Vancouver TheatreSports® League has been producing award-winning improvisation for decades. “Short format” shows, like the TheatreSports® format, have been VTSL’s main focus but the company has always endeavoured to introduce new and exciting shows for the audience to enjoy.

In the world of improvisational theatre, our Wednesday night show - STRETCH, falls into the category of Long Form. The term fails to do justice to the variety of exciting shows offered within the genre. We at VTSL have renamed this format “NONstop” due to the fact that these shows start with one suggestion and then keep the comedy coming until the suggestion is exhausted!

NONstop improv is well known throughout the world but most popular in North America. Legend has it that it was conceived in San Francisco and refined to the quality of performance we see today in improv hotspots like Chicago, New York, Toronto and Vancouver. Del Close pioneered several formats of long form improv, perhaps most recognizably the Harold (a highly structured, multi-scene improv lasting approximately 30 minutes.)

Want to see something curiously refreshing? A little bit different and a whole lot hilarious? Check out Stretch on Wednesdays.

	Brian Anderson Brian's interest in long form was awakened by a visit to the Victoria Long Form Improv festival in 2004. With Nathan Clark and Fil Hanley he work-shopped new techniques for two years, gradually evolving into the "Tuesdays with Nathan" long form program and the first dedicated long form shows at VTSL. This year he had the privilege of working on a week-long intensive with Keith Johnstone as part of the Vancouver Life Game ensemble. Brian loves NONstop improv for its elegance and complexity.
	Nathan Clark Nathan's been a member of Vancouver TheatreSports since 2000. Other NONstop Improv credits include Urban Improv, which he can be seen in weekly at Chivana's, and various different shows with !nstant Theatre including "Friends Forever", "3rd Person" and "Cage Match". Nathan has also taken part in a number of different Improv Festivals including being part of the Vancouver International Improv Festival's "Ensemble" twice. Nathan loves the freedom and creativity of NONstop Improv shows like Stretch and he believes audiences here in Vancouver will too.
	Alistair Cook Alistair has been performing NONstop improv for audiences across Canada, the US and Europe. Alistair is the founder and Director of Vancouver’s NONstop improv company, !nstant Theatre Co., and one of the producers of the Vancouver International Improv Festival. Alistair is excited to introduce this addictive style of improv to VTSL Audiences.
	Kaitlin Fontana Kaitlin Fontana has been performing long form improvisation for nearly six years. She has played and directed with UBC Improv and !nstant Theatre as well as training at New York City's Magnet Theatre. Last summer, she toured the country with !nstant and the slow comedy duo Buckshot N Benny, of which she is one half. She is also the founder of Vancouver's all-female long form improv ensemble Rosa Parks Improv. Kaitlin's proud to be part of NONstop improv at VTSL, because she relishes the opportunity to tell stories.
	Denise Jones Denise has been playing with VTSL for 5 years. She's jammed out the long form and the short at festivals in Miami, Seattle, Chicago, and Edmonton… so far, but the year is young. She's played around with long form rock operas and science documentaries and has just started performing in a unitard and face paint with Kissprov: Yes, it is what you think it is. Denise loves NONstop improv because all good things come to an end, but NONstop improv... umm... doesn't?! Yeah.
	Ken Lawson Ken has performed in the Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, Seattle, Atlanta, Edmonton and Vancouver improv festivals. He has enjoyed the many delights of long form 'prov for about 3 years now. Some of his favourite teachers include Bob Dassie (IO, LA), David Razowsky (Second City, LA), Joe Bill (Annoyance, Chicago), Armando Diaz (Magnet, NYC), Mark Sutton (Annoyance, Chicago) and our very own Alistair Cook (!nstant Theatre/VTSL, Vancouver, British Columbia in the Country of Canada, Planet Earth, Milky Way, Space). He loves NONstop prov cause its tangy and filled with so many things ! Holy… , that’s refreshing improv! It’s so rad! Everyone that doesn't do it is a racist and doesn't care about the environment! He looks forward to doing his first Stretch show on May 13th !
	David Milchard David loves being a part of Stretch! Having improvised for several years he enjoys the challenge of NONstop improv. Anything can happen and it usually does.
	Will Minsky
	Allen Morrison Allen has been a member of VTSL for the past year and he's very excited to be a part of the STRETCH show. His past long form experience includes working with Urban Improv, !nstant Theatre, Red Herring and the Justice Pals in shows such as Cagematch, Thundercrowd, Ultimate Improv Championship and the Vancouver Improv Festival. There is nothing he likes more the a story-well-told, except possibly a story-well-shown, which is exactly why he loves NONstop improv.
	Margret Nyfors Margret has trained and performed the art of long form improvisation many places including such cities as Seattle (Unexpected Productions), San Francisco (Bay Area Theatresports) and Chicago (Improv Olympic). She is thrilled to be doing this amazing NONstop style of improv here in Vancouver. Margret believes this is the hardest and most enthralling art form on the planet. She knows audiences love watching the creative minds of the performers being stretched to the absolute limit as they work together to craft a series of scenes off a single inspiration. Once you have experienced the magic of a brilliant long form show, you will be forever hooked.
	Ian Rowe Ian Rowe has been performing improv comedy across Canada for more than 15 years. He is a founding Artistic Director of Toronto’s Ghost Jail Theatre Company and co-creator of the hour-long nonstop show that shares the company’s name. In Toronto, Ian has performed regularly in the popular Toronto shows Catch23, Project Project and the National Theatre of the World’s Carnegie Hall Show as well as in a variety of other independent productions. Before moving to Toronto Ian appeared for ten years as a regular performer in Rapid Fire Theatre’s TheatreSports. As an Actor Ian has performed in a variety of short films and for theatre companies including Teatro La Quindicina, The Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie and Panties Productions.
	Taz Vanrassel Taz VanRassel has been performing improv around the Lower Mainland for more than 15 years. He’s been involved with more than a dozen productions at the Vancouver Theatre Sports League and is part of its touring cast, performing for kids at schools across the province. Taz appears regularly with Urban Improv and is a founding member of Instant Theatre Co. and ‘The Sunday Service’, a weekly improv and comedy show at the Hennessey Dining Lounge. He’s been exploring the limitless possibilities of NONstop improv for more than a decade and is a strong force behind Vancouver’s growing scene. Twice nominated for Best Male Improvisor at the Canadian Comedy Awards, Taz has toured and won tournaments across Canada, the United States, Europe and Australia. When not on the stage, Taz can be found directing and teaching his craft to people of all skill levels at VTSL and beyond.