# List of improvisational theatre companies

Improvisational theatre companies, also known as improv troupes or improv groups, are the primary practitioners of improvisational theater. Modern companies exist around the world and at a range of skill levels. Most groups make little or no money, while a few, well-established groups are profitable.
Although improvisational theater has existed in some form or another since the 16th century, modern improv began with the teachings of Viola Spolin in Chicago, Illinois, USA and Keith Johnstone during the 1940-50s in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Spolin's teachings led to the creation of The Compass Players, the first modern improvisational theater company, in 1955. The presence of The Compass Players, The Second City, and ImprovOlympic in Chicago created a strength in the form within the city that continues to this day. New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Toronto are other major hubs of improvisational theater in the North America.
Many companies host improvisational theatre festivals or give improvisational theatre classes. Professional groups often perform a regular stage show acted by the most senior members. Along with this, they host "house" improv teams made up of improv students or graduates from their classes. In the past decade, professional improvisational theater groups have gradually started working more with corporate clients, using improvisational games to improve productivity and communication in the workplace.
Major Professional companies have branches in more than one city, have touring groups, and/or host large-scale improvisational comedy schools. Professional troupes are those not affiliated with a university or secondary school. Collegiate groups are those associated with a post-secondary educational institution. If a company performs more than one type of improvisational comedy, they are defined as using Multiple improvisational comedy types. If it is unclear what particular kind of improvisational comedy a group performs, they are defined as Improvisational. Those marked Semi-improvisational generally perform shows that are partially improvised and partially scripted.
The following is a list of noteworthy improvisational theatre companies from around the world.

## Improvisational theatre companies in Canada

| Name | Group Level | Improv Type | Location | Date Established |
| The Bad Dog Theatre Company | Professional | Multiple | Toronto, Ontario | 2003 |
| Die-Nasty | Professional | Television | Edmonton, Alberta | 1991 |
| Ligue nationale d'improvisation | Professional | Improvisational | Quebec | 1977 |
| Loose Moose Theatre | Professional | Theatresports | Calgary, Alberta | 1977 |
| Rapid Fire Theatre | Professional | Theatresports | Edmonton, Alberta | 1982 |

## Improvisational theatre companies in the United States

| Name | Group Level | Improv Type | Location | Date Established | Reference |
| ACME Comedy Theatre | Professional | Theatresports | Los Angeles, California | 1989 | |
| Baltimore Improv Group | Professional | Multiple | Baltimore, Maryland | 2004 | |
| The Annoyance Theatre | Professional | Improvisational | Chicago, Illinois | 1987 | |
| Bassprov | Professional | Long-form | Chicago | 2000 | |
| BATS Improv | Major Professional | Theatresports, Long-form, Musicals | San Francisco, California | 1986 | |
| The Bent Theatre | Professional | Multiple | Charlottesville, Virginia | 2004 | |
| Blackout Improv | Professional | - | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 2015 | |
| Bovine Metropolis Theater | Professional | Multiple | Denver, Colorado | 1998 | |
| The Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre | Professional | Multiple | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 1958 | |
| Chicago City Limits | Major Professional | Shortform | New York City, New York | 1977 | |
| Comedy Arts Theater of Charlotte | Professional | Longform | Charlotte, NC | 2016 | |
| ComedySportz | Major Professional | Shortform | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 1984 | |
| Compass Players | Professional | Cabaret | Chicago, Illinois | 1955* | |
| Complete Theater Company | Professional | Improvisational | Manhattan, New York | 2009 | |
| Dad's Garage Theatre Company | Professional | Multiple | Atlanta, Georgia | 1995 | |
| Dead Parrot's Society | Collegiate | Multiple | Bellingham, Washington | 1998 | |
| The Diggers | Professional | Guerrilla | San Francisco, California | 1966* | |
| Erasable Inc. | Collegiate | Improvisational | College Park, Maryland | 1986 | |
| Face Off Unlimited | Professional | Multiple | New York City, New York | 2003 | |
| The Focus Group | Professional | Long-form | Bangor, Maine | 2009 | |
| Friday Night Improvs | Collegiate | Improv Jam | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 1989 | |
| The Groundlings | Major Professional | Semi-improvisational | Los Angeles, California | 1974 | |
| Highwire Improv | Professional | Multiple | Baltimore, Maryland | 2020 | [35] [36] |
| HUGE Theater | Professional | Long-form | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 2005 | |
| The Immediate Gratification Players | Collegiate | Long-form | Cambridge, Massachusetts | 1986 | |
| ImprovOlympic | Major Professional | the Harold | Chicago, Illinois | 1980 | |
| Improvolution | Professional | | New York City, New York | 2002 | |
| Improv Asylum | Major Professional | Semi-improvisational | Boston, Massachusetts | 1998 | |
| ImprovBoston | Major Professional | Multiple | Cambridge, Massachusetts | 1982 | |
| Improv Everywhere | Professional | Guerrilla | New York City, New York | 2001 | |
| Improv for the People | Professional | Multiple | Los Angeles, California | 2009 | |
| Improv Institute | Professional | Improvisational | Chicago, Illinois | 1983* | |
| Jet City Improv | Professional | Multiple | Seattle, Washington | 1992 | |
| Just Add Water | Collegiate | Improvisational | New Haven, Connecticut | 1986 | |
| Laughing Matters | Professional | Shortform | Atlanta, Georgia | 1985 | |
| The Lobby | Professional | Shortform | Fullerton, California | 2005 | |
| Madcap Theater | Professional | Shortform | Westminster, Colorado | 2006 | |
| Magnet Theater | Major Professional | Long-Form | New York City, New York | 2005 | |
| The N Crowd | Professional | Shortform | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 2005 | |
| The National Comedy Theatre | Major Professional | Shortform | San Diego, California | | |
| On Thin Ice | Collegiate | Shortform | Cambridge, Massachusetts | 1984 | |
| Peoples Improv Theater | Major Professional | Multiple | New York City, New York | 2002 | |
| Philly Improv Theater (PHIT) | Major Professional | Multiple | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 2005 | |
| The Playground | Professional | Long-form | Chicago, Illinois | 1997 | |
| Providence Improv Guild | Professional | Multiple | Providence, Rhode Island | 2013 | |
| The Purple Crayon of Yale | Collegiate | Long-form | New Haven, Connecticut | 1985 | |
| SAK Comedy Lab | Major Professional | Multiple | Orlando, Florida | 1991 | |
| The San Francisco Improv Alliance | Professional | Multiple | San Francisco, California | 2005 | |
| The Second City | Major Professional | Semi-improvisational | Chicago, Illinois | 1959 | |
| Second Nature Improv | Collegiate | Long-form | Los Angeles, California | 2002 | |
| Starla and Sons | Collegiate | Longform | Providence, Rhode Island | 2006 | |
| Stevie Rays Comedy | Professional | Multiple | Chanhassen, Minnesota | 1988 | |
| Theatre Strike Force | Collegiate | Multiple | Gainesville, Florida | 1989 | |
| The National Comedy Theatre | Professional | Multiple | Phoenix, Arizona | 2007 | |
| Unexpected Company | Professional | Long-form | Warwick, Rhode Island | 2003 | |
| Unexpected Productions | Professional | Theatresports, Long-form | Seattle, Washington | 1983 | |
| Under the Gun Theater | Professional | Multiple | Chicago, Illinois | 2014 | |
| The Upfront Theatre | Professional | Multiple | Bellingham, Washington | 2004 | |
| The Un-Scripted Theater Company | Professional | Multiple | San Francisco, California | 2002 | |
| Upright Citizens Brigade | Major Professional | Multiple | New York City, New York | 1999 | |
| Washington Improv Theater | Professional | Longform | Washington, DC | 1998 | |
| Whole World Theatre | Professional | Shortform | Atlanta, Georgia | 1994 | |
| Wing-It Productions | Professional | Multiple | Seattle, Washington | 1992 | |
| The Yale Ex!t Players | Collegiate | Short-form | New Haven, Connecticut | 1984 | |
*This group is no longer performing.

## Improvisational theatre companies in the United Kingdom

| Name | Group Level | Improv Type | Location | Date Established |
| TBC Improv UK | Professional | Multiple | Edinburgh, Scotalnd | 2009 |
| The Comedy Store Players | Professional | Improvisational | London, England | 1985 |
| Improverts | Collegiate | Theatresports | Edinburgh, Scotland | 1989 |
| Hoopla Impro | Professional | Multiple | London, England | 2005 |
| The Free Association | Professional | Long-form | London | 2014 |
| The Oxford Imps | Semi-Professional | Improvisational | Oxford, England | 2003 |
| Showstoppers | Professional | Musical Theatre | London, England | 2008 |
| The Suggestibles | Professional | Improvisational | Newcastle upon Tyne, England | 2001 |
| The Spontaneity Shop | Professional | Multiple | London, England | 1996 |
| The Antics | Collegiate | Shortform | Sheffield, England | 2008 |
| The Maydays | Professional | Longform | Brighton, England | 2003 |
| Austentatious | Professional | Longform | London, England | 2011 |
| Mischief Theatre | Professional | Multiple | London, England | 2008 |

## Improvisational theatre companies in Asia

| Name | Group Level | Improv Type | Location | Date Established | Language |
| Tokyo Comedy Store | Professional | Multiple | Tokyo, Japan | 1994 | |
| Seoul City Improv | Professional | Multiple | Seoul, South Korea | 2007 | |
| TBC Improv HK | Professional | Multiple | Hong Kong | 2014 | English |
| The Improv Company | Professional | Multiple | Singapore | 2013 | |
| Beijing Improv | Semi-Professional | Multiple | Beijing, China | - | English |
| Zmack | Semi-Professional | Multiple | Shanghai, China | 2009 | English, Chinese |
*This group is no longer performing.

## Improvisational theatre companies in other regions

| Name | Group Level | Improv Type | Location | Date Established |
| TBC Improv Spain | Professional | Multiple | Barcelona, Spain | 2023 |
| Improv Bandits | Professional | Multiple | Auckland, New Zealand | 1997 |
| Improv Comedy Copenhagen | Professional | Multiple | Copenhagen, Denmark | 2014 |
| The Court Jesters | Professional | Multiple | Christchurch, New Zealand | 1989 |
| Wellington Improvisation Troupe | Professional | Multiple | Wellington, New Zealand | 2004 |
| Boom Chicago | Professional | Multiple | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 1993 |
| IGLU Theatre | Professional | Multiple | Ljubljana, Slovenia | 2013 |
| Narobov | Professional | Theatresports | Ljubljana, Slovenia | 2004 |