Festival Unexpected Performances

Come see Festival Unexpected participants bring a week of creative exploration to the stage, using movement, subtext, silence, tension, and bold physical choices to create characters, relationships, and stories in the moment. The result is improv that is funny, surprising, theatrical, and completely spontaneous, with every performance created live and never to be repeated.

Performance Schedule

Wednesday, August 26

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Festival Duos & Trios Kick off the performance side of Festival Unexpected with an evening celebrating some of improv’s most exciting forms: two or three performers creating an entire world together.

Thursday, August 27

8:00 PM – 9:45 PM | Unexpected Theatre Festival guest Inbal Lori and Unexpected Productions Artistic Director Tony Beeman turn audience suggestions into a full-length improvised play.

Using the same theatrical techniques and practices explored throughout the festival, the performers build characters, relationships, history, and an entire theatrical world in real time.

Friday, August 28

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Improv Happy Hour: Festival Showcase Festival participants take the stage in a special Happy Hour performance. Participant sign-up required for either Friday or Saturday.

7:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Rebel Frequencies An improvised play exploring connection, survival, and hope in dystopian times.

9:30 PM – 12:00 AM | Seattle Theatresports: Festival Edition The Unexpected Productions Ensemble and festival guests collide in a high-energy Mainstage Theatresports battle driven by audience suggestions.

Saturday, August 29

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Improv Happy Hour: Festival Showcase Festival participants take the stage in a special Happy Hour performance. Participant sign-up required for either Friday or Saturday.

7:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Rebel Frequencies An improvised play exploring connection, survival, and hope in dystopian times.

9:30 PM – 12:00 AM | Seattle Theatresports: Festival Edition The Unexpected Productions Ensemble and festival guests return for another Mainstage battle featuring bold choices, fierce play, and plenty of surprises.

Sunday, Aug 30: Grand Finale

5:30PM – 7:15 PM | The Dust Up: Festival Participant Finale The final participant showcase of Festival Unexpected, open to all festival students. After a week of bold choices, experimentation, big laughs, and spontaneous storytelling, festival participants take the stage one last time for an all-in improv jam.

Come celebrate the people who made the week unforgettable and close out Festival Unexpected with laughter, play, and a whole lot of heart.

7:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Deep Dream starring Inbal Lori A surreal, dream-inspired narrative performance starring Inbal Lori, where images, characters, ideas, and stories emerge, disappear, transform, and collide. It’s an imaginative and unpredictable final performance for a festival devoted to discovering everything improv can become.

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