On of the few festivals scheduled haven’t given me the privilege to visit yet has been the Houston Improv Festival. The festival and it’s producers are growing and doing great things in the city of Houston. I had a chance to talk to Todd Boring about the festival this year. Read this article and then hurry up to submit to a great time in Texas.
Many Festivals are hard to reach for east coast or west coast troupes, but Houston is easily accessible from anywhere in the country. That said, many visitors have never been to the city before. What are some of the points of pride in Houston for people to visit?
The food in Houston is legendary. We are the #1 Fattest City on most lists for good reason. Ninfa’s on Navigation is the best Tex-Mex in the world. The best BBQ debate often comes to blows, and you can hardly go wrong venturing into any Vietnamese restaurant. Pho? Pho-get-about-it! Come to town expecting to sate your wildest food fantasies!
We have several world-class local brewers that generously sponsor live comedy. The beer here is clearly something we brag about. St. Arnold’s, Buffalo Bayou, Karbach, 8th Wonder, No Label and Southern Star all have delicious varieties and are all based here in the Houston area.
Generally, there’s a lot to do if you experience improv fatigue: stand-up, live music, museums, ballet, art galleries, theatre, parks, trails … did I mention eating? The festival hotel is right off Upper Kirby, which has great shops and food options. The theater is in the heart of Midtown, near the Museum District, and only a few blocks from the light rail. Plan to improvise and explore.
What are you offering visiting performers? What kind of budget should they be prepared for if they spend the weekend?
New this year, we are offering a single night’s stay at the Houston Improv Festival hotel – the Four Points Sheraton – for all out-of-town groups. It’s about 5 miles from the theater off Highway 59, and regularly it’s about $80 per night. On top of that, all performers will get a pass granting them access to all shows (subject to available seating).
As mentioned above, there are tons of great places to eat in Houston, and we really encourage folks coming in from out of town to check them out. Do yourself a flavor and ignore all the big chains.
If you enjoy Mexican food, then Ninfa’s on Navigation is absolutely not to be missed. Take a truckload of friends (it is not required to drive a truck in Houston, but it is highly encouraged), and expect to share everything you order. With a drink and tip you will have more delicious Mexican food than you can eat for around $25 a head.
There are some great little dives on Almeda and on Main just a few blocks from the theater. The app Urban-Spoon should definitely be your friend while you are in town. If you are on a tight budget, then you can still eat well at $10 a meal if you limit your drinks to water.
Speaking of drinks, at most bars domestics (Bud, Miller) will cost you in the $3 range. (A horrible waste of money IMHO.) Our fabulous selection of microbrews will cost you around $5. No Label has been our beer sponsor since the festival’s inception and their Hefeweizen is one of the best. For sampling a wide selection of local beers and eclectic bar food, we highly recommend The Hay Merchant in the Montrose area.
While Houston is expanding its light rail system, you are going to have a much better experience getting around if you rent a car. Also, maybe you haven’t heard, but we make gasoline here. Your patronage is appreciated. Definitely budget for some wheels – preferably lifted with a set of longhorns on the front.
What are some of the ideas in the Houston Improv scene that you really want to showcase to the world?
The Houston scene is finding its footing. Although CSz Houston has been around for over 23 years, there were only a few independent groups a few years ago. Today we have two additional established independent theaters with live comedy shows nearly every night of the week that also offer a full complement of improv training. Groups are forming and re-forming so fast we can’t keep track anymore. It’s a thriving comedy scene, and it’s growing.
Guest Improvisers will begin relationships with the city that could lead to other opportunities. There is a hunger in Houston for improv. It’s a pretty exciting era for us.
On the other side, what kinds of shows are you looking to showcase to the people of Houston?
We are always looking to broaden the horizons of our community and our audience. Groups doing unique forms and styles at the top of their intelligence are highly desired.
Also, we would really love to see more short-form groups submit. Frankly, although we think CSz Houston is the best short-form group in the country, we’d love to have some groups submit who could challenge that statement.
Finally, this year we are adding a family-friendly show slot. In past years we strived to make the Houston Improv Festival a place where performers can share their art without restrictions, and we have no plans to change that for the majority of our show slots. However, Houston has a lot of young improvisers that we are excited to introduce to this art form, and we are looking for groups willing to work within a PG-rating parameter.
What are your big goals in 2015 to grow from the 2014 festival?
Our goal hasn’t changed since the beginning:
To produce and promote improvisational theater in collaboration with the growing pool of improv acting and comedic talent in Houston.
Bringing Jimmy Carrane to Houston is a big realization of that goal this year. Jimmy’s Improv Nerd Podcast will allow us to highlight our emerging improv scene. His Art of Slow Comedy workshops give us a chance to expose a large pool of graduates to the artistry of this craft.
Looking forward to a great festival in 2015. We hope you will join us! Submissions close January 1, so get crackin’!
Currently Bill is an instructor at The Torch Theatre and producer for the Phoenix Improv Festival. He tours teaching and performing across North America.
