This evening from 5-7, join the cast of STAGE FRIGHT as they raise funds towards their improvised homage to Hitchcock.
The event will be hosted at Chris’ Jazz Cafe – bartender and Stage Fright cast member ROB CUTLER will be joined behind the bar by fellow castmate ALLI SOOWAL. They’ll be serving up delicious concoctions, including vertigo martinis!
There will be discounted advanced tickets available, and a raffle that includes all kinds of fun prizes. So come on out!
NYC based comic HANNIBAL BURESS makes his way down to the Italian Market next month for a live show at CONNIE’S RIC RAC.
Buress has reached national prominence with his stint of appearances on shows like the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Comics Unleased with Byron Allen, Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham and Lopez Tonight. Now you can catch him live right here in your own backyard. All kinds of great comedians have terrific things to say about Buress, but I think this clip from his appearance on Lopez Tonight really says it well…
The show is one amongst a string of high profile acts being brought to the Ric Rac by COREY COHEN COMEDY PRODUCTIONS. In the near future, you’ll also be catching comedians the likes of Todd Barry, Dave Hill and Sean Green. With these sort of acts headlining, along with their graduation from BYO to full bar service, Connie’s Ric Rac is placing a serious hold not only in the Italian Market, but as real comedy hot spot in Philadelphia.
If you’re looking for a little variety in your comedy, head on over to Old City tonight to the Painted Bride around 10PM.
The show features improv from MEDIC!! (JP Boudwin, Sarah Cowdery, Luke Field, Nick Gillette and Milkshake), standup from DOOGIE HORNER, and music from EMILY & MICAH MCGRAW.
COMEDY VARIETY SHOW
THURSDAY, DEC 16TH @ 10PM
PAINTED BRIDE ARTS CENTER | 230 VINE ST
JUST $10
ANIMOSITY PIERRE, the organizers of the PHILLY SKETCHFEST, host a sketch comedy competition tonight at Helium Comedy Club. Up and coming sketch groups each compete to earn a performance slot in PSF2010. On the bill for tonight:
Each group gets six minutes to wow the audience and the judges. The judges include Rob Baniewicz (of Meg & Rob), Alli Soowal (of Real Housewives & PHIF producer) and PSF producer Ben Maher.
Tickets are $12 (w/ two item minimum) and proceeds benefit PSF2010. Also, performers from last year’s Sketchfest get a half price discount.
PHILLY SKETCHFEST’S COMEDY COMPETITION
WED, SEPT 1 @ 8PM
HELIUM COMEDY CLUB | 2031 SANSOM ST
TICKETS: $12 | 21+
Punchline Magazine reports that LOUIS C.K.‘s new stand up special Hilarious will be getting its night on the big screen in eight select cities on Sept 18th… and Philly’s one of them!
Fans get a rare chance to crowd into a movie theater to see one of the best in the business debut his new material. Tickets go on sale Wednesday at noon, and can be grabbed up at the Prince’s box office, the Trocadero’s box office, or online at Ticketmaster.
SCREENING: LOUIS C.K. HILARIOUS
SATURDAY, SEPT 18TH @ 7:30PM
PRINCE MUSIC THEATER | 1412 CHESTNUT ST TICKETS ON SALE SEPT 1ST AT NOON!!
For the last few weeks, rumors have abound that the close of July could bring with it the end of live entertainment at the Khyber. It’s still up in the air whether the venue will be changing hands soon, or is simply looking to make a change in bookings. According to a recent chatPhilebrity had with owner Stephen Simons, at the very least, the stage will be dark for the month of August.
So with the future unclear, comedian Chip Chantry looks to make this month’s One-Man Show something to remember. For what could be the final installment at the beloved venue, they’re going entirely character-based for the theme. Everyone appearing onstage will be in disguise.
Some fantastic alter-egos and characters abound in our little world of comedy, and tonight should be something pretty damn special… while potentially bidding farewell to a venue held so dear to many comedians, we might conversely see the birth of other hilarious personas the likes of Bing Supernova or Fastball Pitcher Bob Gutierrez.
Chip has a cavalcade of comics slated to take the stage tonight, including: Johnny Goodtimes, Doogie Horner, Brendan Kennedy, Meg Favreau, John Kensil, The Feeko Brothers, Andy Nolan, Luke Giordano, Roger Weaver and more! With a lineup like that, this show already should make your must-see list. Add to that it potentially being the last installment at the place that gave birth to shows like this and Die Actor Die, and it really is the only place you should be tonight.
Comedian MATT BESSER is best known as one of the UCB4 (along with Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh) – stars of the Comedy Central sketch show Upright Citizens Brigade and founders of the famed NYC comedy theater of the same name.
Raised by a Jewish father and Presbyterian mother, the self-proclaimed Athiest grew up in Arkansas (thus the titular allusion to the Razorbacks Hog Call) surrounded by extremes of religion. In his show, Besser puts religion squarely in his sights, observing the ways in which church and state intersect in comically disturbing ways throughout America. Charleston City Paper describes the show as a “hilarious and somewhat stream-of-conscioiusness combination of sharp social criticism disguised as religion jokes, stand-up, and storytelling.”
Complete with head-to-toe U of A garb , the comedian brings his one-man comedic rant to Philadelphia for one night only on July 23rd.
The next day, he will also be teaching a pair of workshops at the Adrienne… so for a benjamin, you can brush up with Besser yourself.
Advanced tickets and workshop information can be via PHIT’s website.
MATT BESSER – WOO PIG SOOIE
PHIT @ CONNIE’S RIC RAC | 1132 S NINTH ST
FRIDAY, JULY 23RD @ 8PM
$20-$25 | BYOB
For the last three years, TROIKA has been matching up local improvisers into trios. I created the show as a way for people to experiment with new forms and collaborate outside of their normal circles without having to invest in an entirely new project. It’s also proved to be a great way to expose fan bases to different performers.
Troika’s spawned some pretty unique and fun premise-based and concept shows… we’ve seen musicals, rock band reunions, teen sleepovers and spanish language soap operas, as well as a colorful cast of characters including clowns, librarians, puppets and even states witnesses. We’ve seen groups from Troika live on to perform well beyond their season. Early teams PONYCOAT and BRENDA were the first break outs, followed by several concerts from VELVET HELMET, leading clear up to the current CAGEMATCH champs, THE ONES YOUR MOMS WARNED YOU ABOUT.
Last month, Troika expanded beyond its normal season by shedding its competition brackets for a special “blind” edition. Tomorrow night, the show looks to raise the bar, as it takes its first steps towards national collaboration. Improvisers from New York, Boston, DC and as far away as Los Angeles will take the stage with some of Philly’s best. They’ll form three trios never before seen on stage, and not likely to be seen again:
SLACKS
Alli Soowal (Philadelphia, PA)
Luis Cortes (Los Angeles, CA)
Steve Kleinedler (Boston, MA)
FROWNTOWN
Jason Stockdale (Philadelphia, PA)
Michael McFarland (New York City, NY)
Peter Fenzel (Boston, MA)
That’s some serious comedic talent, and all I can say is, you’d best expect the unexpected. So I hope you’ll join us for a special evening that is certainly never to be duplicated.
TROIKA GOES NATIONWIDE
SATURDAY, JUNE 19TH @ 8PM
THE ACTORS CENTER | 257 N THIRD ST
$10 (CASH ONLY)
This Wednesday, hometown girl KATE FLANNERY (NBC’s The Office) and SCOT ROBINSON (Anchorman) bring their acclaimed fake lounge act, THE LAMPSHADES, from the stage at iO West here to Helium.
Featuring the song stylings of Hori (Robinson) and Kassie (Flannery), The Lampshades forgo the more classic showtune duet trappings, instead bringing you alcohol-fueled mashups like Doves In Your Soul – a hybrid of Prince’s When Doves Cry and TMBG’s Birdhouse In Your Soul. Or Obits – where Kassie croons out Donna Summer’s Last Dance while Hori recites the obituaries of recently departed celebrities.
After nearly a decade in LA and on the road, they’re their own little cottage industry… a favorite to open for The Dan Band and oddly finding themselves being the very thing they started out mocking. In town for one night, it’s an evening not to be missed!
THE LAMPSHADES
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16TH @ 7PM HELIUM COMEDY CLUB | 2031 SANSOM ST
TICKETS: $20-$25
It’s been a hard-fought season with some incredibly tight competition, but tonight the stakes have never been higher. 27 improvisers have stepped up on stage to put it all on the line, and now the winners from each round vie for the crown. It’s Librarians vs State Witnesses vs Spanish Soap Stars – and only one trio will be called TROIKA.
R1 Winner: Meadowbrook Public Library Storybook Players
(Alan Williams, Amie Roe, Thomas Whitaker)
Posted by Matt Nelson 
