Jonathan Pitts
Jonathan Pitts is an award-winning international improv theatre artist from Chicago with over thirty years of experience. Pitts is a creator, director, improviser, producer, and teacher, and the Founder and long-time Executive Director of Chicago Improv Productions.[1]
He co-founded the Chicago Improv Festival and produced it for twenty years. He created and produced the College Improv Tournament for ten years. He was Teen Comedy Fest’s executive producer for seven years. He was also the founder and producer of Chicago Podcast Festival for several years.[2]
He has taught and performed internationally in twenty-four countries, as well as all over America. He’s performed in over 1500 improvised shows. He has created the improv shows, “The Make ‘Em Ups”, "The Oracle", "The Silent Movie", “Solo Plus One”, “Stopwatch”, and "Storybox Unscripted Theatre".
He taught at The Second City for sixteen years[3] and he’s a contributing writer to their book on improvisation. He taught story-based improv at Piven Theatre Workshop. He’s also taught at dozens of American cities including numerous regional improvisation festivals and improv theatres.
For three consecutive years he was selected by New City magazine as one of "Chicago's Top 50 Theatre Players." Pitts has been interviewed about improvisation in numerous books, newspapers, and webpages and in live podcasts and radio and TV shows.
Chicago Improv Festival[edit]
The Festival draws hundreds of international improv performers from numerous improv companies to Chicago. They perform in venues throughout Chicago. Performers have included Dan Harmon, Scott Adsit, Susan Messing, Rob Belushi, Jon Barinholtz, Joey Slotnick, T.J. Jagodowski and Rachel Dratch.
Teachers[edit]
He worked with the all-star team of improv teachers, such people as Paul Sills, Byrne Piven, David Shepherd, Sheldon Patinkin, Alan Baranowski and, the king of them all, Del Close.
"Del is the closest thing we've had to Picasso," Pitts says. "And one of the things he told me has guided me forever. He said, 'We don't ever have to stop learning.'"