About Garden City Improv
Garden City Improv is Victoria's professional improv comedy training center and performance company. Founded in 2021 by Second City Toronto veteran Kevin Matviw, Garden City brings world-class improv training and live comedy shows to Vancouver Island.
With classes and shows running year-round, Garden City is Victoria's hub for improv comedy, hosting some of Canada's top comedy talent.
Whether you're curious about trying something new, looking to boost your confidence, or hoping to meet creative people, Garden City offers you a path into the hilarious world of improv comedy!
Live Shows Every Week
Garden City Improv has exciting comedy shows every week including improv, musical comedy, and sketch comedy. We regularly host touring improvisers and comedians, bringing top-tier talent directly to Victoria.
From competitive Theatresports™ games and long-form Harold Night storytelling to student showcases and the adult-themed Improv Against Humanity, there's always something happening on stage at Garden City!
Garden City Training Centre
Garden City Improv offers professional training in improv, longform and sketch comedy.
Classes are taught by industry professionals who have performed at The Second City, Upright Citizens Brigade, Just For Laughs, and other premier comedy institutions.
All training takes place in a supportive, low-pressure environment where you can move through beginner classes to advanced workshops at your own pace.
Since 2021, over 500 students have completed Garden City improv comedy and sketch classes, applying their skills in local theatre, professional presentations, community and creative projects.
Praise for Garden City
"Victoria's professional improv comedy"
- Vic News
"Improv shows to meet all of your comedy needs!"
- Victoria Buzz
"A perfect way to kick off the weekend."
- Monday Magazine
Critic's Pick (Theatresports)
- Victoria Times Colonist
Instructors
Kevin Matviw
Artistic Director
Improv & Sketch Instructor
Kevin Matviw (he/him) has been performing improv comedy for 30 years. Originally from Victoria BC, Kevin pursued his comedy training at Humber College's renowned Comedy Writing and Performance program before launching into 15 years in Toronto's competitive comedy scene where he became a three-time Theatresports™ champion.
For 12 years, Kevin performed and taught at the legendary Second City Toronto. He was a performing member of The Second City National Touring Company and performed with The Second City Mainstage cast in "The Best is Yet to Come Undone."
As an instructor with The Second City, Kevin taught hundreds of students from beginner through advanced levels, including the prestigious Longform Conservatory and Sketch Writing programs. Many of his former students now work successfully throughout the Canadian entertainment industry.
Kevin's musical improv duo Death Ray Cabaret headlined Toronto's Big City Improv Festival, performed sold-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for two consecutive years, and won Outstanding Performance, Outstanding Production, and Best of Fringe at the Toronto Fringe Festival. He served as assistant director for the Dora Award-winning fully improvised musical "One Night Only."
Kevin's work has been featured in the Canadian Comedy Award-winning sketch troupe The Sketchersons, Cracked.com, the National Post and various TV and radio commercials.
Dan Bakkedahl
Improv Instructor
Dan Bakkedahl (he/him) is a newly-minted Canadian, actor and improviser who spent the bulk of his life in the United States.
Dan spent 10 years in Chicago studying long form improvisation under Del Close, Miles Stroth, Mick Napier and dozens of others. His love for improv tore him away from his first love which was traditional theater.
As a result, in 2005 Dan was selected to join The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in New York as a correspondent. From there, the comedy gods sent him to Los Angeles where he starred in numerous comedies for TV and Film.
Most notably, he had a brilliant four year run on CBS as Dr. Tim Hughes on Life In Pieces and was awarded a SAG Award along with the entire ensemble for HBO's groundbreaking comedy VEEP alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Dan comes to Victoria in search of better air and coffee.
Andrew Gardner
Improv Instructor
Andrew Gardner has been improvising on stage since 2000, when he began competing in the high school Canadian Improv Games (CIG). From there, he continued to volunteer at the CIG, and trained students in competitive improv at the high-school level for several years.
As a founding member of Toronto sketch troupe Elephant Empire, Andrew performed sketch and improv for over 10 years, including headlining the inaugural Guelph Comedy Festival, the San Francisco Sketch Fest, Toronto’s Just For Laughs showcase, Sketch Wars, and winning Best of the Fest three consecutive years at Montreal’s Sketch Fest.
Since relocating to Victoria, he’s been performing with the Garden City Improv cast.
Claire Pollock
Improv Instructor
Claire Pollock (she/her) is a comedienne, emcee, and dancer from Vancouver, BC with a degree in Theatre and Dance from the University of Wales.
A former mainstage performer at the Improv Centre on Granville Island, Claire combines her expertise in comedy, theatre, and character-driven improv to captivate audiences across the West Coast and the UK with her unique blend of humour, creativity, and diverse storytelling.
Known for her warm and supportive teaching style, Claire is dedicated to uplifting her students, fostering confidence, and inspiring creativity in every class she leads.
Claire is a guest performer with Garden City Improv and teaches introductory and intermediate classes.
Jen Yamasaki
Improv Instructor
Jen Yamasaki (she/her) is a performer with 10+ years experience in theatre, dance, public speaking, and improv.
Trained at Second City Chicago, Blind Tiger Comedy, and Garden City Improv, she has performed with Victoria's Theatre Sports, at the Vancouver Olympic Opening Ceremonies, and at venues like the Vogue Theatre, Scotiabank Dance Centre, and Imperial Theatre in Vancouver. She has also led communications workshops and spoken at international conferences.
Jen is currently a cast member and introductory improv instructor.
Jan Caruana
Guest Director
Jan Caruana is an actor, writer, teacher and director. A graduate of the University of Toronto and Sheridan College Theatre Program, Jan‘s career has been interesting and varied. She is a multiple Canadian Comedy Award winner and has performed across North America in a variety of comedy shows.
Jan is known for her work in shows like Monkey Toast, That Moment When and About An Hour (Toronto Fringe Festival – Best of the Fringe). Jan co-wrote and performed in the Second City Toronto’s critically and audience acclaimed revues The Meme-ing of Life and We Can Be Heroes (named one of NOW Magazines Top Ten Shows of 2013).
In 2016, Jan was a member of the Dora Audience Choice Award-Winning One Night Only, a fully improvised two-act musical. And a Dora Winner for The Wonderpageant at The Coalmine Theatre.
Jan is a regular panelist on CBC's Because News with Gavin Crawford and has appeared in films and television shows including Baroness Von Sketch, Rookie Blue, Mean Girls and the Deepa Metha film Beeba Boys.
