Comedian Profile: Nick Gillette

NICK GILLETTE

Might have seen him in: Everything Must Go (recently retired house team), Velvet Helmet, and Nathan Edmondson’s New As-of-yet-unnamed Team (forthcoming)

Hangs his hat in: South Philly (soon, Souther Philly)

Stomping Grounds: Downingtown, PA, which, as kids, we would refer to as “Down In G Town”

Pays the Bills: Tour Guide at Eastern State Penitentiary

Other Hobbies: Dungeons and Dragons (just started a new campaign as the Dungeon Master), Burlesque (I perform regularly with Revival Burlesque and Cabaret Red Light), Secret Mime (mime is so universally and undeservedly loathed, I feel like I have to practice in secret.)

Why Improv?

I got into improv in college because there is nothing as invigorating as the risk of standing in front of a crowd with your teammates and being rewarded by bringing the house down.  It rewards presence.  I spend an unfortunately large portion of my life dealing with people automatically, and I’m glad to participate in any activity that demands living on the cusp of the moment.

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PHIT at the Shubin with April-May shows

Tonight the PHILLY IMPROV THEATER launches another two week run at the Shubin, and they’ve got some fun stuff in store for you…

Wed, 4/28
8:00PM – The Bully Pulpit w. Luke Giordano – $5

Thu, 4/29
8:00PM – Improv Comedy, PhD – $10
9:30PM – Troika: Round 3 – $10
11:00PM – The Ones Your Moms Warned You About – FREE

Fri, 4/30
8:00PM – Dependable Felons + Everything Must Go – $10
9:30PM – The Megaphone Comedy Tour + King Friday – $10

Sat, 5/1
8:00PM – Sketch comedy from Meg & Rob feat. Brendan Kennedy – $10
9:30PM – Activity Book + Leo Callahan – $10
11:00PM – Sketch Up or Shut Up -FREE

Sun, 5/2
8:00PM – Sketch comedy from Meg & Rob feat. Carolyn Busa – $10

Mon, 5/3
8:00PM – The Moops – $5

Wed, 5/5
8:00PM – Guilty Pleasures w/ Brendan Kennedy – $5

Thu, 5/6
8:00PM – Hey Everybody w/ Aaron Hertzog – $5
9:30PM – Troika: Championship – $10

Fri, 5/7
8:00PM – Rare Buck Show w/ Dave Buckman + Vorlof – $10
9:30PM – Fletcher + Angry People Building Things – $10

Sat, 5/8
8:00PM – Sketch comedy from Meg & Rob – $10
9:30PM – CUBED + Red Letters – $10
11:00PM – Improv Jam: Flying Leap – FREE

Additional information and advanced tickets available on the PHIT website.

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

Comedy for the Weekend Warrior

There’s a lot going on this weekend for comedy fans… check it out:

- The 2009 PHILLY SKETCHFEST continues through the weekend at Plays & Players Theater

- RARE BIRD SHOW,  FLETCHER and LEO CALLAHAN anchor PHIT’s Shubin shows, with appearances by EVERYTHING MUST GO tonight and ANGRY PEOPLE BUILDING THINGS Saturday

- Celebrate the Bachelor Party Edition of the MINISTRY OF SECRET JOKES as host DOOGIE HORNER celebrates his final nights of singledom 8PM tonight at Fergies Pub.

- Bucks County Community College features EXPONENTIAL JOURNEY – improv directed by Bill McLaughlin this Friday and Saturday at 7PM in the BCCC Library

- Shortform improv by THE N CROWD rolls out 8PM tonight at the Actor’s Center

- Get your game on with a COMEDYSPORTZ double header Saturday 7:30 & 10PM at the Playground @ the Adrienne

- Scratch your standup itch with LOUIS RAMEY of NBC’s Last Comic Standing headling at Helium through Saturday.

Tonight: Big improv happenings at PHIT

The PHILLY IMPROV THEATER‘s Shubin Shows continue on tonight with a rocking lineup.

First at 8PM, start the night out right with PHIT houseteam EVERYTHING MUST GO and a performance by LEO CALLAHAN, a group born out of members of the recently departed local fave ILLEGAL REFILL.

Then hunker down for the 9:30PM show, because you’re in for a treat. Acclaimed houseteam FLETCHER takes the stage, followed by a set from supergroup RARE BIRD SHOW.

Yeah, it’s kinda like that.

PHIT @ THE SHUBIN
8PM – EVERYTHING MUST GO & LEO CALLAHAN
9:30PM – FLETCHER & RARE BIRD SHOW
407 BAINBRIDGE ST | $10/SHOW

PHIT lineup for July

Tonight, the PHILLY IMPROV THEATER kicks off two weeks of comedy at the Shubin Theater. PHIT has put together a fun lineup full of new shows, special themes, visitors from afar, some old favorites and three nights of female comedy lovingly known as BONERAMA. Check it out:

Monday, July 6
8PM: The Comic vs Audience Comedy Show – $5

Wednesday, July 8
8PM: Guilty Pleasures – $5
10PM: The Bully Pulpit – $5

Thursday, July 9
8PM: Improv Comedy, PhD – Drexel Football Team & Everything Must Go – $5
10PM: CAGEMATCH: m@& vs Rookie Card – $5

Friday, July 10
8PM: Longform Improv: Angry People Building Things and Activity Book – $10
10PM: Longform Improv: WhipSuit and An Improv Jam – $10

Saturday, July 11
8PM: Longform Improv: Angry People Building Things and Activity Book – $10
10PM: Longform Improv: WhipSuit and An Improv Jam – $10
11:30PM: Sketch Up or Shut Up – FREE

Tuesday, July 14
8PM: Longform Improv: Fletcher and Parallelogramophonograph – $10

Thursday, July 16
8PM: Bonerama: The Real Housewives of Philadelphia – $10
10PM: Bonerama: CAGEMATCH: Brenda vs Pony Coat – $10

Friday, July 17
8PM: Bonerama: BWP and Cecily & Gwendolyn – $10
10PM: Bonerama: The Bonerama Variety Hour – $10

Saturday, July 18
8PM: Bonerama: BWP and Cecily & Gwendolyn – $10
10PM: Bonerama: The Bonerama Variety Hour – $10

Tickets are available now at phillyimprovtheater.com

Tonight: Why Am I Not Famous?!

Shubin Week presented by the Philly Improv Theater continues tonight w/ KENT HAINES and his live talk show, WHY AM I NOT FAMOUS?! Kent’s guests this evening include Meg Favreau (of Meg & Rob, Everything Must Go) and Steve “The Iceman” Gerben (Philly’s Phunniest 2007).

WHY AM I NOT FAMOUS?! W/ KENT HAINES
PHILLY IMPROV THEATER AT THE SHUBIN
407 BAINBRIDGE STREET
TONIGHT (WED, APRIL 8TH) @ 8PM | $5

Tonight: PHIT doubles your pleasure

The Philly Improv Theater has a couple of great shows in store for you tonight, continuing their week-long run of events at the Shubin Theatre.

At 8PM, enjoy local longform from groups Everything Must Go and Illegal Refill. Then at 10PM, settle into Big Tabasco featuring comics Chip Chantry & Doogie Horner.

PHIT @ THE SHUBIN
FRIDAY, MARCH 27TH
8PM – LONGFORM IMPROV
10PM – BIG TABASCO
407 BAINBRIDGE ST | $10 EA

Tonight: Everything Must Go joins the N Crowd

Joining the N Crowd tonight in their weekly show at the Actor’s Center will be Everything Must Go. EMG is a resident house team of the Philly Improv Theater, under the artistic direction of PHIT executive director Greg Maughan.

EVERYTHING MUST GO... FRONT: AJ HORAN & JEFFERSON HAYNES; REAR: ROB CUTLER, MEG FAVREAU & KATIE HORAHAN; NP: NICK GILLETTE, SHANE JENKINS & BOB SWENSON

THE N CROWD W/ EVERYTHING MUST GO
FRIDAY, MARCH 20TH @ 8PM
THE ACTORS CENTER | 257 N THIRD ST
TICKETS – $10

PHIT announces official lineup for Shubin Week

Starting Monday, the Philly Improv Theater will present another week of shows at the Shubin, and although we’ve had them on the calendar for awhile, who doesn’t love a handy little rundown of all the awesome shows they’re putting on?

ACTIVITY BOOK, PHIT RESIDENT GROUP, PERFORMS SAT @ 8PM

Monday, 3/23
8 p.m. – The Comic vs. Audience Comedy Show hosted by Dave Walk – $5

Wednesday, 3/25
8 p.m. – Why Am I Not Famous?! with your host Kent Haines – $5
10 p.m. – Guilty Pleasures hosted by Brendan Kennedy – $5

Thursday, 3/26
8 p.m. – Improv Comedy PhD: Without a Net & Fletcher – $5
10 p.m. – CAGEMATCH: Angry People Building Things vs Traffic Jelly – $5

Friday, 3/27
8 p.m. – Longform Improv: Everything Must Go & Illegal Refill – $10
10 p.m. – Big Tabasco feat. Chip Chantry & Doogie Horner – $10

Saturday, 3/28
8 p.m. – Longform Improv: Activity Book & The Wilhelm (NYC) – $10
10 p.m. – Big Tabasco feat. Chip Chantry & Doogie Horner – $10

Sunday, 3/29
7 p.m. – Tongue & Groove – $10

Shows run Monday 3/23 – Sunday 3/29 and take place at the Shubin Theatre, 407 Bainbridge St.

Visit PHIT for more details