William Hall to receive Stockley Superhero Award

San Francisco (August 21, 2006) - BATS Improv board member, coach and stage performer William Hall is the 2006 recipient of the Rebecca Stockley Superhero Award, presented annually to an individual for extraordinary service to the BATS organization.

The award will be presented to Hall this Saturday, Aug. 26, the final weekend of BATS' 12th Annual Summer Improv Festival, right before the BATS vs. Los Angeles Theatresports show. Tickets are available at www.improv.org.  

Hall has taught improvisational theatre and performed with BATS since co-founding the organization in 1986. In addition, Hall is a BATS corporate trainer and serves on the organization's board of directors. He previously served for five years as BATS' board president in its early days.

Board member and chairman of this year's award committee Pamela Resser said, "William was the perfect choice for this award in BATS' 20th anniversary year, as he has exhibited both tireless support and limitless enthusiasm for this theatre since its very first days of existence."

Company Member Rebecca Stockley (and the award's namesake) added, "William has contributed his talent, wisdom and love for improvisational theatre not just toward building BATS into what it is today, but also toward expanding the entire San Francisco improv movement. It has been a true honor to have someone with such dedication to the craft of improvisational theatre representing BATS all these years."

Hall has been a professional actor since graduating from Boston University, and has appeared in numerous feature films.  In addition to his work with BATS Improv, he has served as the Bay Area's representative for the International Theatresports Institute, and is a founding member of Fratelli Bologna, a business theater company helping corporations communicate using comedy and theatre.

The Stockley Award is presented annually to an individual who has provided extraordinary service to the organization. Nominations are submitted by the BATS community and reviewed by a selection committee. The award is named in honor of Rebecca Stockley who served as dean of the BATS Improv School for 10 years and is currently a member of BATS Main Stage Company.

Past recipients of the award are Roy Vella in 2005, Patricia Ryan-Madson in 2004, and the inagural award to Rebecca Stockley in 2003.

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 adults, kids, 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.

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

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