THE ALCHEMY RETREAT PROGRAMMING
Though we keep our programming a secret until the event itself, participants can expect a schedule close to the following:
FRIDAY, JANUARY 23rd
On-site arrival permitted from 630-8pm Friday evening (light snacks, n/a drinks, tea provided)
8pm-9pm group facilitation and welcome programming
9pm Self-care wind-down; Journaling prompts and reflection
1030pm Lights out
SATURDAY, JANUARY 24th
9-1030 coffee, tea, breakfast snacks provided
1030-1pm programming
includes offerings like somatic body work, play practice, a themed improvisation workshop
2-5pm Programming
includes offerings like play practice, a photo session, a group experiential exercise, guided meditative session
5pm Dinner gathering
7-8pm a collective circle share + self care, a mini-show
[Snacks available all day; Full Dinner provided around 5pm break]
9pm Evening Ritual
1030pm Lights out
SUNDAY, JANUARY 25th
9am Group Goodbye and Go Forth Gathering
10am Checkout

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On the Creators & other spaces they hold well:
THE IMPROV RETREAT (2012 - current)
After years of teaching, creating curriculum, and performing - The Improv Retreat was dreamed up by Tara DeFrancisco in 2012. She imagined a way for adults to experience the nostalgic vibe of summer camp for kids - and with a leap, the first event sold out completely and forever more, serving 200+ people each year at the world’s largest improvisational retreat for adults. One of the attendees famously exclaimed “camp is wasted on the young!”, and that mantra has stayed with us since as a placeholder for the importance of play, especially relearning it’s integral place in adult lives. TIR has run successfully 2014-2025, a mainstay for performers (and non-performers) around the world to recharge their improv batteries. While definitely focusing on improv skills, the core of it all is inclusion and support.

THE ALCHEMY RETREAT / SECRET SOCIETY FOR BETTER HUMANING
Born from TIR, The Alchemy Retreat was created to flip the ratio and provide a more intimate experience, anchored in self-care, with improv fundamentals of support and acceptance lending a hand. The first Alchemy Retreat was set to take place mid-2020…as you can imagine, other things happened instead. When there was room to hold this sort of space, a multi-week course for 16 lucky participants called “The Secret Society for Better Humaning” was held in 2023, culminating in an overnight camp-in to close the experience. We are delighted to now again hold The Alchemy Retreat in its original form, with elements of the Secret Society course in the framework.

THE NEST THEATRE & COMEDY ARTS CENTER (2016 - current)
The Nest is more than a comedy space - it’s a community and celebration of arts in Columbus, OH. After years of commuting from Chicago to Cbus to teach gratis to assist the growing community, Tara & Rance were approached to found a brick and mortar to hold improvisational work because of their notoriety in the field worldwide. Due to the success of their show HERE: The (Improvised) Musical, Tara & Rance were able to shift their touring home base from Chicago to Cbus and launch The Nest. Starting with only 24 students, the Nest quickly sold out each and every multi-week session of courses since 2016 and has increased their community to 1600+ past and present students and over 200+ current wonderful performers each year. Curriculum-wise, Tara & Rance have sold out over 100+ courses in a row since the impetus of The Nest), including Core Curriculum Levels 1-4, Storytelling, Sketch Writing, Writing For Late Night, Harold courses, Musical Improvisation Camps, Longform Electives, and more. Each year, there are 50+ rotational shows and teams that perform in our spaces. Currently, our High Street location hosts 3 stages (Mainstage - 75 seats, The Birdhouse - 38 seats, Bluebird Studio - 20 seats) and a dedicated classroom (The Incubator - 20 seats), in addition to a new podcast studio (The Roost). The Nest was one of the first theatres worldwide specializing in extemporaneous works/comedic stages to create and implement a Code of Ethics in the field, and offer paperless scholarships and assistance to those underserved (LGBTIQ+, PoC, Veterans, PwD, and those over 65). The couple has donated all their teaching fees and over 12,000 working hours to The Nest since 2016, only compensated for Artistic and Training Center Direction, helping fund a not-for-profit center for artists and comedians that is thriving in Columbus. In December 2025, The Nest has been awarded Top Three Cultural Centers of Columbus, Top 3 Theatres of Columbus, and holds 5 of the Top 10 Performers in Columbus (Columbus Underground).