Gen V is the coming together of two improvisers from Australia and New Zealand- Lindsay Drummond and Ben Zolno. The duo has officially been a duo since July 2024 rehearsing every week online. Both Lindsay and Ben have worked together 'in real life' (IRL) in ensembles whilst Ben was in Brisbane but their geographical distance made them need to practice their form online.
Ben is an Improv teacher and performer in New Zealand with his own school Improv Connection in Wellington and has coached several ensembles and performed live in many theatres all around the world. Ben has also featured at improv festivals worldwide.
Lindsay is the owner of Improv Hub- Australia's only online improv school. Lindsay was teaching IRL but pivoted online during the pandemic and has been going from strength to strength with it. She is very passionate about online improv as a great way to connect with international improvisers and hone and share the craft of improv. Lindsay has also been asked to teach at the Brisbane Improv Festival IRL 3 years in a row.
From when they started working together Ben and Lindsay shared a similar sense of humour (a love of the absurd) but equally a love of a more grounded slow burn improv approach. Both are dynamic animated performers who love playing characters who are ultimately flawed in some way. They are very interested in themes and metaphor and finding interesting relationships in scenes and shows whilst still appreciating the game of the scene.
Ben started his improv journey at Second City and Lindsay through Impromafia in Brisbane (a Keith Johnstone style school).
A NEW CONCEPT!
This year 2025, Lindsay applied for and received a Regional Arts Development fund Grant from Arts Queensland and the City of Moreton Bay to get some financial assistance for concept development of a musical improvisation show that could be toured at Improv festivals worldwide with her duo partner Ben in their duo Gen V.
During the process of development online for a live 'in real life' (IRL) preview, Gen V were given the great news that their duo would be accepted into the Auckland Improv Festival in late April 2025 for a preview.
The timing was perfect and so all of their hard work paid off with a very successful preview at the Covert Theatre in Auckland.
Lindsay was so happy to finally prove that you could do online improv and have the experience translate to a live show with an audience. Lindsay has written about the experience of concept development on her Medium blog here: https://medium.com/@shineyourlighttv
The debut preview of the show at the Auckland Improv Festival can be seen here:
This concept development project was funded by a RADF grant by the city of Moreton Bay and the Queensland Government.
The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and City of Moreton Bay to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.