October 15, 2026, Seward Folly Staff

Seward residents will have two chances to explore improv this week: from the audience during a live performance by Tangled Lines at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Rae Building, and on the stage during Monday night workshops at the AVTEC gym.

Unlike a traditional scripted play, the performance relies entirely on audience suggestions to create characters, storylines and comedic situations from thin air. Guests may be asked to suggest characters, locations and situations — or even come onstage. Audience members are also encouraged to bring unusual objects for props, along with fun phrases for the cast to work into its scenes. No two shows are ever identical, giving attendees a unique, one-night-only theater experience.

Thursday’s show will feature short-form improv, a quick and unpredictable style familiar to fans of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” Performers will include Tangled Lines founder Dan Olsen and Kenneth “Kenny” Faust, Emily Martis, Kyle Bowman and Charisty Calhoun. Audience members may be asked to join the cast for select games.

Previous Tangled Lines performers in action. Photos from Dan Olsen

One game, called “Moving Bodies,” places two actors onstage while audience volunteers control their movements. In “New Choice,” performers must immediately replace a line whenever another cast member calls for a new choice. “Growing and Shrinking Machine” builds a scene from one performer to five before working its way back down.

Another audience favorite features a “three-headed” character, such as a barista or park ranger. Three participants — including an audience member — answer questions one word at a time, attempting to speak as a single person.

Tangled Lines traces its roots to the early 2000s. Olsen previously performed with Scared Scriptless in Anchorage and helped bring the group to Seward for some of the community’s earliest improv shows. Encouraged by Raylene O’Connor, he later formed the local troupe with original members Nick Capra, Nick Schaefer and Faust.

The group has now been performing in Seward for more than 20 years, with Olsen serving as its one steady member throughout its run. Other performers have joined, departed and returned over the years, keeping the troupe’s lineup fresh.

Tangled Lines’ members bring experience from several theatrical traditions. Faust studied acting at the Stella Adler Studio in New York and has taken improv courses with Chicago’s iO Theater, formerly known as ImprovOlympic. Olsen has also performed with Homer improv troupe Fresh Produce and completed an intensive course in European-style clowning, which emphasizes physical expression and the creation of distinctive characters rather than traditional circus clown acts.

Want to learn improv?

For those who would rather participate than watch, beginner-friendly improv workshops are being offered Monday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. in the multipurpose room at the AVTEC gym. The workshops are presented through Seward Parks and Recreation, with a recommended $15 donation benefiting the Seward Arts Council.

No experience is required, and participants do not need to attend every session. Each workshop stands on its own, with activities tailored to the people who attend that evening. Recent sessions have drawn between six and 14 participants, giving everyone time to participate while still providing enough people for a variety of games.

“It’s not about performing or being funny,” Olsen said. “It’s for people who want to try something new and have fun. We begin with warm-ups and simple games, then introduce the basic idea of improv, which is ‘Yes, and.’ One person offers an idea, and their partner accepts it and adds something new. It promotes listening, spontaneity and openness to other people’s ideas. That kind of acceptance goes a long way in everyday life, too.”

Those skills can help beyond the stage, too. Improv can build confidence, spontaneity and comfort around other people while teaching participants to approach unfamiliar situations with curiosity instead of fear.

Whether they come to laugh Thursday night or step into a scene at Monday’s workshop, Seward residents can expect one thing: no two moments will be quite the same.