Category: Calendar

Silverbacks 10th(ish) Annual Improvised Holiday Show

It’s nearly that time of year again! On Friday, December 16th, Silverbacks Improv Theatre will interpret their signature improvisations through the lens of a brand new, completely made up Holiday! This year, we’ll be welcoming more of our extended improv family to the party, with The Weaning Process helping us to create our newest holiday traditions on the SuperCollider stage!

For this show, each of the performers will be wearing a Holiday Sweater and invite the audience to do the same. ANY Holiday themed items are welcome – the audience is invited to wear their finest Christmas, Easter, Mardi Gras, or even Groundhog Day sweaters to add to the fun.

Our 9 previously invented holidays are “Paper-Clip Appreciation Day” (2012), “Garden Gnome Day” (2013), “Leonardo DaVinci’s Mother’s Birthday” (2014), “Picasso-Palooza” (2015), “St. Lampshades Day” (2016), “Structural Support Day” (2017), and “Snowpocalypse: The Anniversary of that One Day It Snowed in Louisiana” (2018), “Aggressive Yoga Day” (2019), and “Don’t Fit Day” (2020). Since we weren’t able to get together in 2021, we really can’t wait to celebrate a Brand New Holiday and its many wonderful traditions with you.

9:00 pm at Cite des Arts, 2nd Stage Tickets are $10 at the door!

Improv 2 with Mads and Claudia!

Our Improv workshops continue with Improv Level 2. Move beyond the basics with characterization and 2-person scene building! Past students have gone on to create their own troupes, have much more airtight excuses when they’re late to work, and have been told they’re hilarious on zoom calls. Our eight-session course has helped to foster talent in Acadiana for years, and now it’s your turn. Sign up today! Improv 2 – A Silverbacks Improv Class Teachers: Mads Manuel & Claudia Mijares

Tuesdays – January 17, 24, 31, Feb 7, BREAK for Valentines day and Mardi Gras, Feb 28, March 7, 14, 21
Time: 6pm – 8pm CST
Where: Cité des Arts
Ages: 16+
Cost: $160*

Register online here:
https://checkout.square.site/buy/3JSMNV4FTGNIOUCOHRV22JUY

Students may also message the Silverbacks Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/SilverbacksImprov, or email us with questions at silverbacksimprov@gmail.com

*Silverbacks believe that the price should not be a barrier for the study of improv. We are committed to the following initiatives for our 2023 courses:

– Payment Plans – we can set up a payment plan for students – simply contact us at silverbacksimprov@gmail.com.

– We are participating in the Black Improv Alliance’s program, 100 Black Improvisers. The goal of the program is to sponsor Black improv students in the study of improv. We are participating by offering a number of scholarships for Black students. Please reach out to Silverbacks or see the Black Improv Alliance’s website for more information: https://blackimprovalliance.com/100-black-improvisers

– Other arrangements can be made as necessary – reach out to us at silverbacksimprov@gmail.com.

Instructor Bios:

Mads Manuel has been improvising since 2007, when they join UL’s Cult of the Stage Monkey. They grew with the organization and served as Director, training several successful classes of new improvisers while also working to continue the development of intermediate and advanced performers. In 2012, they began performing with the professional group that would eventually become Silverbacks Improv Theatre. They’ve gone on to perform as part of the Your Pretty Friend Improv duo. In addition to their Improv experience, Mads appeared regularly in local community theatre productions and is proud to have cobbled together their anxiety into a convincing human personality.

Claudia Mijares has been improvising since 2016, and is a current member of several Lafayette troupes including The Weaning Process, Ragtag, The Plural Noun, Your Spooky Friends, and Silverbacks Improv Theatre.

Return of the Improv Breakfast Jam!

Are you improv-curious? Come see what all the fuss is about.
Taken classes? Come practice the skills you’ve learned.
Like donuts & coffee? Come and get it!

Silverbacks Improv Theatre is hosting an Improv Breakfast Jam to play improv games and hang out with other cool people. It will be a mixer with a fun, relaxed atmosphere. You can participate at your comfort level, including being in the audience.

Join us on Saturday, November 19th at 10am (until noon) at Cite des Arts.
You bring yourself, we’ll bring the donuts (and coffee).

SuperCollider: ft. Sketch Comedy! Nov. 11, 2022

Come to the 2nd Stage at Cité des Arts on Friday, November 11th at 9pm for a very special SuperCollider: Acadiana’s Improv Showcase brought to you by Silverbacks Improv Theatre!

This month, we are pleased to welcome:
-Rag Tag Improv (Lafayette, LA)
-Two for the Road (Houston, TX/Lafayette, LA)
-The Overeducated (Baton Rouge, LA)

We are also pleased to announce that we are fulfilling the grand SuperCollider! vision by incorporating SKETCH COMEDY into the roster! This month’s show will feature sketches by Renee Barry, Sarah Mikayla Brown, and Trevor Chapman.

Hosted by Lafayette’s own Charles Thomas Vidrine

That’s Sketch, Improv, AND Stand-up Comedy, all for just $10! 

Improv 1 with Aren and Renee

Improv Comedy Classes starting October 4 with Silverbacks Improv Theatre!

Quick Details:
Improv 1 – A Silverbacks Improv Class (Teachers: Aren Chaisson & Renee Barry)
Dates: Tuesdays – October 4, 11, 18, 25, Nov 1, Nov 8
Time: 6-8pm CST
Where: Cité des Arts
Ages: 16+
Cost: $120 – scholarships available
Register online here:
https://checkout.square.site/buy/VR4MXJQOSZQZQH5TJMSZIZGA

Students may also message the Silverbacks Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/SilverbacksImprov, or email with questions at silverbacksimprov@gmail.com.

Since 2015, Silverbacks Improv Theatre has offered Improv classes in Lafayette. As a result, the improv scene has blossomed and continues to grow. A new round of classes is starting on October 4 with Improv 1. This six week course is designed for the complete novice to improv and/or performing arts. Teachers focus on creating a friendly environment for even the most demure wall flower to be able to participate. Improv is excellent for growing skills in communication, team work, and public speaking. Students will be eligible to progress to Improv 2 and 3 following this course, should they choose to continue studying.

Silverbacks believe that the price should not be a barrier for the study of improv, and will not turn away any students for lack of a traditional fee. Payment plans, scholarships, and barters are all available.

Teacher Bios:
Renee Barry is thrilled to be teaching with her pal Aren! Renee moved back home to Lafayette in 2020 after spending eight years in Chicago, IL performing improv and writing sketch comedy shows. In Chicago, Renee wrote and performed at The Second City in such productions as Thank You Five, Out Damn Spotlight, Ready Player: Won, and 1984-Play. Renee will be performing in CCT’s The Real Inspector Hound in November at Cité des Artes. Renee teaches improv and sketch writing to teens at CYT, and she teaches Talented Theatre in St. Martin Parish schools. Renee is so grateful to be a part of the Lafayette comedy community!

Aren Chaisson is an actor and improvisor with over 25 years experience on stage. He is from Lafayette, Louisiana and teaches Talented Theatre in Iberia Parish. Aren has performed in many productions, including John Proctor in The Crucible, Huey P. Long in The Kingfish, Dale Pittman in The North Plan, Harry “Jazzbo” Haywood in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Lenny in Of Mice and Men, Foreman in Twelve Angry Men, Cliff in Cabaret, Officer Lockstock in Urinetown and William Shakespeare in William and Judith. In 2018 he was in his first CCT production as Jud in Oklahoma! Most recently he was seen as Max Bialystock in The Producers. Since graduating from University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a BFA in Performing Arts, he has performed in NYC, Chicago, Syracuse, Alabama, Indiana, on regional and national tours, and in short films and commercials. He studied improv with Armando Diaz at the Magnet Theatre in NYC and performs with Silverbacks Improv troupe.

SuperCollider! welcomes out-of-town (and out-of-state) acts this September

Come to the 2nd Stage at Cité des Arts on Friday, September 9th at 9pm for SuperCollider: Acadiana’s Improv Showcase brought to you by Silverbacks Improv Theatre!

This month, we are pleased to welcome:
-Rag Tag Improv [Lafayette] – Rag Tag is an all female improv troupe bringing you high energy free form improv. Their content ranges from light and wholesome to blue and tawdry. You’re welcome, Acadiana. 😉

-The Family Dinner [Baton Rouge] – The Family Dinner delights audiences on both sides of the Mississippi with a wide array of fast-paced improv games that are always funny and often physical.

-HPAF [Houston, TX] – HPAF (Hodgepodge as f***) is a longform improv comedy troupe from Houston, Texas, specializing in Harold.

Tickets are $10

Silverbacks and lots of other familiar faces will perform online for Baton Rouge Improv Festival

We’re very excited to announce that we’ll be performing our 90s Sitcom Format tonight, May 13, at 8:30pm (Central), for the #BatonRougeImprovFest!

The show will be live streamed at https://www.batonrougeimprovfest.com/

Also performing this week are local & regional favorites: The Plural Noun, No Lye Comedy, The Family Dinner, Two Friends, Two For The Road, and Rag Tag!

To catch all your favorite acts, and discover a few new troupes along the way, be sure to check out this week’s Improv Festival Schedule!

5-4 BRIF Show Schedule Image.png

Virtual Improv 2 begins April 17th!

Prerequisite: LEVEL ONE or previous stage or public speaking experience. Must be comfortable acting in a group and working with others in scene work.

Though the emphasis of the class is still on fun, LEVEL TWO includes some conceptual and technical information to help build your improvisational skills. LEVEL TWO introduces students to principles of teamwork, character building and other concepts that will help to build comfort in spontaneity.

Based on games learned in Level One, LEVEL TWO students get to enhance their performance skills through exploration of their own style of play.

All classes will be held virtually on Zoom.

Classes run on Saturdays from April 17 – June 5th – 2-4pm.

This is course is $160 as the base rate. That said, Silverbacks believe that price should not be a barrier for the study of improv. We are committed to the following initiatives for our 2021 courses:

  • Payment Plans – we can set up a payment plan for students – simply contact us at silverbacksimprov@gmail.com.
     
  • We are invested in providing scholarships to Black students for our courses to create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable improv community. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please email silverbacksimprov@gmail.com
     
  • Other arrangements can be made as necessary – reach out to us at silverbacksimprov@gmail.com.

Teacher Biographies:

Mike Honore is a stand up comedian and improviser based in Baton Rouge, LA. He is a member of the Family Dinner improv troupe. His debut comedy album, “Splenda Afternoon,” can be found on iTunes.

Sarah Mikayla Brown is a member of Silverbacks Improv Theatre as well as improv ensembles Rag Tag and Two for the Road. Brown is a graduate of the improvisation program at the Annoyance Theatre in Chicago.

Register Online Today!