You may not have heard of the Pack Theater yet. If you're not deeply ingrained in the improv scene (two shows a year at Groundlings and/or a hand-me-down UCB hoodie do not count), the theater has probably been running just under your radar. But beginning next week, the Pack is upping their game, offering improv, sketch, stand-up, variety and talk shows 7 nights a week.
The theater—which grew out of the Miles Stroth Workshop, focused on advanced training for improv comedians—has one rule for every show: don't be boring. We'd say this seems like a no-brainer, but a lot of improv in this city has been resting on its "famous people trained here a decade ago!" laurels. At the Pack, players, teachers and students embrace the belief that comedy must constantly evolve to remain fresh, surprising and relevant. It's the core of their training program, which is only offered to advanced-level performers. And yes, they too have some famous folks under their awning, with teachers whose credits include Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Fox ADHD, Reno 911!, The Eric Andre Show, HBO's Shameless and The Whitest Kids U Know.
While the Pack does stand to become an improv heavy-hitter and household name, founder Miles Stroth is quick to point out that the vast majority of Pack performers have trained with at least one of the other theaters in LA. "UCB, iOWest, Second City, Groundlings—they are our friends and we love and support them. We believe the theaters complement each other more than they compete."
Want to check it out? You've got literally every night of the week to get over there—or you could make plans in advance for Saturday, July 23, when the Pack will host a special, one-night-only event with comedy from 5pm to midnight, showcasing a sampling of improv, sketch, variety and stand-up as well as special appearances by celebs like Bob Odenkirk, Derek Mears, Adam McKay and the Whitest Kids U Know, among others.
The Pack Theater is located at 6740 Santa Monica Blvd, and a full calendar of improv, sketch and stand-up comedy performances can be found on their website. An image of their insanely badass, Ralph Steadman-esque logo can be found below.
