Hangar Theatre’s In Flight Entertainment Series Presents

The Kaplan Cousins Improvise Again

Saturday, March 28 @ 7:30 pm

Tickets: $25 Adults / $15 Students

The Kaplan Cousins return! Ilan and Gavin Kaplan have been improvising together for 8 years, and have known each other for 31. Together, they have taught workshops and performed all around NYC and beyond, including their undefeated run on Improv Cagematch New York, where they won 14x in a row with their team, “The Kaplan Brothers”. At this show, Ilan and Gavin will bring the chemistry they’ve been building their entire lives to a hilarious improv performance that creates an entire show on the spot out of a single word suggestion. Don’t believe it’s possible? Come see to find out!

Interested in what the show is like? Watch the video below by the team at the Ithacan Online.

Opening for the Kaplan Cousins are members of Ithaca’s own Third Place Theater, a local improv comedy theater that hosts shows, jams, and other events almost every week. Stay in touch with the Hangar to learn about opportunities for you to learn and perform improv in Ithaca!

A Conversation with Ilan and Gavin

Can you introduce yourself?
Ilan: Hi! I’m Ilan Kaplan. I’m an improviser, actor, and teacher based right here in Ithaca. You may have seen me in Undressed: The Musical at the Kitchen Theatre Company or teaching classes right here at the Hangar. You’ll also see me for a few minutes on screen next to Willem Dafoe in The Birthday Party, which releases in April!
Gavin: I’m Gavin Kaplan! I’m an improviser based in Brooklyn who performs every Thursday as part of my musical improv team, Grinch Debussy, at the Magnet Theater. I also produce and host Improv Imposter, the improv game show for sneaky little freaks! If you’re ever in NYC, come to a show and say hi!

What is your favorite thing about improv? About performing together?
Gavin: My favorite thing about improv is the absolute trust and connection needed to do a great show! You’re building an airplane in mid-air, but when you can take it slow and believe in your teammates, it really feels like magic. Ilan is my favorite person to improvise with. He’s so smart and funny and I love him! Sorry if that’s cringe or whatever. Sorry if that’s unc. We’ve been doing this together for forever, so we can basically read each other’s minds at this point but we still manage to surprise each other all the time. It’s just so fun.
Ilan: Anybody I teach improv to already knows my favorite thing about improv is the love. When I improvise, I’m always looking for new ways to love what my scene partner is doing, as myself or as my character. The best thing about performing with Gavin is I already love him! We’re pretty in sync already as regular people. We know each other’s references, we can tell what the other person is going for in regular conversation. Having the chance to move that chemistry onstage is pretty special.

What should audiences expect from the show?
Gavin: Oh I have no idea. Maybe we’ll be sci-fi space guys? Or bugs or something? The only thing I know for sure is you’re going to have a blast and so will we.
Ilan: Expect to laugh. If you’ve seen improv before, you haven’t seen it like this. We’ll take a single suggestion from the audience and turn it into an hour-long show. There might be new worlds, lots of characters, romance, drama. Or the whole story might be two guys just waiting for the bus. Either way, I guarantee you will laugh. Laugh at us, laugh with us, it doesn’t matter!

Will you be offering more improv classes in Ithaca?
Ilan: As long as the Hangar partners with me on these classes, I’ll keep offering them! We have an amazing crop of students right now in our 101 and 201 classes, with class shows of their own coming soon. If you are interested in classes, reach out to the Hangar or to me at ilanjkaplan@gmail.com