Chuck Tate is working at his computer on Monday afternoon after a long weekend of improv shows and workshops. He is the producer of Paducah Improv, the city’s newest comedy group which just got rave reviews for its “Laugh Tent” at the Lower Town Arts and Music Festival. Before the interview even begins, he is shaking his head and apologizing.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “My voice is very hoarse. You know, because I have been laughing so hard all weekend.”

Tate and Paducah Improv director Eric Hobbs have been friends for several years and had tried to start an improv club in 2007. Tate said the timing and chemistry were off — the mixture of people didn’t settle properly and no one had enough time to dedicate to the project — so the group never got off its feet.

When it came to casting this group, Tate and Hobbs had help brainstorming from group members Kempton Baldridge and Jorge Machaen. They held auditions in February, which brought six others — Andy Wiggins, Todd Holloman, DJ Wood, Kyle Davis, Matt Curtis and Jesse Barfield — to round out the group.

Tate and Hobbs work as producer and director, respectively. When it comes to finding 10 people with complementing personalities to spend an extensive period of time together, Tate says the group lucked out. They originally cast two additional members who were barely 18 years old, who couldn’t find time for the three-hour rehearsals and rigorous schedule.

“It was almost a miracle,” Tate said. “All of these guys are serious and mature. There is something in each of them. They like to be on stage, make people laugh, and be the center of attention. It’s always a gamble, but it paid off.”

The group has gotten tremendous reviews from performances over the last month. From a family-friendly set at Paducah’s Evening of Performance to after-hours no-holds-barred shows at the Lower Town Arts and Music Festival, Tate said practice has helped the group hone its skills.

“Improv isn’t easy,” Tate said. “It’s not easy to practice either. A lot of it is raw talent. It’s like a baseball game. You can practice, but every game is completely different and puts you in different situations.”

Paducah Improv’s first performance in front of a large crowd will be Saturday at the Carson Center, but Tate says it is more than ready. The group has sold a large chunk of the 200 tickets it was allotted. He said everyone in the group is looking forward to being on stage for one, very simple reason.

“This is a lot of work,” Tate said. “We are a family. But we genuinely love making people laugh. That’s the bottom line.”

Call Corianne Egan, a Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8652 or follow @CoriEgan on Twitter.