The Bearded Company is an improv group with two chapters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Los Angeles, California. The group formed in 2006 at Minnesota State University Moorhead with Steven among the original cast. He is currently performing with the branch in LA. 

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The Beards started out performing short form improv, but were quickly drawn into long form, narrative improvisation. They lean into theatricality and grounded scene work. A Beards show is an improvised one-hour play done in the style of…well, see below.

 

Improv has a reputation for being as funny as it can as fast as it can, and while a Beards show is often comedic, you're as like to tear up or jump in your seat as you are to laugh. "Funny" is a common side effect. It isn't the goal. The goal is good storytelling, and the Beards are masterful weavers of story. That's how they became one of the country’s leading narrative improv groups.