What a great venue! I was looking for something that our 14 yo could attend and stumbled upon Unexpected Productions and their improv happy hour. A classic old theater tucked into the Gum Wall (be ready to have sticky shoes for a bit...it's unavoidable!) and the actors do a great job of involving the audience for a fun-filled hour. My son was laughing throughout the show...which is really a win at this point (because nothing is funny when you're a teen)! read more

We took our daughter on her 18th birthday to this spot thanks to a chat GPT suggestion. We were pleasantly surprised and the birthday girl really enjoyed her first improv comedy experience. The actors were so believable as the characters they were playing and loved the construct as a homage to the Office. read more

Saw The Grimm Truth last night and it was hysterical! Improv singing looks so fun, but so hard to do! I was the Ursula requester, you all did a great job with that one. This show has a ton of potential, and you could even branch out with other types of villains (like comic books, movies, etc.). This was my first time seeing a show there and I'll definitely be back! One thing I would suggest is either specifying it's kid-friendly material, that it's for mature audiences, or will have both, 'cause some of the jokes clearly had to be modified. Also a message in the beginning about photography/video would be helpful! read more

Unexpected Productions - A view of the small, cozy stage at Unexpected Productions, with a musician warming up in front of it. - Performing Arts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Small, dated, historic theater located in Pike's Place Gum Wall. My first experience with an improv performance. $15+ per ticket with fees. Maybe I just don't understand improv (I've heard it can be hit or miss), haven't seen enough, or the actors were given very difficult prompts but the performance was pretty incohesive and very awkward / cringey at times. There were some seemingly very drunk audience members hooting loudly. The staff is quite lovely though and the popcorn smelled nice. read more

My friend invited me for Russian IMPROVISATION COMEDY. The place is easy to find. I live on 2nd and pine its 2 steps from my home. Its in ghost alley on the left side when you come from pike market. Inside they have place for stand up and small bar as well as a second room with theatre for audience. Drinks were very affordable there. Place is equipped with everything! Was very nice experience. They do keep distance and seats are marked accordingly. read more

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What a fabtastic show! We loved the actors and the energy they gave to the crowd! Host nailed it and wonderfully engaged with the audience. Also, side note, great popcorn! read more

Unexpected Productions - Performing Arts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This was my first time at an improv show and I had a blast! We went on a Friday to watch the Happy Hour improv show. The show started at 7pm. The doors open 30 mins prior and then the house opens 20 mins prior to the start of the show. You can get candy and popcorn and drinks from the bar. The show itself was great!!! They used a lot of audience participation which was fun. All the different games and skits were unique and fun. It kept my attention the whole time. We will definitely be back! read more

Unexpected Productions - a woman and a child in a theater - Performing Arts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Both the performance and class department of Unexpected Productions has been a spectacular experience. I went to this theater on a date ages ago to see an improv show and it was a blast as it's engaging, yet I can just sit back and enjoy myself. I was impressed at how they were able to take a suggestion from the audience and come up with a scene on the spot, of course it had to be the guy I was with that they pick and suggested the word "moist". But what do you know, they created a whole skit with their interpretation of "moist". LMAO. Nearly a decade later, never in my dream would I think I would have the courage to be taking Improv classes and being able to create similar scenes that I watched. I highly recommend the classes; I have no aspiration to pursue performing professionally, but there are so many transferable skills and life lesson that you can take from Improv such as being able to quickly think on your feet, overcoming social anxiety, building confidence, living in the moment/present, learning to work as a team and trusting your scene partner. And overall, it's just damn fun. You have free access to all the shows during your duration of class as watching is part of your Improv education journey, my class has always done a good job creating group chats to stay connected so if you are figuring out how to make new friends in this Seattle Freeze culture, here is your sign. The classes are held in SODO where parking is very easy. Going back to the theater itself, it's down the stairs on the side of Pike Place Market next to the gum wall. Old school, no frills, just here for a good time type of vibe. Tell me about your experience if you've been here or is going to after reading this review:) read more

The talent is keen. The restrooms are clean(!) The theater is cozy, Better than any screen. read more

I can remember going here for late-night shows back when we were in college... Like 20 years ago! We were in town for the weekend, with some friends, and figured it was time to go back and see what things are like. It remains as it was and as enjoyable as we remember. The place is located about a third of the way down Post Alley on the left-hand side. It's basically intermingled with the gum wall. You enter into the lobby, or there's a ramp up to the entrance into the auditorium, as well as a spot to buy some snacks. Snack selection is not bad, and surprisingly things weren't all that expensive. The auditorium holds roughly 100 people, and they have a number of shows each night. We've always found improv to be a little hit and miss, but overall this place has been good every time we've been here. Sometimes have been more memorable than others, but we always leave having left plenty. It's a relatively inexpensive evening as well. It's never more than $10 or $15 for the show, and at times they will let you come to the show after the one you purchased, for free. A great excuse to go see some local folks that are way more talented than most of us will ever be! read more

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Had a fun night watching improv on a Saturday night while in town visiting friends and worth the $15 spent. Highly recommended! WARNING: If you decide to drink prior to coming here, you may find yourself walking through a dark "ghost alley" at night under pikes place market, where sticky items attached to the walls may be more than happy to find a new home on your shirt (AKA GUM WALL)... This was the first time I've ever been to an improv show and I was definitely entertained. I had no clue what to expect and didn't know how imrpov shows worked, I just came in with an open mind and enjoyed every minute of it! This particular show I saw had multiple teams battling out throughout the night with their skits and what made it more entertaining was that they got the audience involved as well and gave out prizes. I don't want to spoil too much, but I would recommend to think of ideas to spit out to them and you will enjoy what may come out from it! Definitely something to check out! read more

Unexpected Productions - The judges - Performing Arts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We had a blast. Husband was not sold walking in, but he laughed his butt off the whole time (as did I). Getting a photo op with the cast afterward was a lot of fun as well. We would DEFINITELY go again! read more

We attended their 9pm Live Theatresports show. We bought tickets off Eventbrite, super easy and convenient. The website said they open doors at 8:30, but this night doors were not open until 850ish. Show started around 9:20ish. When we arrived there was no line. It was a bit confusing because I wasn't sure who was there for the show or the gum wall alley. I asked a group of girls and that's how I found out ppl were chilling while waiting to be let in. Someone finally came out and informed everyone the line starts by the door and goes alongside the gum wall near the door (starts near door and goes all the way back into the ghost alley espresso). They checked for ID & Vaccine card or negative Covid test. We got to chose our seats. The show was funny! I'm assuming the vibe/entertainment depends on the audience, the judges, host and actors. Super easy to follow along. Pretty good time. read more

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Improv was really funny and drinks/snacks/popcorn were very reasonably priced ($9/$2/$4 at the time of writing). Location is a little hard to find but it's in the gum wall area at ppm! read more

My girlfriends and I spent a weekend in Seattle in December and while looking for "holiday" things to do I stumbled upon this company's improve A Christmas Carol. We really didn't know what to expect but figured we would give it a try and I am SO glad we did! We seriously did not stop laughing. The cast and crew were fun, hilarious, and it was family friendly which was cool. The tickets sold out and we were advised to show up at 8 even though we had tickets and there was already a line of at least 75 people! They get folks in pretty quickly though and the wait was fun, it's in post alley where the gum wall is....FUN FACT the gum wall actually started because of the patrons of Unexpected Productions. They wold stick their gum there while waiting to get in. There is a nice little bar with affordable drinks and a little concession stand with popcorn etc. also reasonably priced. I checked in on YELP and got a free popcorn! If you are on the fence about the holiday production don't be! It's an affordable and fun night out for everyone!! read more

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My partner and I attended the Theatresports Improv show on 7/17/21 and had a great time! Tickets were affordable and easy to order online. All tickets are general admission, so we arrived early to ensure we got a great seat. Doors opened in advance of the show and we had the opportunity to purchase snacks, as well as drinks at the bar. There's currently a Yelp check-in offer for free popcorn-- which we took advantage of. Yum! I had never seen Improv before, so wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but really enjoyed it! The premise of our show was 2 competing teams with judges scoring each act. The host and cast interacted with the audience and asked for suggestions to guide the scene-- i.e. "give us a place, an adjective, a relationship, etc." The teams also challenged each other with various "rules" for the scene. For instance, in one scene, the team was challenged to do over the scene multiple times, increasingly more dramatic each time. In another, one cast member read all of her lines from a miscellaneous playbook (with the page # determined randomly by the audience) and the other cast members had to react and play upon whatever line she said and somehow make it tie into the story. The show depended on not only the actors, but on audience participation and great suggestions, so the audience members with suggestions that created the best scenes won a gift card for their suggestions. All in all, it ended up being really great! The improv actors were phenomenal and adaptable and always put together a funny and entertaining scene. Definitely recommend stopping in for a show for great, affordable entertainment. read more

Unexpected Productions - Performing Arts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This was our first time at this comic establishment and first time in Seattle. When the show started they asked where audience were from. When I said I was from Maui Hawaii the host went silent making us uncomfortable. Even with tragic Comedy heals. I wished he would of simply say sorry for what's happening and hopefully Comedy heals you or something in those line's. This was not the case, it was awkward making me feel uncomfortable throughout the evening. Interesting that later in the show a set was about death and a funeral? read more

Unexpected Productions is a MUST see whether you're a local or a tourist. It's such a fun show! I went a few years ago and stayed for like three shows back to back because of how much fun it was. I recently went to their Saturday show of Theatersports from 10:30 - 12 and it was so fun. They take suggestions from the audience and really make it an interactive experience. They took my suggestions a few times and I even got pulled up on stage this time. It was sooo fun! They've got a ton of other shows following other themes but Theatersports is personally my favorite since the actors are on teams against each other and being judged by a panel. They've got small snacks for purchase plus a "full" bar. They don't have a ton of selection but they've got beer, wine, and a nice assortment of liquor but not a ton. The tickets to the show are literally only $15. You HAVE to go. read more

Side-splittingly hilarious! A roaring good time!! Clever improv comedy team - one of the best we've ever seen!!

I've come here a couple times, once on Friday and another on Wednesday for their duos night. It's not a huge stage so it's very imitate and everyone seems to know each other. The improv here is great! Some acts are definitely better than others but it's all in good fun. And things are just funnier when you've already had a couple drinks. They do serve alcohol here which range from $7 to $9 or so. Unfortunately when I asked for water they directed me to the concession stand for bottled water which was a little disappointing. For as little as $5 you can have some good entertainment laughing at some jokes for a couple hours. Not a bad deal! read more

Don't know what to do before that late night dinner near Pike Market? Or looking for a new hobby because you're new to Seattle? Both of these apply to me, which is how I discovered Unexpected Productions. 4.5 stars for the Fri 7p happy hour show and 100-level improv class (@Chris Last). 4 stars for the 2 Sat shows I've attended. I'll admit, I have a deep love of performing arts. That said, Unexpected Productions has not disappointed! It's relatively inexpensive, the cocktails are strong, and they have solid talent that will keep you laughing all eve. I've been super impressed with so many cast members; they're engaging so in the audience I feel part of the show (I think my favorite most recently was Christine?). Tip: cherry limeade will have you feeling like you're back in college! Also, I got an 8-week beginners class package as a gift, and it's been great for getting me out of my comfort zone and my head. So good I bought another 8 week package! The only reason it's not 5 stars is because of consistency. But that's the beauty of improv: you never get the same thing twice! read more

We've been here a few times for date night and usually love it!! "Theatresports" is a great show to attend on a Friday night. Most of the time it's a hit, but if it's a miss, it isn't a total loss. They have 7pm and a 10:30pm shows, to fit anyone's schedule! Get here a few minutes early to find parking and grab a drink before. There is a bar here, but we prefer to go to the late show so we can visit Zig Zag down the market before :) Definitely make plans to come by an improv show here to shake things up for your date night. It's a great time! read more

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Great value for an entertaining night. Found this last minute and decided to stop in instead of heading to the hotel early. Great comedians that looked to be enjoying their act. Thought it was all very well put together and definitely worth the $20. read more

I love improv because it's the one thing where if the show sucks....most of the time it is your own fault! Bring good suggestions and put them in front of some creative talent and you can visit as many times as you want and never see the same show twice. If you have been to Seattle and seen the famous (and gross) gum wall...then you have stood right outside Unexpected Productions and probably didn't even know it. They have around 7 shows each week ranging from improve to standup styles. I recently saw their "happy hour" show for a yelp event and was delighted at their talent and laughed my head off at their creativity. They even did a full "musical" style skit....talk about trying to do improv, as a group...singing....wow! I was able to provide them with an interesting experience I had in my life (being locked inside a nail salon...yes...it actually happened) and they played off it beautifully! For those 21+, their lobby has a bar with good selection of liqueurs along side beer and wine with decent prices. Additionally, you can grub on some food at their snack bar if you need something to eat (normal show type food of popcorn and candy). I would take family or friends here for a fun evening out or use it as a unique date night. Probably a good bet for first dates too, a bit more interactive than going to a normal movie, you still have the bar for some liquid courage, and you can laugh off all that nervous energy. read more

Unexpected Productions - Wall full of signed "bricks" - Performing Arts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Unexpected Productions puts on a fantastic show! Talented performers and host, friendly support crew, delicious drinks, and a clean, comfortable theater. The affordable ticket price supported by donations makes their shows more accessible to more people, too. Also an absolutely fantastic date night option, especially if you aren't the best long-term planner and want a quality experience on short notice! Just... hypothetically. read more

What a wacky cool night ! The allure of candid talking puppets brought us into Theatre Sports tonight. We came to check out The Cotton Gin and ended up staying for two shows in one night. Heck, even participating in the entertainment and fun! This place is awesome. The actors are very creative and animated. The bartender was really kind and provided us with excellent service. I will be stopping by again in the future for different shows and a great weekend experience in Downtown Seattle. Although it was windy and raining cats and dogs tonight we still had a wonderful time in seattle! Unexpected Productions is directly outside of the gum wall - which is disgusting but cool in a gross way! The street was bustling with young adults walking to and from trendy resturants and bars. It was great! read more

Unexpected Productions - Improv and theater sports live on stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great deal for $15 general admission... Funny comedians... glad there is such an array of local Seattle talent. read more

Came here on a Sunday night to watch the "Inside Story: Adventures in Storytelling." The show consisted of a host, 2 story-tellers, and 3 improve artists. No one was good. I've seen a lot of improv (both good and bad), a lot of story-telling (both good and bad), and this was all bad. The stories had absolutely no structure or point. It was just story-tellers disjointedly telling us very personal and sad anecdotes about their lives (multiple stories included the death of a loved one--pretty harsh for a Sunday-night goofy show). These morose tales were then followed by awkward and cringe-worthy improvisations. Admittedly, one of three improvisers was pretty good, but that could have just been in comparison to the other two. The highlight of the show was when they asked a random person from the audience to participate in one of the sketches, had them do exactly the same thing as the performers, and she proved herself the best of the three. read more

I've been here a couple of times with Seattle friends. Definitely recommend this local spot for live comedy.. no frills fun! read more

Unexpected Productions - Way to Venue - market theater (gum wall) from Pike place market down a gully of stairs. - Performing Arts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Went to the Loose Cannons Improv after having dinner at Sugo near by, and the show was hilarious! It was my first time seeing improv in person, but the staff were very welcoming and the comedians were great and worked so well together! I would definitely come again in the future, such a fun last minute activity to do downtown. read more

Entertaining improv shows and fun improv classes! I took Improv 101 with Unexpected Productions (their class is in Georgetown) and as a student, I got a free pass to watch all their improv shows. I really enjoyed the class - small class with about 15 students, and our instructor Luke was great. Initially, it was a little awkward to do those improv games in front of everybody, but after a couple classes, I felt much better and our instructor did a great job making sure everybody felt comfortable in a safe, respectful environment. I also enjoyed their shows a lot with my free student pass. It was entertaining, funny, and actors/actresses are very energetic. read more

Decided to try the Christmas Carol improv to see if it might become a new family tradition. The show starts at 7pm and they say there are kids present so keep it kid friendly. Unfortunately, it wasnt funny at all. I dont know if they just got really dumb suggestions that night (dragon slayer?) or because they make it "kid appropriate" its just not going to be funny for our family full of 18-24 year olds. Nor me. I would suggest and ealy show for kids and a late show for adults. They had to pass up on SOOOO many great opportunities to keep it kid friendly that it was really a waste of our evening. Wont make this a part of our holiday tradition but if you do adults only christmas shows, we will try again. read more

This was my first ever improv show so I didn't know what to expect- it was definitely funny at points but had its lulls as well. We went to the 10:30 show on a Saturday. This particular show was a competition show between two teams- the format seemed a bit messy, I think the quality would be much higher at one of their different styles of show (of which they have many!) The nature of the show makes it somewhat hit or miss and it will depend largely on the quality (and sobriety) of the audience that you are a part of during any given night. I might suggest trying an earlier show for this reason! The cast is super talented and are all very friendly and seem to be having a great time. A good idea if you're looking for a low budget evening! read more

Unexpected Productions - The stage at Unexpected Productions - Performing Arts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We saw an Improvised Christmas Carol again this year. I continue to be impressed with the actors weaving in audience suggestions to make the show funny & one-of-a-kind. The audience does get credit for coming up with hysterical suggestions to make the show unique. The theatre is historic in an old, quaint kind of way. All the staff have been friendly and helpful. We will continue to make this a holiday tradition! read more

Kudos to Yelp for bringing us here (and for the discount tickets via the app!). I'm generally not a fan of "Improv Sports," but it's a hilarious act with some great talent at Unexpected Productions. A group of four us went to enjoy and really enjoyed the show. I even got to be an audience participant in one of the sets in an unforgettable "whale basket weaving" of an experience! A great night to remember. You'll belly laugh and have a good time here. Just go! read more

I LOVE theater. And improv theatre is kind of its own universe in the theatre world. The unexpected productions Improv Theatre is located at the historic Pike Place Market and offers a small variety of programs - but who needs hundreds of different shows when every single show is so unique thanks to the talented improv artists on stage and a different audience each time? Be prepared to be part of the show, don't be shy and have fun! read more

Cotton Gin was a delight. Absolutely fulfilling for your comedic appetites. The cast had a great time, and everyone in the audience was thrilled to be along for the ride! Witty, clever, and accessible. We will be back again and again! Kristen the house manager was awesome! Thanks Kristen! read more

Unexpected Productions - Performing Arts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

In town for a long weekend, saw this sign while doing the touristy gum alley and decided to go that evening on a whim. Had never been to improv, was skeptical, and was blown away by how funny it was. Ended up coming back 2 nights later as well. Would highly recommend! read more

Hidden in a gum coated alley in the labyrinth of Pike's Market is a gem of a theater. It's quite spacious inside with a concession, bar, & small stage in the vestibule area, and a theater that seats I would guess about 200 when full. The show was highly entertaining. I especially enjoyed the performances of Jill and Melissa, but all were fantastic. read more

Unexpected Productions - Ticket window and entrance with chalkboard sign announcing show. - Performing Arts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

They managed to turn llamas into a beautiful Peruvian story of sexuality and gang violence. Very good show for a spontaneous night out.