5 Reason Why Holiday Parties Need Improv

Another year is coming to a close and companies are faced with planning yet another exciting holiday party. You want to close the year out with a fun and memorable event. Your people have worked hard and you want to reward them with something different.  You’ve already done the Dave and Buster’s thing, having it at the CEO’s house is not an option and karaoke has just worn out its welcome.

You’re in a pickle.  It’s difficult to please the masses, and everyone is focused on closing the year with big numbers and having huge success.  So, no one has time to weigh in.  You are left to decide how you recognize everyone’s efforts through a celebration that signifies the end and the beginning.  No biggie. No pressure, right?

Here are 5 reasons why a live Improv Show is the best option for a great holiday party or an end of the year celebration:

1. It is the only form of entertainment that is a one of a kind. Your company gets to be a part of a show that is written for them and by them, based on their suggestions.  Improvisers take information that is specific to your team either before the event, during or both, and pepper in all the lingo and special inside information throughout the show. Improvisers can meet with team members before the show to compile all the details or scenarios that are unique to your workplace.  You can take a year’s worth of experiences and play them out through hilarious scenes on stage.
2. The shortest distance between two people is a laugh. Yes, nothing brings people together like laughter, and at the end of a crazy year, you deserve a laugh and then some. Stresses are high in business, and there isn’t always time to stop and laugh at the situations going on around you, and let’s face it, sometimes they’re not as funny until some time has passed. Well, this is the time to laugh about those blunders, mistakes and epic fails. It’s healthy, and you’re about to start a new year anyway, may as well laugh your way out of this one.
3. Feature your office clowns. Live improv shows are a great way to let the company clowns or office comedian’s strut their stuff.  They are always cracking jokes and doing impersonations during meetings, whether the timing is right or not. A live Improv show can incorporate as many people as you see fit, or none at all. It’s up to you and your team to decide.
4. It’s Venue Versatile. The good thing about an improv show is that it can come to you.  Whether it’s at an office, an off-site venue or someone’s residence, it’s an easy set-up requiring very little maintenance and no props.  There may be a need for a couple of chairs and a few mics, but improvisers can perform just about anywhere. They are used to making something out of nothing.
5. It’s the gift that keeps giving. Your team will talk about an improv show well into the next year. They just had their work lives acted out on stage, laughed at themselves and their co-workers, and cannot wait to get back to making more of these moments in the New Year to come. It’s truly a recap of work experiences that we are too busy to appreciate in real time. By seeing these moments put in a comedic light, people start to take things less seriously. Also, it is one of the only things you could repeat every year that would still be completely different than the year before.

To find out more about booking a live improv show at your next event, contact us at The Brink Improv.

Kristy West is the founder of BraveSpace where she teaches people and teams how to apply improv skills to work to communicate, collaborate and innovate on higher levels.