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Big Bang Improv
BIG BANG IMPROV (Sarasota, Boston, NYC) Boston style free-form that has been wowing New England audiences and at festivals around the world for years. The entire set moves seamlessly from one scene to the next at the rate of over a scene a minute, all following the group play philosophy of “follow the funny.” The show builds rapidly and culminates in a series of surprising and organic callbacks done through the unique editing styling and storytelling of this Boston super-team. This is a high-energy improv experience that redefines itself with every performance.
The Cast
Sara Burns
Will Luera
Patrick Parhiala
Robert Woo
Sara Burns is an artist and actor from Boston, MA and has been a cast member of Big Bang Improv for over a decade. She is an alumni of ImprovBoston’s Mainstage, National Touring Company, & Musical Improv casts. In addition to her Boston credits, she has traveled the U.S. performing, teaching, directing, and attending incredible festivals like this one. Sara currently works as a visual artist - you can check out her art at tomatosurprises.com.
WILL LUERA is the Director of Improvisation at Florida Studio Theatre, Director of Big Bang Improv, and serves as the Artistic Director Emeritus of ImprovBoston. He is the co-creator of Healing Moments for Alzheimer’s, a non-profit organization that provides education, advocacy, and ministry for persons with dementia and their caregivers. He sits on the board of CreArte Latino, a Latino-centric cultural community center in the Sarasota area. Will tours globally as an improv comedy actor, instructor, director and performs and teaches regularly all across North America, South America, Europe and Asia.
In addition to performing with Big Bang Improv, Patrick Parhiala is also currently a cast member at ImprovAsylum at Dirty Disney. He began at ImprovBoston in June 2010 as a member of the Family Show and has since also been a part of the ImprovBoston Mainstage and the ImprovBoston Touring Company. He has also starred in ‘T: An MBTA Musical’, ‘Agent Spy’, and various other shows. He began his comedy career with Mission: IMPROVable at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. When not performing, Patrick is a adjunct professor in Salem, MA.
Robert Woo has written for shows including Making It (NBC), The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC), and About Last Night (HBO). He's also punched up and produced scripts for NBC, CBS, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon. He’s won spots in the Nickelodeon Writers Program and NBC’s Late Night Writers Workshop. He's performed improv and sketch comedy for a couple of decades now. He takes a multivitamin every day.
More Festival Performances
Festival Workshops
Dive into your own spontaneity with Sarasota Improv Festival Workshops! Our offerings allow you to learn from the experts with intimate trainings led by Festival artists from across the country and around the world. Featuring workshops in a wide range of improvisational styles and techniques, there is something for improvisers of all experience levels at the 2023 Sarasota Improv Fest. All workshops take place Saturday, July 22.
