Ocean State Black and Funny Improv Festival returning to CTC | Arts & Living

The goal of the festival is simple but revolutionary, Ocean State Black and Funny Improv Festival Director Stephanie Rae said. Her vision for the festival includes providing a platform for Black improvisers to showcase their talents and fostering a joyful and supportive environment for artists to learn from each other and thrive.

“There are so few spaces where Black creatives are centered in the improv world, and this festival flips the script,” Rae said. “It’s a space where we can be unapologetically ourselves and where our joy and talent are celebrated and showcased.”

This year, the festival will have a few changes. Organizers held open submissions for the first time to attract new teams and individuals from across the country — bringing fresh faces and voices to the stage, Rae said. The festival has also extended their show times and is debuting its first fully-immersive show, a late-night experience named “Secret Black People Meetings.”

“We need spaces to celebrate, elevate, and amplify Black joy, creativity, and community. Improv is traditionally a very white-dominated space, and we’re changing that narrative,” Rae said. “This festival is love in motion — it’s a family reunion, an education, and a celebration all rolled into one. How could we not bring it back?”

The Annual Ocean State Black and Funny Improv Festival is running from next Thursday, October 3 to Sunday, October 6. The festival has a packed schedule with headliner performances, guest troupes, mixer shows, workshops, parties and more. There are performances Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m. featuring talented troupes from across the country, followed by all-star mixer shows at 9:30 p.m.