Author Archives: aliWit

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

 

Two improvisors in a bowl of jam, with the text "Improv Jam"

Jam with WIT – Sunday 28 MARCH 2021

THIS SHOW HAS HAPPENED!  BUT THERE’LL BE OTHER SHOWS SOON 😀

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Our end-of-February Jam night is postponed to March 28th!!  It’ll be even Jamyier for having to wait.

Expect an exciting mix of directed games and open scenes, all drawing on audience suggestions.

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.

This show is at The Pow Wow room, and 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, so if you’re under 18 bring a parent or guardian, and if you look under 25, bring your id.

What: An Improv Jam
Who: The Wellington Improvisation Troupe (WIT)
Cost:  Koha appreciated, but it’s you we want
When: Sunday 28th February, at 7pm
Where: The Pow Wow Room, Level 1, 74 Courtenay Place, Te Aro, Wellington (up the stairs to the left of The Dakota Bar)

“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

 

a papier mache cow

Christmas 2020 – A Very Witty Panto

THIS SHOW HAS HAPPENED ALREADY!

For 2020 WITs celebrates the season Most Festive with an improvised twist on the traditional Xmas pantomime and will create a unique story each night inspired by suggestions from the audience.

Expect the unexpected, and also probably some cosmetically-challenged Sisters, papier-mache farm animals, a fresh-faced hero or heroine in tights, a Fairy Godparent, Villains and Sidekicks, a Dame or a Dude with a really big moustache. And Christmas treats!

Note that The Fringe Bar is a licensed venue, with a vast range of delicious alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available. So, if you’re youthfully fresh-faced bring your id, and if you’re under 18 bring your parent or guardian.

Tickets are available online and as door sales on the night, BUT if we are at Level 2 the venue capacity is limited to 25 and there will not be door sales.

What: A Very Witty Panto
Who: The Wellington Improvisation Troupe (WIT)
When: Tuesday 22nd, Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th December, at 7pm
Where: The Fringe Bar, Allen St

“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

 

Drawing of a crow holding Poe's head

Poe’d – NZIF 2020 Edition

Theatreview decided Poe’d was “MACABRE MADE MISCHIEVOUS”  
While the Artmurmurs’ reviewer said “I had a lovely time“

A Darkly Gothic Romp

Everyone knows Edgar Allen Poe died mysteriously in Baltimore in 1849. But recently a trunk of mysterious papers was discovered by the same researchers who previously discovered the Lovecrafted archive (revealed during the 2019 Fringe). Did the forty year old Poe fake his death, flee to a remote island nation and live out the rest of a long life writing epically gothically tragically romantic stories shaped by the myths and realities of life among the phlegmatic people of the farthest flung corner of the British Empire??

Find out as each night a different narrator channels the tortured author to bring original improvised tales to Te Auaha’s Tapere Iti stage.

“The show will be a romp through a gothic past” says Ali Little, the show’s creative director. She claims the tortured author, a man who spawned so many many tortured imitators, has communicated to her through ethereal means.  And he is “delighted, just delighted” that these tales which should have been part of his oeuvre, now will be.

What: Poe’d
Who: The Wellington Improvisation Troupe (WIT) and Invited Guests
When: Friday October 9th, 9pm
Where: BATS Theatre, 1 Kent Terrace, Wellington

Visit BATS for tickets and a bunch (a slew, a cascade a cornucopia) of other great NZ Improv Festival shows,  WIT’s Facebook for the latest details, team photos and gossip about this show.

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

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

 

 

 

Wit people at a Tuesday training

What’s Happening Behind the Curtain????

WIT intends to keep training running at Covid level 2 (following the advice of our venues about checking in etc), but have decided to only put on in-person shows at level 1.  So, we’re planning some delightful shows for the rest of 2020, but know that it’s possible they might be cancelled, but if they are, there are Bigger things happening than us!

Tentatively,
October – WIT and WIT members will take an active part in the NZ Improv Festival 3-10 October
November 1st – a Halloween Spooktacular of some kind
December 13th – grad shows for WIT courses
December 22, 23 24 – An Improvised Pantomime

Visit the Facebook Event Page for the latest details, team photos, gossip and the rest.

 

Micetro winner surrounded by admirers

Micetro winner surrounded by admirers

Micetro BACK IN THE ROOM, Sunday July 19th 2020

Beloved improv elimination competition Micetro is back for another bite of the cheese.  Last time  Mike was 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’.

All profits from the nights ticket sales go to support The City Mission, who run the largest Wellington Food Bank – read about the good things they do at wellingtoncitymission.org.nz

When: 7pm Sunday July 19th

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:  doorsales or Buy Online Now $10

WIT Events on the Facebook

 

 

Micetro winner surrounded by admirers

Term ii face-to-face classes cancelled

WIT’s  Joy of Improvisation and Improv for the Stage classes at the Wellington High School Community Education Centre, due to start in May, have now been formally cancelled for Term 2.   Our Tuesday night drop in sessions will continue via zoom during April and May (at least), and a more structured online course is planned too.

Term iii (starting July 30th) and Term iv (from October 15th) classes at WHSCEC are still scheduled as normal.

Please check our website’s front page or on Facebook for the latest info.

Improvisors trampling the tiny city of Paris to win a giant prize cup

Battle of WITs – Fringe 2020


THIS SHOW HAS HAPPENED ALREADY!!!  BUT, YOU NEVER KNOW, IT MIGHT RETURN AGAIN AGAIN!!  FOR NOW, YOU CAN READ WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT

GAME ON!

Improv is not the game played with the round balls or even with the squishy-shaped balls, and the venue is no grassy paddock: this is Battle of WITs. Original improvised theatre will be made up before your very eyes and YOU decide which team is the best on the night.

Battle of WITs was The Wellington Improvisation Troupe’s very first official show after the group officially formed in 2003. The format hasn’t been played it in a few years, but in a wave of unrepentant nostalgia WIT declared it time to unleash the high energy high stakes competition again. AND to invite other troupes to put their troops into the high stakes onstage battles too.

This Fringe there’ll be three nights of hard-out heats, and a Grande Finale on the last night. The ultimate winners will take home a glorious trophy to prove that they are the ones who have what it takes to win improv gold.

Talented improvisers will boldly risk life and limb to conjure up scenes on the spot, aiming to outwit and outlast their competitors. The audience will decide who perishes and who prevails, so come along, pick your favourites and make them champions!

“The format mixes experienced players and adorably bold newcomers,” says Ali Little, the show’s creative director. She claims that anything could happen as stories and songs and scenes are created from nothing more than audience suggestions and player inspiration. “It should be a wild ride”.

What: Battle of WITs
Who: The Wellington Improvisation Troupe (WIT) and Invited Guests
When: Wednesday 11 March to Saturday 14 March, 6.30pm
Where: Te Auaha Tapere Iti, 65 Dixon St, Wellington

Visit the FRINGE for tickets and a bunch (a slew, a cascade a cornucopia) of other great shows,  WIT’s Facebook for the latest details, team photos and gossip about this show.

Drawing of a crow holding Poe's head

Poe’d – Fringe 2020


THIS SHOW HAS HAPPENED ALREADY!!!  BUT, YOU NEVER KNOW, IT MIGHT RETURN AGAIN AGAIN!!  FOR NOW, YOU CAN READ WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT

Also, Theatreview thought it was “MACABRE MADE MISCHIEVOUS”  
While Artmurmurs’ reviewer said “I had a lovely time“

A Darkly Gothic Romp

Everyone knows Edgar Allen Poe died mysteriously in Baltimore in 1849. But recently a trunk of mysterious papers was discovered by the same researchers who previously discovered the Lovecrafted archive (revealed during the 2019 Fringe). Did the forty year old Poe fake his death, flee to a remote island nation and live out the rest of a long life writing epically gothically tragically romantic stories shaped by the myths and realities of life among the phlegmatic people of the farthest flung corner of the British Empire??

Find out as each night a different narrator channels the tortured author to bring original improvised tales to Te Auaha’s Tapere Iti stage.

“The show will be a romp through a gothic past” says Ali Little, the show’s creative director. She claims the tortured author, a man who spawned so many many tortured imitators, has communicated to her through ethereal means.  And he is “delighted, just delighted” that these tales which should have been part of his oeuvre, now will be.

What: Poe’d
Who: The Wellington Improvisation Troupe (WIT) and Invited Guests
When: Friday 28 and Saturday 29 February 8pm, Sunday 1 and Monday 2 March 7pm
Where: Te Auaha Tapere Iti, 65 Dixon St, Wellington

Visit the FRINGE for tickets and a bunch (a slew, a cascade a cornucopia) of other great shows,  WIT’s Facebook for the latest details, team photos and gossip about this show.

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

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