The Very Normal Festival 

December 10-12, 2020

Three days of very normal bits, characters, variety acts, music, and improv, brought to you by the producers of the Countdown Improv Festival. 

Because it’s 2020 and everything is fine.

Deadline extended to Monday, October 19th

Kelly Buttermore and Justin Peters have been an icon of independent improv, never confining themselves to limited opportunities as improvisors. They have, as long as I’ve been improvising, finding their own way and making their own opportunities and now, they hustle to provide opportunities for improvisors, actors and comedians to grow in a limitless art form just as they did, especially now with the added challenge.

They run the Countdown Improv festival every year and were adamant to adapt this year to the virtual stages, being one of the first festival producers to tackle the challenge and proving to all the rest that we can continue our festivals.

Much of the improv festival experience is about the travel, meeting other creatives, performing in new & exciting venues, it’s perfectly valid that some performers are not on board for the virtual festival… but those that are get creative, and the greatest perk is the ability to feature a global diversity, which is exciting for our art form’s evolution. I recently participated in the Chicago Dramatic Improv Festival where 75% of their instructors were from another Country, an incredible sight to see.

Ultimately, artists need to create… so I am grateful for leaders like Kelly & Justin who continue to create avenues for creators.

The Very Normal Festival is a true bit show, the less normal the better …. and although it can feature improv, it’s available to performers of all kinds; clowns, comedians, improvisors, actors and musicians, with comedy & ridiculousness at its core. They aim to give a Muppet Show experience, just trying to keep a “professional” variety show together. I love this idea… you as an artist can submit ANYTHING… you can try anything.

Perhaps this festival is an opportunity for you to playfully create more in 2020!