Unscripted New York is now
Unscripted Fest!

We are expanding our global footprint in recognition of the worldwide attention improvisational theater and film is gaining… and which we celebrate with abandon at UNNY.

YES AND, in honor of our INTERNATIONAL friends who have helped us in expanding Unscripted New York, we proudly announce…….<insert drumroll here>….UNSCRIPTED FEST!

So what about 2015?

Unscripted Fest (fka unscripted New York)

is on hiatus!

Watch for us in 2016!

Taking our Festival to the next level means, sadly, that we must defer production for 2015. But look for us to come back in 2016 with NEW directions, NEW sponsors, NEW energy and focus…Who knows! Lots can happen and we can’t wait!

Please note and bookmark our new website address: unscriptedfest.com.

What makes Unscripted Fest Unique?

• Unscripted Fest is the ONLY improv festival to showcase improvisers who go beyond long form and short form to create ground-breaking, original, Unscripted Theater.
• Unscripted Fest is the FIRST improvisational theater festival to hand out awards to recognize improvisational actors for excellence
• Unscripted Fest is the ONLY festival dedicated to showcasing films with improvisation at their core.
• Unscripted Fest is the FIRST film festival to showcase all-improvised films at HBO in New York City.
  

Check out these photos from our 2014 celebration of improvisation in film
at hBO

photos courtesy of charles chessler - charles chessler photography

Big Thanks to

So Grateful HBO  Hosted Unscripted New York’s 2014 Improvised Film Celebration

Read Our Press Release for more on our Celebration of Improvisation in Film

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Watch this year's Unscripted New York Improvised Short we shot entirely during the festival... Crossroads of the World
Thanks to Ted Smits of  TedTV -- Brilliant Director and Master Collaborator!

Thank You Smuttynose Craft Beer!  

Special Thanks to Smuttynose Brewing Company for coming back as our first 2014 Premier Sponsor! 
We look forward to enjoying your quality craft beer at Unscripted New York!

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The Unscripted New York Festival

Unscripted New York is proud to celebrate artists who work without a script and who create their art and tell their stories entirely in the moment. 

Unscripted New York is a multi-day festival of improvised theatre and film funded and staffed entirely by volunteers. This year's festival is produced in association with  Artistic New Directions and Artsy Fartsy Productions.

Unscripted New York 2014 featured both local and international Films and shows, workshops with renowned improvisation teachers, and, once again, showcased a digital video improvised from conception to screening and produced entirely during the festival.

Download the latest Press Release Announcing Theater Shows
Here's the press Release Announcing hBO Hosting film celebration
Here's the Press release Announcing Film Curator Mandy May Cheetham
Here's the 2014 Kick-off Press Release     

2014 Festival Highlights

• The 3rd Annual Unscripted New York Improvised Theatre & Film Festival is proud to have HBO host our film Festival, October 3
• Our first year with Film Curator Mandy May Cheetham brought our film program to a higher level      
  
• Unscripted New York is proud to be part of the Film Freeway community, dedicated to “reinventing film festival submissions with modern technology and a fair business model.”
• Unscripted New York 2014 featured more than 100 performers highly skilled at improvisational theater  
• Unscripted New York again created a digital video, improvised from conception to screening, produced entirely during the festival.   Watch Crossroads of the World here.
  
  

2013 Festival Highlights

• More than 30 shows and films and close to 200 performers
  
• Listed on New York Magazine's Top 25 Things To Do
• Alex Karpovsky (Ray Ploshansky in HBO’s Girls) screened his TJ&Dave Documentary, Trust Us...This is All Made Up followed by a Q&A
• The Supreme Honorary Improvised Theater & Film Awards (SHITFAs – affectionately known as the SHITTYS) were created to award artists who excel and bring a higher respect and awareness to the art form and the artists involved
• Our Unscripted short, That Time, shot, edited, and produced during the festival

Unscripted Fest Is Produced in Association with...

Artistic New Directions (AND), a performing arts organization (a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit company)  that supports performing artists, writers, directors and their projects from inspiration to production. Contributions to Unscripted Fest  and to AND are tax deductible according to law. 

We couldn't produce Unscripted Fest without the support of Artistic New Directions and the undying support of Kristine Niven and Janice Goldberg, Artistic Co-Directors.  

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Artsy Fartsy Productions produces comedic short films, both scripted and improvised, including The Infinite Need a webseries about casting workshops, and The Professionals, and the award-winning Tweak Performance. Artsy Fartsy Productions was also instrumental in the creation of the festival's first two all-improvised shorts: Actuality, and That Time.  More information about Mandy May Cheetham.