PHIT storms the Shubin with biggest lineup yet

Last night the PHILLY IMPROV THEATER launched their monthly run at the Shubin with a staged reading of When I Was, a new one-act play penned by house team member Michael Schwartz. The theater goes dark again tonight, right before PHIT starts ramping up into it’s largest run at the Shubin to date!

They’ll be tackling nearly thirty shows over the next two weeks, including performances by guests from NYC and Chicago, a workshop from former Philadelphian and PHIF founder Mike McFarland, as well as a special screening of the new TJ & Dave documentary. And it all resumes tomorrow night…

Wednesday, January 27th
8:00pm: The Bully Pulpit (w/ guest host Greg Maughan) – $5

Thursday, January 28th
8:00pm: Drexel Football Team + Rookie Card – $5
9:30pm: CAGEMATCH: The Ones Your Mothers Warned You About vs The Kristen & Amie Show – $5

Friday, January 29th
8:00pm: Activity Book + Everything Must Go – $10

Fletcher

9:30pm: Fletcher + The Imposters (NYC) – $10
11:00pm: Flying Leap! (An Improv Open Jam) – FREE

Saturday, January 30th
8:00pm: Activity Book + Dynasty (NYC) – $10
9:30pm: Fletcher + Everything Must Go – $10
11:00pm: Sketch Up or Shut Up (The Sketch Comedy Open Mic) – FREE

Sunday, January 31st

Mike McFarland

2:00pm: WORKSHOP – The Passion of the Mike taught by Mike McFarland (NYC) – $50
8:00pm: Screening: Trust Us This Is All Made Up (The TJ & Dave Documentary) – $5

Monday, February 1st
8:00pm: Hey Everybody! hosted by Aaron Hertzog – $5

Wednesday, February 3rd
8:00pm: Guilty Pleasures; One Year Anniversary Show – $5

Thursday, February 4th
8:00pm: High Dramma + Mr. Lizard – $10
9:30pm: We’re Nice People; A Night of Doucheless Comedy (NYC) – $10

Friday, February 5th
8:00pm: Tin Sandwich (Chicago) + B.W.P. – $10
9:30pm: King Friday – $10

Saturday, February 6th
8:00pm: King Friday – $10
9:30pm: Tin Sandwich (Chicago) + The Carousel of Progress – $10

Tickets and additional information

Philly comedians get serious about Haiti

In the week since Jan 12th’s horrific earthquake, citizens of the world have turned toward Haiti… offering their thoughts, prayers and most tangibly, their donations. Here in Philadelphia, everywhere you look there are organizations taking up relief causes, and our comedians are no different. There are a number of shows coming up that are donating ticket proceeds to relief efforts. As a matter of fact, the next four nights all have comedy events benefiting Haiti.

Here’s the (hopefully growing) list:

WEDNESDAY @ 9PM
BEDTIME STORIES | CONNIE’S RIC RAC, 1132 S NINTH ST
Proceeds to benefit the Samuel Dalembert Foundation

THURSDAY @ 10PM
KING FRIDAY | STUDIO 34, 4522 BALTIMORE AVE
Proceeds to benefit UNICEF

FRIDAY @ 8PM
THE N CROWD | THE ACTORS CENTER, 257 N THIRD ST
Proceeds to benefit the Red Cross

SATURDAY @ 7:30 & 10PM
COMEDYSPORTZ | PLAYGROUND @ ADRIENNE, 2030 SANSOM ST
Proceeds to benefit MercyCorps

Tonight: Anniversary of Chip Chantrys One-Man Show

Tonight marks the first anniversary of CHIP CHANTRY’S ONE-MAN SHOW.

In celebration, Chip welcomes comics Amir Gollan, James Hesky, Darryl Charles and Mykal Carter-Jackson and sketch group Secret Pants. The evening will also feature the Minuteman Challenge… where anyone in the room can win a $25 gift certificate for making everyone laugh in sixty seconds.

CHIP CHANTRY’S ONE MAN SHOW
MONDAY, JAN. 18TH @ 8:30PM
THE KHYBER | 56 S SECOND STREET

Friday: Leo Callahan with Rare Bird Show

Local rising improv group LEO CALLAHAN is all set to storm the Arts Parlor for their first show of 2010. The night will feature the debut of their newest member, JACK MEANEY, as well as a guest performance from the much exalted RARE BIRD SHOW.

For those of you not yet familiar with Leo Callahan, the group is a fairly recent addition to the scene that is rapidly growing in popularity… Featuring all Haverford Alums, three of whom were former members of Illegal Refill (RIP), these comedians are fast, smart and obviously a tight bunch. I’m excited to see what newcomer Jack brings to the stage and group dynamic.

L to R: Nick Kerr, Nicholas Mirra, Ali King, Scott Sheppard, and Jesse Paulsen. Not pictured: Jack Meaney

IMPROV W/ LEO CALLAHAN
FEAT. RARE BIRD SHOW
FRIDAY, JANUARY 15TH @ 9PM
THE ARTS PARLOR | 1170 S BROAD ST

PJIs Cecily and Gwendolyn run begins tonight

Over the past few months, the PHILADELPHIA JOKE INITIATIVE has presented a number of single night showcases, including the Mike Connor Travelogues and a fundraiser featuring music from the Hopper Brothers. Beginning tonight, this small production company launches its largest endeavor to date, and plans to do so with a little Victorian class.

CECILY & GWENDOLYN’S FANTASTICAL BALLOON RIDE opens tonight and runs through January 31st at the Latvian Society in Northern Liberties.

The show, featuring KELLY JENNINGS and KAREN GETZ in the eponymous roles of Cecily and Gwendolyn, is a fully improvised imagining of two slightly mad Victorian ladies who fancy themselves anthropologists. When all is said and done and chronometers have been synced, each evening explores the notion that these time traveling ladies find themselves 175 years through space and time via their hot air balloon in present day Philadelphia – where each night’s audience will serve as lab rats of sorts… from whom they’ll extract their conclusions about the “modern” society in which we live.

I was fortunate enough to attend a private performance this past weekend, and can honestly say that I’ve never been quite so excited to see how audiences will react to a show. Karen and Kelly (as pictured L to R above) have taken the idea of audience participation, and replaced it with complete audience immersion. The entire show is an evening that we’re all invited to take part in. Everything from the set to the seating, the costumes to the conversation, all welcome the audience member in, begging to be engaged, hoping to engross. Sitting there with only a handful of people, I’ve never felt so unconscious of my contribution. Getz and Jennings do a remarkable job of captivating with ease. Something that while I know from talking to them has taken years to develop, comes across as simple and organic.

As you can tell, I’m really excited about how it all drew me in and am excited to hear how audiences respond to this level of participatory immersion.

If you’re interested in reading  more about the show, more can be found in this recent writeup in the CityPaper. You can also get to know these ladies by watching their YouTube videos or by joining them on Facebook.

During its three week run (Thursdays through Sundays, excepting tonight’s opening) the show will play host to a myriad of comedy guests, including local talent the likes of Chip Chantry, Cubed, Rare Bird Show, BWP, Leo Callahan, the N Crowd, Real Housewives of Philadelphia and ComedySportz Improvised Shakespeare as well as Hello Laser from the Magnet Theater in NYC.

CECILY & GWENDOLYN’S FANTASTICAL BALLOON RIDE
THE LATVIAN SOCIETY | 531 N 7TH ST
JANUARY 13-31, 2010 | 7PM
PRESENTED BY PJI WITH SUPPORT FROM FREEFALL PRODUCTIONS

Ladies: Deadline extended for WICF submissions

Attention female comedians, there’s still time to get your act in for consideration for Boston’s 2nd annual WOMEN IN COMEDY FESTIVAL (WICF), running March 24-28.

(COMEDY DUO: TWO GIRLS FOR FIVE BUCKS)

The event celebrates women from various genres of comedy including improv, sketch, stand up, musical, film and humor writing. Although WICF puts women front and center, the producers also do not want to discourage acts with men from applying. Regardless of your gender, make sure to get those submissions in no later than Jan. 18th.

Created by Michelle Barbera and Maria Ciampa and presented by ImprovBoston, full details on the festival and submission guidelines can be found on the WICF site.

No Pants Subway Ride 2010

This Sunday, thousands of riders will take to subways all over the world, leaving their pants behind.

Started by NYC’s IMPROV EVERYWHERE nine years ago, this annual event has caught the attention of not only surprised travellers, but the world media alike. In recent years, the event has spawned similar missions in cities across the globe, all coinciding with the main original event run by CHARLIE TODD and his expansive network of IE agents. In 2009, nearly 2,500 riders participated in 22 cities, some as close as Boston and DC, others as far as Lisbon, Portugal and Sydney, Australia.

This Sunday, the event should prove to be larger than ever, with nearly 40 cities staging local rides, including the first organized ride in Philadelphia. Head on over to the Facebook event to get the details… and hopefully you’ll come on out, take off your pants, and make someone’s day!

(Photos courtesy of Improv Everywhere)

N Crowd double header featuring Real Housewives

The N CROWD will be putting on a double header of shows at 8 & 10PM this week for First Friday. The early show is the full regular weekly shortform program. If you’re in the mood for backstabbing, gold-digging and random charity fundraisers, then stick around for the 10PM show, which will also feature local ladies of satire, THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF PHILADELPHIA.

THE N CROWD DOUBLE HEADER
FRIDAY, JAN 8TH
8PM – REGULAR SHOW
10PM – W/ GUEST REAL HOUSEWIVES

ACTORS CENTER | 257 N THIRD ST

$10 ONLINE / $15 AT DOOR

Click This: Fletcher gets a website

PHIT houseteam FLETCHER recently launched their new website, fletcherimprov.com

Head on over when you get a chance to find out about upcoming shows, check out tons of photos and meet their newest cast members… Zac, Andy, Joe & Andrew.

Do This Now: Join the IRC and Speak Up

Many of you are probably quite familiar with the IMPROV RESOURCE CENTER message boards.  For those of you that aren’t, get over there right now and join up. The IRC is a site developed by NYC’s Kevin Mullaney that boast numerable features, the most popular of which is the message boards.

Several years ago, the Philly chatter was through the roof and we got Mullaney to add a Philly based regional board. And more recently, a sub-forum was added called Philly Cafe to discuss non-improv related miscellany.

Posts on the board have dwindled in the past six months or so, but as of late they’re back with a small fervor… Local comedians are bringing up some pretty interesting topics and folks are chiming in. Here are a couple of trending topics to keep an eye on:

• The thread entitled Name Two Things asks local improvisers to tout two things they think our local scene does well and two things that are wanton for improvement. There are some nice kudos that make people feel great and appreciated, but even more valuable is some of the insight and recommendations on what can stand some revamping.
• A very recent thread asks improvisers to share their Improv Mantra. It’s a simple question with a hundred complicated answers. When you spend years pulling nuggets of wisdom from a myriad of sources, how do you boil it down to the marrow of what makes your improv tick?
• It’s been said that there about three dozen improv games and 300 names for them. Certainly you can base most games and exercises on a handful of key objectives… things like character work, platform, energy, physicality, object work, initiations and emotional honesty. How you get there can take many more paths. Share some of your Favorite Exercises and Games with local improvisers, or find a new twist on an old favorite to keep practice fresh.

We may all get different things out of our improv, but in the end, hopefully it’s fun and rewarding. The IRC is a fantastic place to commune with those of like minds and talk shop.