I just got back from photographing the 4-day Applied Improv Network conference in the Laurentians near Mont Tremblant. This is the first of three posts highlighting the amazing things I saw during the conference. (Part 2 and Part 3 are out!)
While browsing through the Thank You section of the conference program, I came across familiar names: Katie Pagnucco, Meags Fitzgerald, Vinny François, and Brad Kane. Individually, they’re all amazing people, but together they form the formidable improv troupe Quest of the Dragon King. They describe themselves as “Four jesters who act out improvised stories of high fantasy, fairy tales, and medieval legends. Heroes & villains, monsters & magic, love & madness.”
They were invited to come perform in front of an intimidating 200+ person crowd of fellow improvisers, and what a show it was. Starting off with a single suggestion from the crowd (“geologist”), they improvised their way through a world of magic crystals, verbose elves and immortal demons. And a snow leopard, seen here:
With their great performance, they were rewarded with a long standing ovation. When the evening was over, we drove back to the Blueberry Lake resort (barely avoiding death while driving through super sinister fog that was probably full of skeletons/zombies). And before my work shift started the next day, we had time for a 10-min impromptu photoshoot deep in the Laurentian forests. We were able to work quickly since they were already used to working with me. I had photographed Katie during my shoot with Girl Talk (my first improv photography assignment ever). I then photographed Brad in my Faces of Improv project at Montreal Improv. And Meags was part of my Montreal Artists series. Only Vinny was an Alex Tran Photography virgin. He did well.
Go Like the Quest of the Dragon King Facebook page to keep track of their performances in Montreal Improv and around! And come back to see my next posts about the amazing AIN conference. Part 2 is here.