BATS Improv Depicts Bay Area Neighborhoods in Theatresports™ Competition
Winning team to compete against LA-based troupe in August

San Francisco, CA (May 9, 2006) - BATS Improv, San Francisco’s oldest and most acclaimed improvisational theatre company, will be performing its “Battle of the Bay Theatresports Tournament” for an eight-week run beginning Friday, June 2, 2006. 

Eight teams, representing various regions of San Francisco and the North, East and South Bays, will compete for points while performing improvised games, songs and scenes inspired by audience suggestions. The tournament’s champions will compete in an August 26 match against the Los Angeles Theatresports troupe, in the finale to BATS’ Summer Improv Festival.

During the first month of the tournament, BATS will be giving away prizes and special offers at each performance to audience members who live in the area represented by the two competing teams. A complete schedule of team matchups is available by clicking here.

WHEN:       

• Select Fridays and Saturdays June 2 – August 6, 2006
• June performances:6/2, 6/3,6/9, 6/10, 6/23, 6/24, 6/30
• July performances: 7/1, 7/14, 7/15, 7/21, 7/22, 7/28, 7/29
• Championship Round: Saturday, 8/6
• All shows start at 8:00; Doors open 7:30

 WHERE:

• The Bayfront Theater
  Fort Mason Center, Bulding B, 3rd Floor
  San Francisco's Marina District
  Directions
  

 WHO:                    

BATS Improv’s Main Company, performing as the following teams:

• The Marin Hikers
• The East Bay Commuters
• The South Bay/Peninsula Punks
• The Marina Fajitagaters
• Noe Valley: Caffeinated
• V for Valencia
• The Bernal Heights Politically Correct Assumption Squad
• Viva La Mission!

TICKETS:

• Opening Night: $5
• Championship round: $15 all tickets
• Other nights $12 advance / $15 door
• Advance tickets available by clicking here
• Group sales available for groups of 15 or more; info@improv.org
  

About Theatresports™

The Theatresports format was created in 1976 by Impro author Keith Johnstone, with the intent to inject the passion displayed by sports fans into a theatre audience. In addition to San Francisco, major Theatresports leagues also exist in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Washington, DC, Orlando, San Diego, Ventura and Austin Texas, as well as in international locations such as Canada, England, Denmark, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

About BATS Improv – Celebrating 20 years/1986–2006

Acclaimed by critics as “bounce-in-your seat funny,” “consistently hilarious” and “San Francisco's premiere improvisational theatre”, BATS Improv has been a leader in the Bay Area's innovative improv theatre scene for nearly twenty years. Fifty weeks a year, BATS presents a series of completely improvised shows in a variety of formats—from comic competitions to improvised musicals and everything in between. BATS has also gained a reputation as one of the best schools of improvisational theatre anywhere in the world, and offers improv classes and workshops to individuals, corporations, non-profits and other groups.  BATS attracts students from all over the United States, and as far away as Australia, England, and Japan.

Additionally, BATS offers free improvisation classes through its “Laughing Stock” program to people living with HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis C, cancer, and other chronic, life-threatening illnesses. Classes focus on strengthening quality of life through humor, physical activity, group interaction, risk-taking, and imagination games.

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Media Contact:
Sara J. Butz
415-516-8876
sara@improv.org

General Information:
BATS Improv
www.improv.org
415-474-6776