About

SODA Impro, theatre for the masses

SODA Impro aims to bridge the divide between theatre and improvised comedy through our training programs and performances. We provide entertainment that is honest, funny, and relevant to our immediate audience.

SODA Impro prefers the organic route

We love all types of improv, but we teach the kind that requires as little conscious inventing as possible. Every movement, sound, and word uttered onstage is an offer, deliberate or not, so there is no reason to reach outside of the abundance of the present moment for inspiration.

SODA Impro is interested in the why and how

We are dedicated to clarity and purpose in our teaching. We will never use words like "x-factor" or "it" to describe presence and charisma because they are meaningless in a classroom setting. SODA provides practical tools and playable exercises that break down complex concepts into digestable lessons. The magic of theatre works best when the performers know what they're doing, and how to integrate their artistic voice.

The Opinion to Point-of-View Pipeline

Opinions make a character distinct, and every opinion has a deeper reason behind it. Whether it's a tradition, belief-system, a lesson-learned, or simply something they heard from someone they trusted and never questioned. When we dive into the why of an opinion, objective, or action, and answer as honestly and obviously as possible, we can discover a playable point-of-view easily, organically, and joyfully.

Producer / Instructor

Oliver Georgiou

Oliver is passionate about unscripted theatre and the cross-section that exists between acting and improvisation. He runs SODA Impro and is one-half of Jan & George with Reid Janisse. Specialty course offerings in Toronto and Los Angeles have included: Viewpoints, Mindfulness, and Meisner for the Actor Improviser; DYNAMIC SCENES TOOLBOX through Bad Dog Theatre; The Game In Narrative through The Assembly Improv; and Intro to Viewpoints for Improvisation. As a coach, he has worked with Duck Confetti, HinProv, and other troupes around Toronto. This past year he was a featured guest instructor at the Dramatic Improv Festival in Chicago, Le Grand Yes And in Montreal, and the Snow Day Improv Marathon in Detroit. This year he's delighted to be teaching with Bad Dog Theatre, ImprovCon, and Camp Improv Utopia.

This year, Oliver worked on the Blockbuster Week debut of Deadline, an improvised journalism thriller, and followed it up with U UP?, directed by Ken Hall for Toronto Fringe. The award-winning film Vampire Zombies... From Space! is now available for streaming, starring Oliver as a chain-smoking greaser with a heart of gold. He's delighted to have worked so closely with Bygone Theatre in the past few years on live stage productions of The Rear Window, The Birds, and Wayne & Shuster, Live! He also helped develop the roles of Edwin in Kristen Da Silva's The Bluff (Theatre Orangeville) and Mr. Gordon in Vishesh Abeyratne's workshop of Blood Offering (Alma Matter Productions). Oliver returns to Detroit biannually for the Snow Day Improvised Marathon for local cancer charities and the Detroit Improv Festival. He's an alumnus of Second City Toronto House Co, and can be found sporting a horrible pseudo-Irish accent in the Canadian Podcast Award-winning series Caverns & Comedians.

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