Bay Area Theatresports

BATS IMPROV IS DEDICATED TO THE PERFORMANCE, STUDY, DEVELOPMENT, AND PROMOTION OF IMPROVISATIONAL THEATRE.

SCHOOL: THE BATS SCHOOL OF IMPROV TEACHES WORKSHOPS FOR BOTH ACTORS AND NON-ACTORS, TEACHING SKILLS SUCH AS ACTIVE LISTENING, MAKING ONE'S PARTNER LOOK GOOD, FAILING GOOD-NATUREDLY, AND TAKING RISKS. IN FY 21-22, THE BATS SCHOOL OF IMPROV OFFERED ITS FOUNDATIONAL CURRICULUM TO STUDENTS BOTH ONLINE AND IN-PERSON WITH MORE THAN 143 CLASSES WHICH SERVED 1,225 STUDENTS, INCLUDING INTRODUCTORY CLASSES, OUR CORE CURRICULUM OF FOUNDATION, PERFORMANCE LABS, PLUS GENRE AND SKILLS SPECIALTY CLASSES, AND A FLOURISHING MONTH OF SUMMER INTENSIVES. ADVANCED STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN 22 STUDENT SHOWS. ADDITIONALLY, BATS SCHOOL OF IMPROV EXPANDED TO OFFER YEAR-ROUND IMPROV CLASSES FOR YOUTH WITH CLASSES FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE. OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED FEE FREE PLACES WHICH ENABLED 27 STUDENTS OF COLOR AND DIVERSE ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS TO STUDY AT THE BATS SCHOOL OF IMPROV.

CORPORATE: THROUGH ITS IMPROV@WORK TRAINING PROGRAMS, BATS BROUGHT IMPROVISATIONAL TRAINING EVENTS TO THE WORKPLACE, OR COWORKERS TO OUR THEATRE, TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN FUN ACTIVITIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO BETTER COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION AND TEAM BUILDING. IN FY 21-22, THE IMPROV@WORK PROGRAM REACHED CLIENTS IN A VARIETY OF BUSINESS SECTORS AND CONDUCTED OVER 116 DISTINCT IMPROV@WORK SESSIONS FOR 3,188 PARTICIPANTS. OF THOSE SESSIONS, 73 WERE IN PERSON AND 43 TOOK PLACE ONLINE. SINCE JUNE 2021, WHEN PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS WERE LIFTED AND WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO DELIVERING IN-PERSON LIVE TRAINING AS WELL AS VIRTUAL TRAINING, WE HAVE OPERATED A HYBRID, IN-PERSON, OR ONLINE BUSINESS MODEL. OF THE SESSIONS WE DELIVERED 7 WERE PRO BONO AND FREE TO PARTICIPANTS IN LINE WITH OUR EQUITY ACTION PLAN AND COMMITTMENT TO DEVOTE 1% OF EARNED REVENUE TO DELIVERING FREE ACTIVITIES FOR UNDERSERVED MINORITY COMMUNITIES, WITH A FOCUS ON BIPOC LOW INCOME YOUTH.

SHOWS: BATS MAIN STAGE PERFORMERS CREATED 89 COMPLETELY IMPROVISED SHOWS WHILE OUR ADVANCED STUDENTS CREATED 22 COMPLETELY IMPROVISED SHOWS DURING THE YEAR ENGAGING 2,288 AUDIENCE MEMBERS WHO WATCHED THE SHOW LIVE. IN FY21/22, DESPITE THE ONGOING PANDEMIC, WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER 15 COMPANY SHOWS AND 20 STUDENT SHOWS TO THE PUBLIC VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM AND MOVE BACK INTO THE THEATRE WITH 73 REGULAR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY PERFORMANCES WITH OUR MAIN STAGE COMPANY AND 2 IN-PERSON STUDENT SHOWS. OUR SHOW FORMATS INCLUDED EXISTING AUDIENCE FAVOURITES: BECHDEL TEST, FAMILY DRAMA, TWO MUSICALS TONIGHT, SNAP SHOT, IMPROVISED FARCE, AND SUPERSCENE. WE ALSO CREATED NEW FORMATS THAT CONTINUE TO BRING NEW VOICES AND DIVERSITY TO OUR STAGE: THE BINGE SHOW, THE HOUSE OF THE FLYING BAT, IMPROVISED ARABIAN NIGHTS, IMPROV GAMES ROADSHOW, CYPHER SCENES AND SCENES OF FORTUNE. STUDENTS ALSO CONTINUED TO DEVELOPED INNOVATIVE VIRTUAL FORMATS AND WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON PERFORMANCES AT OUR THEATRE.