Philadelphia Improv Festival Returns This November

The producers of the Philadelphia Improv Festival are working through the summer to finalize a stellar line-up for their fourth annual affair. This year's festival will take place November 13-15 and will be in a brand new location -- Plays and Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Street. The festival showcases long and short form improv groups from all over the country, along with workshops to help performers discover and hone their craft.

Single tickets grant admission to a block of three group shows and are $10. Day Passes are also available for $20 and Weekend Passes for $50. More information on the festival is available at www.phif.org

"It's really exciting to see the alt-comedy renaissance that Philly's experiencing right now. We've had some big names in standup coming through here for years... but recently we've seen an incredible surge; not only the nationally-recognized improv and sketch acts coming in, but also some remarkable comedy being developed locally," said Matt Nelson, Executive Producer of the festival.

The festival gives audiences a chance to see spontaneous long and short form comedy happen before their eyes. Previous groups who have performed at the festival include:  Unexpected Company (Warwick, RI), Dwayne's Guesthouse (NYC), BillyHawk (Los Angeles, CA), Cathcart & Olson (Chicago, IL), and Cubicle (NYC) and local favorites Rare Bird Show, ZombieShark, Delaware Comedy Theatre, Choosical, Men About Town, and Industrial.

Improv companies that have participated in the festival include comedians from New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, Portland, Baltimore, DC and many other cities across the country. Those performers represent renowned improv theatres such as the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (NYC), iO West (LA), the Dirty South Improv Theater (NC), the Magnet Theater (NYC), Washington Improv Theater (DC) and the People's Improv Theater (NYC).

"One of the primary objectives of our festival is to help brand Philadelphia as a destination for comedy fans - and I think the quality of improvisation at our festival just keeps rising to the occasion," added Nelson. "We've got interest from international acts and some big names in the improv world... and we're seeing our own locals groups take the stage and likewise respond with vigor. We're positioned to entertain and educate both audiences and performers alike, and that's just a great thing to be a part of."

The Philadelphia Improv Festival (PHIF) is an annual three-day festival taking place each fall; dedicated to the celebration of improvisational comedy both locally and across the country.