Festival Unexpected at Unexpected Productions
Aug 24 – Aug 30, 2026
Seattle, WA, US
Application Fee: 250
Improv
Application Deadline
Aug 14, 2026
Years Running
1983
Innovative international teachers and guests for workshops, shows, parties, and fun.
Registration is open for Festival Unexpected Seattle, Unexpected Productions’ immersive improv festival and week-long learning experience. From June 24 to June 30, improvisers from near and far will gather in Seattle for a full week of workshops, performances, parties, and community.
This is more than a festival. It is a chance to study with world-renowned improv teachers, including Inbal Lori, learn from innovative international artists, and explore new tools for performance, storytelling, collaboration, and creative risk-taking. Whether you are deepening your practice, reconnecting with the improv community, or jumping into something new, Festival Unexpected offers a rare opportunity to grow, play, and be inspired.
Spend the week learning, laughing, performing, and connecting with improvisers from around the world. Make new friends, catch up with old ones, and be part of an unforgettable celebration of improv in the heart of Seattle.
About the Hosts
Unexpected Productions Improv School has been a cornerstone of Seattle’s improv community for decades, helping shape the Pacific Northwest’s approach to spontaneous theater, comedy, and storytelling. As the first improv school in the region, it has trained generations of performers, writers, storytellers, teachers, and creative professionals through a supportive, on-your-feet approach rooted in collaboration, listening, and risk-taking.
That spirit of learning extends beyond the classroom through Unexpected Productions’ annual improv festival, an immersive learning experience that brings world-renowned teachers, performers, and companies to Seattle. As Unexpected Productions celebrates its 43rd anniversary, the festival honors the company’s history while inviting students, artists, and audiences to learn, play, perform, and connect across cultures. Together, the school and festival reflect Unexpected Productions’ larger mission: to make Seattle a vibrant home for improv education, creative exploration, and community connection.