LOL WITH IT: Philly Improv Fest kickstarts Comedy Month

This month, Ryan's dedicating his LOL WITH IT column to Philly Comedy Month. The three-week affair kicks off this week with the Improv Fest, which boasts shows from popular out-of-town improv comedy acts and local favorites.

options

LOL WITH IT: Philly Improv Fest kickstarts Comedy Month

POSTED: Friday, September 30, 2011, 2:31 PM

Filed Under: Comedy LOL With It

Now in its seventh year, executive producer Matt Nelson says this year's Philly Improv Festival lineup is all about variety and accessibility. "Overall we'll feature 40 acts — about a third of which are local, and all of whom will come out to put on damn good shows." Here are a few of the damn-good highlights:

King Friday & Double Date Wed., Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m., $10, ➤ Philadelphia's King Friday is a group of Del Close cultists who perform with Philly Improv Theater. And hailing from New York, Double Date (pictured) is a two-woman, two-man cast that writes every show about a funny date. The audience is encouraged to place a wager on whether or not true love will actually pan out.

The N Crowd, Iron Lung & 'Till Death Do Us Part Thu., Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m., $10 ➤ The actors making up local comedy troupe the N Crowd are beginning to make a name for themselves nationally, appearing at improv festivals in Toronto, Richmond and Baltimore, as well as the North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival. Iron Lung is one of the Philly's most exciting new improv group, especially if you like beards (the facial hair, not the life-partner subterfuge). And 'Til Death Do Us Part is Steve Roney and Mary Carpenter of Philly's ComedySportz.

ShawnMikael(s), Firth&Arjet & ImprovBoston Mainstage Fri., Oct. 7, 8:30 p.m., $10 ➤ From Washington D.C., ShawnMikael(s) is made up of two long-form comedians who have won Harrisburg ComedyZone's Improv Throwdown two years in a row. Firth&Arjet is two ladies who perform simultaneous monologues called duologues, and spend the rest of the show realizing their individual characters. ImprovBoston Mainstage is the city of Boston's improv home team. Stick around for the Amie and Kristen show at 10 p.m., featuring Amie Roe and Kristen Schier (LOL WITH IT's favorite improv duo).

BWP, Hello Laser, Rare Bird Show & Drum Machine Sat., Oct. 8, 10 p.m., $10 ➤ BWP is comprised of Connie and Connie, a couple of ranting coffee-talkers. Hello Laser is a New York-based group that has developed their own form called "The Snapshot," which "explores the often-bizarre and always hilarious avenues born from a single frozen moment." Rare Bird Show is Philly's once-top-dog of improv, now on special-engagements-only status due to the departure of member Alexis Simpson. Drum Machine, from Minneapolis, is Jill Bernard's rhythmic one-woman improv show. I have no clue what beat boxes have to do with improv, but I'll be damned if I'm not gonna find out.

Rookie Card, Rubin & Caveat Sun., Oct. 9, 7 p.m., $10 ➤ Rookie Card is one of Philly's more twisted troupes available for mass consumption. Rubin is a New York-based group formed at the Magnet Theatre. And D.C.'s Caveat has a reputation for shenanigans, antics, tomfoolery and other things antithetical to your average cubical day.

For information on other Improv Festival shows, check out phif.org. And stay tuned for my coverage of other Comedy Month fests, including Philly Sketchfest and the City Spotlight series.

(ryan.carey@citypaper.net) (@slackerDIYtoday)

Posted by Ryan Carey @ 2:31 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Comments (0)

Q&A with SHARI SOLANIS: "The goal isn't pornography"
What we're trying to do this weekend
SEXY TIME Q&A: I've never had an orgasm during sex with a man — and I'm 30!
Q&A with Tony Goldwyn: "Life is gray, and relationships are, too"
CONCERT REVIEW: Primus (3D & quadraphonic sound) @ The Tower 10/17
NOW SEE THIS: Transit cop arrests marijuana activist for alleged disorderly conduct.
ICE CUBE: In Memoriam: Joe Tartaglia
Coming soon to Philly: Two cockamamie movie promotion schemes
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: The Archbishop meets the Geator, the Mayor goes suit shopping, Le Bec Fin fin.
NOW SEE THIS: Tim and Eric direct Terry Crews for Old Spice

About this blog

Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

Follow Critical Mass editors Patrick Rapa and Emily Guendelsberger on Twitter:

@mission2denmark | @emilygee

Search this blog:

Topics:

Blog archives:

May
April
March

February
January

Past Archives: