Check back for the 2020 lineup.
Meanwhile, take a look at some of the great acts we had in 2018!
Providing youth with an opportunity to see top notch adult and youth performers is one of our primary goals. This weekend we present a wide variety of acts from all over Austin performing an awesome mix of improv and sketch comedy formats.
Teachable Moments
Saturday, 3 pm at Fallout Theater Tickets here.
While teaching comedy is a deeply satisfying job, what we all really live for is the chance to get up on stage and make people laugh. For our first adult show of the festival, we’ve invited the talented, hilarious and uncommonly attractive Excused Absence faculty & staff to perform a long form improv set. Come see what they can do when they aren’t telling YOU what to do!
TCTA Youth Sketch
Saturday, 3 pm at Fallout Theater Tickets here.
Totally Cool, Totally Art is a City of Austin Parks and Rec Department program that brings the fine arts to Austin youth in an amazing way. These sketches are the product of their summer performing arts program. Earlier in the summer, these young artists shared this work with younger Austin youth taking part in a variety of City sponsored projects.
Random Encounters
Saturday, 4 pm at Fallout Theater. Tickets here.
This up and coming youth improv troupe began turning heads and amusing audiences in the early spring of 2018 with their sharp with and bursts of physical comedy.
Merlin & Sons
Saturday, 4 pm at Fallout Theater. Tickets here.
Shana Merlin practically invented improv in Austin. Sit back and watch as she performs an original, improvised show with her two young sons.
Girls Girls Girls
Saturday, 5 pm at Fallout Theater. Tickets here.
Austin, Texas’s original all-female improvisation troupe. Our specialty is creating long-form improvised musicals from a single audience suggestion. The Girls and their live musicians make up the songs, dances, characters, and stories all on the spot
HellHole
Saturday, 7 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
HellHole is a serialized, improv comedy that follows the ups and downs of Dunwich Fun Putt’s teen staff and the monsters who frequent their workplace. This show is a special event and ticketed separately from the fest. Therefore, passes cannot be used to reserve seats.
ExAb Tourco
Sunday, 11 am at ColdTowne Theater. No ticket required
ExAb Tourco is an all ages improv troupe who take their shows to events and groups all over Texas. At our festival, they will perform a high energy, interactive show, then conduct an improv jam. Don’t miss it!
RoundHouse
Sunday, 12 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
RoundHouse performs an improvised, long form show that builds from a grounded reality into a fast paced, hilarious exploration of the worlds they create onstage. These five teen performers have played together at multiple festivals and on stages throughout Austin. The summer of 2018 has included a performance at the Del Close Marathon in NYC and ColdTowne main stage show, HellHole.
The Batemans
Sunday, 12 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
This mother daughter duo makes their debut on the ColdTowne stage, finally bringing their unique combination of high energy and charm to a wider audience!
Y’all, We Asian
Sunday, 12 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Hot off their performances at the Del Close Marathon and ColdTowne’s Main Stage show, “Y’all We Asian – Improv” is the first and only all Asian American improv troupe based out of Austin, TX.
Lowery & Lowery
Sunday, 1 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Separately, Emma and Kim are both improv powerhouses, both appearing regularly on Austin stages. Once in a blue moon, this mother daughter team pairs up to bring us what we assume will be an explosion of hilarity.
Rowdy
Sunday, 1 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
“Joseph Dailey and Sanjay Rao are two of Austin’s most gifted comics. Seriously. You need to see this show. That is all.”
– Kristin Henn
IGGYISBOSS
Sunday, 2 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Amy Averett (parent) and Walter Lyles (spawn) perform a two person set that might, just might include a musical interlude or two…
SweetLamb
Sunday, 2 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
All of the Sweetlambs in the world (Caitlin, Jeremy, Annabel [age 4], and Elliot [age1]) will be up on stage improvising, whether they know it or not. Expect a fun disaster.
Bird on a Banjo
Sunday, 2 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Bird on a Banjo formed in the summer of 2018 as the result of an Excused Absence summer class. They are funny, quick and always a joy to watch.
Collection Agency
Sunday, 2 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Katie Stone & Devon Coleman are good friends performing good improv about bad things.
Chuy Zarate & Family
Sunday, 3 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Chuy and Catherine Zarate revive their improv duo, Twenty Years and Counting – but there’s a hitch! They are joined on stage for the first time by their sons…
Breaking OK
Sunday, 3 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
The youngest troupe appearing at this year’s festival, Breaking OK never fails to surprise audiences with their original and witty takes on the world. These guys are going to make you laugh.
Big Shed
Sunday, 3 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
One of ColdTowne’s favorite troupes, Beg Shed performs the classic Harold format. If you want to see how the pros do it, this is the show to attend.
ExAb TV
Sunday, 4 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Fresh off a week long comedy camp, this talented group of young performers will perform both sketch and improv. Come out and support the future of comedy!
Movie Riot
Sunday, 4 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
This ColdTowne Staple has been bringing improvised movies to Friday night audiences for years. This is a rare opportunity to se an all ages version of the show.
S’Nailed It
Sunday, 5 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Move Your Tale’s longest continually running house troupe, S’Nailed it is comprised of teens who perform long form comedy and sketch. They are coached by Austin’s most photogenic improviser, Luke Wallens.
Victrola
Sunday, 5 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Victrola is a monthly smorgasbord of audio-phonic chaos. Sketch comedy culled together from improvised bits and forged into a single, mighty podcast.
Brought to you by the fine folks at Austin’s ColdTowne Theater. Written by and Starring Michael Jastroch, Molly Moore, Dalton Allen, Bryan Roberts, Lance Gilstrap, Cortnie Jones and Jericho Thorp.
Chlane
Sunday, 5 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Chlane is Chloe & Lane Ingram. They are perfect.
Weird Belly
Sunday, 6 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Weird Belly is Ashlee Jordan Pryor, Mason Pitluk and Olivia Pryor. In Ashlee’s words, “We are a momma, a step-dad, and a chicken nugget (okay, a normal 5 year old) that will probably do a mono scene that gets really silly really fast. Definitely suitable for everyone!”
Montmoreau
Sunday, 6 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
This long form teen troupe includes some of Austin’s best teen improvisers. In addition to performing frequently at all ages shows, they performed and advanced multiple times at ColdTowne’s weekly competitive improv show, Throwdowne. Potentially the most sophisticated improv you’ll see this weekend…
Frank Mills
Sunday, 6 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Excused Absence Fest is delighted to include this reunion performance of The Frank Mills! Featuring Dave Buckman, Rachel Madorsky and Michael Jastroch, three of the most experienced and talented performers in Austin, they perform long form improv that creates grounded scenes in absurd contexts.
The Wild Cows Present: Zachary Night Live
Sunday, 7 pm at ColdTowne Theater. Tickets here.
Coached by Will Cleveland as part of Zach Scott Theatre’s Youth Summer Main stage, these teen improvisers have worked tirelessly to create an original comedy show that combines top notch sketch and improv.
