Travel Information

What venue(s) will be a part of the festival?

The Hi-Desert Cultural Center’s multi-theater complex serves as the Joshua Tree National Park gateway communities’ primary source for hi-quality theatrical performances and education. For over 50 years, the Cultural Center’s prestigious Hi-Desert Playhouse division has provided the area’s best in award-winning professional, community, and youth theater productions. Performances will take place in its Blak Box Theater, 61231 Twentynine Palms Highway, Joshua Tree, CA 92252.
The new state-of-the-art Yucca Valley Visual & Performing Arts Center, an annex of Hi-Desert Cultural Center, opened June 2, 2018. Located at 58325 Highway 62 in the heart of the beautiful Town of Yucca Valley, California, the new 15,000+sf arts facility will provide an alternate venue for workshops.


What lodging options are available?

High Desert Motel

61310 Hwy 62 JT

Vijay*

Safari Motor In

61959 Hwy 62, JT

Robbie*

Joshua Tree Inn

61259 Hwy. 62, JT

DeeDee


Desert Sky Motel

55492 Hwy. 62 YV

Mike or Lata*

Sands Motel

55446 Hwy. 62 YV

Eddie*

Travelodge

54850 Hwy. 62 YV

Heather

America’s Best Value

56377 Hwy 62, YV

Dina*

Best Western

56525 Hwy. 62, YV

Dana

Desert View Motel

50471 Primrose, YV

Mene* (female)

Super 8 Motel

57096 Hwy. 62, YV

Sanjay*

Best Western

71487 Hwy 62, TP

Rocio

Rodeway Inn & Suites

71809 Hwy. 62, TP

Kristina

Holiday Inn Express

72535 Hwy 62., TP

Jordan

Twentynine Palms Inn

73950 Inn Ave., TP

Breanne

El Rancho Dolores Motel

73352 Hwy. 62, TP

Tulouna*

Motel 6

72562 Hwy. 62 TP

Shaniqua

Fairfield Inn & Suites

6333 Encelia, TP

Michelle



What transportation options are available?

The Blak Box Theatre and the Yucca Valley annex are 3.7 miles apart. The Blak Box Theater is approximately 120 miles from Los Angeles.


What dining options are available?

Food Trucks/Vendors will be on site.
Crossroads Cafe (1/2 mile) - Hip, laid-back spot
Natural Sisters Cafe - Vegetarian cafe
Joshua Tree Saloon - great burgers
Subway
Pie for the People - New York-style pizza
Applebee's (in Yucca Valley)
and many more....





What local events or attractions are available?

Joshua Tree National Park (a must-see)
Yucca Valley Arts Center (visual art gallery)
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
There is a thriving arts scene in the Joshua Tree area.

Festival Information

How much stage time will performers receive?

Improv and sketch groups normally have 25 minutes stage time. Stand up comics normally have 15 minutes stage time.



What is the range of shows and styles the festival is seeking?

We are looking for all forms of improv. We have assembled a selection committee consisting of improvisers and non-improvisers who screen all the videos and score them, from 1-10. The top scoring groups will be invited to perform for the public. We bill the festival performances as "some material may be rated R and not suitable for children." Our audiences, who vote on the performances, tend to be a cross-section of ages and life experience.


What is the local improv scene like?

Some audience members are new to improv, some are not. There are two local active improv groups--one in the low desert and one in the high desert. They do mostly short form, but have dabbled in long form as well.


What are the selection criteria for this festival?

We have assembled a selection committee (5 folks) to view and judge submissions. They have been instructed to assign a score from 1-10, based simply on how much they enjoyed watching the video submission. Some of the selection committee members have a background in improv, some do not. But all have impressive credits, ranging from former NEA staff members to published authors to managers of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. We believe that "playing to your highest intelligence" is one of the most important criteria.