Former Annoyance Theater NY Team Announces New Brooklyn Comedy Collective

Artistic Director Philip Markle and Programming Director Annie Donley, who collaboratively helped launch and run the Annoyance Theater's Brooklyn branch, are announcing The Brooklyn Comedy Collective, a new comedy theater and school producing live shows, Thursday to Saturday nights, and six-week improv classes in residency at The Brick Theater in Williamsburg from March 8 - April 16, 2018 - with an option to extend past that date.

The BCC's mission is to create a welcome space for artistic experimentation and to operate in a model that financially supports its producers and performers. Producers of shows at the BCC earn a significant percentage of the box office (50% of box after the first $55 in ticket sales), which can then be passed along to performers in each show. The BCC looks to program shows that demonstrate a strong point of view or sense of self and is accepting show submissions of all types thru Feb. 20 at www.brooklyncc.com/shows and its March/April line-up will be announced soon afterwards.

The BCC also teaches an original improvisation curriculum focusing on three core concepts: individual empowerment, ensemble support, and professional performance. The BCC is launching with a Level 1 class (taught by instructor Jared Jeffries and open to all) and two Level 2 classes (taught by Markle and Donley and open to those with significant prior improv experience). All instructors at the BCC bring years of teaching experience to the table and are frequent performers in the NY comedy scene. There is a free preview class on Sat, Feb. 24th from 2:30-4:30pm for anyone to try-out the BCC's approach. For more info on the school, visit: www.brooklyncc.com/classes

Markle and Donley are excited to be working together in this new venture. "It's been almost a year since the Annoyance NY closed, and we've watched fellow artists produce shows at a myriad of locations around NY," Markle says. "There's been palpable excitement since we announced the BCC that we get to all play together under a new roof in Brooklyn and under a model that offers financial payment to the creators of the shows. There's an ongoing debate right now in the comedy community about paying performers, and we believe in encouraging producers and artists in this way. And, we want to challenge students with a curriculum that pairs personal empowerment with a focus on being a strong team player...and ultimately teaches students how to get out of the classroom and performing professionally by celebrating what you and only you can do onstage."

The BCC is eager to build a new comedy community that financially rewards its performers, fosters and encourages risk-taking and new talent, and inspires students to approach make-em-ups from a place of joy and fierceness. Tickets for shows run $5-10 and classes cost $275 for a six-week session.

For more info, visit www.brooklyncc.com

The Brick Theater is located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at 579 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11206 (off the Lorimer/Metropolitan L and G train metro stop).

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