What do I need to know about this camp?
Camp Zipzap is Canada's improv camp for grown-ups who are kids at heart.
Spend a weekend with campers from all over the place as you bond over improv classes and the fresh air of the outdoors. Not only will you get to experience the wonderful woods of Ontario but you'll also get workshops from some of the best improvisers in Canada. Campers will be grouped by cabin with one of the workshop teachers as your cabin leader. Cabin rivalries are expected to get heated with contests throughout the weekend to see which cabin will claim the coveted Wilderness Trophy.
Check Schedule
Camp Ki-Wa-Y
Saint Clements, Ontario
90 minutes west of Toronto
3 Incredible Teachers:
Alfred Chow, Ken Hall, Phatt AL!
September 27-29
From 1:30pm on the 27th
To 6pm on the 29th
Improv College in collaboration with Bad Dog Theatre
Check out our superb line-up of teachers and workshops. You can also roll over each image to learn more about the teacher.
Alfred Chow has performed and taught improv worldwide across Australia, Europe, Asia, and North America. In 2023, his duo, Mahjong Mafia, outlasted 90 other teams to win "The World's Biggest Improv Tournament". Alfred teaches at The Assembly and Bad Dog Theatre.
Ken Hall appears in Netflix's THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY as the lovable Herb and provides motion capture for Pogo and has appeared in numerous film & television roles. Ken is 1/2 of acclaimed clownprov duo, 2-MAN NO-SHOW and he was awarded Instructor of the Year 2019 at The Second City.
PHATT al (pronounced ‘fat al’) is a Dora & Juno nominated actor, MC, digital visual artist, director, song & sketch writer. He’s a 5-show Second City Mainstage alum and is now the Artistic Director of their Training Centre. He's been in various commercials, TV shows, and movies internationally.
In this workshop, we'll go over practical tools and techniques that you can apply to the beginning of scenes. We'll discuss how to add more specificity to your initiations, handle big character entrances from your scene partners, inject variety into your starts, what to do when you step out and draw a blank, and common traps people fall into at the beginning of scenes.
In this workshop, we'll go over practical tools and techniques that you can apply to the beginning of scenes. We'll discuss how to add more specificity to your initiations, handle big character entrances from your scene partners, inject variety into your starts, what to do when you step out and draw a blank, and common traps people fall into at the beginning of scenes.
Clownprov is a delicious concoction that blends clown work (physical comedy, le jeu, finding "the game", and joyful play) with traditional improv. Participants will learn to listen to the audience's desires and find ways to maximize play. This will shake up your improv into a juicy smoothie!
Clownprov is a delicious concoction that blends clown work (physical comedy, le jeu, finding "the game", and joyful play) with traditional improv. Participants will learn to listen to the audience's desires and find ways to maximize play. This will shake up your improv into a juicy smoothie!
This workshop is designed to ! Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned performer, this workshop will have you creating funny and heartfelt scenes from thin air in no time. Through a series of dynamic exercises and games, you’ll revisit the fundamentals of improvisation through a new lens. You'll jump into risk-taking and feel comfortable exploring your comedic and emotional depths.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned performer, this workshop will have you creating funny and heartfelt scenes from thin air in no time. Through a series of dynamic exercises and games, you’ll revisit the fundamentals of improvisation through a new lens. You'll jump into risk-taking and feel comfortable exploring your comedic and emotional depths.
Take a look at what we have in store. We try to balance our scheduled improv activities with free time so you can have the time to explore your surroundings. Whether you want to jump into a jam, go for a hike or paddle around the lake, there's time enough to do it all.
Gather at Meeting Point in Downton TO |
Travel to Camp Ki-Wa-Y |
ORIENTATION Meet your cabinmates |
Your First Workshop! 90 mins |
The Staff Show featuring all the teachers |
Campfire and Marshmallows with BYOB drinks |
Workshop #2 90 mins |
Improv Jam optional |
Workshop #3 90 mins |
Outdoor Activities Archery, canoeing, hiking |
Student Showcase featuring all the students! |
Pyjama Dance Party with DJ Vinny Francois |
Improv Chats 90 mins |
Another Improv Jam! optional |
Outdoor Activities Archery, canoeing, hiking |
Closing Ceremonies Awarding the Wilderness Cup |
Return to Toronto |
A taste of Zipzap
Here is a list of answers to frequently asked questions about Camp Zipzap.
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Registration opened on June 15th!
Lots of people love the outdoors and some of those people love improv. We are Improv College, an online improv school (except this camp which is not online). We're the kind of people who love both so we mixed in some improv workshops with the traditional Canadian summer camp experience (cabins, canoes & campfires). And then we made it for grown-ups because why should kids get all the good stuff? Then we called the whole thing CAMP ZIPZAP because it's fun to say.
Improv is short for improvised theatre, generally comedic in nature. Camp Zipzap is a great place to learn all about improv! Part of the camp is that you'll get three workshops with some great teachers and you get to perform, too.
Are you sure you're on the right website?
Everyone is welcome so long as you're into improv! Especially puppies!
No! While it sure doesn't hurt, the camp is open to ALL experience levels including none at all. If you're someone looking to get an introduction to improv, we can help you out! If you've already started down the improv path, Camp Zipzap will help level up your improv game and get specific feedback from experienced teachers. The workshop teachers will tailor each class to the experience level of the group!
The camp must go on! We've got indoor rooms ready for our classes and have alternate activities planned if the weather doesn't cooperate. And for the hardcore, a little rain never stopped a hike!
We will spend 3 days and 2 nights at Camp Ki-Wa-Y. For people taking our chartered bus, we meet at our Meeting Point (Olympic Park in Downtown Toronto) on Friday, September 27th at 1:30pm. The camp is roughly 90 minutes west of the city. We leave camp at 4pm on Sunday, September 29th and should be back in Toronto before 6pm. Otherwise, you may arrive and depart by car directly to and from the camp.
We have a list of things you will need. It also includes some things you might want and a list of things you shouldn't bring. Keep in mind two things: 1) that you can probably borrow an item instead of buying it, and 2) that we're essentially camping for just a weekend. Pack light! Here's our recommended packing list.
You definitely get a hoodie. Yep. The three cabins will be named Red, Blue, and Green and you'll get an appropriately coloured hoodie to match. Cabin Leaders will be wearing specially coloured hoodies so you can spot them more easily when they wander off.
The camp has kindly agreed to allow us to drink alcohol on site because there will be no kids staying at the camp the weekend we are there. This is why you must be 19 or over to register for this camp (Legal drinking age in Ontario is 19). HOWEVER, we don't want anyone to abuse this privilege so we've got a few rules. 1) The Camp Leaders can revoke this privilege at any time, at their discretion. 2) Drinking is only permitted after all scheduled activities for the day are done. Keep in mind that there is nowhere to buy drinks at the camp, and don't count on anyone driving you to find some. BYOB.
Uhhhh, NO. Definitely don't do anything like that. If anyone is doing or saying something that makes you uncomfortable, the most direct solution is usually to let the person know that what they are doing is making you uncomfortable. However, we also understand this can be difficult and/or doesn’t always resolve the problem. If this is the case, please notify one of the Cabin Leaders as soon as possible. Camp Zipzap is meant to be a fun, welcoming, and safe space for everyone.
I guess so? But then why did you sign up for this camp? It's probably cheaper to just go camping with your buds.
Not really. We strongly encourage our campers to put their phones away for the weekend. Maybe even leave them at home! Camp Leaders and the camp itself will have phones in case of emergency. Also in case of great selfies. Let us take the pictures while you take a break.
The regular price is 576$ (before taxes, all prices in Canadian $) but if you register and pay in full before July 31, 2024, you only have to pay the Early Bird price: 550$. We also know that not everyone can pay all that at once. We also have an instalment plan where you reserve your spot by paying the first of three instalments of 192$. The next payment of 192$ is due July 15, 2024 and then again August 15, 2024. We are only taking 30-ish campers, so don't wait too long to reserve your spot.
PLEASE NOTE: We charge a 30$ administration fee for all refunds. If a camper requests a refund by email on or before August 1, 2024, a full refund of the payments made to date (minus the 30$ admin fee) will be issued. Registered campers are allowed to find a replacement camper without any penalties should they no longer be able to attend PROVIDED we are notified by email and given the new camper's contact information. There will be absolutely no refunds issued in the final two weeks before camp (after September 13, 2024).
You should receive an email within a couple weeks with a link to the Camp Registration Form where we will gather information like what kind of dietary restrictions you have, your hoodie size, what kind of outdoors activities you want to do and so on. We'll also add you to our Camp Zipzap Facebook group and our mailing list (because not everyone is on Facebook). And then you wait... until September 8th!
We'll take you! Included in the fee is a bus trip from our Meeting Point at Olympic Park in central Toronto. We ask that you arrive at 1:30pm on Friday to make sure you have time to get any last second items, snacks or drinks and ensure you do not miss our departure time. We mean to leave at 2:00pm SHARP. The same bus will bring us all back to Toronto on Sunday. We'll depart the camp at 4pm. Depending on traffic, we should be back around 6pm.
Sure! But you'll be responsible for arranging your own transport to or from the camp.
You can but we don't recommend it. There's a lot of conversations and bonding that happens on the bus up, at orientation, and during the first meal. Not only that but there is so much traffic that people leaving after work get to camp quite late that night, which can be frustrating for everyone. It's just not a great option but we do allow it.
Sure! Our Camp is the YMCA Camp Ki-Wa-y in the Kitchener-Waterloo area (3738 Hessen Strasse, St. Clements, ON). Here's a map of the camp itself. We'll be sleeping in a large dorm facility with several rooms, each room will have 6 pairs of bunk beds. The rooms will be co-ed. (Note: The bathroom facilities are not gender neutral). Each camper will be also be placed randomly in one of several "cabins" which we've named Red, Green & Blue. Each group will be headed up by one of our Camp Leaders/Workshop Teachers.
Nope, they are a standard adult-sized Single bed. But they are arranged in bunk beds. You'll have to come to an arrangement with your fellow cabin-mates as to who gets top bunk. If you want to be fair, maybe you can take turns!
Yes! Thanks for asking. We want to foster some friendly rivalries at the camp. Throughout the weekend, the three cabins (Red, Blue & Green) will be pitted against one another in various contests. Points will also be awarded by the cabin leaders for good deeds, sportsmanship and having a great attitude. Think of it like the House system in an old-fashioned boarding school. The winning cabin will be declared at the Closing Ceremonies and claim the Wilderness Trophy!
Your registration includes 6 meals during the weekend: Supper on the Friday, Breakfast+Lunch+Supper on the Saturday and Breakfast+Lunch on the Sunday. The camp has a mess hall where we will all eat our meals together. We will send out a Camper Registration Form asking you if you have any dietary restrictions. The camp can accommodate a variety of diets.
Sure! Drinks (alcoholic or otherwise), some munchies and some marshmallows to share are totally fine. If a few of you want to get together to bring a cooler full of food and drink that should also be fine (provided the bus has storage space; let us know in advance and we'll be able to track it). Just keep in mind that we all have to fit ourselves and our bags on the bus and you'll have to get it to the pick up point.
The camp has a bunch of activities available. You can play Ga-Ga Ball, do some archery, shoot hoops, and go swimming. We are aiming to schedule multiple windows for the different supervised activities. Of course, you don't have to do them and can just go for a hike or swim on your own.
If you break or damage anything that Improv College would be liable for, either by accident or on purpose, you will be held liable by Improv College for the cost.
Yes! Camp Zipzap offers Quiet Bracelets. If you wish to be left alone, simply slip on one of our green silicon bracelets (handed out at the start of camp) and that's a sign to everyone that you're in quiet time. You can sit with others or alone, sit by the lake with everyone or hang out solo in your bunk and people will know to give you space.
Our number one priority is everyone's safety. All activities that can be done outdoors will be, including workshops (weather permitting). Windows will be kept open when indoor activities take place. Mealtime will be indoors in a mess hall (with windows open where possible) where people will be unmasked.
Masks will be optional in the absence of a mask mandate, and we respect everyone's choice as to when, where or whether to wear a mask. We want each person to feel as safe and comfortable as possible given the current circumstances.
That's understandable. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us and send us an email with any of your concerns at contact@improvcollege.ca
If you still have unanswered questions after reading this page, please contact us.
Registration is done on a first-come, first-served basis with roughly 30 spots available. Once you have reserved your spot by making a payment, you will be sent a Camp Registration Form asking for further details at the email address used during payment. If you do not receive an email within 10 working days of registering, please check your junk/spam folders. If you still can't find it, please email us at contact@improvcollege.ca and we will send it again.
"I liked that as adults we can go to a summer camp and have a blast."
"The workshops were varied and extremely interesting. The pyjama party and the campfire were epic."
Early Bird pricing ends July 31, 2024. Regular ticket price is 576$
We offer an instalment plan to help spread the price across three payments. To claim your spot, you can simply pay the first instalment. You'll be responsible for paying the other instalments by July 15 and August 15, 2024.
"Such a great time, with such good-natured people!"
"Please don't ever end Camp Zipzap."
Regular ticket price is 576$
PLEASE NOTE: We charge a 30$ administration fee for all refunds.
If a camper requests a refund by email on or before August 1, 2024, a full refund of the payments made to date (minus the 30$ admin fee) will be issued.
Registered campers are allowed to find a replacement camper without any penalties should they no longer be able to attend PROVIDED we are notified by email and given the new camper's contact information.
There will be absolutely no refunds issued in the final two weeks before camp (after Sep 13, 2024).
Email us anytime. We aim to answer all queries
within 24 hours on business days.