A Summer Evening Improv Show!

Summer is here! But who needs fireworks when you can get explosive laughter from bright sparks of improvised theatre! What do you mean, what do we mean? Let us tell you! Boughton Place will come alive with 90 minutes full of characters, scenes, and fully formed stories that have never been seen (or even written down) before! That's right! The performers will take brief inspiration from a brave audience member or two, and then let those ideas take off and blossom like a Roman candle across the stage! Don't worry! We only solicit ideas from willing volunteers! We don't pick on anyone. We promise!

Will it be funny? The absurdity of truth and existence always is! Might it sometimes get dramatic? Same answer!  Thursday, July 2nd at Boughton Place in Highland, NY. Just a stones throw from fine dining and night life in New Paltz! Doors open at 6:30. The magic starts at 7pm! Admission is $12.75 online or $15 at the door.

The performance ensemble of Maria's Basement & the duo Ben Gardner's Boat will take the stage to weave tales out of thin air and audience suggestions! And then-- get this! We'll have a very special guest duo joining us!

OUR SPECIAL GUESTS!

"AM 2 PM use lighting to illuminate deep grounded characters . From light to darkness and back again, AM 2 PM will explore the journey of a complex relationship... when they need each other the most. Featuring Anthony Saldana and Julian Vargas representing Queens, New York."

The Maria's Basement improv troupe brings their unique flavor of juicy character and spontaneous world-building to the stage as they perform Half-an-Hour Town! A simple audience suggestion conjures up an entire cast of characters and the town they live in. Every town has its drama and secrets. We'll explore how all these imaginary lives cross-over, connect, and collide!

Looks like Maria's Basement has just about solved this mystery!

Maria's Basement hails from NY's Capital Region and is composed of long-time improvisers with years of performances under their belts. Maria's Basement showcases the talents of Maria Ayoob, Jason Burke, Charlie Owens, Winnie "Alex" Ashby, Walt Batycki, and Jennifer Lavenhar!

And as if that wasn't enough! Watch in wonder as the performance duo, Ben Gardner's Boat, creates characters and scenes from nothing but inspiration! The spark that lights up the stage may even come from YOU! Watch as Ben Gardner's Boat dives deep into mysterious territory without a map! Experience comedy, tragedy, and explore the unknown! We'll all find out what happens together! 

Ben Gardner’s Boat Is the performance duo of Walt Batycki and Jennifer Lavenhar who have been performing together in various troupes and as a duo for 14 years. BEN GARDNER'S BOAT performs live unscripted moments and plays inspired by audience ideas, with a focus on character and narrative.  Jennifer & Walt have performed hundreds of shows together in New York's Capital region and the Hudson Valley as well as festivals in several states.

The duo will perform two of their most popular acts:

Jen & Kevin is a show that explores the relationship of a married couple as they navigate their ordinary extraordinary life. Coming from drastically different backgrounds, Jen and Kevin offer a unique experience of blended diversity, where being truly human can sometimes shine in the most inhuman moments.

In Hold That Thought! The two actors create characters inspired by audience experiences and explore relationship dynamics and the absurd complexity and humor of having to deal with other humans. This is a fourth Wall breaking show where the audience is often called upon to offer advice to the characters within and the performers may take on multiple roles, often switching places with one another. 

THE REGULAR CAST

Walt at the barbecue. He likes his performance well-done.

Walt Batycki is a writer, puppeteer, and creator of interactive fiction. His experience spans animation production, audio drama, and theme park design. He creates haunt attractions, and has voiced everything from talking holiday trees to otherworldly demons. He currently produces Uncharted Waters, a series of shows at Boughton Place (Highland, NY), where unscripted plays are featured.

Jennifer watching the sky for fireworks.

Jennifer Lavenhar is a ballet teacher, dancing clown, and actor. Since 2016, she’s been a member of the Mop and Bucket Company (Schenectady, NY), where she also teaches. Jennifer’s improv journey began under the mentorship of Nancy Ponder as a founding member of Without Annette. Jennifer is passionate about using improv as a tool for connection and creative discovery. She’s taught workshops at festivals across the U.S. and internationally.

Maria invites you to imagine a dusky meadow, alive with fireflies behind her.

Maria Ayoob discovered improv in middle age and regrets all the years spent not celebrating failure. She has taken classes at the Mopco Improv Theatre and the Hideout Theatre and has performed with the Mop and Bucket Company since 2020. She is passionate about the applications of improv in life and work and loves the tickly delighted feeling of watching brilliant people make spontaneous magic. She has been running workshops at the Mopco Theatre as well as teaching ROOM TO IMPROV...E alongside Hayes M Fields II (Another talented friend and performer) with Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate NY at First Congregational Church of Albany.

Charlie is happy to be best dressed yet again.

Charlie Owens (he/him) has loved making things up for years. Previously a member of The Regicides of New Haven, CT (house team of A Broken Umbrella Theatre). Off-stage Charlie has a wonderful habit of supporting New York nonprofits as an event manager, etc.  Charlie is a current company member of the Mop and Bucket Improv Company (“MopCo”) in Schenectady, NY. Previously a member of the Regicides in New Haven, CT and a founding cast members of Bollix Manor, a format that presents Edwardian aristocracy through farce. Charlie has performed improv for many years and has used these skills to train various groups, including the staff of the Yale Library, in applied improv. Taking these principles and applying them to client and coworker interactions for effective communication. In these companies, Charlie has been a valuable contributor but now takes on the challenge of creating and directing a new format for the first time with Not Another Murder. Outside of improv Charlie has a decades long career in arts and nonprofit administration, planning events for hundreds of participants and delivering impactful community projects. Recently Charlie conducted a workshop to develop his own unique improvised murder mystery format Not Another Murder. This program was made possible through a Art Connects Grant facilitated by The Arts Center of the Capital Region. The Arts Center of the Capital Region Grants are made possible with funding by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Winnie is sure she'll get her server's attention this time!

Winnie “Alex” Ashby has been doing theater since they were 3 years old, and stumbled upon improv at MopCo in Schenectady when a friend invited them to a Jam. Since then, Winnie has known that improv is something special, and was thrilled to join the company. Winnie is a founding member of Maria's Basement and has performed with both Mopco and Maria's Basement at several notable festivals and is a core performer in the shows Bollix manor, Book Club, Half-an-Hour Town, and many others.