Shows — Renée Amber

Renée graduated from the University of Calgary's Fine Arts program with the Dean's Award for Creative Achievement. Her minor was in History, in keeping with her love of good stories. She has worked professionally as an actor and improvisor since her youth, and continues to develop new work that explores and builds on her training in theatre, comedy and improvisation. Renée cofounded The Wind-Up Dames after graduating from the U of C, which created original plays for Alberta Theatre Project's (PlayRite's Festival; Le Gros Spectacle), Ground Zero Theatre (PARANOiA), and Fringe Festivals (PEEL). She is part of the development of Spontaneous Theatre, as Mimi in Blind Date, and as a co-creator, ensemble member and assistant director of Legend Has It.

Renée is a classically trained actor who has also produced, created, guested and starred in numerous original productions in her career. Here are a selected few:

Featured

Past Your Bedtime

Andrew Phung & Renée Amber are both senior ensemble members of the Loose Moose Theatre. They began playing together as a duo in 2012 and currently call themselves Past Your Bedtime. Together they have hosted and performed at their regular late night improv show, Past Your Bedtime on Friday nights at the Loose Moose Theatre, and numerous festivals including Improviganza, VIIF (Vancouver International Improv Festival), Calgary Folk Music Festival (Comedy Tent), Sled Island (Comedy programming), the Prairie Bowl and the Calgary Fringe Festival.

Blind Date

Renée was the 1st improvisor to perform as an alternate Mimi in Rebecca Northan’s wildly successful Blind Date. Since 2011, she has starred in shows in Denver, Calgary, Edmonton, Whitehorse and on London’s West End.

Mixtape Improv & The Kinkonauts

Various shows with these nutters. Featured at The Calgary International Folk Music Festival, Comedy Tent.

The Wind-Up Dames

Renée Amber & Brieanna Blizzard, aka The Wind-Up Dames, created and produced original work from 2002-2006. They toured the Western Canadian Fringe and were commissioned by Ground Zero Theatre and Alberta Theatre Projects (PlayRites festival) to create shows in their unique style - a blend between comedy and performance art. Shows include PeeL, PARANOiA & Le Gros Spectacle.

Legend Has It

Written by Rebecca Northan with Renée Amber, Mark Meer, Bruce Horak & Jamie Northan. Spontaneous Theatre & Alberta Theatre Projects. An improvised fantasy with an audience member as the hero. Renée is a Betty Mitchell Award Nominee for Outstanding Performance by An Actress for her role as Eydis.

Theatre

Selected Stage credits include The Shape of Things (ATP), Hay Fever, Macbeth, A Christmas Carol (Theatre Calgary), The Philadelphia Story (TC, Manitoba Theatre Centre), Arcadia, Ivanov, The Real Thing (Theatre Junction), Tough! (Sage Theatre), Jack & The Beanstalk (Dandi Productions, Montréal Symphony, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, L'Orchestre symphonique de Québec), Phaedra’s Love (Theatre Ste-Catherine).

Loose Moose Theatre Company

Renée is a senior improvisor at the Loose Moose Theatre Company, where she trained with Keith Johnstone and some pretty brilliant improvisors. Her cheesy expression in this picture is proof that she was influenced by ‘90s improv, although she resists wearing a sports coat and Converse on stage.

Personal Growth

PRESS

Spiritual growth is a lifelong journey that happens to be very much in fashion right now. Self-help books, Meditation, yoga, manifestation, therapy, Eckhart Tolle, Tony Robbins, crystals, inspirational memes, face masks. These tools are key factors to living a healthy life, as well as annoying everyone you know. Improvisors Lindsay Mullan, Renée Amber, and Alexa MacKell have created a show that promises to fix none of your problems, but will help you briefly escape your existential crisis.