Vintage Improv

Serving improvisers 50+

Steve Circeo

Press Release 231009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 9, 2023

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The 6th Anniversary of the Vintage Improv Festival (VIF) was a weeklong celebration of comedy exploration and age diversity for comedy improvisers aged 50 and above. Held at the Ferry Beach Resort in Saco, ME from October 3-9, 2023, the festival brought together an international community of comedy improvisers, including participants from four continents.

Founded in 2018 by Michele “Miki” Manting, the Artistic Director of VIF and Founder of Vintage Improv Inc., the non-profit that presents the festival, the event aimed to create a supportive community for older improvisers who often felt excluded from diversity initiatives in performance spaces. Over the years, VIF grew into a global community, offering virtual classes and performances during the pandemic. Manting said, “I created the festival to bring about a community of people that are 50 and over so that they can be seen and feel strength and confidence while doing challenging things.”

Over the last six years, VIF has welcomed over 500 participants from over 11 countries. Performer Paul Paice attended the festival for the first time, coming all the way from Auckland, New Zealand. “I saw this as a great opportunity to grow as an improviser because of the quality of the tutors and faculty that have [been] put together…it was something that I couldn’t resist being a part of.” 

Internationally acclaimed instructors, including Jane Morris, Betse Green, Jeff Michalski, Tom Tollenaere, Jonathan Pitts, Diana Brown, Brian Palermo, Andrew Hefler, and Michael Gellman, enriched the festival with their expertise in various improv forms.

Tom Tollenaere, known for his musical direction, traveled from Belgium to teach at the festival. He said, “VIF is like a retreat Here, everybody is together, so after performances you get together to talk together and socialize. The human connection part is a lot stronger here than at most other festivals.”

For performers like Caroline Cole and Elsa Kmiecik, VIF provided the opportunity to connect in person after performing together on Zoom. Cole commented, “We’ve become friends!” Jack Griffin, an 80-year-old attendee from Lebanon, Connecticut, said, “I’m 80 and I’ve been coming to Vintage since it started six years ago. I feel like I’m living longer because of it and I want to live longer so that I can attend more VIFs! It’s the greatest experience of all!” 

The Vintage Improv Festival continues its yearly tradition of being a vibrant celebration of age-diverse comedy improvisation, fostering connections and creativity among improvisers from around the world.

For more information, please visit VintageImprov.org.

Contact:
Miki Manting
Artistic Director
Vintage Improv Festival & Vintage Improv Inc.

Improv in the Third Act

By Margot Escott

“You can’t help growing older, but you don’t have to grow old.” – George Burns

Almost a decade ago, my family sat in the hospital waiting room, waiting to hear the outcome of the surgery I was undergoing to repair the damage caused by a sudden cerebral aneurysm. My surgeons appeared with the good and the bad news for my family. I had survived the surgery, but my surgeon warned, it was too early to know if I would recovery my memory or ever speak again. To which my brother responded, “Too bad about the memory.”

As you can tell, I grew up in a family that laughed a lot. The 1950s were the stage for the “First Act” of my life. It was filled with hours of us gathered around a black and white television laughing along with “Leave it to Beaver,” “I Love Lucy,” Imogene Coca, Sid Caeser, Jack Parr, Red Skelton, Danny Kaye, Ernie Kovacs, George & Gracie, Carl Reiner. Regardless of what was happening in the world, these shows made you laugh and feel better.

Inspired by these comedy greats and by the work and teachings of Norman Cousins and others like him on “The Healing Power of Laughter & Play,” I used my “Second Act” to become a social worker and tour the country holding workshops to teach other therapists to use humor and play to help their clients.

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Relationship Building is Key to Good Longform Improv

By Tara Moorman, PhD

When I first started my Improv journey, I had no idea that that was true.  It never even crossed my mind.  Yes, the show that actually made me WANT to try this beautiful artform was ALL relationship, but I didn’t really know what I was seeing – just that I liked it.  I actually thought that what I was watching was an anomaly.  I’d been to shows before, and they just felt jokey and silly to me.  The players were sometimes quick and sometimes funny, but really, I didn’t see much that flipped my switches….until that ONE show.  I didn’t know WHY I loved it.  I just knew I wanted more of it, and I wanted to learn whatever magic that particular duo had to teach.

I stepped into my first Level 1 class almost 3 years ago, and I haven’t turned back.  I’ve taken lots of classes and traveled to play and to attend workshops.  I’ve watched A LOT of Improv.  I’ve learned many things, and I think I’ve gotten better at Improv generally.  The core of everything though, that piece that keeps me coming back and, in my not so humble opinion, makes everything else work, is Relationship.  

[Read more…] about Relationship Building is Key to Good Longform Improv