All-Star Instructor Lineup Announced for Inaugural Rivertowns Improv Fall Festival

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NY — Blind Tiger Improv has officially announced the instructor roster and workshop slate for the inaugural Rivertowns Improv Fall Festival, taking place October 16–17, 2026. Hosted at the Croton Academy of Arts (8 Old Post Rd. South, Croton-on-Hudson, NY), the two-night festival celebrates the art, heart, and humor of the Hudson Valley with evening performances alongside daytime masterclasses.

Designed to bring the community together to play, learn, and grow, the festival features instructors hailing from across the Hudson Valley alongside seasoned talent from the world’s improv capital, Chicago.

"I'm very excited about the festival instructors we have lined up," said Michael Short, Artistic Director of Blind Tiger Improv. "Each of our headliners is teaching. I love that we are building bridges with other Hudson Valley improv teachers, I get a chance to teach my solo improv workshop, and we're bringing a Chicago-trained improviser to the region."

2026 Festival Workshop Lineup

• Puppet Improvisation 101 | Instructors: Josh Cohen & Tamra Malaga (The Josh and Tamra Show)
  Pioneers of long-form puppet improv for over 27 years (UCB, Jim Henson Productions), Cohen and Malaga teach hand-and-rod manipulation, vocal characterization, and comedic storytelling. Participants receive their own practice puppet.
• Deep Listening, Emergent Worlds: 2x2x2 Format | Instructor: Kat Koppett (The Mopco Improv Theatre)
  Author of Training to Imagine and TEDx speaker Kat Koppett guides performers through radical listening, intuitive trust, and co-discovery to build interconnected worlds without rushing the narrative.
  
• Acting for Improv | Instructor: Samantha Jones (Hudson Valley Improv)
  Veteran actor and director Samantha Jones (A Murder at the End of the World, The Blacklist) shares her signature "Improv Empowerment" methodology, bridging serious acting technique with spontaneous comedy.
  
• Playing With Patience | Instructor: Heather Marie Vitale
  Second City Conservatory graduate Heather Marie Vitale leverages her decade-plus of Chicago improv experience to help performers channel stage energy into slow, organic, and relationship-driven scene work.
  
• Solo Improv: Populate the Stage | Instructor: Michael Short (Blind Tiger Improv)
  Blind Tiger Artistic Director and former Second City cruise performer Michael Short teaches rapid physical and vocal shifts to help actors command the stage alone and build self-reliance for ensemble play.
  
• Contact Improv for Laughs: Devised Theatre & Physical Connection | Instructor: Connor Bond
  MFA actor and musician Connor Bond (Netflix, HBO, Shakespeare in the Park) utilizes contact improv and devised theatre techniques to help performers move beyond facial expressions and build deep connection.
  

Performances & Key Dates

In addition to workshops, the weekend features evening performances headlining The Josh and Tamra Show, Hudson Valley Improv, Blind Tiger’s three house teams, and the Croton Academy of Arts Teen Student Team.

• September 5, 2026: Performance lineup announced; public ticket sales go live.
• October 16–17, 2026: Rivertowns Improv Fall Festival.

For festival updates, workshop registration, and ticket sales, visit blindtigerimprov.com/rivertownsimprovfallfest/about.

About Blind Tiger Improv

Founded in 2019, Blind Tiger Improv is dedicated to keeping improvisation accessible, inclusive, and affordable in the Hudson Valley. In addition to producing monthly shows at Hudson Valley Books for Humanity in Ossining, Blind Tiger offers a comprehensive adult education program providing a supportive space for performers of all backgrounds.

About Croton Academy of Arts

Located in Croton-on-Hudson, NY, Croton Academy of Arts offers high-quality performing arts education, workshops, and community events for youth, teens, and adults.