Comedy for the Weekend Warrior

I’m on vacation this week, but I’m posting from the remote recesses of upstate NY to tell you about the incredible weekend of comedy kicking off tomorrow night (hey, it’s summer – weekends can start on Thursday in the summer).

THURSDAY

10PM – ILLEGAL REFILL w/ ROOKIE CARD
Studio 34 | 4522 Baltimore Ave (BYO/pay what you can)

FRIDAY

8PM – N CROWD w/ BWP
Actors Center | 257 N Third St ($10 adv/$15 door)

10PM – REAL HOUSEWIVES OF PHILADELPHIA w/ N CROWD
Actors Center | 257 N Third St ($15)

SATURDAY

7:30PM – WOMEN WITH CLASS (Directed by Bill McLaughlin & Andrew Stanton of APBT)
Morrisville Borough Annex | 31 East Cleveland Ave ($8)

7:30PM & 10PM – COMEDYSPORTZ DOUBLE HEADER
Playground at the Adrienne | 2030 Sansom St ($15)

PHIT Shows at the Shubin in August

Tonight begins the PHILLY IMPROV THEATER’s August run at the Shubin. Here’s a look at what PHIT has in store for comedy fans this week…

Monday, August 3

8PM: Comic vs. Audience Comedy Show – LAST SHOW – $5

It is with great sadness we report that the Comic vs. Audience Comedy Show will be having its last show on August 3. Join your host Dave Walk of Comic vs. Audience.com and the fantastic comedians Joey Dougherty, Pat Barker, Chip Chantry, and New York City’s Matt Ruby, who also runs the comedy blog Sandpaper Suit, for this send-off.

Wednesday, August 5

8PM: Guilty Pleasures – $5

Comedian Brendan Kennedy has his finger firmly on the pulse of terrible written work (including found scripts, embarrassing emails, and more), and he is ready to present it all to you in all of its hilarious awkwardness.

10PM: The Bully Pulpit – $5

Host Luke Giordano wrangles a panel of four comedians in a round-table discussion, complete with arguments and personal attacks. Moving from topic to topic, the show can center on pop culture, current events, or whatever the panelists have on their minds for a show full of fresh, off-the-cuff comedy in the heat of the moment.

Thursday, August 6

8PM: Improv Comedy, PhD – $5

College group Mini-Prometheus performing with powerhouse duo Chris and Tami, who are here all the way from Austin, TX on their “Dream of Meal” tour.

10PM: CAGEMATCH – $5

Competitive longform improv! See two teams throw down and vote for your favorite. This month, reigning champions Rookie Card take on challengers Activity Book.

Friday, August 7

8PM: Amnesia and Attempted Murder – ONE NIGHT ONLY – $10

After being pushed down the stairs and spending a year in a coma, Jane Higgins wakes a to find that she doesn’t recognize anyone. So, in an attempt to refresh Jane’s memory and plead their own innocence, her family members make her a video. In this comedy, we meet ten of Jane’s closest loved ones. Who tried to kill her? You’ll have to see it to find out. Originally performed at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade in NYC. Starring Jill Donnelly and co-written directed by Amy Flanagan.

“With unexpected laughs and macabre surprises, Amnesia and Attempted Murder serves as smelling salts to even the most unresponsive brain.”

-Abbi Crutchfield, The Apiary

10PM: Longform Improv – Rare Bird Show and Fletcher – $10

Fearless festival-hopping powerhouses Rare Bird Show perform with PHIT resident team Fletcher for a full hour of completely made-up comedy.

Saturday, August 8

6PM: PHIT Level 4 Class Show – FREE

Under the guidance of instructor Matt Holmes, students from PHIT’s first 400 level class show off their skills as they tackle the Deconstruction.

8PM: Sketch – High Dramma and The Action Section – $10

The boys of the Action Section and pop-culture-skewing High Dramma are going to attack your laughing muscles with awesome comedy.

10PM: Sex Time with Dr. Neil – $10

Dr. Neil takes his knowledge on the road with his first-ever live taping! Join Dr. Neil as he fields calls, takes audience questions, and proves to us all how little we truly know about the opposite sex. There will be live versions of your favorite Dr. Neil segments – The Givin’ Brain Quiz and Historsextomy: Fact or Friction! Sex Time with Dr. Neil is brought to Philadelphia by his biggest fan, Rob Baniewicz, of the sketch comedy duo, Meg & Rob.

11:30PM Sketch Up or Shut Up! – FREE

Sketch comedy open mic! Sign up by dropping a script or improv-to-sketch premise off at the theater by 9:30 p.m. 10 will be chosen at random, with the line-up posted at 11:15 p.m. Come to perform or watch!

Tonight: Final Comic vs Audience Comedy Show

Tonight we say hello to August Shubin Week and bid a fine farewell to the COMIC VS AUDIENCE COMEDY SHOW. Host Dave Walk plans to go out with a bang by pulling out the big guns tonight. Slated to perform are local faves Pat Barket and Joey Dougherty, NYC-based Matt Ruby… with the whole shebang headlined by Chip Chantry.

It should prove a night to remember. So get down to the Shubin and show Dave & CvA the love.

THE LAST COMIC VS AUDIENCE COMEDY SHOW
HOSTED BY DAVE WALK , FEATURING CHIP CHANTRY
W/ MATT RUBY, JOEY DOUGHERTY & PAT BARKER
MONDAY, AUGUST 3 @ 8PM | TICKETS $5 | BYOB
PHILLY IMPROV THEATER @ THE SHUBIN | 407 BAINBRIDGE

Improv stands tall in the Philly Fringe

After years of saturating the Theatre category of the Philly Fringe Festival, it looks as though the annual fest is taking notice. LiveArts/Fringe has released their virtual guide, and it’s exciting to see an entire category dedicated to Comedy & Improv.

In addition, the PHILLY IMPROV THEATER has gone big this year, not only with their ambitious lineup of events (we’ll follow with more on this later), but even going so far as to take out the entire inside front cover of the Guide:

It’s nice to see such a strong mix of recognition and prominence at a huge mainstream event that draws international attention.

Friday fundraising for the Sixth Borough

In their recent win at Snubfest, the SIXTH BOROUGH secured a slot in the Milwaukee Comedy Festival. Now the local sketch group is looking for your help to get there. The sketch group is inviting fans to join them Friday night at Connie’s Ric Rac for MILWAUKATHON, a fundraiser that will include a show as well as a raffle/auction.

Some of the items up for bid include sketch classes, show tickets, original artwork, memorabilia from sketches, a collection of Quirk Books, concert tickets, gym memberships and more.

SIXTH BOROUGH PRESENTS: MILWAUKATHON
FRIDAY, JULY 24TH | PRE-PARTY: 7PM, SHOW: 8:30PM
CONNIE’S RIC RAC | 1132 S NINTH ST
BYO BOOZE/BANKROLL

Tonight: Illegal Refill with the Moops

ILLEGAL REFILL tops off your comedy thirst tonight at Studio 34, with special guest THE MOOPS. The action starts at 10PM.

ILLEGAL REFILL w/ THE MOOPS
THURSDAY, JULY 23RD @ 10PM
STUDIO 34 | 4522 BALTIMORE AVE
BYO, PAY WHAT YOU CAN

Click This: Comic vs Audience upgrades site

Local comedy resource COMICVSAUDIENCE has upgraded their site to 2.0… which now includes an events calendar, a listing of open mics and most excitingly, a comedy database. I recommend you head on over and take a gander.

ACT FAST: Second City Master Workshop

The SECOND CITY cast of CITY OF NUTTERLY LOVE will be teaching a master improv workshop tonight from 7-9PM at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre. The class is geared for students that already have some improv experience under their belt. Instructors include EDGAR BLACKMON, RACHEL MILLER & KATIE RICH.

The class is $39, but if you mention PhillyImprov.com and reserve your slot by 3PM today, you’ll pay just $25. Email Janette Amadio of PTC to RSVP.

SECOND CITY MASTER CLASS
w/ EDGAR BLACKMON, RACHEL MILLER & KATIE RICH
TUESDAY, JULY 14TH @ 7PM
SUZANNE ROBERTS THEATRE

EDGAR BLACKMON (Ensemble) is thrilled to be performing with The Second City. After graduating from The Second City Conservatory, he went on to work with The Second City’s Outreach and Diversity Program, starring and writing in four revues, including Six Degrees of Reparations and How The Kanye West Was Won. As a member of the two man comedy team,The Mad Highentists, he performed in All The Way Live and On Your Side in The Second City’s Skybox Theater and at Sketchfest in Chicago.He couldn’t do this without the support of his family, and for that he says thanks.

RACHEL MILLER (Ensemble) is delighted to be spending some quality time in Philadelphia. She is currently an understudy to The Second City national touring companies and the Mainstage Theatre in Chicago. She has also performed with The Second City throughout Mexico, New England and The Caribbean via Norwegian Cruise Lines. She spent 5-1/2 years in Amsterdam with sketch/improv theatre Boom Chicago, sings with guitar/vocal improv duet Vlad & Rachel, and recently created The Podcast at the Annoyance Theatre. Previous Chicago improv includes The Pat Shay Dancers, Kiki Greenwell and Baby Wants Candy. She has performed at comedy festivals in Edinburgh, Singapore, Berlin and Chicago and freestyle-rapped at U2’s European “Vertigo” Tour Party. She hearts this cast, her family and Mr. Hicks.

KATIE RICH (Ensemble) is very lucky to be a part of this stellar cast. A Chicago native, Katie earned a B.S. (yup) from Northwestern University before getting the opportunity to tour all over the world with The Second City. She also performs at the iO Chicago with Carl and the Passions, the Frank Hayes 4,The Deltones Improvised Musical and Women Aren’t Funny. You can see her in those ubiquitous Sonic Drive-in commercials, in Martin Short’s “Let Freedom Hum,” and in the movie The Ice Harvest. Katie is proud to be an instructor for both the iO and The Second City. She’d be nowhere without her friends and worse than nowhere without her family to whom she owes everything. Katie spends a lot of time figuring out what to do now that her dream has come true.

Have you met the CSz Rookies yet?

Well perhaps it’s time.

ComedySportz Philly welcomes Olwyn Conway, Noah Herman, Aime Kelly, Andy Moskowitz, Joe Sabatino and Casey Thomasson.

Listen Up: C vs A Radio Hour tonight with Illegal Refill

From 7-8PM EST tonight, DAVE WALK hosts the C vs A RADIO HOUR, a bi-weekly comedy talk show featured at Gtownradio.com (The Sound From Germantown).

This show features local improv group ILLEGAL REFILL, who will be chatting with Dave and performing a set. Listeners can even tweet their suggestions. Dave will also play excerpts from TODD GLASS‘ new album, Thin Pig.