Mark Nutting spends most days getting people into shape as an instructor at Jiva Fitness in Easton.

On Thursday, Nutting will have others stretching a different kind of muscle as organizer of the inaugural "Nothing Sacred Improvisational Theatre" open mic, which will be held at Easton-based Colonial Pizza & Spaghetti House.

With an established and flourishing improv comedy scene in Bethlehem -- due in large part to the formation of several improv troupes in that area and bolstered by the annual SteelStacks Improv Comedy Festival -- Nutting is hoping to bring the same energy to Easton.

"It's about playing with the audience and getting them to come up and play," Nutting said. "There's nothing more entertaining than somebody who goes off the cuff."

Nutting is aware that a restaurant is not the typical spot for improv comedy. He said the space is best suited for two-person teams rather than larger groups.

"It's a different kind of venue, obviously," he said. "There is a limitation to the kind of theater games you can do. It is mostly a have to be standing in place kind of thing; there's not big scene work happening here."

Drawing on his own experiences and background in improv -- Nutting spent a decade studying and performing improv theater in New York City -- the Easton resident said he recently decided to revisit the art form, but in a different capacity. (Nutting directed the Nothing Sacred improv theater group for three years in New York City's West Village.) Nutting pitched the idea to a friend at Colonial and quickly got the green light to move forward.

"Let's do this one and see what happens. It's an experiment and we'll see how it goes and make decisions after the success, or lack thereof," Nutting said. "It's going to be fun one way or the other."

"Nothing Sacred Improvisational Theatre" open mic will be held 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Colonial Pizza & Spaghetti House, 136 Spring Garden St., Easton.