banner: Some Assembly Required
Our History
Ottawa's own Community-Based Improv Comedy Troupe

Yes, and ...

    Johnson Moretti and the original workshop bunch

Some Assembly Required is a community-based, collectively-run improv comedy group, dedicated to the principles of improvisation.

Our primary goals are to have fun, to entertain, and, possibly to raise funds for charity.

The group's genesis was with the late Johnson Moretti, one of the founders and main driving force behind the Canadian Improv Games. Johnson's dream was to teach the skills, and principles of improvisation to a group of willing adults, and, eventually to develop a league of adult improvisation teams in Ottawa.

Johnson's dream was unfortunately cut short due to his death from cancer in early 1999. Prior to his loss, he taught two groups of adults, and these groups formed the basis of Some Assembly Required.

Initially, the group focussed primarily on longer, four-to-five minute scenario-based scenes. SAR's focus later shifted slightly to include not only scene-based improv, but game, and skill-based performances as well. SAR's performance can be described as an enthusiastic, unscripted blend of improvisation and theatrical invention.

SAR runs drop-in improv workshop to introduce anyone interested to the world of Theatre Improvisation. (See the home page for times and places. Join the mailing list!)

SAR is a non-profit group, is volunteer-run, and is always looking for people interested in learning about improv. Newcomers are encouraged to attend one of our drop-in workshops, or to contact any of the SAR members to learn more about our group.

SAR Performances

The original SAR performing troupe last performed in April 2003. Here's the poster from that show:

Poster from April 2003 show

Made-to-Measure Performances

In 2008, a new performing troupe formed out of the SAR improv workshops. Here's one of their posters:

Poster from July 2008 show