Dad's Garage Improv Theatre
The Performance
Ready for a bunch of comedians acting out a day in your life? Ready for an instantly-created full-blown musical, complete with music and choreography, based on what the guy sitting next to you just received as a text message on his iPhone? Ever seen two people never miss a beat as they make up an entire story, alternating one word at a time between the two of them? Voted Atlanta's Best Theatre Company & Improv Group by Creative Loafing five years in a row.
It was only a matter of time before folks outside Atlanta were going to be heaping high praise on Dad's Garage — just as the hometown audiences & lucky tourists have done for fifteen years.
It's difficult to stay serious about anything when these too-clever-for-a-day-job comedy masters are in the house. With hysterical sketch after sketch, audiences in nonstop Grade-A bellylaughs and one outrageous situation after another, Dad's Garage proves there's indeed a city in the south that's second to none when it comes to birthing world-class improv.
Dad's Garage says that if an idea of a completely unscripted evening of theatre and comedy scares you — there's no need to worry as it's taken them years and years to learn how to be this reckless in front of other people. When it comes to flying by the seat of your pants, Dad's Garage knows what they're doing. (Yes, we said your pants — not theirs.) They're not stupid. They're just very, very smart in a very, very twisted sort of way.
Heading into its 16th year, Dad's Garage is an official not-for-profit producing theatre, having grown from a small volunteer corps in the mid-90s to a thriving, mid-size professional theatre now producing more than 300 performances a year. Led by its professional staff and board, Dad's Garage now involves more than 300 volunteers and performers.
The company operates a two-theatre venue in Atlanta's Inman Park, with an annual audience exceeding 30,000, in addition to special appearances across Georgia and at improv and comedy festivals across the continent.
In addition to producing a complete season of full-length scripted theatre and musicals, Dad's Garage produces its popular and innovative improv three nights a week for 52 weeks a year. Traditional and original shows include the improvised soap opera Scandal!, TheatreSports™ (the only officially sanctioned production in the Southeast), and Dad's Garage's outrageous Japanese-style game show Samurai Davis Jr. and Dim Sum's Super Mega Happy Fun Time Improv Show! The company's menu of improv and scripted work for the coming season includes Two Gentlemen of Lebowski, Scarlett's Web, Slaughter Camp, Kill the Dog, Improv Psychiatry, The Best Love Story Ever Told, and their holiday classic — Invasion: Christmas Carol... (Note from Dad's Garage to Dicken's Christmas Carol: Eat it.)
Dad's Garage has received recognition and support from funding sources including the Atlanta Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Trust, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Theatre Communications Group, Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund and The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. The company is a multiple-year recipient of the Theatre Communications Group New Generations Future Audiences Award, awarded to theatres with a proven track record of building younger and non-traditional
audiences.
Dad's Garage conducts an outstanding outreach program for students and special groups of all ages. Workshops are available for presenting venues in host communities. Corporate events are a company specialty.
In a Word…
"A hilarious and visually kinetic offering that had the opening-night audience coughing up a lung or two." - Atlanta Journal Constitution
"Fast pacing, sharp dialogue and a keen sense of the absurd make this one a winner." - Go Magazine
"[Dad's Garage] has built a national name brand through a combination of gonzo theatrics, smart management and legitimate artistry." - Atlanta Journal Constitution
"Authentic, hilarious, new show every night, alternative to the "same-old, same-old." - Yelp
A Presenter's Point of View
I have had the pleasure of presenting Dad's Garage shows consistently for more than ten years and every time is as fun and exciting as the first. I'm always reminded of what world class comedy performers they are when I'm watching from the back of the theatre as my audience roars with laughter. The energy is always electric, and the humour manages to be bold without offending. When I first saw this group I only knew them as the group that was dazzling my house packed with 18-35 year olds which can be challenging. But now after having worked with them so many times, and I've seen how wonderful they are both offstage as well as on, I'm honestly excited at the opportunity to bring them back to my city. Working with this company is an absolute pleasure, I cannot recommend them highly enough. The biggest vote of confidence I can possibly give would be to continue having their shows, and I can tell you I will definitely be doing that."
- Karen Brown Fournell, Gen. Mrg.; Rapid Fire Theatre, Edmonton, Alberta