Improvisation in Boston
Companies
Historical Moments
ImprovBoston Founded in Boston/Cambridge
Ellen Holbrook assembled Boston improvisers for a Boston improv competition at Reilly's Beef and Pub in 1982, leading to the co-founding of ImprovBoston with Nicholas Emanuel and Katy Bolger in 1983. Incorporated as a nonprofit in 1984 and based in Cambridge, ImprovBoston became the primary improv and comedy institution in the Boston area for more than four decades.
Improv Asylum Opens in Boston
Paul D'Amato, Norm Laviolette, and Chet Harding opened Improv Asylum at 216 Hanover St in Boston's North End in May 1998, after their previous performance home converted its space to music. Securing a $75,000 SBA loan, they built what became New England's premier comedy institution, performing over 7,500 shows for more than 2 million audience members over 27 years.
Rozzie Square Theater Founded in Roslindale, Boston
Courtney Pong founded Rozzie Square Theater in May 2018 in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston, combining ComedySportz short-form and Riot Improv long-form into a neighborhood comedy venue.
ImprovBoston Closes After 40+ Years, Citing COVID-Era Financial Losses
ImprovBoston permanently ended its operations on 31 December 2023 after more than forty years in the Cambridge improv and comedy scene. The organisation cited financial pressures that began with the COVID-19 pandemic closure in March 2020 and from which it was unable to recover despite a 2021 revival attempt.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Boston. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/massachusetts/boston
The Improv Archive. "Boston." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/massachusetts/boston.
The Improv Archive. "Boston." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/massachusetts/boston. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.