Improv troupe brings silly, on-the-fly comedy to Lakes Region

As the husband of Courtney Palmer, the associate producer for Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative, Alex Palmer is often asked to step in when a performer drops out of a show.

During one such last-minute engagement, a few of the actors forgot their lines, and the action onstage stopped abruptly. “That was when I realized that there was a need for improv experience in the local theater community,” Palmer said.

He brought the idea to form a troupe to Powerhouse’s producers, Bryan and Johanna Halperin. Almost at the same time, Amanda Wagner approached the Halperins with the same thought. Wagner’s motivation was partly her own interest in being part of an improv troupe; she figured she’d need to be part of starting one first.

Since this spring, Palmer and Wagner have been working to build a tea