{"id":26630,"date":"2024-07-12T23:30:20","date_gmt":"2024-07-13T05:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/improvisers-to-bring-the-fun-to-the-sunflower-theatre\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T23:43:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T05:43:02","slug":"improvisers-to-bring-the-fun-to-the-sunflower-theatre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/improvisers-to-bring-the-fun-to-the-sunflower-theatre\/","title":{"rendered":"Improvisers to bring the fun to the Sunflower Theatre"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Lower
Lower Left Improvisers create comedic scenes on the spot. (Sarah Syverson\/Courtesy photo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Lower Left Improv, based in Durango, is coming to Cortez for their first performance, hosted by the Sunflower Theatre. The show will feature professionally trained improvisers and local talent, and will be split into two acts.<\/p>\n

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with the show starting at 7 p.m. The first act will be short-form improv, similar to Whose Line is it Anyway<\/em>, and will feature Sarah Syverson, manager of the Sunflower Theatre and a creative partner with Lower Left, as well as special guests Kellie Pettyjohn, Nathan Brown and Silvia Fleitz, all Montezuma County locals.<\/p>\n

The second act will be a long-form performance featuring founders Mary Quinn and Cindy Laudadio Hill in a segment they call \u201cCindy and Mary.\u201d They will take one suggestion from the audience and create a scene on the spot.<\/p>\n

\"Cindy
Cindy Laudadio Hill (left) and Mary Quinn (right) formed Lower Left Improv in 2023. (Courtesy Photo\/Sarah Syverson)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Laudadio Hill and Quinn met in 2021, with their first performance together in 2022, and Lower Left was officially named in 2023.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a very organic process, in that I love improv, Mary loves improv, we both have been trained in Chicago, New York (Los Angeles), Denver and so forth,\u201d Laudadio Hill told a Journal<\/em> reporter.<\/p>\n

Laudadio Hill described her and Quinn\u2019s improv relationship as \u201csymbiotic,\u201d which made their performances fun to participate in, and drew more attention from larger audiences.<\/p>\n

Larger audiences and demonstrated interest in the area led them to teaching improv and performing more. They started in the Durango Arts Center, and by word-of-mouth, they grew. Now, they\u2019ve got their own studio space on Main Avenue in Durango.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow we\u2019re in full production mode, so to speak. We\u2019ve got Sarah now teaching with us, and she\u2019s one of our wonderful creative partners,\u201d Laudadio Hill said.<\/p>\n

Their classes are taught in two modules. The Green Module is geared for beginners who want to explore improvisation and their creative side. The Blue Module is for more experienced improvisers, and introduces them to long-form improvisation.<\/p>\n

Lower Left plans to bring Green Module classes to Cortez in September as they work to forge a connection with Montezuma County. Syverson said that goats will be involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what Sarah has brought, a beautiful connection to Montezuma County, and that\u2019s really what improvisation is all about. It\u2019s about community, cooperation and collaboration, and then play,\u201d Laudadio Hill said.<\/p>\n

She said that if people could get back to playing the way they know instinctively how to do, mental health and community connections would be better.<\/p>\n

\"Performers
Performers with Lower Left Improv create comedic scenes on the spot on stage. (Sarah Syverson\/Courtesy photo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cPlay is all about negotiation with low consequences,\u201d she said. \u201cHave a sense of humor, people!\u201d<\/p>\n

Laudadio Hill became interested in improv in the 1990s when she found a class in Boulder. She had done creative corporate work and thought that the class would be a fun opportunity. From Day One, she knew that these were her people.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt answered all the questions that I needed in terms of finding people who were like-minded to create and discover on the spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Lower
Lower Left Improv will perform at the Sunflower Theatre on July 19. Tickets can be bought online on the Sunflower Theatre\u2019s website. (Sarah Syverson\/Courtesy Photo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

When asked about memorable shows or classes, Laudadio Hill used the expression \u201cJump, and a net will appear.\u201d When improvisers take chances with a scene, they can come together and create a net to make it work, and those are her favorite moments.<\/p>\n

When teaching beginners and nonperformers, Lower Left strives to connect students with what they are devoted to in life. Laudadio Hill cited a specific example where she got a hepatitis C researcher to explain his research in the simplest terms and connect to the emotional side of the research.<\/p>\n

Laudadio Hill and Syverson sung Quinn\u2019s praises. Quinn has been professionally trained in several schools of improv in the Chicago area, and her creative partners commended her teaching and performance skills.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s very well versed in all the different schools of improvisation, and also just awesome,\u201d Laudadio Hill said. \u201cShe\u2019s an amazing instructor,\u201d Syverson added.<\/p>\n

\"Sarah
Sarah Syverson is the new theater manager at the Sunflower Theatre and a creative partner for Lower Left Improv. She will perform July 19 with the improv troupe at the Sunflower Theatre. (Sarah Syverson\/Courtesy photo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Syverson shared her excitement about the performance and the growing connection between Lower Left and the Sunflower Theatre.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been a part of other improv troupes, and this one has a really special feel in terms of growing community and including people of all different types to be able to get on stage and play,\u201d Syverson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think \u2026 improv is so important and vital and lovely and joyful to bring here because of that connecting element that improv does. It\u2019s accessible to community members, so we\u2019re not bringing in professionals from out of state or something. These are regional leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n

She studied at The Second City in Chicago. She came to Durango and was writing and performing one-person improv, and began doing other events with the Sunflower Theatre.<\/p>\n

She felt compelled to apply to work at the Sunflower Theatre, and started as the manager about six weeks ago. The Sunflower Theatre hasn\u2019t had a theater manager since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Syverson and Tom Yoder, executive director of both the Sunflower and KSJD, talked about the intentions of the Sunflower Theatre as they reemerge after the pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy intention is to build community and connection with talents that are here, letting them bloom and flower,\u201d Syverson said.<\/p>\n

Syverson also shared that the KSJD Radio staff and team have been working since last year to support events and bring shows to the Sunflower Theatre, committing their evenings and weekends to the cause.<\/p>\n

Tickets to Lower Left Improv\u2019s show on July 19 are $15 and can be purchased on the Sunflower Theatre website at https:\/\/sunflowertheatre.org\/events\/lower-left-improv-comedy-show-comes-to-moco\/<\/a>. Proceeds will go to the Sunflower Theatre.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Skilled performers will take the stage in July for a night of color and excitement<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26631,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[28,29],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-26630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-headlines","tag-newsletter"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26630","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26630"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26630\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79420,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26630\/revisions\/79420"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26631"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26630"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=26630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}