Philly Improv Theater Set For 16 Days of Performances During 2009 Philly Fringe, 9/3-19

Philly Improv Theater (PHIT) continues to grow and establish itself as one of the cornerstones of the local comedy scene. During the 2009 Philly Fringe, PHIT will stage 16 days worth of sketch and improv comedy at two separate venues. Following Fringe, the comedy theater is moving to two performance weeks a month. More information is available online at www.phillyimprovtheater.com or at 267-233-1556. Tickets are on sale through Live Arts and Philly Fringe. They are available at www.phillyfringe.org.

Shows will run from September 3-19 at The Adrienne, 2030 Sansom Street. Another block of shows will run from September 4-12 at Philly Improv Theater's home base at 407 Bainbridge Street.

There will be two live tapings of popular podcasts during Fringe. One Wednesday, September 16 The Sound of Young America will tape at 10 p.m. at The Adrienne. The Sound of Young America is a public radio show about pop culture, hosted by Jesse Thorn ("America's Radio Sweetheart"), who interviews personalities from the world of entertainment and the arts. On Thursday, September 17, internet sensations You Look Nice Today and Jordan, Jesse, Go! will record their podcasts-with special guests-in front of a live audience! Having performed/recorded in New York, Los Angeles, and at the San Francisco Sketchfest, these gentlemen offer all the fun of a podcast with none of the convenience.

During the Fringe, PHIT is hosting a 24 Hour Improv Marathon that runs from midnight Friday, September 11 through midnight Saturday, September 12. Eight improvisers will take the stage at the Adrienne to create comedy for 24 straight hours. Some of Philly's funniest performers including, Karen Getz, Mary Carpenter (from this Summer's Second City Show City of Nutterly Love), and Nathan Holt, make the impossible hysterical by improvising short-form, long-form, musicals, and more for 24 hours straight.

PHIT will also give audiences a 90 minute glimpse at the entire Philly Fringe. In Abrdgd Frng, Philly's best improv and sketch comedians have studied this year's Fringe Guide, made snap decisions about the content of each show, and scripted summary performances. Now they stand ready to present any show in 60 seconds or less at the audience's request.

Along with a 90 minute look at the entire Fringe, PHIT will present the Philadelphia premiere of a classic long form format. 3 Mad Rituals is back-to-back-to-back improv sets from a single group of improvisers-inspired by a single suggestion-that blend to create a single, hilarious, one-of-a-kind show. The brainchild of Chicago improv guru Del Close (1934-1999), this year's Fringe run will be the Philadelphia premiere of this classic performance format.

Throughout the festival, PHIT resident groups Activity Book, Fletcher, Everything Must Go, and the improv super-group The Moops will be performing. PHIT is also showcasing its affiliate teams, Rare Bird Show, Illegal Refill, Cubed, BWP, Meg & Rob, and The Action Section. Finally, the theater will welcome Devin Keast from improv mecca Chicago, for performances of his one-man show Sunshineface; they will also present the show Coach & Fly, created by PHIT Director Scott Sheppard.

 

PHIT's Philly Fringe Calendar

The Adrienne
2030 Sansom Street
Thursday, September 3
8:30 pm The Action Section

Friday, September 4
7 pm CUBED and Todd Chappelle
8:30 pm The Moops
10 pm Rare Bird Show

Saturday, September 5
5 pm Fletcher
7 pm Everything Must Go
8:30 pm The Action Section
10 pm Rare Bird Show

Sunday, September 6
3 pm Angry People Building Things
5 pm Illegal Refill
7 pm The Moops
8:30 pm 3 Mad Rituals

Monday, September 7
7 pm Activity Book
8:30 Abrdgd Fringe

Tuesday, September 8
7 pm Meg and Rob & BWP
8:30 pm Everything Must Go
10 pm Rare Bird Show

Wednesday, September 9
7 pm Fletcher
8:30 pm Illegal Refill

Thursday, September 10
7 pm Everything Must Go
8:30 pm Rare Bird Show
10 pm The Moops

Friday, September 11
7 pm Activity Book
8:30 pm Meg & Rob and BWP
10 pm Illegal Refill
12 midnight Dazed and Amused: The 24 Hour Improv Marathon

Saturday, September 12
Dazed and Amused: The 24 Hour Improv Marathon

Sunday, September 13
1 pm Three Mad Rituals
3 pm CUBED and Todd Chappelle
5 pm The Action Section
7 pm Activity Book
8:30 pm Fletcher

Monday, September 14
7 pm The Moops
3:30 pm Abrdgd Frng

Tuesday, September 15
7 pm Three Mad Rituals
8:30 pm Meg & Rob and BWP

Wednesday, September 16
7 pm Illegal Refill
8:30 pm Dangerous Fools
10 pm Live Taping of The Sound of Young America

Thursday, September 17
7 pm Dangerous Fools
8:30 pm Activity Book
10 pm Monsters of Podcasting Live Taping

Friday, September 18
7 pm The Action Section
8:30 pm Three Mad Rituals
10 pm Angry People Building Things

Saturday, September 19
3 pm Everything Must Go
5 pm Abrdgd Frng
7 pm Dangerous Fools
8:30 pm Meg & Rob and BWP
10 pm Fletcher
11:30 pm Illegal Refill

The Shubin
407 Bainbridge St.

Friday, September 4
10 pm Angry People Building Things

Saturday, September 5
8 pm CUBED and Todd Chappelle
10 pm Angry People Building Things

Monday, September 7
8 pm Coach & Fly

Wednesday, September 9
8 pm CUBED and Todd Chappelle

Thursday, September 10
8 pm Coach & Fly

Friday, September 11
8 pm Sunshineface
10 pm Angry People Building Things

Saturday, September 12
3 pm Sunshineface
5 pm Sunshineface
8 pm Angry People Building Things
10 pm Coach & Fly

About Philly Improv Theater

Philly Improv Theater (PHIT) is the only longform improvisation theater in the Metro Philadelphia area. Founded as a nonprofit in 2005, PHIT embraces the art of improvisation as an end rather than a means - creating and producing improv, sketch, and alternate comedy shows in the tradition of theaters like Chicago's Second City and New York's Upright Citizens Brigade. To further this philosophy, PHIT offers it's own take on the theories and concepts behind good improvisation in a full curriculum of classes for performers of all skill levels taught by local talent and through master classes with distinguished performers and teachers from all over the world (including Impro author Keith Johnstone, Joe Bill and Mark Sutton of The Second City, and former SNL writer Ali Farahnakian). In addition to performing as part of PHIT's weeklong residency at The Shubin Theatre each month, local improv troupes produced and presented by PHIT have toured extensively on the East Coast and performed in festivals throughout North America.

 

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