Splendid Things brings together three of the Twin Cities’ top improvisers to create comedy with emotional intensity, intelligence and a distinctively theatrical style. They mix grounded, naturalistic scenework with dark absurdism and cinematic flair, creating an improv show that manages to be sober and ridiculous at once. The group’s members have performed together in various capacities over the years, but Splendid Thingsmarks the first time that all three have joined forces.

Eric Knobel began doing improv immediately out of high school and never looked back. He has been fortunate enough to study and perform nationally with such troupes and theaters as iO (formerly ImprovOlympic), the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, and HUGE Improv Theater. Currently, Eric is a co-founder and performer in the nationally acclaimed improv troupe Splendid Things, a member of the Minneapolis juggernaut Fingergun, performs weekly with the “supergroup” Show X, and is the co-founder, producer and Artistic Director of The Neutrino Video Project: Twin Cities. In addition to all of this, Eric is an accomplished filmmaker, and will begin production on his first feature-length film as soon as you give him a ton of money.

Hannah Kuhlmann fell in love with improv as an awkward Wisconsin teen in the awkward late 1990′s. Hannah has trained at iO in Chicago, and has performed in numerous Minneapolis improv shows since 2002, including ComedySportz, Creature Feature and Ka-Baam!! The Improvised Comic Book. They are a co-creator of the improvised zombie movie, Survivors of the Undead Plague, and in 2007 they co-founded and acted in the hugely successful  Neutrino Video Project: Twin Cities. In 2011 they directed Creature Feature and Star Trek: The Next Improvisation. Hannah’s pronouns are “they/them.”

Michael Ritchie has been working as an actor and improviser for 18 years, and has performed with numerous troupes in the Twin Cities including The Bad MammaJammas, Ka-Baam!! The Improvised Comic Book , and Family Dinner: The Improvised Thanksgiving Feast. He has trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City, and has taught acting and improv classes at several places throughout this great country including Florida State University, ComedySportz Twin Cities, and The University of Wisconsin – Madison. He currently performs at HUGE Improv Theater in Show X. Michael is a City Pages “Best of the Twin Cities” award winner.

All photos on this page by Nisa Fiin.