Provocation Builds a Theatre.
Since our inception in 2023, we have created fierce improv comedy with heart.
As the premiere improv comedy training center and now fully fledged performance space in Berkeley, our new home needs sparkle and “Yes! And…” that only you, yes YOU! can give.
We heard the call. We have run bare bones for three years successfully, only having 9 hours in our space weekly to train and teach and renting any available space for shows.
We grew and grew until one day we all looked at the fact: we reached the ceiling. There was no more growth to be had with the limits we lived in. We started looking for a space on 10/6, found our new home on 10/16, and are opening doors on 12/7. Something about the magic of improv said leap because we know with time, love, and community this net will be made. With this lease and build out, we have taken great care to build intentionally. As a boutique improv theatre, we want our space to feel cozy, warm, inviting and uplifting. Our single classroom/performance space will house our Queer house team, our BIPOC house team, up and coming student talent on stage, teachers from all walks of life giving the gift of their creativity and give a permanent space for our students to learn.
But that’s not all! We know each other first as improvisers and we want to be able to offer even more. Our community comes from many professions, interests, and intersections of life and our new space will be able to offer chances to gather.
With your financial support, we can focus creativity energy on our 2026 goals, some including:
1. Premiere partnerships for local senior citizen groups to use improv as memory care and intergenerational connection.
2. Offer accessible private training to non profits and small groups that may not otherwise be able to afford high cost professional development but still need access to team building opportunities.
3. Give space for UC Berkeley students to work on personal development and career training.
4. Build a robust storytelling home for individual expression.
5. Offer therapy, healing, creative groups a home to gather.
6. Maybe finally make that Youth Training Program? :)
....while also still offering high quality improv shows and classes for all.
We will lead as theatre artists and in time become a fully realized community hub.
This theatre will also house the second annual “Yas! And…” festival, a queer centric comedy festival that premiered last year to sold out crowds and provided local comedy teams, clown artists, stand up comics, burlesque, and drag performers to come together. With this presence, we hope to make this a fully fledged national affair.
We will survive with what we have, with your donation we can thrive. Our goal in creating this space, opening the doors, and asking for your help is to allow our creative artists to worry less about the financial transition into this space and more about creating high quality shows, teaching engaging classes, and offering community space in the first few months.
We have always been a community forward organization, paying our teachers top dollar while never turning away anyone due to lack of funds.
Our creative director has 10+ years of theatre leadership and management and we do what we do because, well, we love it. We are here, proud, and ready to become a long standing tradition in Berkeley, California.
Can you help us in our mission to spread the life changing, much needed, artistic blossom of improv? You bring the bucks, we’ll take care of the laughter, community and heart.
