Landmark Building B, Bayfront Theater
Long, long ago, in an epic time known as the 1980s, San Francisco
performers launched a quest for new ways to inspire creativity
and humor. They invited improvisation pioneer Keith Johnstone
to visit their merry band from the distant lands of the Pacific
Northwest. He taught them how to wage improv battles on stage
through his magical theatresports format, the workshop shows
sold out, and BATS was born.
From 1987-1997, BATS (Bay Area Theatresports) players sharpened
their improv skills at many performance spaces throughout
the Bay Area. In 1997, BATS moved to the Bayfront Theater
in Building B in Fort Mason Center. Since then, the company
has built on its mission to perform and promote improv theater
and has a worldwide reputation as a nexus of improv. BATS
celebrates 20 years in 2006 and has even bigger plans for
a global improv presence.
"We’re quite proud that BATS has been an ‘incubator’
for so many other improv troupes," said John Kovacevich,
BATS executive director. "Improv is a collaborative art
form. Playing with new performers keeps it fresh and means
new discoveries."
Learning Improv
The best way to create new improvisers is to provide lots
of improv training. The legendary Keith Johnstone returns
each year to teach at BATS’ intensive summer sessions.
July also brings BATS summer camp for children and teenagers.
The climax of the summer is a massive August festival featuring
22 shows with more than 100 improv artists.
Throughout the year, BATS offers many workshops
for improv hopefuls, exploring topics like musical improv,
physical comedy, character switching, and much more. Everybody
is welcome, regardless of experience, and classes attract
improv neophytes as well as experts. Through its Laughing
Stock program, BATS also gives free improv classes for people
living with HIV, AIDS, cancer, and other serious illnesses.
BATS trains about 1,900 students annually and has taught close
to 9,000 since 2000 – one of the largest improv schools
in the world. The Sunday Players is a troupe of advanced BATS
students who perform every Sunday night at the Bayfront Theater.
Enjoying Improv
To inspire and entertain the improv community and the
public, BATS has an extensive show lineup each month. BATS
players perform in settings and costumes ranging from the
starship Enterprise to the wild west or 1940s noir mysteries.
Dating, romance, and sex are also popular topics for BATS
shows. BATS has a number of talented singers, dancers, and
musicians among its ranks, resulting in great musicals with
themes ranging from Elvis to disco.
BATS players excel at long-form improv, a particularly challenging
format where each actor stays in character throughout the
performance, which is actually a multi-act play, rather than
a series of short skits. BATS audiences recently enjoyed prime
long-form theater at a May 2005 festival. BATS is so good
at long form that audiences are amazed that the entire convoluted
plot is not rehearsed or scripted beforehand.
"People think that the improvisers must have planned
the story or characters," said Kovacevich. "But
everything you see – the story, the dialogue, the live
music, the lights – it’s all completely improvised."
BATS players have even invented new long-form concepts. Artistic
director Dave Dennison came up with Family Drama, a show about
families reuniting for special occasions, such as holidays
and weddings.
"Long-form improv immerses both the audience and the
performers in a journey of character and story," said
Dennison.
Fostering Community
BATS’ efforts have paid off big time in fostering
a global improv community. A number of BATS alumni and current
and past members have formed their own groups and taken improv
into the mainstream. BATS people colonized Los Angeles and
formed LATS (LA Theatresports), returning each year to stoke
the friendly rivalry during the theatresports playoffs.
BATS players Rafe Chase and Tim Orr are in the wildly popular
3 For All, an improv group responsible for many sold-out shows.
Third member Stephen Kearin also teaches at LATS. Five other
BATS members comprise True Fiction Magazine, an improv troupe
inspired by pulp fiction of the mid-20th century.
All this activity has attracted notice. In May 2005, BATS
earned recognition in San Francisco Weekly’s 10th
Annual "Best of San Francisco" issue as the Best
Improv Group, the first time for that award. BATS has also
won six San Francisco Bay Guardian "Best of the Bay"
awards, the latest being the 2004 Best Comedy Troupe for the
30th annual awards, voted on by readers.
As for the future, BATS has big plans to increase visibility
among locals and visitors to San Francisco, which is a global
gathering place of sorts. Along those lines, BATS and 3 For
All raised $5,000 in one night in January for South Asian
tsunami relief. BATS has also completed the first phase of
a project to improve the performance space. The group raised
nearly $65,000 to expand the Bayfront stage and make the theater
accessible to wheelchairs. Like most BATS initiatives, the
new stage inspires creativity and makes the improv experience
better.
"The stage is wider and closer to the audience, creating
a greater connection between performers and audience members,"
Kovacevich said. "New elements like the balcony window
and built-in door give us more fun tools to play with in shows
and classes."
– Claudia Willen
Images: Rafe Chase in the Noir Mysteries
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