IRTE's 2023 on-line crowdfunding campaign has officially come to a close.
We want to express our deepest gratitude to all of you who contributed to our 2023 fundraising campaign. We raised $3,748. A sum that will help us cover the costs of renting theater space, and rehearsal space in the coming year.
It means the world to us that we have your support in our mission to bring the art of comedy improvisation to so many artists and audience members alike. We could not do it without you.
To those who chose a perk with their donation, those requests will start to be fulfilled in the coming weeks. Thank you for your patience.
To everyone, Happy Holidays, and here's to having love, prosperity, peace, and lots of laughs in the new year.
Sincerely, Nannette Deasy and Robert Baumgardner
What is IRTE, and what are they up to?
IRTE, the Improvisational Repertory Theatre Ensemble, welcomes you to our 2023 fundraising campaign.
IRTE is a New York City-based, award-winning company of improvisational actors, producers, and creators of original, character-driven improvisational comedy theatre. Our 2023-2024 season has us celebrating our 12th Anniversary of creating, producing and performing new and expanded theatrical productions that weave together the best elements of improvisational comedy and traditional theatre, live musical performance, and opportunities for audience interaction with every show.
This season IRTE has a new Thanksgiving themed improviplay in the oven, My Thanksgiving Recipe, and we’re also bringing back a revised, revamped, remastered golden oldie from IRTE’s 2013 season (10 years ago! Sheesh!) vIRTEgo Circus!
With our 12th season, IRTE now has over three dozen distinct productions under our collective belt that have been performed in New York City and all over the country at various theatre festivals, but that’s not all we’re up to. We also host workshops for actors and improvisers every season, giving performers of every stripe an opportunity to expand their skill sets and their community. This season we are excited to lead workshops in improvisation and to host master teachers of not only improvisation, but other disciplines, as well, such as clowning and stage combat.
At IRTE, we stand shoulder to shoulder with other passionate arts organizations, united by our shared reliance on the kindness of donors like you to bring our creative visions to life. Although we sustain ourselves in part through ticket sales, our annual call for contributions, this very campaign right here right now, stands as the cornerstone of our ability to craft a season brimming with captivating shows and workshops.
In the heart of the fiercely competitive live entertainment scene of New York City, our intimate ensemble shoulders the responsibility of sharing our craft with an ever-growing audience and performance community. This encompasses everything from securing rehearsal and performance space, compensating our tech crews and master teachers, promoting our shows, participating in local and national festivals, and much more. We're dedicated to each detail of this vibrant tapestry, weaving it together through dedication, sweat, and sheer determination.
Since 2014, IRTE has been a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of IRTE must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only. Any contribution above the value of the goods and services received by the donor is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
IRTE’s Twelfth Season
We are beginning our 12th season this fall with our take on turkeys and the holiday that made them famous, My Thanksgiving Recipe, followed by our spring production, the return of vIRTEgo Circus! Both 90 minute shows will have an 8 performance run for audiences to experience the laughter and spontaneous creativity that only live improv theatre can deliver. ... Dollars and Sense
Many off-off-Broadway theatre companies are facing greater expenses in their upcoming seasons. We project our 2023 – 2024 season will cost $7,500. This is the price of doing a budget friendly season.
By far, our largest expense is renting the theater and rehearsal space. Last season, it accounted for 62% of our budget. Rent is by far our largest expense, but we also pay our stagehands and the educators who conduct workshops for us. Along with those costs are other operational expenses like promotion, registration fees for festivals, dues, website costs, and taxes.
Here's some pie to illustrate our expenses last year.
Last season, our ticket sales accounted for just 45% of the resources needed to fuel our artistic pursuits. Your contribution can help bridge this gap and propel us toward a continuing creative future.
2023 Rewards
Every contribution to support something you believe in is a reward in and of itself, AND we also love to give you free stuff! Check out our fabulous rewards for some of the different levels of giving. You’re free to contribute and leave it at that or claim a perk as our way of saying THANK YOU for your generosity and support. Rewards range from a simple shout out or “thank you” on social media, to great books, cd's, art, and services from some of our talented friends, to IRTE 12th season tickets, to your own IRTE show crafted especially for you.
... Here’s a little bit more about our friends contributing some of our reward items…
Craig Greenberg is an extraordinary singer/songwriter and is another of IRTE's favorite musical guests. Receive an autographed CD of his music. Check out his website.
John Munnelly is a terrific musical guest and will be appearing in 2023's My Thanksgiving Recipe. He’s a musician, songwriter, author, and he makes the world more saucy with his own hot sauce company, Hattwood Hot Sauce. Stefan Pokorny is the founder and head of Dwarven Forge, makers of the finest hand-sculpted, hand-painted, modular gaming terrain that immerse players in world of games like Dungeons & Dragons. Dungeons, caverns, villages, wilderness, castles, minis, and more. Receive a DVD of “The Dwarvenaut” a documentary about his career autographed by the Dwarvenaut himself. See his amazing works here.
Sam Katz is one of IRTE's favorites, having performed in many IRTE productions over the years. She also recently published "a masterwork that defies categorization" in her limited edition, signed, numbered, coffee table book, Ask Me How This Happens: a script, a scrapbook, a memoir.
Awards and Accolades for IRTE
The honor and privilege of creating the kind of improvised comedy theatre that we love is very rewarding, and we also greatly appreciate the awards and kind words we’ve received over the years. Here are a few highlights we’d like to share with you…
Winner: Best Comedy for ‘Tammy’s Bachelorette’ - Tucson Fringe Festival 2020
Winner: “Artists Whose Work Made Me Laugh The Most” for ‘Happy Birthday, Stupid Kid!’ - Asheville Fringe Arts Festival 2017
Winner: 2014 SHITFA (Supreme Honorary Improvised Theatre and Film Award) Outstanding Genre Performance for ‘THE SCARY, Improvised Stephen King’
Nominated: Outstanding Variety Performance for ‘Happy Birthday, Stupid Kid!’ in 2017 and for ‘Dig’ in 2016 at the Midtown International Theatre Festival
Named one of the “7 Must-See Shows” of the 2014 Boston Comedy Arts Festival by Bostinno.
Awarded Certificate of Appreciation from ArtsConnection
“...surprise-a-minute…” - Jay Lloyd, CBS Philly, KYW News Radio
“...wildly unique and wildly funny shows.” - Natasha Dawsen, Drama Queens
“...theatre-goers will have a phenomenal time.” - Amy Carothers, NYC Travels
“...IRTE manages to strike a balance between both well-written comedic structure and pure improv, while also using both audience engagement and a creative assortment of props and makeup to stay on a low indie budget and still be uniquely laugh out loud funny...” - Anthony Piccione, OnStage Blog
“If a John Waters movie and Ex Machina had a baby, it might look like WOWEE! ADVENTURES OF A GIRL KILLBOT… This reviewer snorted with laughter.” - First Looks - PortFringe 2018!
Join in on the fun - let us know if you'd like to work box office or tech for us and see the show for free!
Rewards
Shout Out!
Donate $10.00 or more
Amount is fully tax-deductible.
We'll give you a "shout out" on Twitter to Thank You for your contribution!
Postcard
Donate $15.00 or more
Amount over $1.00 is tax-deductible.
We'll Tweet our Thank You AND send an IRTE show postcard signed by all of us at IRTE!
vIRTEgo Circus Poster
Donate $30.00 or more
Amount over $5.00 is tax-deductible.
We'll send you an official signed IRTE Show Poster of our second show of the season, vIRTEgo Circus.
(Estimated delivery: December 2023)
My Thanksgiving Recipe Poster
Donate $30.00 or more
Amount over $5.00 is tax-deductible.
We'll send you an official signed IRTE Show Poster from our first show of the season, My Thanksgiving Recipe (Chaos is the Point).
(Estimated delivery: December 2023)
Autographed Craig Greenberg CD
Donate $45.00 or more
Amount over $15.00 is tax-deductible.
NYC’s most acclaimed post-millennial piano man, and frequent IRTE musical guest, Craig Greenberg will sign and send you a CD of some of his best music.
Autographed Dwarvenaut DVD
Donate $50.00 or more
Amount over $15.00 is tax-deductible.
An autographed DVD of Dwarvenaut, the documentary special about artist Stefan Pokorny and his company Dwarven Forge, the preeminent designer of terrain for role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons.
(Estimated delivery: December 2023)
John Munnelly Surprise Pack
Donate $80.00 or more
Amount over $15.00 is tax-deductible.
John Munnelly is one of the great IRTE musical guests. He's also a writer, and hot sauce maker. Try your luck, and receive a special gift that could be an autographed CD, or story, or even a sampling of his Hattwood Hot Sauces.
Season Pass
Donate $110.00 or more
Amount over $40.00 is tax-deductible.
Get the VIP treatment with a season pass to see My Thanksgiving Recipe and vIRTEgo Circus as many times as you wish.
"Ask Me How This Happens" book by Sam Katz
Donate $750.00 or more
Amount over $300.00 is tax-deductible.
Limited edition, signed, numbered, coffee table book, Ask Me How This Happens: a script, a scrapbook, a memoir. 480 pages and lavishly illustrated, IRTE cast member Sam Katz's autobiography is a love story gone horribly awry in the corporate jungle at NBC. Shipping and press/promotional kit included.
(Estimated delivery: December 2023)
Your Own IRTE Video
Donate $1,000.00 or more
Amount over $300.00 is tax-deductible.
In addition to a Season Pass for all of IRTE’s tenth season shows, when you send us your own idea, we’ll film an improvised scene based on your suggestion and send it to you!
(Estimated delivery: March 2024)
Event Appearance
Donate $5,000.00 or more
Amount over $1,100.00 is tax-deductible.
Invite IRTE to a birthday or a special event and we’ll provide a ½-hour improvised show as your unique entertainment for that special occasion! Plus, receive 2 season passes!
(Available only in New York City)
The Whole Schebang!
Donate $7,500.00 or more
Amount over $1,726.00 is tax-deductible.
Receive all of the above perks! The whole enchilada.
