New Jersey
StateCities
Historical Moments
Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre Founded in New Jersey
Laura Ekstrand and Janet Sales co-founded Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre in 1994 in New Jersey, a scripted repertory company that later added improv programming and rebranded as Vivid Stage in 2021. A scripted repertory theatre at its core, the company expanded into improv comedy and cabarets alongside its mainstage productions.
Howdy Stranger Founded in New Jersey
Ryan Huban founded Howdy Stranger in northern New Jersey in 2008, building an improv troupe and training organization that grew to train thousands of students and win the NYC Tournament of Improvisers in 2019. The organization performs regularly at HACPAC and venues across New Jersey.
Rocket Improv Comedy Founded in Maplewood, New Jersey
Lulu French founded Rocket Improv Comedy in Maplewood, New Jersey in 2018, creating a youth-focused improv education program for young performers in Northern New Jersey. The company specializes in improv comedy education and performance for young people, providing classes and shows that build confidence and creative skills through the principles of improvisation.
Shore Thing Theater Founded in Ocean Grove, New Jersey
Ria Torricelli founded Shore Thing Theater in Ocean Grove, New Jersey in 2019 as the ComedySportz Jersey Shore franchise, bringing competitive short-form improv to the Jersey Shore coast. Governed by a women-led board, the theater operates as both a performing venue and training center with an open-access financial policy.
Includes moments from child regions. View full timeline →
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). New Jersey. Retrieved September 28, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/new-jersey
The Improv Archive. "New Jersey." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/new-jersey.
The Improv Archive. "New Jersey." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/new-jersey. Accessed September 28, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.