THIS WEEK: Philly Improv Theater at the Shubin Theatre

It's time again for the Philly Improv Theater's week at the Shubin Theatre (407 Bainbridge St). The week actually kicked off Monday with our show (programming note: there will be no C vs. A show in June), but the highlights of the week are still yet to come with a new sketch show by Meg & Rob, a performance by improv supergroup The Moops and psychoanalysis with Lisa Levy.

Wednesday, May 6th
8 p.m. - Why Am I Not Famous?!?: A Comedy Talk Show w/ Kent Haines, $5. This month Philly's only comedy talk show welcomes local sketch group Secret Pants and Steve "The Iceman" Gerben who was supposed to be on last month's show but couldn't make it. According to Kent: "Steve is the 2007 winner of the Philly's Phunniest contest that I won last summer, which means that I am technically one year funnier than he is. But actually he is much more hilarious than I am, and my sole goal that evening is to give him a nervous breakdown with my intense Frost/Nixon style interrogation. Should be fun!"

10 p.m. - Guilty Pleasures w/ Brendan Kennedy, $5. Bringing you the best in awful scripts, acted out for you on stage. Listen to Brendan talk about the show on the C vs. A Radio Hour.

Thursday, May 7th
8 p.m. – Improv Comedy, PhD: Every Thursday the theater pairs up "today's comedy over-achievers and tomorrow's comedy legends." This month: Drexel's Drexel Football Team with PHIT house team Fletcher.

10 p.m. - Cagematch: m@& vs. reigning champs Angry People Building Things, $5. CAGEMATCH pits two groups against each other for 25-minute sets that can only use one audience suggestion. The audience decides the winner by secret ballot. This month, Matt Holmes of Rare Bird Show bravely takes on the champs with the help of someone from the audience that "preferably has never seen an improv show before and was dragged there by a friend."

Friday, May 8th
8 p.m. – Meg & Rob w/ CUBED, $10.

Improv duo CUBED will perform 30-min. of comedy taking place in a cubicle. And then Philly sketch group Meg & Rob present a completely brand new show of material of characters "with a deep emotional core, whether they've just gotten divorced or are (quite literally) dead on their feet."

10 p.m. - The Moops, $10. The Moops are a Philly improv supergroup of sorts including Alexis Simpson, Kristen Schier, Alli Soowal, Nick Gillette, Greg Maughan, Scott Sheppard and more.

Saturday, May 9th
8 p.m. – Meg & Rob w/ CUBED, $10., $10.

10 p.m. - Stand Up. Lie Down., $10. NYC's Lisa Levy brings her monthly show down to Philly. Join in the fun as Dr. Levy, S.P. (self-proclaimed) tries to cure these emotionally complex types with help from the audience. Each performer or group will perform for 5 minutes and then have a brief "session" with Dr. Levy. And she'll be giving away boxes of tissues that say, "Funny people cry too." to the first 10 ticket holders. Dave Walk, Kent Haines and Rare Bird Show will be performing/analyzed.

Read more...

THIS WEEK: PHIT at the Shubin Theatre

It's time again for the Philly Improv Theater's week at the Shubin Theatre (407 Bainbridge St). The week actually kicked off Monday with our show, but the meat of the week is still yet to come. It promises to be an interesting week with a film screening, state of the organization address and comedians from New York City and Chicago.

Tuesday, December 2
8 p.m. - The State of PHIT: As the year closes upon us, it's time for the Philly Improv Theater to reflect on the accomplishments of 2008 and look forward to another great year of comedy. Thus the State of PHIT presentation with Artistic Director Alexis Simpson discussing the future content-wise, Founder Greg Maughan going over performer compensation and light snacks! EVERYONE is welcome to attend. You can read more about it here.

Wednesday, December 3
8 p.m. – Bedtime Stories: RICH PEOPLE, $10. Host Gregg Gethard presents the very last night of Bedtime Stories sketch, stories and other stuff at the Shubin Theatre.

10 p.m. - Why Am I Not Famous?!?: A Comedy Talk Show w/ Kent Haines, $5. Kent welcomes comedians sketch comedians Animosity Pierre and stand-up Brendan Kennedy.

Thursday, December 4
8 p.m. – The Throng & The Sketchy Players, $5. PHIT house team The Sketchy Players are joined by Haverford College's longform improv team The Throng.

10 p.m. - CAGEMATCH: Activity Book vs. reigning champ Illegal Refill. $5. CAGEMATCH pits two groups against each other for 25-minute sets that can only use one audience suggestion. The audience decides the winner by secret ballot.

Friday, December 5
8 p.m. – The Dave Hill Explosion, $10. He's back! NYC's Dave Hill brings his explosion to explode all over your exploded lap. Expect awesome explosions, guests and maybe music.

10 p.m. - Omelet with Cubed, $10. Chicago improv duo Omelet performs with local favorites Cubed.

Saturday, December 6
8 p.m. - Omelet with Cubed, $10.
10 p.m. - The Dave Hill Explosion, $10.

Sunday, December 7
3 & 7 p.m. - Film Screening: GOLD, $10. A strange relic of the 1960s counter-culture, featuring improv-guru Del Close, this movie shows what happens when hippies get their hands on a camera and waaay to much acid. A short Q&A with the people responsible for restoring the film will follow each screening.
Read more...

HAMBURGERS, PUNK ROCK, A TRAVELING MINISTRY: Local Comedy News

Paul T. of Secret Pants recently talked to Philebrity.com about his website LarryMendteIsNotACriminal.com. And, Secret Pants will be opening for comedian turned country singer Neil Hamburger August 7th at Johnny Brenda's.

Elsewhere, music and comedy collide. We can't believe we slept on it for so long, but the Fuck Yeah Fest is coming to the Starlight Ballroom on July 11th with Matt & Kim, Circle Jerks, Philadelphia's own Paint It Black, punk rock heroes Dillinger Four and stand-up comedians. Details are murky on who at this point, but it appears that Reggie Watts has been performing at some on the dates. Hannibal Buress and Josh Fadem will be performing. Check out the trailer for the tour.

Philadelphia-area improv groups Cubed and Rare Bird Show will be performing in Baltimore Improv Festival next month. Rare Bird Show will also be holding workshops.

The Ministry of Secret Jokes is going on the road. They'll be performing at the Fuel House Coffee Co. in Vineland, New Jersey on August 9th. Host Doogie Horner was also recently interviewed by Uwishunu.com.

Photos from Die, Actor, Die's Dirtiest Sketch in Philadelphia are up courtesy of Vincent Brown.

Improv group Tongue & Groove will be performing at a First Person Arts salon at the Gershman Y (401 South Broad St.) on July 9th. Troupe member Adam Gertler is on the Food Network's The Next Food Network Food Star this season and was recently profiled in the South Philly Review.

Know of something funny happening that doesn't involve lip-syncing on Youtube? E-mail comicvsaudience AT gmail DOT com with your tips.
Read more...