Widely considered to be the premier venue for long-form improvisational performances and classes, the iO Theater (formerly known as the ImprovOlympic Theater) was founded in 1981 by Charna Halpern and the late great improvisational teacher and director, Del Close.
Using theater games created by Viola Spolin, David Shepard created the ImprovOlympic to put up competing improv teams against each other in friendly and funny competitions. At the time, performances were being held at The Players Workshop in Chicago, where Charna Halpern was an improv student and assistant to David Sheperd. She later would become the producer of the competitions, and eventually took over operations and ownership of the ImprovOlympic name.
