Highwire Improv will kick off 2026 in its Highlandtown home with a packed schedule featuring nearly 70 different shows and several special events. Season 22 runs from January through March and includes guest instructors and performers from New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., as well as special themed events.
Highwire will welcome a trio of instructors bringing a diversity of talent and experience to improvisers across the city. In January, clowning expert Daniel Maseda will teach The Clown Performance Lab, a clown and improv weekend intensive class. Across two days, students will explore how to turn an empty stage into a place of confident action.
February brings Philadelphia’s Tanya Morgan, the founder and owner of the Sawubona Creativity Project. Morgan has taught improv, acting and storytelling to adults and teens using her background in social emotional learning to bring connection to communities and individuals.
In March, Dingle Drama founder Karla Dingle joins from Charlotte, N.C. for her second visit to Highwire Improv. An internationally-experienced teacher and coach, Dingle has influenced performers with her fusion of acting and improvising skills and will teach multiple workshops across one weekend.
All three instructors will also perform on the Highwire stage. Maseda will present Be Good! With Paulette, a show he performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, on Jan. 24. Morgan will lead a mini Philadelphia takeover on Feb. 28 with her team NYTE Shift and the SCP BIPOC House Team. Dingle will join some Highwire projects during her March 13-14 visit.
Highwire will also celebrate the growing community of Latino improv on Feb. 21 with a pair of special shows. The night will kick off at 6 p.m. with Baltimore Bodega, an emerging collection of Latino improvisers fusing their games with Latino culture. The 7 p.m. show will feature Los Complicados, a vibrant Harrisburg, Pa.-based team which transforms every stage into a celebration of family, identity, and belonging.
Other special events planned for the season:
- We will celebrate Black History Month throughout February, including a production of the romantic comedy SneakyLink, a visit from Baltimore duo Malik and Rasheed, our monthly Block Party show at Maryland Art Place, and a show from the Landlines, a trio of Black female performers from Baltimore.
- Valentine’s Day weekend will provide an opportunity for singles and couples alike to feel the spirit of improv. On Friday, Feb. 13, we will host a special workshop for singles followed by a show featuring long-running Baltimore team Mouth Stuff. On Valentine’s Day, couples can enjoy a workshop followed by a show with local teams Twig! and Local Spot.
- March welcomes our own special competition as the second edition of March Mayhem takes over the Highwire Center. Join us for a spectacle of improv excellence where only one true champion can emerge victorious. Or can they?
- We will begin offering a limited number of Sunday afternoon shows, including a special family-friendly show on Feb. 1 with The Royal Improv Fun Foundry and Mind Your Business.
