![Kelly Butterworth and Kevin Miklaski pose in WMNF's studio 1](https://cdn.wmnf.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Kelly-Butterworth-Kevin-Milkaski-Countdown-Improv.jpg)
Improv invades Ybor City in August. The Countdown Improv Fest has grown into the country’s biggest improv festival. Spanning five days – Wednesday August 7 – Sunday August 11 – it showcases more than 100 solo, duo, or triple acts. One of the founders, Kelly Buttermore, and one of the artists, Kevin Milkaski, talked about their love of improv, and dove into the way it all works.
Kelly explained that she loves the small improv troupes, and featuring them in the fest makes sense artistically and financially.
Improv as an art form has made its way off stage into corporate training sessions, therapeutic modalities, and the studios of WMNF. The beating heart though is onstage performances, usually very funny, surprising, and topical.
The Improv fest also includes workshops that both performers and festival goers can attend. Long time listeners of Art in Your Ear will recognize that every year I long to do improv, and then every year I fail to do so. WILL THIS BE THE YEAR THAT CHANGES?????