thursday 28th
Tickets will be going live shortly (we’re just waiting on the ticketing site thingy)

Fancy poster for the show
Three small people staring at a giant hand with a scalpel under the word's Director's Cut

“As a troupe, they boast an effective and playful onstage chemistry” ~ Theatreview

“This group’s bounding energy overtook the stage” ~ Nelson Mail

improvisors training in front of a window

framed photo of improvisors with cleaver and fork to the sides

Director’s Cut – Monday 16th May 2022

Directors! Directors competing with other Directors to direct a talented troupe of bold improvisors!! Expect an exciting mix of directed games and open scenes, some drawing on audience suggestions, others drawn from the very depths of the tortured soul of a director.

This show is at The Pow Wow room, which although a lovely venue is at the top of a flight of stairs with no lift. If you have mobility issues and there’s any way we can help (eg, a phalanx of volunteers to carry you aloft like Cleopatra on a golden litter) contact us in advance.
Also, this is a licensed venue, meaning that there are *delicious* alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages available. However, if you’re under 18 you must bring a parent or guardian, and if you look under 25, bring id.

What: Director’s Cut
Who: The Wellington Improvisation Troupe (WIT)
Cost: $10 monies going to charity
When: Monday 16th May 7pm
Where: The Pow Wow Room, Level 1, 74 Courtenay Place, Te Aro, Wellington (up the stairs to the left of The Dakota Bar)
Facebook Event will be going up shortly (we’re just waiting on the ticketing thingy)

Fancy poster for the show (look for this outside the Pow Wow Room stairs on the night)

poster for Director's Cut improv show

“As a troupe, they boast an effective and playful onstage chemistry” ~ Theatreview

“This group’s bounding energy overtook the stage” ~ Nelson Mail

improvisors training in front of a window

framed photo of improvisors with cleaver and fork to the sides

Director’s Cut – Monday 18th April 2022

Our first public show in seems-like forever, back in our old Pow Wow Room stomping ground HAS ALREADY HAPPENED!! $100 was donated to food charity Everybody Eats.   But you can read the PR below; there’ll be another show happening soon, likely in Mid May

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Directors! Directors competing with other Directors to direct a talented troupe of bold improvisors!! Expect an exciting mix of directed games and open scenes, some drawing on audience suggestions, others drawn from the very depths of the tortured soul of a director.

This show is at The Pow Wow room, which although a lovely venue is at the top of a flight of stairs with no lift. If you have mobility issues and there’s any way we can help (eg, a phalanx of volunteers to carry you aloft like Cleopatra on a golden litter) contact us in advance.
Also, this is a licensed venue, meaning that there are *delicious* alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages available. However, if you’re under 18 you must bring a parent or guardian, and if you look under 25, bring id.

What: Director’s Cut
Who: The Wellington Improvisation Troupe (WIT)
Cost: Koha (but really it’s you we want) monies going to charity
When: Monday 18th April (Easter Monday!) 7pm
Where: The Pow Wow Room, Level 1, 74 Courtenay Place, Te Aro, Wellington (up the stairs to the left of The Dakota Bar)
Facebook Event

“As a troupe, they boast an effective and playful onstage chemistry” ~ Theatreview

“This group’s bounding energy overtook the stage” ~ Nelson Mail

improvisors training in front of a window

It’s the WIT AGM Again, on June 29th 2021

 

WIT’s Annual Meeting is happening at the Whiskey Lounge at The Establishment, the Corner of Blair St and Courtenay Place, from 6pm on Tuesday June 29th.  It is going ahead even if Wellington remains at Covid-alert level 2 (but please follow all the venue requirements about scanning in, social distancing etc).

If Wellington shifts to Covid Alert level 3, the AGM will be rescheduled to later in July.

Key things to know:  People must be registered members of WIT and physically present to vote (a possible change to this rule suggested last year will be presented at the AGM).  A quorum of 15 people is needed.  Only those who consent will be elected to the new committee!

For your reading pleasure, here is the Agenda, and the Minutes from last years AGM.

AGM-2021-Agenda-and-Minutes-2020_final

WIT’s official rules, as downloaded from the Charities Website on 27 June 2021

WIT_Rules_charitywebsite_27Jun21

WIT Rule change– a proposed rule change to allow possible remote attendance at future AGM’s, to be presented at the meeting

 

happy new improvisors

Next Improv for the Stage and Joy of Improv classes start May 13th, enroll now!

Theses courses can book out so enroll now to make sure you don’t miss out.

WIT’s next improv classes for adults start May 13th. 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 15 years now, and classes are always led by senior WIT trainers/performers.  This term Tristram  Domican 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 Ali Little, 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.

Warm up the dark nights of winter with a whole bunch of laughter and revel in being spontaneous and playful.

happy new improvisors