AUGUST 15, 2010 – SHOW AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

It’s finally up. Check out our rockin’ show and workshop line up. We are boasting groups from San Francisco, Austin, NYC, Chicago, Baltimore and many other cities. Prepare have your face blown off via the power of comedy. Booya!

At this moment, we have only one slot left in the BBCF 2010 Long-Form Intensive. That’s right, only one more person will get the opportunity to spend 4 days studying with these world renowned instructors - Tim Orr and Regina Saisi - who have taught in Amsterdam, Beirut, Helsinki, London, Paris and Stockholm. Act fast and you can be the final person to learn the secrets behind the unique San Francisco-style pioneered by our esteemed guests.

BBCF is ecstatic to host Get Up as a festival headliner. These two master improvisers from Austin, Texas present narrative long form at its best. Expect multiple characters, quick edits, and sophisticated comedy as they make up a complete story on the spot. As The Austin Chronicle put it, "Get Up improvisers Shannon McCormick and Shana Merlin are so in sync, it's scary. Is it supernatural? A mind meld? Or just wicked smart improv?"

JULY 15, 2010 – BLACK BOX IMPROV TOURNAMENT

July 23rd-24th, 2010 - DramaTech Theater presents the third annual Black Box Improv Tournament, where 8 comedy teams will battle it out in one knock-down, drag-out fight after another. Each death match pits two teams against each other in a relentlessly assault of gut-busting comedy. Whichever team garners the most audience affection moves on to the next round. The other team goes home. The solo surviving team will be crowned the BBIT 2010 Champion and receive the coveted 15min performance slot that opens The Big Show on SAT 9/18 in DramaTech Theater.

The onslaught of improv will pause right before the final BBIT match as the Stand Up Showcase opens the SAT 7/24 10PM show. It features 5 talented local comics - Brad Binkley, Paul Gallois, Laura Lewis, Matt O'Meara and Mike Kaiser. Don't miss these up and coming funny people. NOTE: Under the Couch is now located on the second floor of the Student Center.

JULY 1, 2010 – TENTATIVE SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

Submissions for BBCF 2010 are now closed. Tentative show and workshop schedules have been posted to the website. A finalized schedule will be announced August 1. Tickets and passes will be available for online purchase on September 1.

Switch is Asaf Ronen (Austin) and Jill Bernard (Minneapolis). These two powerhouse improvisers will be uniting for a one-shot performance during The Big Show.

Asaf Ronen is the creator and Editor-in-Chief of YESand.com and is the author of Directing Improv: Show the Way By Getting Out of the Way. He has been involved in improv since 1990, starting in college and working with Theatresports, ComedySportz and his own longform improv troupe, Hiatus.

Jill Bernard has been performing with ComedySportz-Twin Cities since 1993, and is also a founding member of HUGE Theater. She has taught and performed in over 40 improv festivals in North America and is the author/illustrator of Jill Bernard’s Small Cute Book of Improv, which explores her renowned method of creating spontaneous characters.

Both Asaf and Jill will be teaching multiple workshops during the festival. These workshops will sell out fast so be sure to sign up soon after they become available on September 1.

MAY 1, 2010 – THE PLAYHOUSE RETURNS

Hugely popular in San Francisco, The Naked Stage returns to BBCF for the second year running. Presented by the Improv Playhouse of San Francisco and starring Tim Orr, Regina Saisi, Dave Dennision and Lisa Rowland - it takes place on a single set, in traditional stage-play style. The improvisers play one character each with no built-in transitions or scene breaks. All the actors have is the bare stage, a simple suggestion from the audience and each other. Don't miss this amazing group that received two standing ovations at last year's festival.

BBCF Long-Form Intensive - Due to popular demand, we will be offering a 4-day intensive hosted by Tim Orr and Regina Saisi from San Francisco. The best, most in-depth and quality long-form education that 4 days can offer. This intensive focuses on the core elements that make San Francisco-style long-form successful — ensemble, narrative, acting, and genre/characters. Explore San Francisco's unique style of sustained, improvised narratives while working with these master coaches on professional vocal and physical stage techniques.

This intensive is for improvisers who have performing experience, have at least some long-form experience and want to step their play up to the next level. The intensive included classes from 9:00am-6:00pm from MON 9/13 thru THU 9/16 and performances from 8:00-8:30pm on THU 9/16 thru SAT 9/18. The students will be divided into three groups, each one performing once with Tim and Regina.

Early Submissions for BBCF 2010 are now closed. Thank you to all those who submitted early. If you didn't get your foot in the door, don't worry. You can still submit during our Standard Submission Period from 5/1-5/31.

MARCH 1, 2010 - SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN

The 2010 Black Box Comedy Festival is now seeking submissions from performance groups, instructors and scholarship applicants. There will be an increase in the submission fee for performance groups submitting after April 2010... so submit now! If you are interested in teaching at BBCF 2010, don't be shy. We are always on the look out for new instructors so that we can continue to keep our workshop selection plentiful and diverse. If you are having financial hardship or just want to save some money, apply for our scholarship and potentially get to see shows and take workshops for free!