05/02/2026
HEADS UP ::
TCIF workshop registration will go live tomorrow (Sunday, May 3rd) at 11am!!!
tons of info below, updating the official website shortly!
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We have a wide variety of skills covered from slowing down and simplifying scenework to music improv to learning a new form coming from some of the best improvisers of our lifetime and fan favorites from festivals past.
SCHEDULE:
Saturday - June 13th
10am-12pm-Be Here Now with Tara and Rance
10am-12pm-Character Crash Course with Navaris Darson
1pm-3pm-Musical Improv with Tara and Rance
1pm-3pm-Power of Specificity with Navaris Darson
Sunday - June 14th
10am-2pm (3-4hrs)-The Workshop with TJ&Dave
10am-12pm-Longform Clap-In with Navaris Darson
See below for information about classes and instructors:
NAVARIS DARSON (Groundlings)
Navaris Darson began his love affair with improv over 20 years ago, and he credits his solid improv foundation to two stellar college improv troupes: Easy Baked Improv (Berry College) and To Be Named Later (Valdosta State University). Upon moving to Los Angeles, Navaris continued his improv education at the world-renowned Groundlings Theatre and School, which has inspired and produced five-decades worth of astounding comedic talent – including SNL cast members, sitcom actors, and film stars. As a Groundlings Sunday Company alum, Navaris has had the great fortune to perform regularly in several Groundlings mainstage shows, and he has guest-performed with a number of incredible improv troupes all over Los Angeles.
In addition to serving as an instructor at The Groundlings and at Verve Studios in Arizona, Navaris has taught improv at UCLA and USC, and he’s served as a featured instructor and performer at the ITS Comedy Festival 2024 (Sydney), SAVI FEST 2025 (Arizona), Camp Improv Utopia West 2025 (California), and at The Comedy Spot in Sacramento!
As an improv instructor, Navaris stresses connection, specificity, and the importance of making joyous choices. He works with improvisers of all skill levels, and he greatly enjoys helping students develop improv skills that will benefit them professionally and personally.
Most recently, Navaris has performed in Chelsea Anderson’s All the Best, Jack as well as Phoenix Theatre Company’s 24-Hour Theatre Project and their production of the musical Dreamgirls. His TV credits include Better Things, Will & Grace, The Other Two, American Horror Story, and 2 Broke Girls.
www.navarisdarson.com
Saturday, June 13 10am-12pm
Character Crash Course: Everything you need to know about Groundlings-style character! This comprehensive overview of character-based improv focuses on defining and creating funny yet believable Groundlings-style improv characters, fueling character comedy within scenes, and exploring relationships. For Intermediate and Advanced improvisers who possess a solid degree of proficiency with improv fundamentals.
Saturday, June 13 1-3pm
The Power of Specificity Workshop: Use specifics to deepen emotional commitment, make characters more vivid, and add richness and depth to scene work. Through various games and scenes, improvisers will practice using specificity to see how making specific choices makes their work more interesting and fun! For all levels.
Sunday, June 14 10am-12pm
Long-Form Clap-in Workshop: Learn about Groundlings-style long-from improv! During this workshop, improvisers will play within the structure of The Groundlings’ Crazy Uncle Joe Show, exploring how to quickly generate ideas, make bold choices, heighten relationships, and successfully weave through multiple expanding storylines. For Advanced improvisers who already possess an understanding of improv fundamentals and a comfortability with playing characters.
Tara DeFrancisco:
Tara DeFrancisco believes in the power of connection & collaboration of improvisation on a cellular level. Outside of improvisation and staged comedic work, she is often recognized "from the internet" from her Instagram & TikTok comedic bits and peptalks (with over 350k followers all over the world). She is a veteran performer of 6000+ shows on multiple world-renowned stages, including iO Chicago (Chaos Theory, The DelTones, defrancisCo, Armando, & HERE), The Second City (TourCo, Mainstage/etc understudy, Dysfunctional Holiday R***e), and ComedySportz (Chicago + CBus). As an instructor, Tara is honored to be brought all over the world for her bohemian yet professional approach to scenework - leading organic Harold, sketch r***e creation, duoprov, musical work, stand-up clinics, and more. Most notably, her greatest love is “HERE: The (Improvised) Musical” – a two person improvisational show called “Nothing Short of Genius” from NPR and rated 4 stars by the Chicago Tribune; HERE been brought to 24 countries and 80+ cities worldwide to headline. One of the best things she’s ever made with her friends is The Improv Retreat, an event gathering hundreds of US/international improvisers each year for a sleepaway conference with teachers from multiple cities to celebrate their craft, brainstormed and founded in 2012, now many years running. Additionally – She is the Co-Founder, Artistic Director, instructor & mainstage performer for beloved The Nest Theatre (CBus, OH), a leading performance & educational community in Ohio, producing 35+ original mainstage shows and teams year-round, a space with active COE & "no-paperwork" scholarships for those underamplified in the arts (LGBTIQ, BIPOC, persons with disabilities, vets, and those over 65). She is an esteemed educator who has created curriculum for theatres all over the world, including all mentioned above, and also a liaison on Ethics implementation in artistic homes. She has been a Guest Professor to the Ohio University School of Performance (Athens), as well as an Adjunct Professor of Acting for Animation at Columbus College of Art & Design. As an artist, you may also hear her in voiceovers (Sirius, Rocky Rococo, Crocs, 7 Little Johnstons), a podcast (Debatables, the new Tough Love | Easy Love), see her in in commercials or industrials (Sheetz, Dish TV, Vegas.com, US Cellular, Sears, SunTrust, OH Lottery), in movies (The Life + Times of An Unhappily Married Man), on Internet Game Show (One Hot Dollar), and here and there in television (ABC Family, LOGO TV). She believes in that the tenets of improvisation & vulnerability of comedy are transformational and life-changing, and hopes she gets to share the joy it has brought her with you.
Rance Rizzutto
Rance Rizzutto has been professionally improvising since 1999 on stages all around the world. Starting in Portland, OR with ComedySportz, Rance soon found his calling as a mainstage performer after a big move to Chicago to work professionally in improvisation. He sustained multiple tours with Second City Theatricals aboard Norweigian Cruise Lines, heading to Hawaii, the Caribbean, and multiple countries throughout Europe. In Chicago, he most connected with iO Theatre where he became an adored mainstage performer and host featured on such beloved teams Chaos Theory, The Deltones, Armando – and later, lauded two-person touring duo, “HERE: The (Improvised) Musical” which tours globally as invited headliners at festivals, schools, and performing arts centers. Incredible host, teammate, and curriculum designer, his improv and prior work experience have enabled him to help businesses grow utilizing improvisation principles for their communication and team unity needs. He is the Co-Founder, Training Center Director, instructor & mainstage performer at the revered Nest Theatre in CBus, OH. He is a mainstay at The Improv Retreat, a summit running annually for hundreds each year to invite adults to reinvigorate their joy for the arts. In addition to his hosting hundreds of live industrials, you can catch him on an internet game show (One Hot Dollar), and you may have seen Rance in television commercials for Hewlitt Packard or Sears or hear his voice in animated commercials for Sears as well (as a bear, in case you’re wondering). He has been a Guest Professor to the Ohio University School of Performance (Athens), as well as an Adjunct Professor of Acting for Animation at Columbus College of Art & Design. His life has completely transformed due to enrichment from improvisation, and finds great passion in the potential energy and fun in the comedic arts he is fortunate to have as a career.
https://taraandrance.com/
Saturday, June 13th at 10am-12pm
Be Here Now: Joy and Presence in Scenework
Presence is the name of the game. A workshop born of research and creative exercise experimentation, this long running workshop is a fan favorite. Come do two person connection work, actively listen, find the fun. It’s all right there in front of you. Part bohemian methodology, part scenework, this workshop is both invigorating and full of meaningful moments. Beginner/Intermediate
Saturday, June 13th at 1am-3pm
Musical Improv
Improvising music is a freeing, empowering, and joyful space-and you can start right here! Tara & Rance will teach you all proper warmups, short musical theory, commiting to the moment, and leaning into emotions so you can earn the song right in front of you. We’ll do vocal work, scenes into songs first playing in pairs, and even stepping swiftly into beginning side-support of your clinic ensemble. Beginner to music improv, intermediate in scenework
TJ & DAVE (Chicago, IL)
TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi have been performing together as TJ and Dave for over 20 years. Starting at the IO Theater in Chicago they have performed all over the U.S. as well as Poland, Italy, Ireland, the UK, Denmark and Germany.
In Chicago, they have also gotten to play at The Steppenwolf, The Goodman, The Annoyance and at The Old Town School of Folk Music opening for their friend Ike Reilly.
David and TJ co-authored a book along with Pam Victor called Improvisation At the Speed of Life. They have also been the subject of a documentary directed by by Alex Karpovsky entitled Trust Us, This Is All Made Up.
They have promised to perform together until they get one of these shows right and still hold to that.
Sunday, June 14th at 10am-2pm
The Workshop
The workshop is an exploration in trusting Improvisation. Students will start two-person scenes in reality using only the moment at hand and likely discover that is all that was needed. It will be focused on the importance of listening and paying attention to everything. Mostly, we will be learning using two-person scenes. However, there may be a few group exercises as well.
It's the 20th anniversary of the Twin Cities Improv Festival and we have an incredible lineup of workshops this year! Please complete this form to register for any of our workshops offered from our TCIF20 headliners or guest teaching artist. You will receive an email within 24hrs after submitting th...
