Laughter ensues: Take 5 Improv takes over Renton

Published 11:20 am Tuesday, April 7, 2026

The main muscles that control the human face are the depressor anguli oris, therisorius, the zygomaticus major, the zygomaticus minor and the levator labii superioris — and when seeing a Take 5 improv show, it is very likely that each and every one of these muscles will cramp and become sore from laughing and smiling for too long.

At least that’s how it was for this reporter on Saturday, March 28, where established local actors and comedians Minki Bai, Camilla Franklin, Kyle Henick, Amalia Larson, Rebekah Schroeter, Chris Wong and Take 5 founder Michael Yichao, accompanied by musician Noah Samuels on keyboards and guitar, brought to the stage “Director’s Cut” and all of its potential for movie references, physical comedy and surprising vocals to the Renton Civic Theatre.

It was only the troupe’s second show, and I was not the only person in the crowd who had a great time. Audiences are players in the improv game, throwing out ideas and setups, giving the onstage performers the fuel to take off. For this show, it was clear that the crowd was having just as much fun as the performers.

“With the style of improv we do, imagine going to a play or comedy show, but instead of a script, the actors make up the script as they go along. You get a show of surprise, delight and unexpected comedy,” said Yichao.

At the RCT show, the show focused on a “film festival” where the first act of five very different films were performed. With the help of the audience, Schroeter’s Hallmark-inspired Christmas movie became a skiing third-wheel romance musical set at the top of Mt. Everest, while Bai’s “Indiana Jones”-inspired adventure took on a new life as “Wyoming Jones and the Plaid Desk.”

Throughout the 90-minute show, the audience voted on their favorites, with the night’s top “film” going to Larson’s “Shallow Seas,” a “Planet Earth”-type documentary complete with a British-sounding narrator and the actors trying their darndest to come up with the funniest ways to physically imitate sea life.

According to Yichao, the scenario of having a number of choice acts for the audience to vote on is a well-established improv game format and that Take 5’s version is of five director’s cut films. “We also have an improvised two-act musical,” said Yichao of the types of performances audiences can expect from Take 5, which is carving out a home for itself in Renton and South King County.

“I was inspired to found Take 5 Improv specifically because I wanted to bring more improv and entertainment options to the Renton and South King County area. Seattle has several established improv companies doing great work, but their shows tend to have limited runs, and also tend to be inspired by TV shows, sports and other media,” said Yichao.

“I wanted to bring more improv that put truly original comedy content front and center. Having moved to Renton just over a year ago, I realized many improvisers I’ve performed with for years and years actually live here in the area as well, and we were excited to start something in our home community, for our home community!”

For now, Take 5 is alternating their performances at Luther’s Table and RCT, a space that Yichao and Henick are no strangers to, as they have performed there with the former as Jonathan Harker in “Dracula” and the latter playing Daddy Warbucks in “Annie” in 2025.

Yichao says that Take 5’s goal is to one day have their own performing space in Renton, called Canvas Theater.

“We lack a permanent space to perform and having a physical space to perform would help with building up that community and serving the audience. On the artist side, it’s important to build a physical space so it’s a place for an artist to call home,” he said.

Take 5 has been looking at different commercial spaces throughout the city and says that it would ideally have space for a stage area and risers, to put seats down, put up a couple of lights: “Boom! You have a comedy space,” he said.

In the meantime, the troupe has been offered a residency at the Freehold Theatre in the International District of Seattle, where they will have weekly shows on Fridays and Saturdays, starting in June. When they are not performing in Seattle, Take 5 will continue to put on shows at RCT and Luther’s Table.

“RCT has been very generous. Whenever there’s been a space, they let us know,” said Yichao.

Along with putting on local comedy shows and working toward opening a permanent performing space in Renton, Take 5 is also working toward offering improv classes for all.

“Being funny is not in the top five important, or even top ten important qualities for doing improv,” said Yichao. “The most important thing is the ability to really listen, respond honestly in the moment and to be emotionally honest, and for many of us, we got into it because we took a great class.”

Take 5’s next event will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 17 at Luther’s Table, located at 419 South 2nd Street #1 in Renton. To learn more, visit take5improv.com.