Improvisation in San Francisco
Companies
Festivals
Historical Moments
The Committee Opens in San Francisco's North Beach
Alan Myerson and Jessica Myerson, both Second City alumni, opened The Committee on 10 April 1963 at 622 Broadway in San Francisco's North Beach neighbourhood. Named as a reference to the House Un-American Activities Committee, the company presented politically satirical improvisation and ran for nine years before disbanding in 1972, when three successor companies formed: The Pitchel Players, The Wing, and Improvisation Inc.
BATS Improv Founded in San Francisco After a Sold-Out Theatresports Performance
On 10 November 1986, a sold-out Theatresports performance at the Zephyr Theater in San Francisco drew audience members who joined the original performers to form Bay Area Theatresports (BATS Improv). Co-founded by William Hall, Rebecca Stockley, and Dan O'Connor, BATS Improv became the largest improv theatre and school in Northern California.
Lila Theatre Founded in San Francisco
Jill Mueller and Christopher Eickmann founded Lila Theatre in February 2003 in San Francisco, a long-form improv company that renamed to Leela Improv Theatre in 2010.
Moment Improv Theatre Founded in San Francisco
Marcus Sams founded Moment Improv Theatre in San Francisco in 2014 at 533 Sutter St, establishing one of the first African American-owned improv theatres and training centers in the United States. The organization operates in the San Francisco Harold tradition with an emphasis on authenticity and inclusive community-building.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). San Francisco. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/california/san-francisco
The Improv Archive. "San Francisco." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/california/san-francisco.
The Improv Archive. "San Francisco." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/locales/north-america/united-states/california/san-francisco. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.