Improv comedy shows, unlike criminal-court proceedings and open-heart surgeries, encourage people in the room to shout out suggestions. Explore the extemporaneous with this deal.<p>

The Deal

• $5 for two tickets to an improv comedy show (up to a $10 value)
• When: any Friday or Saturday show of your choice through May 24, 2014
• Where: Backline Improv Theatre
• Section: general admission
• Door time: 15 minutes before showtime
• Ticket values include all fees.
• Click here to view the schedule of upcoming shows. <p>

Backline Improv Theatre

It’s not like Whose Line is it Anyway?. That famous show, which helped introduce the art of improvisational comedy to mass audiences, is an example of short-form improv: reliant on rules, quips, and Greg Proops. Instead, shows at Backline Improv Theatre showcase long-form improv. With no set structure and no scripts up their sleeves, improvisors take a one-word suggestion from the audience and spin it into comedy gold. Whether it’s a series of rapid-fire sketches or an unbroken 30-minute scene, the resulting performance comes straight from the top of the comedians’ masterfully trained noggins.

If Backline’s shows make audiences wonder if they’ve suddenly phased into seats at an LA or Chicago comedy club, it’s due to the passion and professionalism of Dylan Rohde. A veteran of lauded comedy institutions Upright Citizens Brigade and iO West, Rohde drew on his love for long-form to found Nebraska’s sole school for improv. He’s also the theater’s resident instructor, encouraging a fledgling community of improv and sketch enthusiasts to master the ins and outs of off-the-cuff acting.