Rapid Fire Theatre

Theatresports Comes to Edmonton (1981)

In 1981 Stephen Heatley, Artistic Director of Theatre Network in Edmonton, invited Keith Johnstone to lead a workshop in the city. Edmonton's Theatre Network thus became the third company in the world to regularly produce Theatresports. The performers who worked under this arrangement developed an Edmonton improv community over the following years.

Independent Company (1988)

In 1988, with the support of Heatley, the Edmonton Theatresports performers formed Rapid Fire Theatre as their own independent company. Jack Smith served as the company's first Artistic Director. Rapid Fire performed initially at the Phoenix Theatre in downtown Edmonton, then moved to the Chinook Theatre in Old Strathcona (spring 1990), which became the Varscona Theatre in 1994 and remains the shared home of Edmonton's improv community. Subsequent Artistic Directors included Patti Stiles (1991 to 1995) and Jacob Banigan.

Citadel Theatre Era

In September 2012 Rapid Fire Theatre moved its primary programming to Zeidler Hall at the Citadel Theatre complex, where it presents weekly shows year-round. The company's programming expanded beyond Theatresports to include Chimprov, a long-form weekly show, as well as sketch comedy and Theatre for Young Audiences productions.

Improvaganza

Rapid Fire produces Improvaganza, an annual international improv festival held each June in Edmonton, bringing companies from across Canada and internationally to Alberta's capital.

Rapid Fire Theatre is Edmonton's foundational improv company, presenting Theatresports and long-form improv at the Citadel Theatre and producing the annual Improvaganza international festival.

Rapid Fire Theatre built and sustained the Edmonton improv community over four decades, developing a lineage that includes Patti Stiles (who later co-founded The Improv Centre in Vancouver) and a network of performers who have extended Canadian improv practice internationally. The Varscona Theatre, which Rapid Fire shared with Die-Nasty, became one of Canada's most productive small improv venues.