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Carefully choreographing everything you say and premeditating each approving nod you nod becomes exhausting by day’s end. Today’s Groupon provides an entertaining education in off-the-cuff living with one general-admission ticket (up to a $20 value at the door) to a Friday- or Saturday-night improv show at BATS Improv for $5. Buy up to four of today's Groupon for extra in-the-momentness and improv-ering witticisms.

BATS Improv has won bushels of awards, such as the Bay Area’s Best Theatre Group and Best Comedy Troupe, as well as having made up countless accolades on the spot. The hilarity of Friday- and Saturday-night shows will reaffirm your lack of faith in the suffocated banalities of most scripted network sitcoms. The theater’s schedule of shows features "naked" theatresports, which involve competitive games with the performers stripped of costumes and props for improv at its most basic and challenging core.

BATS’ shows are made up for each performance and begin at 8 p.m. Depending on the mood of the affable improvites, they may or may not run 105 minutes and will likely feature a 10-minute intermission. BATS also serves up beer and snacks to make for an entertaining night out for anyone who loves improv, beer, and snacks.

This Groupon is not valid for Halloween weekend, theatresports finals, and performances by special-guest groups.

Reviews

BATS Improv won CityVoter's award for Best Theatre Group in 2009. Yelpers give it an average of 4.5 stars, and seven Judy's Book reviewers give it a 3.7-star average. Frommer's had this to say:

• Combining improvisation with competition, BATS performs hilarious improvisational tournaments in which teams of actors compete against each other in scenes, songs, and games, based on suggestions from the audience. – Frommer's
• Absolutely the best improv I've seen anywhere. – Colin D., Yelp
• These shows are a particularly good date night since there's lots of funny stuff happening, you get a chance to shout out suggestions, and there will probably be something to talk about after the show. – Joe P., Judy's Book
• Top notch! A must see! – moisheaaron, CityVoter