The guys and gal of Empire Improv are doing something Reno has seen little of in recent memory if not for a long, long time- improv comedy. To see these guys perform is a treat and I hope a promise of much more to come. Their set-up is great, the three performers are very good and an evening spent there would be very well-spent.

Entertainment in Reno hasn’t been the same since the casinos stopped paying for big name entertainment in the early 1980s and since word got around to many big traveling acts by the early 1990s that Lawlor Event Center is probably one of the worst places to have a concert in the Western US (the place just has bad acoustics in general- anyone who has been to a concert there can attest to this- in most places, the echo from the stack of speakers is really, really bad). And despite Reno’s reputation of being an entertainment center, not much happens here except for second-rate acts. This is where Empire Improv comes into the picture- for a measly $8 you can have live, in your face, superior entertainment and you help create it as part of the audience. Yes, for $8, less than you’d spend to see the latest crap from Hollywood at the movies; less than two people getting into most “clubs” around here to pay too much for drinks; and less than getting

The first time I went to see the show called Hostel Greetings it was at Studio on 4th Street on the 30th of August and was surprised to see not a full house when I got there around 7:50. More people kept coming though and finally, around 8, there was a good crowd. But the show didn’t start- so we were amused by a stereo playing a mix CD of 1990s alternative music and most everybody talked amongst ourselves. Several people went to the bar to get drinks and brought them back to their seats and one audience member was even eating what seemed to be roasted meat from a barbecue place. Around 8:15, the house lights dimmed and the show started. The Empire Improv show has two parts that last about 40 minutes with an intermission between the two sets- something that came to be important the first time I went there.

Three gentlemen came out: Ben Craig, Tim Dufrisne, and Michael Lewis, who introduced themselves and then began with an improv sketch. If you’ve ever seen the TV Show, Whose Line Is It Anyway? you’ll have a basic idea what goes on- the guys get an idea from the audience to incorporate into their scene and away it goes in the craziest and most amazing ways. Now- on the 30th, I must admit I didn’t find the show very funny. I know Tim from events and scene long past and I know he’s funny and he made me guffaw a couple times. Ben Craig is great at physical humor and he brought a smile to my face a couple times. Michael Lewis, the man behind Empire Improv, was good overall but didn’t impress me as being funny. Maybe it was an off night- and after seeing the troupe again, I think it was. The impression I had after seeing the first part of that show was that all three guys were excellent improvisers, but a certain comedic element was missing. After just those spare reactions, I left at the interval since I had another engagement to attend (a party with the best damned roast pork, roast turkey and roast Battle Mountain chorizo I’ve had in ages with music provided by The Mudsharks!). I decided to give Empire another go the next time they’d have a show.

So- after a quick check of Empire’s site, www.empireimprov.com, I found it was September 6, 2008. After a moment or two of preparation, I went to Studio on 4th and got situated there. I bought a Newcastle from the bar and took a seat in the first row and soaked the scene in. Not a full crowd, but a respectably sized one and my bar napkin said “I like to drink more wine than I use to”- V. Corleone (of course that quote is correctly, “I like to drink wine more than I used to.” said by Vito Coreleone in The Godfather), which I found was a strange thing on a bar napkin. I took a few sips of my beer and about eight minutes after eight o’clock, the show started.  Ben Craig, Tim Dufrisne, and Michael Lewis came out again and started their show. This time, I found it funny- so funny in fact I’m still laughing as I write this. I can’t say what was different- was it the audience? Was it the day or the alignment of the moon and the stars? I don’t know but it was a great show. One of the best theatrical performances I’ve seen here in Reno for many a moon. They are highly recommended in my humble opinion.

This week, citizens of Reno are fortunate since Empire Improv is having a free show at the West Street Market on Friday, September 12th, at 7:30pm, for FREE! I will be there and I recommend you all check it out and see what can how three funny individuals can come together with just a few suggestions from an audience can make something funny and interesting. Empire Improv’s next show at the Studio on 4th will be Saturday, September 27th, and cost $8. Just $8, a true entertainment bargain. Go spend a free night with Empire Improv and try not to laugh.

- Tim Hazard