Improvisation in Charlotte
Companies
Historical Moments
Charlotte Comedy Theater Founded
Keli Semelsberger, who trained in Chicago under Del Close, Charna Halpern, Mick Napier, Susan Messing, and Amy Poehler, founded Charlotte Comedy Theater in 2001 as Charlotte's first dedicated improv theatre. The company became a founding member of the VAPA Center and was recognized as one of the Top 50 Comedy Clubs in the US in 2016.
Comedy Arts Theater of Charlotte Founded
Abigail Head and Kevin Shimko co-founded the Comedy Arts Theater of Charlotte (CATCh) on November 16, 2016, establishing a long-form improv venue focused on theatrical, character-driven performance. The company opened its first permanent venue in February 2019 at 4200 South Blvd in Charlotte.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Charlotte. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/north-carolina/charlotte
The Improv Archive. "Charlotte." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/north-carolina/charlotte.
The Improv Archive. "Charlotte." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/north-carolina/charlotte. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.