Auditions

The KC Improv Company will hold General Auditions on Nov. 9, 2024, from 2:30 -4:00 pm! A second audition time will be available Nov. 16, at 10:30 am.

Email classes@kcimprov.com to apply for a spot, providing a short description of your experience!

We are looking for comedic actors with 9+ months of improv experience. Must be over 18 and younger than 118. Auditions involve performing 2- and 3-person scenes based on simple suggestions, some short-form games, and potentially 15-minute long-form sets.

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What do you do? The KC Improv Company does improvisational theater. It was originally implemented as an exercise to aid in the creation of scripted work, but people realized the entertainment value of the act itself. It has been popularized by productions such as Second City, Whose Line Is It, Anyway?, Wild'N Out, and Middleditch & Schwartz. If you are new to improv, check out our classes.

Who are you? The KC Improv Company (KCIC) was founded in a basement. Now, 24 years later, we put on 3+ shows a week at The Kick Comedy Theater in Westport, teach classes, and perform throughout the Midwest and beyond, in both educational and entertainment capacities. We make people laugh, inspired by their suggestions.

Why should I audition?

Being a member of the company means you'll be a paid performer at our public and private shows. Each month, as an actor/improviser, you are expected to attend 2-3 rehearsals/workshops and appear in 1-8+ shows, depending on availability. We will aid in your development -- you may attend any KCIC classes for free. You will hone your skills and voice. You'll connect with other talented comedic humans. You'll be treated with respect by the company. You will have the chance to teach, direct, or produce. It's really fun to make big groups of people laugh.

What do I need to bring to auditions?

Yourself! And comfortable clothing & shoes. As everything will be improvised, you won’t need to prepare anything. You don’t want to wear a dress, skirt, or suit that might limit your mobility. Providing performance resumes and headshots before or at the audition is encouraged but not necessary. Attending an improv class to knock off any rust or get more comfortable is a good idea for some people.

How do auditions work?

We do warm-ups, 2- and 3-person scenes based on suggestions, short-form games, and potentially long-form sets. You would do this with other auditioners and possibly with members of KCIC. All the members of KCIC can attend auditions. We make it a point to create a fun, comfortable environment. We may ask certain individuals to stay longer than others, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anyone is in or out. We will send an email shortly after auditions to notify those we would like to see at callbacks. We are definitively anti-racist, anti-sexist, pro-LGBTQ, and we value different perspectives and experiences of all kinds.

Who will you add to the group?

We never have a set number of people we want to add. We look for comedic talent of course, but that is not the only thing. We look at who is confident and competent with their improv, and who knows when to make a bold choice and when to make their scene partner look good. Someone who is versatile in terms of style and character type. We look for performers who add to a scene rather than take away.

If you audition, you may be invited to join the main cast, a house team, or our newest squad, Movie Team 5, which will perform improvised movies live on stage.

If you have any questions about our audition process or our company, feel free to email us at info@kcimprov.com. A

If you are taking classes through the KC Improv Company Training Center, we strongly recommend that you wait until you’ve completed at least 3 levels to audition.