The Phoenix Improv Festival celebrates it’s 14th year in 2015! I had a chance to interview Executive Director and NIN Co-Founder Bill Binder to chat with him about what we can expect this year.
What makes PIF 14 different than other improv festivals?
Last year we shared the building with another event. I’m sure the other event was great and I heard good things about it, but I overheard a conversation between two of the ushers. The first usher was concerned about sending people to the correct event and the head usher said “If they’re here to see art, send them to the Improv Festival.”
That’s something I didn’t ever think I’d hear. Your question was how we’re different than other festivals, and certainly we’re not unique at all in celebrating the art of improv. But what is unique here is how much our city celebrates it as art. We play in a beautiful venue that seats about 400 people and – of course – there are performers in the audience. But there are also hundreds of people who may or may not see improv throughout the year, but they come to the festival to celebrate the cultural landscape of their city. Our audience members see improv in rotation with the opera and the ballet in town. And let me tell you, you know that old saying, “Treat your audience like poets…” it works the other way. This audience will treats us like professionals and artists and the work we get to do in response lives up to that. It feels great to play in that kind of environment.
What can we expect from PIF 14 this year?
Kind of tagging onto the last question, this is our 14th year and our audiences are coming to a grown-up event, so we are going to act like grown-ups. There will defiitely be some parties, but the performances themselves, we’re going to try to treat the festival and performers like we’re there on purpose, not some kids who stumbled into a theatre. I think this year we’re going to go even further in treating our visitors like the professionals they deserve to be treated as.
What can an improvisor get if they are accepted into PIF 14?
All performers play the mainstage. There is no sidestage or second smaller venue. Each group gets put up for one night at the Holiday Inn across the street from the venue. Each group gets a den mother who is available 24 hours for them to give them rides, get them food, show them around town, get them to the festival, etc. There are two parties with transportation to and from. There will be a photoshoot on Saturday. All groups get a video of their performance for submitting to other festivals. We have workshops on Saturday as well as our third unconference to discuss the art and business of improv. We will have panels and possibly a return of Jam City.
Besides the Improv Festival, why else should a troupe take a trip out to Phoenix. What’s the Valley of the Sun have to offer?
Well, Oprah’s favorite pizza place for one. people always ask about that. But if you really want good pizza, there are plenty of other places we can get you. Downtown Phoenix has plenty of museums, and many of them are great, but I won’t list them all because the names mean nothing. But the Musical Instrument Museum and Butterfly Wonderland are pretty self-explanitory. There are no baseball games in town that weekend, but there are plenty of places nearby to watch games. The Roosevelt Row area is a more Bohemian neighborhood right next to the hotel where many small local bands, galleries and restaraunts are within walking distance. If you really want to experience “the old west”, there are plenty of scenic parks and fairly inauthentic ghost towns your den mother can get you to. And of course, the hotel has a pool.
You’ve been at it for 14 years. What have you seen change in improv from year 1 to year 14 in your community?
In 2002, the love of improv was huge, but in a very small circle of people who didn’t have the knowledge or the skill to share that love. Only seven years ago, I ran a listing for classes and the person running the mailing list kept insisting that I put the words “zany” and “wacky” in the listings. When I refused she said “OK, but you’ll be yelling into the wind.” We’re not yelling in the wind anymore. There are six great improv theatres in the area and many smaller groups. The community knows what improv is and there are hundreds, not dozens, of people meeting each week to practice, or just discuss the craft. There are a dozen great shows every week somewhere in Phoenix, and those folks come together to put on an amazing event each April.
Nick Armstrong
Nick Armstrong is Founder and Camp Director of Improv Utopia an improv retreat for adults in California and Pennsylvania. He is also one of the founding members of the National Improv Network and performer and teacher at iO West as well as member of The Sunday Company at The Groundlings. He has also taught many workshops around the country.
