Local improv group has new shows coming this year

By Elliott St. Aubin

Windsor Improv Theatre or WIT will be hosting several new shows till the end of this year and into 2024. 

Improv is a form of performance where the performers have to come up with everything the show as they are doing it on stage. 

“It’s a lot like Whose Line is it Anyway,” said Alex Monk, one of the hosts and performers of WIT. “A lot of it is really small drama games that we perform in front of an audience.”  

Their shows have a lot of audience participation with them taking suggestions from the crowd and even letting some audience members get in on the action. 

“From suggestions of a location to start, we make a whole story from being in that place,” said Monk. “Sometimes the audience will ask a question or occasionally we have audience members be a part of the scene.” 

Monk does not run it all by himself, however. 

“I run it with four people, me and three others,” said Monk.  

One of those other performers is named Nolan Mayrand. He has been a part of more than a dozen shows with WIT since late 2021. 

“When Alex asked me to start doing improv again after six years off, I was hesitant,” said Mayrand. “However, I talked myself into it and I’m thankful I did.” 

He said standup comedy is his main goal but having improv in his back pocket is super useful. 

“Any comic you can think of that does crowd work is essentially doing improv,” said Mayrand. “Hecklers are definitely not scripted so you have to be quick on your feet.” 

WIT performs mainly out of two theatres, the Shadowbox Theatre here in Windsor and The Bank Theatre in Leamington. 

“The show was a hit, the audience was thrilled by the performance,” said Fay Lynn, one of the managers and co-owners of the Shadowbox Theatre. “For a while they performed in our space once a month.” 

WIT is one of the most popular shows they host there. 

“We’re an intimate venue with 60 chairs,” Lynn said. “WIT tends to pack the house more often than not.” 

She said they even have to bring in extra chairs because of how popular WIT shows can be. 

“Every performance is different, and entertainment is guaranteed,” said Lynn. “The atmosphere in The Shadowbox Theatre becomes electric with anticipation and laughter before, during and after every WIT performance.” 

You can find information about the group and information on upcoming shows by going to WIT’s Facebook page.