Longmont Out Loud’s interactive comedy and music event, Longmont L!ve, will take place on Friday, February 28, in partnership with Longmont Public Media. Featuring local improv teams and a live musical performance, the show offers an unscripted experience shaped by audience participation.
Founded in 2023 by Audrey Grace, Longmont Out Loud was launched to bring more live performing arts directly to Longmont. “Even though Boulder is close, I was really interested in bringing something that was actually here in the heart of Longmont,” Grace said. “It was very important to me to build a business — not a nonprofit — that pays creatives for their time and talent.”
This month’s show will feature long form improv teams Welcome to the Dojo, from Boulder, and Bogdon’s Cult, from Denver, with Allison Dozar as the musical guest and host. Unlike scripted performances, improv thrives on spontaneity and audience participation. “Some teams have the audience write down ideas ahead of time, while others ask for suggestions on the spot,” Grace said. “It’s always exciting to see your own idea come to life on stage.”
A key feature of Longmont L!ve is its live studio audience format, made possible through Longmont Public Media’s production capabilities. The recorded event will be released a month from now and broadcast on local public access TV in Longmont, specifically on Longmont Cable Channels 8 and 880. It will also be available on Longmont Public Media’s YouTube channel, the Roku app, and the Fire TV app.
“You really don’t see improv being recorded or distributed at the local level,” said Sergio Angeles, executive director and co-founder of Longmont Public Media. “This gives us an opportunity to put Longmont on the map, bring in different performers, and help them gain visibility across social media and the internet.”
Longmont Public Media operates as a media makerspace, offering community members hands-on production experience. “We work with volunteers and members who want to learn about recording, operating a camera, or even editing,” Angeles said. “They get hands-on experience while being part of a live production.”
For performers like Dominic Vendegna of Bogdon’s Cult, the experience is both rewarding and unique. “We’ve never been in front of cameras before,” he said. “Local improv on television is not a very common thing. And even the fact that we’re getting paid for the performance is huge.” He noted that smaller creative communities often go unappreciated, making Longmont L!ve’s commitment to compensating performers especially meaningful.
Beyond entertainment, improv fosters trust and deep connections among performers. “A huge chunk of improv is trusting your partner, knowing they’ll work with you in the scene,” Vendegna said. “I don’t know where it’s going, but I trust whoever I’m out there with. Wherever it goes, we’ll have a good time.” He also credits improv with helping him find a sense of belonging. “I personally haven’t had an opportunity in my life to be a big part of a community,” he said. “Improv has really given me that.”
Ian Gibbs of Welcome to the Dojo echoed that sentiment, likening improv to jazz. “Everyone brings their own qualities, sense of humor, and ideas,” he said. “It’s like watching a jazz band jam together—everyone’s a little different, but we’re all playing off the same idea.” The thrill, he said, comes from the unpredictability. “The audience doesn’t know what’s going to happen. We don’t know what’s going to happen. And that’s totally the fun of it.”
Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and the show begins at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door, with proceeds going directly to the performers. Attendees are welcome to bring their own beer, wine, or other beverages.
Starting in March, Longmont L!ve will shift to Saturday nights, generally happening on the last Saturday of the month. Those interested in performing, volunteering, or learning more about the production process can find details at longmontoutloud.com and longmontpublicmedia.org.
