COCA showcases young talent with improv — and a weekend of healing and hope
COCA is closing out the spring season with a one-two punch that shows exactly why the institution remains one of the region’s most vital creative hubs for emerging talent. First up is a night of pure, unscripted joy from its young improvisers. Two weeks later they will present the debut of a new musical that […] The post COCA showcases young talent with improv — and a weekend of healing and hope appeared first on St. Louis American.
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COCA is closing out the spring season with a one-two punch that shows exactly why the institution remains one of the region’s most vital creative hubs for emerging talent. First up is a night of pure, unscripted joy from its young improvisers. Two weeks later they will present the debut of a new musical that leans into healing, honesty, and community.
“Every performance is different because the audience is part of the experience,” said Will Bonfiglio, COCA’s Artistic Director of Theatre
On Saturday, May 2, COCA’s Pre-Professional Division Improv Troupe steps into the Staenberg Performance Lab for Improv Troupe: COCA Ignites!. The evening will be built on quick thinking, bold choices, and the kind of laughter that happens when the audience becomes part of the action. Under the direction of actor and teaching artist Ed Reggi, the troupe’s young performers (ages 10–18) will take audience prompts and spin them into characters, scenes, and stories right on the spot.
“Every performance is different because the audience is part of the experience,” said Will Bonfiglio, COCA’s Artistic Director of Theatre. “The cast builds the world in real time — and that’s what makes it special.”
For more than a decade, COCA’s improv program has been a training ground for young artists who want to stretch themselves as performers, thinkers, collaborators, and storytellers. Saturday’s show continues that tradition, offering a space where spontaneity and skill meet in the middle.
Just two weeks later, COCA shifts from comedy to catharsis with the world premiere of Team M the Musical, the newest work from composer, librettist, and educator Dr. Philip A. Woodmore. Five years in the making, the piece marks one of the most personal and ambitious projects of his career.
Set in the fictional town of Macey, Indiana, Team M follows Maria, a group leader who brings together eight individuals from different walks of life. What unfolds is a story that doesn’t shy away from the realities shaping our world: mental health, grief, wellness, police brutality, and the complicated work of reconciliation.
“Through a blend of contemporary musical styles and grounded storytelling, the piece explores themes that are urgent and universal,” said Woodmore, who serves as COCA’s Artistic Director of Voice and Director of Camps. “It’s timely, thought-provoking, and ultimately hopeful.”
Woodmore’s prior work has centered the voices and experiences of communities navigating trauma and transformation — from Antigone in Ferguson to The Drum Major Instinct. Team M continues that lineage, offering young performers a chance to step into material that asks big questions and invites audiences to do the same.
Together, these two productions — one rooted in spontaneity, the other in deep reflection — show the breadth of what COCA makes possible. They highlight young artists who are learning to trust their instincts and use their voices to tell stories that matter.
COCA Ignites! – Improv Troupe Performance will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 2 at the Staenberg Performance Lab at COCA. For more information, visit cocalstl.org or call the COCA box office at 314-561-4873.
The world premiere of Team M the Musical will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 15 and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 16 at COCA. For more information, visit cocalstl.org or call the COCA box office at 314-561-4873.
The post COCA showcases young talent with improv — and a weekend of healing and hope appeared first on St. Louis American.
