The Bent Theatre

The Bent Theatre, formerly know as Whole World Theater Charlottesville, is an improvisational comedy troupe based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded by Jenn Horne, (formerly of The Whole World Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia) in 2004. The group has regularly scheduled shows on the third Thursday of every month at 8 PM at Rapture Bar & Grill on the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville. They also work in close collaboration with Play On! Theater, and often perform shows at their theater as well as Rapunzel's Coffee & Books located in Lovingston, VA. [http://www.benttheatre.com]

History

Whole World Theater Charlottesville was formed in February 2005 by Jennifer Horne as she started teaching classes above Sylvia's Pizza on the Downtown Mall [ [http://www.readthehook.com/stories/2005/12/08/facetimeFunnyGirlHorneBrin.html The HooK: FACETIME- Funny girl: Horne brings improv to town ] ] . They become the fourth major improv group in Charlottesville joining, The Whethermen (UVA) [ [http://www.student.virginia.edu/~improv/ The Whethermen ] ] , Amuse-Bouche (UVA) [ [http://www.amuseboucheimprov.com/] ] , and the Improfessionals [ [http://members.aol.com/improfessionals/ The Virginia Improfessionals ] ]

October 2005, the groups name changes from Whole World Theater Company to the Bent Theatre Company

In 2006, due to the closing of their performance space at Garden of Sheba [ [http://www.readthehook.com/stories/2005/12/22/foodTheDishAhoyBonefishCom.html The HooK: FOOD- THE DISH- Ahoy! Bonefish coming ashore ] ] the Bent Theatre was forced to move to the "trendy" hot spot R2, the dance club located in Rapture Bar and Grill

In the Fall of 2006 the Bent Theatre fell on hard times. After several bookings at Rapture with no audience, they were forced to turn away from the one-a-week shows. Because of the lack of cash flow, they had to leave the studio they had worked in for the last few years, the next few months rehearsals would take place at cast members houses

December 31st, 2006, the Bent Theatre is invited to perform at First Night Virginia

In early 2007 the Bent Theatre moved in a new rehearsal space, in the green room/dressing room at the new local theater Play On!

Over the summer of 2007, the Bent Theatre re-ignited the fires of improv glory in Charlottesville with several movie based shows. They performed improvised versions the Star Wars Trilogy, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Romeo and Juliet (for Valentines Day), and The Life and Times of George W. Bush (an original improv play written by Jim Zarling)

December 2007, the Bent Theatre moves just a little bit closer to performing in an actual theatre as they begin to perform shows at Rapunzels Coffee and Books in Lovingston, VA.

December 31st, 2007, the Bent Theatre performs at First Nite Virginia for the second year in a row with fellow improvisers, the Improfessionals. [ [http://www.firstnightva.org/performerBattle.html First Night Virginia -City of Charlottesville New Year's Downtown Celebration ] ]

February 2008, Jim Zarling, Michael Abraham, Ben Cole, Andy Davis, Ray Smith and Ruth Morton, took a trip down to Carrboro, North Carolina to take part in the Dirty South Improv Festival, returning with a wealth of knowledge...and in Andy's case, a overly expensive new tire.

On April 25th, 2008, the Bent Theatre's prayers were answered as they began performing monthly shows at Play On! Theater having one of their largest audiences ever attend there premiere performance at the theater. UVA improv group, Amuse-Bouche performed at half-time.

August 2008, The Bent Theatre was once again asked to perform at First Night VA

August 21, 2008 the Bent Theatre bid farewell to Mike Abraham and Ben Cole as the two of them performed in their final show before heading off to Columbia University and The Hart School (respectively). This however is not a goodbye forever, as they expect to be back for Christmas and Summer breaks.

hows

The Bent's shows generally run about 90 minutes with a brief intermission separating two halves. They primarily perform shortform improvisation, a series of short scenes or games featuring MC interaction and multiple audience suggestions.

In 2008 the troupe began, thanks in large part to Ray Smith, to try its hand in longform improvisation, where several scenes are performed based off one suggestions and no MC interaction. Their June shows at Play On! Theater featured the first longform games to be featured in a Bent Theatre show in recent years.

The MC is often the writer of the show, and by that I mean the person who selects the games, the actors, the background stories and the type of suggestions to ask the audiences. The members who most often write and MC the shows are Jenn Horne, Jim Zarling, Ray Smith and Andy Davis.

Workshops

The Bent Theatre is always looking to expand, the offer a free one hour workshop at 7 pm every Wednesday before there rehearsals for any aspiring to learn what it takes to do improv comedy. [ [http://www.benttheatre.com/Site/FREE_CLASS%21.html Get Up! Get On Stage! ] ]

The Jim Zarling Experience/Liquid Aggression Pictures

The Jim Zarling Experience was founded by Bent performers Jim Zarling and Jason Mitchell in early 2006. The two of them with the aid of several friends and fellow comedians began writing and filming sketches and posting them on YouTube. Bent Theatre cast members were often called upon to perform in these sketches.

Jim Zarling still writes and films sketches through his production company, Liquid Aggression Pictures

The Smart Asps

The Smart Asps where the teen improv group founded by Jenn Horne shortly after the Bent Theatre was formed. The group performed several shows and grew to a little over a dozen members before disbanding in 2006. Two of their members, Ben Cole and Michael Abraham, moved on to join the Bent Theatre and have been regular cast members since

Current members

*Jenn Horne
*Jim Zarling
*Ray Smith
*Andy Davis
*Howie Sheinfeld
*Ruth Morton
*Patrick Kilmer
*Alex Modic
*Nate Wooten
*David "D.V.S. One"
*Johnny Mac

Hiatus

*Michael Abraham
*Ben Cole
*Jason Mitchell

Notable Former Members

*Kathleen O'Brien
*Rachel Showalter
*Jon Rice
*Ethan Lipscomb
*Stephanie McCormack
*Tania Grasso
*Frank Cardella
*Liz Levin
*Lara Sprung
*Raven
*Kevin

External links

* [http://www.benttheatre.com Official Site]

References