Finest City Improv

Founding (2012)

Amy Lisewski founded Finest City Improv in September 2012 by beginning with classes at the Ocean Beach Playhouse in San Diego. The impetus was a gap in San Diego's comedy infrastructure: local improvisers lacked a dedicated performance space and were traveling to Los Angeles to perform and train.

Hillcrest Venue and Growth

Finest City established its permanent home at 3746 6th Avenue in the Hillcrest neighborhood, operating as a comedy theater with a full bar. The company programmed scene-based long-form improv exclusively, with multiple in-house troupes and regular guest troupes performing alongside a six-level class curriculum and workshops, electives, drop-ins, and corporate team-building programs.

Finest City Improv presents scene-based long-form improv as San Diego's dedicated long-form institution, with a six-level training curriculum extending from beginners to advanced ensemble work. The Hillcrest venue's bar and accessible class ladder reflect a commitment to building San Diego's performing community.