The Department of Improv @ DIVA is as strong as it has ever been. Since our first shows in 2018, we have been thrilled and humbled by the response from the community and the support of our new friends. DIVA’s mission is to make the arts accessible to everyone, regardless of ability, ethnicity, identity, class, or creed. You put the “I” in DIVA. We want you all to feel welcome and loved.

Improv is, by its very nature, spontaneous. As we study improv (and yes, we study), we learn a lot about ourselves and others. We make ourselves vulnerable, and we make mistakes. We know there’s a line that must not be crossed – we discuss it often. And we know the line is in different places for different people; that’s why, each month, we give you one show with filters and one show without. While our audience has input into our content, it is our responsibility to handle that input with care and respect. The choices we make in a scene are ours and ours alone. Or put another way: we are and will always be, a work in progress.

We never set out to be disrespectful, demean, or mock any person or group. However, portions of our 9:00 p.m. show on March 6 crossed the line. We apologize for those choices we made. We own them. We are a work in progress and always pledge to learn from our mistakes. The last section of the Department of Improv Code is: “We will embrace and acknowledge all range of human emotions as we err divinely and freely forgive.” DIVA is meant to be a place to celebrate and rejoice in all of humanity through art.

DIVA and the Department of Improv is a place for art, love, and community. Without support from you, DIVA would not exist. For further discussion, we welcome your feedback. We thank you all.

With love,

Andy and Amy Dudas

Co-Founders