March 21, 2006 -

National Semi-Finals and Finals Week
Semi-Finals April 11-14, 2006
National Finals April 15, 2006
National Arts Centre Theatre, Ottawa – 19:30

Ottawa -- On the heels of their recent victory in the regional tournaments, a team of students from Lisgar Collegiate Institute will return to the NAC for the National Semi-Finals and Finals of the 29th Annual Canadian Improv Games, April 11-15, 2006. Accompanying Lisgar will be the team from Canterbury High School who came in second place and the team from Earl of March Secondary School who won the dramatic tie-breaker for third place. The NAC congratulates all the teams who competed in the regional tournaments and looks forward to welcoming this year’s national semi-finals competitors.

On Tuesday, April 11, the Lisgar Collegiate Institute team will come face to face with high school students from across the country in a spirit of boisterous and enthusiastic friendly competition to launch a week of Canadian Improv Games semi-finals tournaments. All bouts will take place in the Theatre at the National Arts Centre at 19:30. The semi-finals will come to a close on Friday, April 14 and the top five overall teams will go on to compete against one another in the National Finals, taking place in the NAC Theatre on Saturday, April 15 at 19:30.

The Canadian Improv Games

This year marks the 29th Season of the Canadian Improv Games (CIG), a spontaneous theatrical “loving competition” played annually by thousand of high school students from Victoria, British Columbia to St.John’s, Newfoundland. For participants it is an experience of a life time as they support, cheer and applaud one another while competing against each other. For many students the CIG is an opportunity to make friends across Canada, build self confidence and hone communication and performance skills. Peter Herrndorf CEO of the NAC, said: “The games are an enjoyable way to help these students develop creativity, resourcefulness, problem-solving and communication skills, and ultimately to help them build the confidence to apply these skills in their everyday lives”.

The Canadian Improv Games were created by Howard Jerome and Jamie Wyllie based on a concept created by David Shepherd and Howard Jerome.

The Ottawa Improv Games would like to thank:

ING Canada
First Choice Entertainment
Capital Hill Hotel & Suites
Oregano’s Pasta Market

And the many volunteers who make the games a reality.

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Any inquiries about the Canadian Improv Games should be directed to:
Al Connors, Ottawa Regional Director
(613) 726-6339 (7-COMEDY)
info@ottawaimprov.com
www.ottawaimprov.com

Alistair Cook, National Director
(604) 874-7522
improv@magma.ca
www.improv.ca

Martina Kuska
Education and Outreach Coordinator
National Arts Centre, English Theatre
(613) 947-7000 ext. 522;
mkuska@nac-cna.ca