IO Theater - History

History

1981 - The ImprovOlympic was created, putting competing teams of comedic improvisers on stage in front of audiences. It was the brainchild of David Shepherd, who used early Viola Spolin theater games as a way for teams to compete. The first ImprovOlympic classes and shows took place at The Players Workshop in Chicago, where Charna Halpern was an improv student. Charna Halpern became David Shepherd's assistant, and eventually the producer of the competitions.

1982 - The ImprovOlympic moved from The Players Workshop to its own space. Teams began to form out of every major improv troupe in Chicago.

1983 - Shows began shifting to a long-form approach.

1995 - The ImprovOlympic moves to its current location on Clark St. in Chicago.

1997 - Paul Vaillancourt opened a companion theater, iO West, in Los Angeles, California. Today it is managed by James Grace.

2001 - The International Olympic Committee threatened the theater legally over its use of the name "ImprovOlympic" and the name was subsequently changed to "iO."

2005 (Sept 2) - iO holds its 25th anniversary show at the Chicago Theater in downtown Chicago. The wireless microphones go dead shortly into the show, but the improvisers rally and play using wired mics for the rest of the performance. Celebrity veterans of the iO program who return to play include Mike Myers, Tim Meadows, Amy Poehler, Ike Barinholtz, and many more. The opening to the Harold piece performed is conducted by the most veteran iO house team "The Reckoning."

2006 - iO begins a joint venture with ComedyWorx of Raleigh, NC to create the third iO training center, named iO South.