In addition to performances, the festival hosts discussion panels with professional improvisers currently working in television, film, and/or theatre, as well as improv workshops.
Noting the lack of attention given to college-aged improvisers at larger national festivals, founder and director of Second Nature, Nick Dazé, started Fracas!
The festival was held adjacent to USC's campus at the Village Gate Theatre, which only sat 75 people at maximum capacity.
II were given only 30 minute performance slots in order to accommodate the larger number of participating groups.
Five troupes performed each evening, culminating in the "All Star Show" which ended the festival on Saturday night.
As in past years, the favorite performers from each team played together in an "All Star Show" which ended the festival.
New to the festival this year was the addition of workshops run by improvisers including James Thomas Bailey and Andrew Daly.
was moved to USC's Ground Zero Performance Cafe, which could fit double the audience of the Village Gate.
In place of the "All Star Show" an open improv jam was held at the end of each night of performances.
Nearly a dozen workshops were held over the course of the three-day festival, allowing participants to study with performers from The Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre, iO West, The Groundlings, and ComedySportz.
IV saw the addition of discussion panels held with improvisers who were currently working in television, film, and/or theatre.
Panel members included Angela Kinsey and Melora Hardin from The Office, Frank Caeti and Keegan-Michael Key of MADtv and The Second City, and Michael Bunin of My Boys.
Improv Festival, with additional support from campus radio station KSCR as well as USC's Undergraduate Student Government.
The opening night of the festival was moved from the Village Gate Theatre to USC's McCarthy Quad, another first.
The discussion panels offered an hour of conversation with panelists including Ed Helms from The Office, Stephnie Weir from MADtv, Saturday Night Live's Jerry Minor and Todd Stashwick of The Riches.
The festival planners intended for the panels to provide a starting point for the young improvisers that attended Fracas!