Ohio
StateCities
Historical Moments
The Second City Cleveland Opens at Playhouse Square
The Second City Cleveland opened in 2002 at the 14th Street Theatre in Playhouse Square, bringing a Second City sketch franchise to Cleveland in partnership with the arts complex. Opening in 2002 in partnership with Playhouse Square, the Cleveland run presented the standard Second City sketch revue with improvised second-act sets.
OTRimprov Founded in Cincinnati
OTRimprov was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2010 as a long-form improv collective, initially performing in Know Theatre's "Little Big Night" series before formalizing an independent producing partnership at Know Theatre Underground in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. A distinct organization from Improv Cincinnati (founded 2016), OTRimprov grew from a loose ensemble into an independent producing company with a formal partnership under Know Theatre's Jackson Street Market resource-sharing program.
Improv Cincinnati Founded
Colin Thornton and Jon Ulrich co-founded Improv Cincinnati in 2016, launching with 9 students and growing to over 300 enrolled annually. The organization established its home at 404 Ludlow Ave in Cincinnati's Clifton Gaslight District, operating as the Clifton Comedy Theatre.
Nest Theatre Founded in Columbus, Ohio
Tara DeFrancisco and Rance Rizzutto, alumni of iO Theater and The Second City, founded Nest Theatre in Columbus, Ohio in November 2016, bringing Chicago-style long-form training to Central Ohio. The theater offers classes, workshops, and regular performances rooted in the Harold tradition and Chicago-style long-form.
Imposters Theater Founded in Cleveland
Michael Busch founded Imposters Theater in Cleveland, Ohio in August 2021 after returning from 15 years in the Los Angeles comedy scene, establishing what he described as Northeast Ohio's first permanent home of improv. The theater secured a permanent space in Ohio City through a 2022 Kickstarter campaign.
Includes moments from child regions. View full timeline →
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Ohio. Retrieved September 28, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/ohio
The Improv Archive. "Ohio." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/ohio.
The Improv Archive. "Ohio." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/ohio. Accessed September 28, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.