Loose Moose Theatre (Calgary)

Loose Moose Theatre Company is one of the most historically significant improv organizations in the world, co-founded in 1977 in Calgary, Alberta, by Keith Johnstone and Mel Tonken. Johnstone, a British-born drama teacher and theorist who had been a faculty member at the University of Calgary since 1966, created the Theatresports format — a competitive improv structure pitting two teams against each other in front of a live audience with judges — that would go on to be adopted by improv theaters in over 40 countries. Loose Moose served as the laboratory where Johnstone developed and refined not only Theatresports but also Maestro Impro (a last-performer-standing elimination format), Gorilla Theatre (a director-driven competitive format), and The Life Game (an autobiographical narrative format) — collectively, these innovations represent some of the most widely practiced improv formats on earth. Johnstone served as Loose Moose's artistic director from 1977 to 1998, personally shaping generations of improvisers and establishing Calgary as a pilgrimage destination for improv practitioners worldwide. The theater also hosted the Loose Moose International Improvisation Summer School from 1988 to 2019, drawing students from across the globe to study Johnstone's methods at their source. Keith Johnstone passed away on March 11, 2023, at age 90, leaving an incalculable legacy — but Loose Moose continues as the living institution that preserves and extends his work.

In 2025, Loose Moose Theatre operates from its space at 1235 26th Avenue SE in Calgary, continuing to offer both training programs and a regular performance schedule rooted in Johnstone's philosophy. What makes Loose Moose unique among all improv institutions worldwide is its direct connection to the source of Theatresports and Johnstone's broader body of work — training here means learning the techniques as they were originally conceived and practiced, not through the interpretive lens of a second-generation school. Johnstone's approach to improv is fundamentally different from the Chicago-based traditions (Del Close's Harold at iO, Second City's sketch-improv hybrid, UCB's game-based philosophy) that dominate American improv training. Where Chicago improv tends to emphasize comedy, game, and pattern recognition, Johnstone's work focuses on spontaneity, narrative, status transactions, and the removal of the psychological blocks that prevent people from being truly creative. The theater continues to produce Theatresports matches, Maestro shows, and other Johnstone-format performances, maintaining the competitive, audience-interactive spirit that defined the company from its founding. Following Johnstone's death, the theater community held a 'festive wake' on June 25, 2023, with hundreds of improv practitioners from around the world gathering in Calgary to celebrate his legacy.

Getting started at Loose Moose begins with the Introduction to Improvisation class, which is open to adults aged 18 and older with no prior experience required. Registration is handled through the theater's website or by contacting the theater directly. The training curriculum is rooted in Johnstone's pedagogical approach, which differs significantly from what students encounter at most North American improv schools — rather than starting with games or scene-building exercises, Johnstone's method begins by addressing the psychological barriers to spontaneity, teaching students to lower their standards, accept failure, and stop trying to be clever. Classes progress through exercises focused on status play (how subtle shifts in status between characters create compelling scenes), narrative structure (how to build stories that sustain audience engagement), and offer acceptance (the discipline of fully receiving and building on your scene partner's contributions). The theater also offers workshops and specialty classes for improvisers at various levels, as well as youth programs for younger students interested in performance. The pace of training is deliberate — Loose Moose is more interested in producing thoughtful, spontaneous performers than in rushing students through a curriculum.

The training experience at Loose Moose feels distinctly different from classes at American improv theaters, reflecting Johnstone's emphasis on storytelling, vulnerability, and the deep mechanics of human interaction rather than comedy technique or format mastery. Students learn to read and manipulate status — the subtle power dynamics that exist in every human interaction — as a foundational skill, and this awareness transforms not just their improv but their understanding of acting, writing, and interpersonal communication. Classes frequently involve exercises designed to bypass the conscious mind's censorship — activities that may feel strange or uncomfortable at first but that unlock a level of creative freedom most performers have never experienced. Johnstone's concept of 'being changed by your scene partner' — allowing yourself to be genuinely affected by what happens in a scene rather than controlling the outcome — is practiced rigorously and produces performers with unusual emotional availability. The theater's performance schedule gives students regular access to live Theatresports matches and other Johnstone-format shows, where they can observe advanced practitioners applying these principles in real time. For many students, training at Loose Moose represents a paradigm shift — a fundamentally different way of thinking about improvisation that complements and enhances whatever other training they have received.

Loose Moose draws a unique student body that includes both local Calgary performers and a significant contingent of visitors who travel specifically to study at the birthplace of Theatresports. The theater's international reputation means it attracts improvisers, directors, and teachers from improv communities around the world — people who have been practicing Johnstone's techniques secondhand and want to experience the training at its source. Notable alumni include Mark McKinney and Bruce McCulloch (The Kids in the Hall), Paul Spence and Dave Lawrence (the cult comedy film FUBAR), Norm Hiscock (Emmy-winning writer for King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation), Rebecca Northan (acclaimed Canadian actress and improv performer), and countless improv teachers and directors who have carried Johnstone's methods to theaters on every continent. The Summer School, which ran from 1988 to 2019, trained thousands of international students and created a global network of Johnstone-trained improvisers who continue to teach and perform worldwide. The theater also has deep ties to the University of Calgary's drama department, where Johnstone taught for decades and where his approach to spontaneity and creativity continues to influence the curriculum.

Classes at Loose Moose Theatre cost approximately C$200 to C$275 per level in 2025, making the training remarkably affordable for an institution of such international significance. Each level typically consists of multi-week sessions with classes running two to three hours, and the overall investment to complete the core training track is well under C$1,000 — a fraction of what comparable training costs at institutions in Toronto, New York, or Los Angeles. The theater's Calgary location contributes to this affordability, as the city's lower cost of living compared to major entertainment hubs keeps both tuition and students' living expenses manageable. Specialty workshops and intensive programs may be priced separately. For international students who traveled to the Summer School (when it was active), the combined cost of travel, accommodation, and tuition still represented strong value given the rarity and quality of the instruction. Loose Moose does not charge performance fees for students who advance to the point of performing in Theatresports matches or other company shows, and the theater's focus on community over commerce keeps ancillary costs minimal.

Loose Moose is essential training for any serious student of improv who wants to understand the art form at its deepest theoretical and practical level. If you have trained in American-style improv and want to fundamentally expand your understanding of what improvisation can be, a trip to Calgary to study at Loose Moose is one of the best investments you can make in your artistic development. The theater is also the ideal starting point for performers who are drawn to narrative improv, character-driven work, and the psychological dimensions of performance rather than the comedy-first approach of most American schools. However, Loose Moose should not be your only training if you are pursuing a professional comedy career in the United States — you will need to supplement with American-style training at UCB, Groundlings, Second City, or iO to acquire the specific skills and industry connections that the US market requires. For Canadian performers, Loose Moose provides an outstanding foundation that can be built upon with training at Second City Toronto, Bad Dog Theatre, or other Canadian institutions. If you are an improv teacher or director, training at Loose Moose is practically a professional requirement — understanding Johnstone's work at its source will make you a more knowledgeable, versatile, and effective educator.

Read Keith Johnstone's two essential books — 'Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre' (1979) and 'Impro for Storytellers' (1999) — before arriving at Loose Moose, as these texts provide the theoretical foundation for everything you will experience in class and having that context will dramatically accelerate your learning. Practice the status exercises from 'Impro' with a scene partner before your first class — status play is the backbone of Johnstone's approach and arriving with even basic familiarity will help you engage more deeply from day one. If you are traveling to Calgary specifically for Loose Moose training, plan to stay long enough to attend multiple Theatresports matches and other performances — watching advanced Johnstone-trained performers is as educational as the classes themselves. Ask your instructors about Johnstone's legacy and their personal experiences working with him — the oral history of this theater is extraordinarily rich, and the practitioners who knew Johnstone have stories and insights that will never be captured in a book. When you return to your home improv community, experiment with incorporating Johnstone techniques into your regular practice — the combination of status awareness, narrative focus, and spontaneity exercises with whatever improv tradition you already practice will produce a hybrid skill set that is genuinely distinctive.