Home > Shark Guides > Culture > Comedy > Improv Asylum

Improv Asylum

The Improv Asylum was established in 1998 by Paul D’Amato, Norm Laviolette, and Chet Harding, a group of fledgling actors and entrepreneurs. Frequently featured on HBO, Improv Asylum’s comedy troupes are renowned throughout the Boston comedy scene, and have toured the country from New York City to Los Angeles. Comedians have kept over 500,000 visitors laughing in more 3,500 shows since the joint opened.

Shows at the Improv Asylum

Improv Asylum’s “Main Stage Show” is critically acclaimed and the most popular of the Asylum’s revues. A mix of sketch material and improvisation, their talented cast entertains the audience with a self-proclaimed hilarious cross between Whose Line is it Anyway? and Saturday Night Live. Sketch material changes often and shows usually poke fun at society, culture, and current events.

“House Teams” combine already-established Main Stage comedians with comedy students and recent graduates of the Improv Asylum Training Center. Tickets are inexpensive, and shows feature side-splitting material from up-and-coming young comedians. Geared towards a younger audience, these performances are perfect for the college-aged crowd.

Saturdays offer a variety of choices, including the Saturday Matinee as the perfect pre-dinner entertainment. The matinee plays every Saturday at 4pm. The 8pm show on Saturday night is free, and tickets are released on a first come, first served bases beginning at 7pm. After the 10pm show, you might be invited to stick around for the risqué adult-only show at midnight. If you’d prefer not to leave your entertainment up to chance, call ahead and reserve a ticket for any of the shows.

When you’re looking for some laughs on a Sunday night, the “Sunday Night Free for All” is not to be missed.

If you’re visiting Boston in the winter, don’t miss the annual “No Rest for the Wicked Funny” in December. Each year, the Improv Asylum hosts this event as a charity show, and donates the proceeds to the purchase of holiday gifts for underprivileged children.

Comedy Packages at the Improv Asylum

If you’d like a more streamlined evening out, the Improv Asylum cooperates with four Boston restaurants to create a variety of dinner packages. Bricco and Lucca on Hanover Street offer rustic Italian cuisine. Mare on Richmond Street serves up yummy organic and seafood dishes. And Taranta, also on Hanover Street, boasts a unique menu inspired by both southern Italian and Peruvian cuisines. All packages are around $75 and include dinner for two and tickets to the evening’s performance at the club.

Additional packages are available for a variety of groups. If you’re traveling on business or with a tour group, the Asylum can be reserved for customized shows created for your specific crowd. The “Party Starter” package is perfect for bachelorette parties and includes tickets to the show of your choice, champagne, gift bags, and VIP bar service. If you reserve the Asylum, catering services are also available.

A Safe-Haven for Comedy

The audience surrounds the stage on three sides, so the atmosphere inside the Improv Asylum is intimate and inviting, making the audience feel like they’re part of the show. The troupe loves to incorporate suggestions from the audience, so no two shows are ever the same. And, be warned, the troupe is notorious for pulling audience members into the show, so be prepared to get involved if you’re sitting close to the stage!

Where is the Improv Asylum

Located in Boston’s North End neighborhood, the Improv Asylum is central and within walking distance of Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, and Boston’s famous Union Oyster House and “Little Italy.” After an afternoon of shopping and some of Boston’s best cuisine in the North End, tickets to a show would be the perfect way to end a day of Boston sightseeing with a laugh.

Book a Boston Hotel today!

More Shark Guides

FIND HOTELS NOW

Improv Asylum