Who We Are

Founded in 2023 by longtime Arizona improvisers Jacque Arend, Krissy Lenz, and Liz Hutchman, SAVI was born from one goal — to bring our improv community closer together. Through Sonoran All-Valley Improv, LLC, we connect performers, theaters, and audiences across the state in bold, joyful, and inclusive ways.

Backed by a powerhouse team of volunteers, we launched SAVI FEST — a celebration of improvisation, creativity, and connection set in the heart of the Sonoran Desert. Since debuting in 2024, the festival has grown into a space for discovery, growth, and seriously good comedy.

Sonoran All-Valley Improv operates in partnership with SAVI Collective, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, working together to strengthen, serve, and uplift the Arizona improv community for years to come. We’re gearing up for our third festival in 2026 — and we’re just getting started.

SAVI LEADERSHIP

  • Jacque Arend

    Executive Director

    Jacque started improvising in 2005 at the iO Summer Intensive, and soon after went on to be a founding board member of The Torch Theatre and Managing Director of the Phoenix Improv Festival. Now she’s Managing Director of Improv Utopia, Associate Artistic Director at Arizona Actors Academy, and a regular performer and instructor living in Phoenix, AZ. Her regular monthly shows are at Second Beat Improv Theater.

  • Liz Hutchman

    Managing Director

    Liz Hutchman is a Phoenix based improvisor and educator who performs regularly with The Skewed News Hour, Birds & Broads, and The Collaboratory. She teaches beginners improv at Arizona Actors Academy, and applied improvisation for medical students at the University of Arizona. Liz has also built programs for caretakers and patients living with early dementia through the Scottsdale Center for Performing Arts.

  • Krissy Lenz

    Artistic Director

    Krissy Lenz is one of the Directors and the Most Enthusiastic Person at the Neighborhood Comedy Theatre in Downtown Mesa Arizona, working alongside her husband Dorian. In addition to improv Krissy enjoys podcasting and you can put her in your ears anytime on the Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast, Gank That Drank: A Supernatural Drinking Game Podcast or the Cool TIme DIce Hour, all available on trustory.fm or wherever the finest podcasts are procured. Krissy is also a pro at mom-ing for two awesome teenagers.

SAVI Leadership Support

  • Stewart Gross is the owner of the Law Offices of Stewart F. Gross, PLLC located in Phoenix, Arizona. He handles many types of civil litigation cases including real estate, HOA, contract disputes, business disputes, and personal injury. He is also an improviser! You can watch his teams Schmeckle and Hearts on Fire perform at Second Beat Improv Theater every first and second Saturday of the month.

  • Marisol Chavez took her first improv class in 2012 and immediately fell in love with the art form. She especially loves finding connections between improv and everyday life. You can see her perform regularly at the Trunk Space with the Neighborhood and at the Bridge Improv Theater with her troupes Verizon Qwest, Hale & Hearty, SUPERLOOP, and the Spanish improv group, Buenas Vibras.

  • Jessica Abbott is a seasoned graphic designer with a rich history in the field dating back to 2006. With an extensive and diverse portfolio, her creativity spans from crafting captivating print materials to designing dynamic web assets and even eye-catching vehicle wraps. Jessica excels in providing innovative solutions that seamlessly align with her clients' distinct requirements, making her a standout professional in the realm of graphic design.

SAVI 2026 Special Thanks and Acknowledgements

Thank you to the volunteers, including other SAVI Leaders helping us make the magic happen.

Thank you to our anonymous submissions panel who watched over 17 hours of video and curated a top-notch line-up. 

MISSION

Sonoran All-Valley Improv's mission is to foster a connected, inclusive community of artists in Arizona to celebrate, grow and inspire the art of improvisation through an annual festival.

VISION

We aim to connect the Arizona improv communities to an array of diverse artists, resources, and education with a commitment to support the sustainability of our local artists and theaters for years to come. Our goal is to support inclusion and accessibility to improvisation through outreach programs and scholarship assistance.

VALUES

  • Provide a creative community outlet while enriching, educating and producing quality entertainment through our annual SAVI FEST.

  • As a volunteer based organization, we build as a collective, using the strengths and input from our local talent to achieve our goals through collaboration.

  • Our focus is to connect the community to an array of artists and education through shared experience with a commitment to support artists and theaters in our area.

  • Provide hands-on learning in improvisational theater through educators and theater representation nationwide while offering networking opportunities for Arizona theaters and artists to thrive and grow in our local community. 

  • Connect our volunteers and donors through the celebration of improvisational theater and the arts. 

  • Offer opportunities to our community through altruism and fundraising with an emphasis in accessibility, affordability and inclusion.

  • Support and feature inclusive and diverse representation of artists in the valley.

Supporting Partners