“A One-of-a-Kind Event:” The Comedy Project Brings Performers Together for Annual “Improvathon”

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Every year since 2019, The Comedy Project – a local non-profit improv group in Pocatello – has gathered performers together for a three day marathon of improv shows. They call it "Improvathon" and it's running this weekend Thursday - Saturday at the Westside Players.

The improv group plans and prepares months in advance for the grueling weekend. On Friday, March 20th, some members are teaching and performing until 2 a.m.

Daniel Sheldon, President of The Comedy Project (TCP), says the goal is to "bring as much improv as we possibly can cram into a single weekend."

This means having over 26 hours of improv showcases ranging from TCP shows, to high school improv sessions performed by local high schoolers, workshops taught by local and national performers, and guest performances. Sixty-five improv actors travel to Pocatello for "Improvathon."

"We want to do as much improv as we can with as many friends as we can," Sheldon said. The Comedy Project gathers performers from neighboring states for the event.

"Our outside troops are coming from California, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Washington and Montana," said Jacob Andrysiak, TCP member and "Improvathon" Committee Chairman. Andrysiak fell in love with improv comedy when he went to his first workshop. He now lives out of town, but travels back to Pocatello every year for this event.

"I just love the growth of comedy. I love what it can do for people's lives from an education standpoint," Andrysiak said. "Year after year, I want to see kind of who's showing up and supporting them and watching some of those improvisers grow in their craft."

Some of the showcases involve audience participation. Sheldon said to be prepared to answer questions, offer storyline ideas, or even be pulled up on stage.

"You get to engage with the performers. You give us suggestions, you're the ones who really shape the stories that emerge on stage," said Andrysiak. "That's something fun and unique about improvathon."

TCP members take "shifts" during "Improvathon," but they've taken care to ensure that whether audience members show up at 10 am or midnight, they'll have an excellent experience and laugh a lot.

"We're going to be on stage for hopefully quite a while over the course of the weekend, and we try to keep that energy up, making sure that if somebody comes in at midnight or somebody comes in at 10 a.m. it's still going to be a good show either way," said Sheldon.

Sheldon said there is nothing quite like "Improvathon" in this area.

"If you are one, if you're a fan of comedy of any sort, we're going to have troops that perform absolutely insane, wacky, weird things," Sheldon said. "We're going to have troops that are going to be very similar to what you might expect from other improv networks. We're going to have just a absolutely massive collection of some of the most talented people that we've come across when we've been traveling across states. It's just a one of a kind event."

Andrysiak pointed out that each performer is doing something unique and brave, which is exciting to witness as an audience member. "It's a good way to just laugh and kind of just chill out, relax, and have a good time, especially heading into your spring break," he said.

Improvathon continues until 2 a.m. on Friday, and runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Westside Players Saturday, March 21st. For showtimes, details and tickets, check The Comedy Project's Facebook and Instagram pages as well as their website at tcpimprov.org/improvathon.