GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — On a Monday night, dozens of people filled The Comedy Project to enjoy a night of laughs, starting with a humorous take on current events called “News Flash.” Belly laughs roared from the crowd as two comedians gave their take on the news of the day.
All this was going on as The Comedy Project prepares for the Grand Rapids Improv Festival – a three-day event, sometimes known simply as GRIF, that organizers say has grown significantly in the decade it has been around.
“Ten years ago, the improv scene in Grand Rapids was pretty minimal. There were little groups here and there. The first GRIF was just those groups coming together, basically just to have fun and play together. Then over the last 10 years, there has been a resurgence of zest for improv in Grand Rapids,” said festival director Kristin Hirsch.
GRIF will take place from October 17-19. There will be five shows over that time period, as well as two workshops that will let people test their comedy chops.
“One of the workshops is a duos workshop that’s going to be taught by our headliner. The duos workshop is for two people. It’s to do “two-prov” which is essentially two people doing an improv scene, and it’s very different than a group improv scene because you only have each other to rely on,” Hirsch said.
“Improv is so great because it’s happening right there in front of you. Nobody knows what’s going to happen, and it is usually based off of an audience suggestion. So it’s very communal. It’s a communal art form. It’s a communal kind of comedy. The audience feels invested.”
The festival will include a full bar, a food menu, and a snack menu. If you’d like to attend, you can learn about the shows and the workshops, and buy tickets on the festival's website.