Omaha Comedy FestOmaha Comedy Fest
The Epic Rap Battles of History is a comedy series created by Nice Peter & epicLLOYD. In over 10 years they have created over 80 rap battles featuring both historical and fictional characters which have amassed over 3.5 billion views on YouTube.
1031 Bison is a comedy trio that performs improv, sketch and standup. During our first year of existence, we were nominated for an OEAA award for Outstanding Comedy Ensemble. Known for their irreverent, physical comedy 1031 Bison is a stampede of laughter.
We are a sketch comedy group that explores the human experience in the 21st century. Some of are queer are, some of us are not. Hence the "ish".
Real life married couple and veteran sketch performers Marc & Alonya Lowe combine forces in this two person sketch show interweaving original characters in different stages of relationships with painfully true, but funny stories from their real relationship.
Patrick and Sam met many, many years ago (how many? rude.) and they have been improvising together in various groups at Second City, iO Theater and the Annoyance ever since. They improvise in a "One-Act Play" style where after a suggestion is taken, they have one ongoing for the whole piece. They introduce multiple characters and jump in and out of them as the story unfolds.
Biscuits is layered with many of Omaha's funniest improvisers and ready to butter you up for a hot show. Often fast-paced and never flaky, Biscuits will always rise to the occasion.
We are a house improv team from Chaos Bloom Theater in Denver, CO. The group started about 9 months ago, and we have had about 2 shows a month since then. We currently use a town hall opening and a montage style for our set, which usually run around 20 minutes. We are most influenced by UCB game-heavy improv, as taught by Amey Goerlich. We have been described as "very funny" by some of our friends and "better than perfectly fine" by our coach.
Cobranauts do fast-paced improv and strike quickly (much like a Cobra) and are totally out there (like an astronaut). The longest running house team at M.I.'s Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica, CA and seven-time winners of the improv tournament there, the 'nauts are getting ""too old for this shit"" but are still clutching the comedy dream. Cobranauts are Lloyd Ahlquist, Lish Bliss, Jennifer Cowan, Mary Gutfleisch, Byron Kennerly, Patrick McIntyre, Jen Parker, Cole Stratton and Timmy Tamisiea, but don't hold that against them.
"Dad Jokes" is a five-person comedy improv troupe that delivers slow-burn tragedy through quirky characters exploring the human condition. Using the 'Spokane' form, Dad Jokes explores both a complex two person relationship and the colorful world they inhabit. 40% dads. 60% funny.
Diet Milk is a team that mostly performs at Chaos Bloom Theater in Denver, CO. Diet Milk brings a great mix of weirdos and grounded human beings together to make performances that anyone can love.
Founded in 2020, District 9 is Denver’s longest running and first ever BIPOC improv team. They create worlds and share stories with audiences that are pure silliness. Catch them every 2nd Friday in Denver at Rise Comedy in downtown Denver and when they host a monthly community jam.
Fake Beef is an experimental indie group that's been together since early 2023. With a foundation based in the Brown Onion form, in which scenes are determined by the number of people on stage, Fake Beef leans into abstract scene work and an emphasis on playfulness.
This show features a lineup of freestyle rappers and comedians who step into the rap arena for roast battles, disses, rhyme games and everything else you'd hope for in a show like this. The Backline's intimate venue means you are right there in their faces with them as the best Fest acts take each other on in two teams. You, the audience, are more than just spectators; you are an integral part of the show, reacting to each line dropped, and ultimately deciding the winner of each round through applause. You might even get to spit a bar or two, if you're ready to "get ROWDY!
The audience picks the movie. The improviser makes up the dialogue, sound effects, and music. No film is safe in this fun, silly, and irreverent skewer of pop (and less than popular) culture.
Idiot Bitch is a queer and femme twosie improv team hailing from St. Louis, Missouri. Established in 2022, IB has enjoyed many seasons as a House Team of The Improv Shop. Alayna and Leslie perform a monoscene with a little chat at the top, because they're friends and they love each other. They emphasize playing with emotion, strong relationships, and following the fun.
Improv Cabaret is a fully improvised Broadway-style musical, action-packed with singing, dancing, rapping, hilarious characters, and touching story lines. Every single moment of this jazzy musical is made up in front of your eyes, like magic! Nothing is choreographed or written in advance and the audience even gets to choose the kinds of songs and dances they would like to see throughout the show! The show is heavily influenced by vaudeville acts and unique movement in the spirit of Bob Fosse (the choreographer of Cabaret and Chicago.) The cast, emcee, and live musician will help your build your perfect musical, only to be seen once!
King Louie is a two person improv team from Omaha, NE, featuring fast, physical improv. Karl Houser and Chris Bottum explore what it means to be human through dynamic character relationships.
With a focus on experimental improv forms, Lab Mates is always brewing up something new to share. And now they are taking their chemistry on the road to present the “Three Insane Rituals”: Deconstruction, F.O.I.L. and Rolling Harold back-to-back-to-back. Previous Lab Mates shows have tackled the Scramble and the Harold in the form of AMHAP (As Many Harolds As Possible).
Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, join the cast of Lost Realms as they combine their nerdy knowledge and musical talents to create a completely improvised musical based on a specific subgenre of sci-fi, fantasy, or horror. Will they find themselves in a dystopian future, the land of the faeries, or a town overrun with vampires? They don't know and they'll need your suggestions to help them complete the tale! Strap in for a musical journey from beyond with Lost Realms!
Mission Improvable is one of the longest running short form improv shops in the country, touring internationally and having a home show at The Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica, CA. These secret agents of comedy will blast off with high energy, interactive comedy that will leave the audience breathless.
All Female HipHop Improv - We interject freestyle hiphop ( a la musical improv) into our scenes, as well as have a short form running order of hip hop infused games.
Mouse Couch is a trio from Denver Colorado that has been performing long form improvisation together since December 2017. We describe the style of our play as "fluid masons". "Fluid" in that we move seamlessly and fluidly between scenes (aka no sweeps!). "Masons" in that we strive to build every scene one brick at a time so that we can discover everything together, along with the audience. We take one suggestion at the top and just go for it.
Pandemic! @ the Disco is a two person improvised musical duo made up of Matt Johnson and Robyn Helwig. Their form is is the hero's journey, where a flawed hero goes on an adventure of self discovery opposite a cast of wacky characters. Filled with comedy and heart, P!@tD's hero's journey is a must see blend of music and improv.
The Strangers is a long running team at The Backline Theater in Omaha, performing a 50 minute monoscene based on an extended interview with an audience member. Often profound, usually emotional, always funny.
We get a single-word suggestion from the audience that launches us into a personal monologue, followed by a 20-25-minute monoscene.
We do a unique improv approach in which we are completely silent throughout with no talking, and the viola is the only sound. Bob plays the viola beautifully and Karl and Sam use the viola music as inspiration and as a form of expression as we play together utilizing a lot of physicality and object work focusing on building and communicating our relationship.
Zip-Zopera performs an improvised freestyle hip-hopera. Typically the show is based off of a condensed 1-minute version of an audience member's life story.
