REACT 2: YES LET’S – INTERNATIONAL IMPRO WORKSHOP
REACT 2026
YES, Let's!
REACT 2026 — YES, LET’S!
REACT, the 10-day international improv experience featuring three world-travelling instructors — Patti Stiles, Shawn Kinley, and Steve Jarand — returned for another fun filled, inspired educational experience.
In 2025, REACT met with enthusiasm in its inaugural offering near Stuttgart, Germany. This year, it hit the same highs as it welcomed 48 participants from 17 countries to Calgary and Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.
The promise of REACT was to bring the spirit and teachings of Keith Johnstone to a global audience of improvisers, teachers, and those interested in narrative improvisation, masks, and more.
For its second year, it didn’t disappoint.
YES, LET’S PLAN!
Shortly after our time in Germany with REACT 2025 — What Comes Next, we began planning for REACT 2026 – YES LET’S.
Little did we know we would be entering a year of tariffs, travel upheaval, and increasingly uncertain times.
Some participants discovered that travel would become impossible for them this year. We even sadly lost one improviser just hours before he was due to arrive because of flight issues.
And still, we had a full roster of excited improvisers flying, driving, and hiking their way into the land of moose and beavers.
YES, LET’S PREVIEW!
The event kicked off with a preview workshop, show, and visit to Keith Johnstone’s Loose Moose Theatre, where participants saw a playful — and at times wild — Maestro and TheatreSports (Danish Game) performance from the teachers and company members of Loose Moose.
A highlight of the show occurred when REACT student Sarah Ichinaga, from Japan, joined improvisers Shawn and Aaron on stage to teach them about Sumo wrestling.
The lesson ended less like a violent competition and more like a romantic dance.
YES, LET’S BEGIN!
Early the next morning, participants were transported on the 90-minute journey to their stay in Alberta’s third-largest city, Red Deer, where the production team, led by Jenna Goldade from BullSkit Comedy, welcomed everyone to the teaching location.
A major highlight for many was the touching, warm, and humorous welcome from Indigenous Elder Theresa “Corky” Larsen-Jonasson.
Many modern Canadian events open with a land acknowledgement, honouring a practice in which First Nations people, when travelling through or entering another nation’s territory, would state who they were, where they came from, and their peaceful purpose — expressing gratitude and respect to the hosts and the land itself.
The modern widespread adoption of land acknowledgements follows the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) report, which called on Canadians to learn the true history of the country. Land acknowledgements can be one starting point for that public education.
Corky spoke with wisdom, humour, and encouragement about the time we were about to share.
The laughter — and the tears — helped establish a tone of togetherness and humility that carried through our classes and our connections with one another.
AND THEN—
With a magical blast, our daily sessions spun around us as we were carried away by scenes, characters, concepts, theory, and practice drawn from the teachings of Keith Johnstone — through the voices, experiences, and additional ideas of Patti, Steve, and Shawn.
There were far too many highlights to list.
- Jacintha and Christina’s moving kayak scene.
- Tessa and Svante’s couple who left the audience screaming with disbelief.
- And Bell Bell’s stupendous, wide-eyed, expressive Samurai, which brought the house down during our first Maestro evening.
But it wasn’t just the main teachers offering insights.
One of the high points of REACT gatherings is the international sharing of ideas.
Highlights of the student-led open sessions included Japanese Improvisation and Fart Club — a repeat of the French Pack’s 2025 open session, which I am bound by oath not to say anything more about.
“What happens in Fart Club stays in Fart Club.”
An added interest for participants was the involvement of Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi, Creative Director of NUR Films, who interviewed participants for a documentary about Loose Moose Theatre and its upcoming 50th anniversary in 2027.
And Steve introduced his new book PAPERFACE to the world. If you are interested in your own copy, contact Steve directly!
YES, LET’S TAKE A BREAK!
In the middle of the sessions was a day off, where participants could choose between a visit to the world-famous Rocky Mountains or the Edmonton Fringe Festival — the second-largest Fringe festival in the world outside Edinburgh, Scotland.
And then…
More connection.
More collaboration.
More improvisation.
As fast and furious as it had all begun, it ended far too soon — with more lessons to be taught and more scenes to be seen.
But wait…
There’s more.
YES, LET’S — REACT — AGAIN!!!
A not-so-hidden secret is that REACT will return in 2027…
Somewhere in Europe.
Stay tuned for more updates.
Safe travel… Get home, to your home-fires safe and sound and with many friendships and many good feelings… and your fill of Tim Hortons (it’s over rated!)
-Corky
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