The Blue Door Theatre

"Serving Spokane's Improv Needs Since 1996." This is the logo situated beneath the online banner of The Blue Door Theatre (BDT), the Inland Northwest's Premier Improv Company. Laying low in the heart of the Garland district, this tiny, intimate theater is bursting with ad lib talent and comical performances, all at the hands of local volunteers. Originally called Unexpected Productions: Spokane, it was founded in 1996 by Mark Robbins, who rented a variety of spaces to put on his shows every Friday night. Four years later, the company dropped into a more permanent residence in downtown Spokane and changed its name, so called because of the blue door entrance. 2002 saw another move happen, this time to its current location in the Garland district.

The BDT specializes in both long- and short-form improvisation. In addition to the evening productions, the company hosts adult and youth/teen improv classes that "introduce, emphasize, and reinforce the skills" that improvisation requires. Some students even transition to volunteers, helping around the theater, working admissions, and even performing on stage for both the general admission productions, and the Safari shows (fast-paced, wild, and not always suitable for all ages). Running $8 for general admission, and $7 for student, military, senior, and Safari shows, the shows are typically an hour long, perfect enough to grab a bite to eat after.

This month's special feature is called "Artsy Pants"; the audience draws little, unrelated caricatures before the show begins, and the players act them out, performing as historians sent to interpret the drawings. These shows happen every Friday night. If you plan on going, be sure to call ahead and schedule a reservation. Let the hilarity ensue!