We had the good fortune of connecting with Jacque Arend and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jacque, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
In my 30s I was very dedicated to the art of Improvisation here in Phoenix. I was a large part of the success of The Torch Theatre as a co-founder and major component to operations of both the Theater and Training Center from 2007-2019. Along with that, I dedicated 10 years to the Phoenix Improv Festival eventually learning enough about festival production to become the Managing Director up through 2018. In 2019, I did much of this on sweat equity, because I was passionate and believed in what I was doing. I took a break from improv because eventually, I was disappointed that it didn’t end up providing the future I had hoped. I felt I had lost myself in it all and floundered for a few years (God knows why!) trying to discover anew. Meanwhile, I remained with my Camp Improv Utopia admin position and as we revived out of the pandemic I leaned into more responsibility, eventually leading to the Managing Director position in March of 2023. Simultaneously, I linked up in a serendipitous way with a Doctor in Phoenix aiming to introduce improv training into the local Medical school and eventually, I stopped thinking about my time, love, and dedication to improv as a failure, as heartbreak.

It is true what they say, when you empty your cup things come back around to fill it. My truth is that I spent most of my best life focused on the Art of Improvisation, teaching, performing and passing it on, I banked on it, and now the universe gave me the passcode to cash in on the life ATM. At first I didn’t want it, thinking, “oh, universe, you’re trying to trick me!” However, as you can imagine, spending my best life on it, it was my best money maker, so I dragged myself through much of it, I had one foot out the door, seeking the first opportunity to go all in on something else.

When you take a step away from something it does offer greater perspective and I had to build more understanding of my own capabilities, worth and ability to succeed. In 2019, I didn’t think I was equipped to lead a community and so I took the burden off my shoulders completely. Then, the opportunities I was rising into over the last year required leadership from me, required confidence, and I just didn’t have it in me without knots, nerves and endless anxiety about how I was showing up.

However, toward the end of 2022 it had become evident that our beloved improv community was growing into something different, something bigger, better and more beautiful. As now, an outsider on the fringe of improv, each little improv community started blending into others. Groups were welcome to play anywhere and performers and students were here for it. It was the healing power I needed to return to my first love.

With so many new folks finding Improv, new teams popping up, veterans reconnecting and so many stages alive, it was clear that the long running Phoenix festival I had been a part of, one of the cornerstones of Valley Improv, was not going to be returning, at least not how it was. I knew a festival celebrating the art form was necessary. Perhaps I need to thank my ego for realizing that it was something that I wanted to lead. I was always number two, supporting something or someone else, perhaps it was time to evolve out of that position. I knew what this idea meant, hard work. However, I also knew I had the skills to see it through, in theory, the challenge was believing in it. I spoke of it in December with others, and was never up against discouragement. Two very important investors immediately offered support that made it seem actually possible, which may have been just what I needed, finding the nerve to invite two amazing leading ladies in our community to join me as Leadership.

Now you have support, you have a team, and in building an organization, you have to go through all the questions including mission and vision. I am a producer, I am an executor and above all that, I am a community builder, it’s why I have maintained great relationships with all of my employers being on the front end of their organizations. I care, I care deeply and hold great patience and care for people. So we decided whatever we do, we should always be in service to the community, while also ensuring we don’t continue the cycle of sweat equity, giving value to our service, our skills, our organization and the people who contribute to it.

It’s hard not to come to pit stops along the road of life and look back and be grateful for choices you made to take a certain path. I worked for the Arizona Food Bank Network during the pandemic to help with a grant process funded by the CARES Act to support Arizona food banks. This organization is specifically a resource to connect farms to food banks for more nutrition and fresh sustainable food. The success of that program led to many more solutions to food insecurity including purchasing a repacking plant in Nogales that repacks fresh produce boxes from the produce that would otherwise be thrown away due to one bad apple, literally. It was obvious to me, this is what I wanted Sonoran All-Valley Improv to be for Arizona Improvisation, and producing the annual SAVI FEST is just one easy part of it. We have so many dreams, goals and hopes for the future of Arizona Improv and I’m ready for it.

Real talk now, I leaned into this task at the top of 2023 knowing I was in transition. I wasn’t ready, I didn’t feel ready. I was still floating over my life wanting it to have been something else. The motivating factor that threw me into the fire was the thought that if I didn’t do it, someone else would and (again, ego) I wanted to do it. I’m fortunate that in the following months, with each new challenge the universe threw at me, I persevered, with grace, strong leadership and pride in myself. I started to believe in my own capabilities, worth, ability to succeed and value as leader. Therefore, here we are, in our first year, building as we go, full steam ahead.

About Sonoran All-Valley Improv:
Jacque Arend, Krissy Lenz and LIz Hutchman, three women with deep roots in improv communities around the Valley, recently founded Sonoran All-Valley Improv, a non-profit dedicated to further connect performers, theaters, and the art of improvisation throughout Arizona. With our team of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers, we are bringing an exciting, all-inclusive opportunity for play, education, and entertainment (and more) to the valley. Our mission is to produce an annual celebration of improvisation and comedy arts via SAVI FEST, which will take place this coming February 16th & 17th 2024! We are excited to be featuring our inaugural fest at ASU’s MIX Center in downtown Mesa. For our first year we are operating under Improv Utopia our fiscal non-profit sponsor. In 2024, Sonoran All-Valley Improv will seek 501c3 status.

Our inagural festival will feature 16 improvisational teams from around the country. Eight of them represent improv in Arizona. We will have two evenings, Friday and Saturday of three hour marathon style performances. Saturday morning and afternoon will be full of seven workshop options lead by four of the artform’s most experienced instructors and a full day of live podcasts and improv discussions. We are also thrilled to feature hometown favorite Ithamar Enriquez will be headlining our stage with longtime duo partner Frank Caeti as Uncle Julio!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
SAVI FEST is proud to be a part of the larger improv festival resurgence. We are proud to be a woman led organization. We are proud to be Arizona Improvisors and aim to support the greater community for years to come.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Heritage Square for a necessary piece of Phoenix history. Crescent Ballroom or the Van Buren for music
Bookmans for Vinyl digging
Spring Training day games for unplugging
Arcosanti for adventure
Take a drive through a Ralph Haverhood for midcentury modernism
Jerome & Bisbee for getaways
Eloy for skydiving
Tombstone for entertainment
Drive anywhere for beautiful landscapes, they are 360 degrees.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shout our to Liz Hutchman SAVI’s Managing Director and Krissy Lenz our Artistic Director. A Thank You to our sponsors and supporting Arizona Improv Theaters:
Second Beat, Neighborhood Comedy, The Bridge, Monster, Tucson Improv Movement and Unscrewed Theater
Our fiscal Non-Profit Sponsor Improv Utopia and our Festival sponsors Second Beat & Cheba Hut Toasted Subs of Arizona.
To all our volunteers who are supporting the fest now and will do so in February.
To my husband who always believes in me and my mentor who has worked very hard to get me to see my own potential.

Website: https://savifest.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savifestaz/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SAVI-FEST

Image Credits
SAVI FEST Brand Designer is Jessica Abbott. Images of the MIX Center provided by ASU

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.