Philly Improv Theater

2013 FRINGE FESTIVAL IMPROV AUDITIONS – JUNE 22ND!

Greg — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:38:10 +0000

PHIT is excited to hold auditions for our fall theatrical run, an original improvised piece titled The Party which will premiere during the 2013 Fringe Festival, and another of our Fringe shows – an improvised parody of crime procedurals titled Reasonable Doubt.

The Party is a simple character driven monoscene format that takes place all at the same party, the type of which will be suggested by the audience at the top of the show. We will explore all manner of awkward, touching and hilarious, exchanges on display against the backdrop of a celebration.

The Party will be directed by Kristen Schier and will be PHIT’s fall theatrical run production in the new theatrical run programming being produced by Kristen Schier. Rehearsals will be held Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons beginning July 10th, and a technical rehearsal will be held on Wednesday, September 4th. Performances will begin Thursday, September 5th at 9:00 p.m. and then run September 6th through September 22nd on Thursday/Friday/Saturday at 9:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Performers will receive a stipend.

Reasonable Doubt – Crime is afoot! Watch as our cast plans, perpetrates, and prosecutes a felony chosen by the audience. The performers will be judges, attorneys, defendants, and more as they improvise a trial while simultaneously exploring the scene of the crime. Will justice be served or will the guilty walk free?

Reasonable Doubt will be directed by Meredith Weir and Adam Siry. Rehearsals will be held on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. beginning on June 26th, and Sundays beginning in August. Performances will begin Thursday, September 12th at 10:00 p.m. and run Friday the 13th at 10:00 p.m., Saturday the 14th at 10:00 p.m., and Sunday the 15th at 5:00 p.m.

AUDITION TIMES & PRE-REQUISITES

PHIT will be holding auditions for both of these productions on Saturday, June 22nd, 2013 from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at The Adrienne Theatre, 2030 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148.

Auditioners should have previously completed PHIT’s Improv 201 course or will need to detail their previous training and receive permission from the theater’s Season Producer to attend (in general, having taken an equivalent “201″ or “intermediate” course with another established improv school will meet the requirement). Auditioners who have taken classes at PHIT will not be given special preference over those who have studied elsewhere, although we will have had more time to see you perform which may help. You must be available for the posted audition times to be considered. No other audition times are available.

HOW TO SECURE AN AUDITION

Sign-ups for audition times begin immediately. To secure an audition time please email your name, phone number, a preferred time (if any), and details of your past improv training (if you have not completed PHIT’s Improv 201) to contact@phillyimprovtheater.com. You will receive a confirmation message within one (1) business days – for example, if you contact us on Monday you’ll hear from us by Tuesday.We will accept sign-ups until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 21st or no audition times remain. All specific audition times are first-come-first-served.

There are no alternate times. If you are not available for these audition dates and times, please do not email or call to ask for an exception – you simply will not be able to audition. If you are interested in auditioning, you must sign-up for one of our announced timeslots, we will not be taking walk-in auditioners.

ON THE DAY OF THE AUDITION

BE SURE TO ARRIVE AT LEAST FIFTEEN (15) MINUTES PRIOR TO YOUR SCHEDULED AUDITION TIME. There will be a short questionnaire for you to complete prior to your audition. Resumes are not required but will gladly be accepted. Please bring a headshot with you if you have one. If you don’t have headshots, a recent snapshot will suffice. Auditioners should wear comfortable clothes and shoes.

Auditioners will be seen every 30 minutes in groups of 6-10. Auditioners do not need to prepare anything in advance, as the audition will be entirely improvised. You will be asked to participate in a few short group exercises and will then perform a short improvised scene. The directors and members of PHIT’s Artistic Team will be in attendance. PHIT Instructors are also invited and may watch auditions. Anyone who is not a member of this group or is an auditioner will be required to wait outside the audition space during auditions.

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

Send an email to the theater, our information is on the contact page.

PHIT SEEKS WRITERS FOR NEW SKETCH HOUSE TEAM!

Brian Kelly — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:59:31 +0000

Submit by Monday, May 27th, 2012 at 5:00 P.M. EST!

PHIT will once again be producing an all-new sketch revue show for the 2013 FringeArts Festival. Working together during the summer months under the supervision of a Head Writer and Director a group of writers and performers will put together a 40-45 minute sketch show of entirely original material that will debut Thursday, September 5th, 2013 and run nightly through September 8th. Writers and performers will not necessarily overlap, so if you only want to create sketches and don’t want to appear on stage you’ll be able to do that. PHIT seeks only writers at this time (auditions for performers will occur later, during the summer) and encourages all submissions regardless of race, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual preference, religion, disability or age. Depending on the success of the FringeArts Festival show, the team may be given the opportunity to continue mounting further shows with support from PHIT.

Some things to consider before submitting:

Writers will be expected to attend a weekly meeting with the Head Writer and consistently generate new material while also working on re-writes.
Writers are in no way guaranteed performance opportunities in the show. The actors for the show will be selected through a separate audition process later, during the summer at a time and date TBA.
Being part of a PHIT Sketch House Team will involve a large time commitment, so writers should view their involvement with the team as their first priority when it comes to sketch comedy. Some great writers may not be part of this project because their priority is to other shows or groups, or because they’d rather use the time to focus on performance opportunities. If you feel like your sketch priorities lie elsewhere, please don’t submit.

HOW TO SUBMIT
Anyone is eligible to submit, we welcome entries from anyone who believes they have talent and has considered the factors we listed above, thought about them, and decided they are down to be involved.

To be considered for a writing spot you will submit a packet consisting of:

A brief cover letter (1-page maximum – single spaced, size 10 font) explaining what you will bring to the writing team.
Three (3) different original sketches you’ve written without a writing partner. Please arrange these sketches in order with what you feel is your strongest sketch first.
Three (3) additional 1-2 sentence pitches of other sketch ideas you have.

Include the material you feel best represents you as a writer and shows us your sense of humor. Sketches can be intended either for stage or for video, although we would suggest including no more than one video script per packet (while video may be incorporated into the show at the discretion of the head writer and director, the show will predominantly feature live sketch material). Your entire packet – cover letter, pitch page, and three sketches cannot exceed 17 pages total. Again, please note that we cannot consider material you have co-written – please only include sketches you’ve written solo. Your name should only appear on your cover letter. All submissions will be read “blind” by the review group and it saves us considerable time and resources if we do not need to remove your name from submitted files.

Packet submissions will be handled via email. Please make note of the following submission rules. Your submission will not be considered if it not sent correctly. Email your completed submission to: sketchsubmissions@phillyimprovtheater.com. In the body of your email, include the following information:

Your first and last name
The best phone number at which to reach you
Names of any past sketch teachers (at PHIT or elsewhere)
Any people/groups with whom you frequently collaborate (if applicable)
A list of the titles for the three sketches in your packet
Attach your submission packet to your email as a single file. In other words, combine all 3 of your sketches into one file. Acceptable file formats are: .pdf, .odf, .rtf or .doc (PDF strongly preferred).

Non-submission emails sent to sketchsubmissions@phillyimprovtheater.com will not be read. You will receive an email from PHIT staff confirming that your submission was received and we could open your files. Again, the deadline to submit is 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 27th.

You should hear something about the status of your submission from PHIT during the week of June 11th.

Still have questions?
Send us an email! Our contact info is at: http://www.phillyimprovtheater.com/about/contact/

Cast for “The Bat” Announced!

Greg — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:44:07 +0000

PHIT is excited to announce the cast of our Spring Theatrical Run, The Bat. A critical and audience hit at the 2011 Philly Fringe Festival under the title “Dark Comedy”, The Bat is an improv show unlike any other – a spontaneously created comedy performance in pitch blackness. Without the benefit of lights The Bat unfolds similarly to a radio play, allowing the audiences’ imagination to run wild.

PHIT had an large pool of talented performers audition making the casting process more difficult than usual. The end result is a cast of PHIT regulars, up-and-comers and even a few “where-did-they-come-from?” surprises:

Joe Coughlin
AJ Horan
Sue Jahani
Molly Pace
Marc Reber
Rachel Semigran
Adam Siry
Lizzie Spellman
Becca Trabin
Corin Wells

Directed by Jason Grimley and produced by Kristen Schier, The Bat runs from on Tuesday, April 30th through Sunday, May 19th. For a full schedule and tickets please check the PHIT website show calendar or visit our TicketLeap page for the run.

PHIT Accepting Show Submissions For Our 2013 FringeArts Run!

Kristen Schier — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:50:24 +0000

Over the years Philly Improv Theater (PHIT) has been a major force in the Philadelphia Live Arts & Philly Fringe Festival – now rebranded as the FringeArts Festival – producing dozens of distinct shows and hundreds of performances: everything from original musical comedies to storytelling showcases and full-fledged variety shows (complete with dancers and a live bands) to live podcast recordings… all alongside our regular high quality improv and sketch house ensembles.

This year we are looking to build on this level of quality and find shows that are original, groundbreaking, and just plain awesome. We are officially opening up the submission process today! PHIT seeks the best ideas you have to become part of our FringeArts run on The Adrienne Theatre Mainstage. Selected shows will have the full backing and support of PHIT: including a budget, supervision from our Season Producer Kristen Schier and additional support from the rest of PHIT’s artistic team. We can be as helpful as you need us to be bringing your show to life!

We will be accepting submissions now through Monday May 6, 2013. Please visit the Philly Improv Theater FringeArts 2013 Show Idea Submission Form to fill out a survey outlining your idea and answer other important questions about your project that will help us understand your needs. Chosen submissions will be announced Friday May 10, 2013.

It’s time to move those ideas in your brain onto the stage. Submit your ideas here and now!

PHIT Is Hiring!

Greg — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:44:38 +0000

PHIT is growing rapidly and is now seeking front-of-house staff for our venue to help ensure the smooth running of the theater on performance nights. If you’re a fan of comedy with a cheerful, friendly, and helpful disposition who has some free time in the evenings or during the day on the weekend and wouldn’t mind a little extra money coming in each month (in some cases) we want to hear from you.

At present we are hiring for two different positions, both of which are hourly wage jobs:

House Manager: our House Managers are responsible for opening/closing our venues in a timely manner, checking the cleanliness of the public and performer only areas of the venue to guarantee that they are ready for shows, ensuring volunteers and performers arrive on or before their call time and contacting those who do not, handling any customer service issues that arise after the building opens to the public, and making sure performances run on time and according to the schedule. They work with a team that includes the Executive Director, Artistic Director, Producers, and other front-of-house and tech staff. House Managers work three (3) shifts of between 6-8 hours during the weeks PHIT has performances – approx. two (2) weeks each month (with a possible expansion to every week of the year in the future). PHIT currently seeks 4 House Managers (two primary staff and two “alternates” to work occasional shifts) for these paid positions.

Box Office Manager: The Box Office Manager/Group Sales Coordinator will oversee the entirety of PHIT’s box office operations. In the PHIT Office on non-performance weeks, these duties will include ensuring all events are accurately listed and tickets are made available for sale at the correct prices via TicketLeap as performances are confirmed. At the performance venue these duties include the day-to-day responsibilities of making sure there is a staff member from your team (including yourself) scheduled to be present at the box office for every PHIT performance, insuring the cash drawer is stocked with change, the ticketing system is set up and running correctly, and all paper tickets and ticket selling paraphernalia are fully stocked for each evening. Additionally, the Box Office Manager/Group Sales Coordinator will be responsible for handling request for tickets from any large groups hoping to see a PHIT performance at a reduced rate. The Box Office Manager will work approximately 5 hours per week in the PHIT Office during non-performance weeks and may schedule themselves for three (3) shifts of between 6-8 hours during the weeks PHIT has performances – approx. two (2) weeks each month (with a possible expansion to every week of the year in the future). PHIT currently seeks one (1) Box Office Manager for this paid position.

Box Office Staffer: The Box Office Staffer will work PHIT’s box office on the days and evenings of performances – selling tickets to the current performances – and serving as a greeter to arriving patrons. They will arrive in time to prepare the box office before the house opens to patrons, manage and reset the cash drawer between performances (if applicable) and reconcile the box office at the end of their shift. This will require the Box Office Staffer to be trained on PHIT’s ticketing system (TicketLeap), and to be knowledgeable about PHIT’s general ticket policies, and lists of patrons and performers entitled to complimentary or discounted tickets. Box Office Staffers are scheduled for 2-3 shifts of between 6-8 hours during the weeks PHIT has performances – approx. two (2) weeks each month (with a possible expansion to every week of the year in the future). PHIT currently seeks three (3) Box Office Staffers (two primary staff and one “alternate” to work occasional shifts).

If you think one of these positions is just the thing you want, please send an email with your cover letter in the body of the message and a resume attached (.pdf preferred, .doc/docx, .rtf, .txt, or .odt accepted) to jobs@phillyimprovtheater.com. You will receive a reply confirming receipt of your letter and resume within two business days.

Applicants will be notified only if they have been selected for a phone interview. Please, no calls. Just send us your cover letter and resume. If we see a fit, we’ll call you. Promise.

PHIT SWEEPS WEEKS: Show Selections Announced!

Jessica Ross — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:45:09 +0000

PHIT challanged you to come up with the next big Variety Show for Philadelphia and you answered. We recived 21 submissions and selected 8 finalists. Each finalist will perform a 30-minute “pilot” paired with another sweeps week show in May. The audience will then rate the shows to determine which will go on to a semi-final round May 29th. The four semi-finalists will perform again before PHIT’s Artistic Team winnows the field down to just two finalists, whose shows will perform one last time June 5th. The winning show will be decided by a panel of judges the receive a run at PHIT. Runners up may also be offered other chances to perform.

Wanna keep tabs on your favorite finalist? Get on Facebook and Like Philly Improv Theater (PHIT) to get the events right there on your feed, or timeline or whatever they are calling it now.

HERE ARE YOUR SWEEPS WEEKS SHOWS:

Re-Dub-a-Dub-Dub (hosted by Michael Hochman)
Crappy Movies, Made Less Crappy! Mike and guests provide the complete soundtrack to a movie or TV show, live and improvised!

Your News, Philadelphia (hosted by Dave Metter)
It’s not fake news about Philly, if you believe it! A fake news show dealing in unreal, Philly-centric news!

The Hopper’s Holiday Hoopla (hosted by Mike Connor & Brandon Libby)
Family friendly fun for fun with your family and friends! Benny andMartin Hopper– two brothers who are too dumb to realize how askewtheir outlook is– host this send-up of traditional holidaycelebrations.

DTF (hosted by Darryl Charles & Timaree Leigh)
A real, actual sexuality educator (Dr. Timaree) and a real, actual comedian (Darryl Charles) discuss current events and topics pertaining to sexuality, gender, porn, love, and relationships.

Chip and Steve’s Designing Women (hosted by Chip Chantry & Steve Swan)
Four strong, sassy and sexy Southern women… played by Chip and Steve. An homage to one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, comedians Chip Chantry and Steve Swan will perform an entire episode of Designing Women live onstage. Watch as they expertly re-create the moments you know and love and bring these four strong, sassy and sexy Southern women to life right in front of your eyes.

People of Interest (hosted by Ryan Barlow)
In the style of an NPR interview, Ryan interviews different interesting characters portrayed by local improv talent.

The John F. Kensil Show (hosted by John F. Kensil)
A takeoff parody of a 60′s variety show starring local improv, sketch, and stand-up comedians portraying various entertainers from the 60′s. And if that wasn’t enough – he’s thrown in a live piano player.

History in the Making with Jake Mattera (hosted by Jake Mattera)
An embellished retrospective of all things Philadelphia and some things America. A history-themed comedy show that depicts significant people, places and events from our history in a humorous light.

Congrats to all the selected shows! We cannot wait to see these up on stage in just a few short weeks!

Auditions April 7th for PHIT’s Spring Theatrical Run: The Bat!

Kristen Schier — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:45:33 +0000

PHIT is excited to hold auditions for our spring production theatrical run show, a remount of The Bat, a critical and audience hit at the 2011 Philly Fringe Festival. The Bat is an improv show unlike any other: a spontaneously created comedy performed in pitch blackness. Created by Joe Bill of Chicago’s Annoyance Theater, The Bat is a modified version of The Harold, in which characters and stories change and evolve organically during the course of three acts. Without the benefit of lights The Bat functions similarly to a radio play, allowing the imagination to run wild.

The Bat will be directed by Jason Grimley and will run as PHIT’s spring production in the new theatrical run programming being produced by Kristen Schier. Rehearsals will be held Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons beginning April 11th, and a technical rehearsal will be held on Monday, April 29th. Performances will begin with a preview on Tuesday, April 30th at 7:00 p.m. and then run May 2nd through May 19th on Thursday/Friday/Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday night/Sunday morning at midnight. Performers will receive a stipend. More information on compensation will be provided to those offered spots in the cast before they make their final decision to accept or decline an offer to be part of the production.

AUDITION TIMES & PRE-REQUISITES
PHIT will be holding auditions for the Bat on Sunday April 7th, 2013 from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at The Shubin Theatre, 407 Bainbridge Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147-1526.

HOW TO SECURE AN AUDITION
Sign-ups for audition times begin immediately. To secure an audition time please email your name, phone number, a preferred time (if any), and details of your past improv training (if you have not completed PHIT’s Improv 201) to contact@phillyimprovtheater.com. You will receive a confirmation message within two (2) business days – for example, if you contact us on Monday you’ll hear from us by Wednesday, or if you contact us on Friday, you’ll hear from us by the following Tuesday. We will accept sign-ups until no audition times remain. All specific audition times are first-come-first-served.

ON THE DAY OF THE AUDITION
BE SURE TO ARRIVE AT LEAST FIFTEEN (15) MINUTES PRIOR TO YOUR SCHEDULED AUDITION TIME. There will be a short questionnaire for you to complete prior to your audition. Resumes are not required but will gladly be accepted. Please bring a headshot with you if you have one. If you don’t have headshots, a recent snapshot will suffice. Auditioners should wear comfortable clothes and shoes.

Auditioners will be seen every 30 minutes in groups of 6-10. Auditioners do not need to prepare anything in advance as the audition will be entirely improvised. You will be asked to participate in a few short group exercises and will then perform a short version of The Bat (brief instruction on The Bat will be given during the auditions by the director). The director and members of PHIT’s Artistic Team will be in attendance. PHIT Instructors are also invited and may watch auditions. Anyone who is not a member of this groups or an auditioner will be required to wait outside The Shubin during auditions.

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Send an email to contact@phillyimprovtheater.com.

New House Teams Announced!

Ralph Andracchio — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:59:26 +0000

As many of you already know, PHIT recently hosted an audition process to cast for three new House Teams (two Tuesday Harold teams, and one Saturday team) that will premier in May. The response we received was overwhelming, and the talent that came out to audition was out of this world. All three directors were blown away by the caliber of performers who were fighting for spots on these teams. After much deliberation and thought, we are happy to announce our line ups for our three new PHIT House Teams. Please welcome Codename Mercutio, Codename Balthazar, and Codename Rosencrantz to the PHIT family! There will be a lot of hard work for them between now and their premiers in May, and we are all looking forward to the amazing shows I know these teams will put on. And, they will also be premiering their real names in May as well (we give all of our new teams code names until they can create an identity for themselves).

I would also like to thank each and every performer who came out to vie for a spot on the teams and didn’t get a call back. Please know that the audition process is tough, and was made that much tougher for the directors by all of the really talented performers that participated. Philadelphia has become such a vibrant comedy scene in the past few years, due in no small part to everyone who has stepped on stage to perform improv, sketch, or stand up. You are what make not only the comedy scene in this city great, but make the city as a whole that much more wonderful. Thank you all, and continue to support comedy here in Philly!

Ralph Andracchio, Artistic Director

And here are the teams…

Codename Rosencrantz
(directed by Ralph Andracchio)
Fred Brown
Anthony Carter
Emily Davis
David Donnella
John Jensen
Kristen Schier
Molly Scullion
Andrew Stanton
Dave Sucharski

Codename Balthazar
(directed by Alex Newman)
Kate Banford
Frank Farrell
Alex Gross
Katrina Halkidis
Bob Moore
Hunter Steffes
Andrea Susnick
Joel Thomas
Meredith Weir

Codename Mercutio
(directed by Rob Gentile)
Ryan Barlow
Tara Demmy
Josh DePowell
Bobby Lang
R.J. Payne
Dave Piccinetti
Katie Skrzek
Joel Sumner
Addie Weyrich

Congrats again!

Shows and Classes at PHIT are canceled for March 6, 2013

Greg — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:17:22 +0000

Happy snow day comedy fans! Due to the inclement weather forecast to sweep through town this evening we are canceling shows and classes at the theater. If you purchased a ticket for tonight’s show you will be issued a refund. If you had class, your session will now be extended one week.

Please be safe! Get home and enjoy all the funny stuff they keep telling us is on YouTube. (You could even watch The Flat Earth’s Fringe 2012 show on PHIT’s channel).

2013 Improv Auditions – March 9th & 10th!

Emily Davis — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:30:35 +0000

It’s that time of the year: PHIT is looking for the most talented improvisers in the City of Brotherly Love to fill our stage and join a company of over 100 performers who are members of our theatre managed improv & sketch teams or show hosts and writers.

This year we are casting three new improv teams of approximately 6-9 performers each. One team will be put into PHIT’s schedule on Saturday nights as part of PHIT House Team Night starting in May and will be directed by Ralph Andracchio, the other two teams will become PHIT’s first Harold teams and will perform every Tuesday the theater has a run in The Shubin (also starting in May). The Harold team directors are Rob Gentile and Alex Newman. Complete details are below!

AUDITION TIMES & PRE-REQUISITES:
PHIT will be holding open-call auditions for our House Teams on Saturday, March 9th, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.. Auditions will be held at The Adrienne Theatre Skybox, 2030 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

CALLBACKS will be held the following day, Sunday, March 10th, 2013 from 12:00 p.m. (noon) until 6:00 p.m. in the same location.

Auditioners should have previously completed PHIT’s Improv 201 course or will need to detail their previous training and receive permission from the theater to attend (in general, having taken an equivalent “201″ or “intermediate” course with another established improv school will meet the requirement). Auditioners who have taken classes at PHIT will not be given special preference over those who have studied elsewhere, although we will have had more time to see you perform which may help.

You must be available for the posted audition times to be considered. No other audition times are available.

HOW TO SIGN UP FOR AN AUDITION:
Sign-ups begin immediately. To secure an audition time please email your name, phone number, a preferred time (if any), and details of your past improv training (if you have not completed PHIT’s Improv 201 to:
contact@phillyimprovtheater.com

You will receive a confirmation message within two (2) business days – for example, if you contact us on Monday you’ll hear from us by Wednesday, or if you contact us on Friday, you’ll hear from us by the following Tuesday). We will accept sign-ups until no audition times remain. All specific audition times are first-come-first-served.

ON THE DAY OF THE AUDITION:
Auditioners will be seen every 30 minutes in groups of 7-10. Auditioners do not need to prepare anything in advance as the audition will be entirely improvised. You will be asked to participate in a few short group exercises and will then perform two short scenes with a partner. The directors of the new teams, members of PHIT’s Artistic Team and PHIT Instructors will be in attendance to watch auditions. Anyone who is not a member of this groups or an auditioner will be required to wait outside The Skybox during auditions.

Auditioners should wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Resumes are not required but will gladly be accepted. Please bring a headshot with you if you have one. If you don’t have headshots, a recent snapshot will suffice.

PLEASE ARRIVE AT LEAST FIFTEEN (15) MINUTES PRIOR TO YOUR SCHEDULED AUDITION TIME. There will be a short questionnaire for you to complete prior to your scheduled audition time.

Still have questions?
Send us an email : contact@phillyimprovtheater.com

PHIT Accepting Variety Show Applications for Sweeps Weeks!

Greg — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 20:46:03 +0000

Ever wanted to host your own show at PHIT? Have an original idea you’ve never seen at the theater before? Well we are looking for PHIT’s next big Variety Show and need your ideas!

May is going to host the first ever Sweeps Weeks at PHIT. If you have an original idea for a show you’d like to host on a monthly basis at the theater, let us know! What counts as a variety show? It can be anything you want: game show, talk show, something musical, something dancing, puppets, dressing up like baby penguins… anything you can think of (as long as it’s not strictly improv or sketch, cause we have a lot of that already)!

If you are interested in submitting, please send an email to jross@phillyimprovtheater.com with your name and email address and “Sweeps Weeks” in the subject line. You will then be sent a brief survey to answer some questions about your show idea. Make sure to be as detailed as possible in your description of the show – the more we know about your idea, the better! The deadline to submit is MARCH 10TH. All submissions will receive a reply by March 14th. We are accepting shows on a rolling basis, so the sooner you get your idea in the better!

Selected shows will perform a 30-minute “pilot” paired with another sweeps week show on one of the following dates: May 1st,8th,15th, or 22nd, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. and the audience will then rate the shows to determine which will go on to a semi-final round. The four semi-finalists will perform again on May 29th and two finalists will perform June 5th. The winning show will be decided by a panel of judges the receive a run at PHIT. Runners up may also be offered other chances to perform. If your show is not picked, you will have still have had the chance to workshop a show idea you could produce elsewhere and receive feedback to help improve it!

Need ideas to get inspired? Try checking out the great variety shows PHIT already offers: Guilty Pleasures, TV Party, Reasonable Discourse with Jerks, Fibber, and The Monthly Hour, just to name a few.

Spring is in the Air at PHIT!

Mike Marbach — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 18:40:34 +0000

Spring training is upon us. The time when the Phillies’ equipment truck is tracked as it travels down the I-95 corridor as if it’s Santa on Christmas Eve. Spring training of a different kind at PHIT is also upon us. In addition to the awesome core improv and sketch classes we have several amazing opportunities with different workshops and electives.

We can welcome back Christina Gausus! Christina will be teaching a one day workshop titled The Power of Authenticity. Reacting in the moment in an honest way. It’s talk that she walks every time that she performs. That will be March 2nd.

We can also welcome Maggy Keegan to the PHIT faculty! Maggy brings a wealth of experience and talent to the PHIT staff and will no doubt become a favorite in no time. Her first order of business will be teaching a 4-week Scene Study Elective starting April 14th.

Jason Grimley will be teaching an improv elective focused on the “The Bat” form. This is a form that takes place in complete darkness. You thought listening was important when you had all your senses. Wait till you see when it’s all you’ve got to work with!

Clowning with Kristen Schier! PHIT’s resident class clown will walk you through various exercises that help you get in touch with your inner rubber nose. And I’m pretty sure you’ll also get a real rubber nose. That will be April 14th and is always a popular workshop.

Mike Hochman will be teaching a workshop on March 16th that teaches you to screw around with your scene partner. Take care of them? Take care of yourself! Mike will show you how to play in a more “self-centered” way that will help get your out of your head and having fun again. That one is titled Screwing With Friends.

Free Improv Workshops every month! Been on the fence about taking a class? Jump in to one of the free workshops. You’ll get a taste of what to expect without committing to registering. Bring a friend!

This is just through April. There’s a lot of spring left after that and we have even more things planned. Be on the lookout for more awesome electives and workshops on movement, object and environment work and even stage combat!

As always, one of the best ways to supplement your knowledge in class is to see shows. So be sure to check out the PHIT website for all show information. You can’t spell improve, without improv. Yes, I just said that. Spring!

PHIT Improv Conservatory Now Accepting Applications!

Greg — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 16:30:59 +0000

We at PHIT are very excited to announce the next round of the PHIT Improv Conservatory will be taking place this spring. Not only that, but the group is lucky enough to have Hot Dish Director, Steve Kleinedler as the instructor. The goal of the conservatory is simple: create an offering that furthers the commitment PHIT has always had to create amazing performers out of everyday people and grow the comedy scene in Philly. The conservatory class will take a small group chosen from among a larger pool of applicants and work with them to create an ensemble that has developed their own style of play.

After eight weeks of work with one of our top instructors they will enjoy a one month run (4 shows) at PHIT for a paying audience, during which time they will continue to work with their instructor turned director to improve their show, review tape of their performance, and grow through the experience of working in front of a crowd. The first conservatory class created a form called “Olympus” in which they portrayed gods influencing the lives of mere mortals. It was a really fun, ambitious show that went over very well. I can’t wait to see what this new group puts together.

It is our hope is that the Improv Conservatory will offer students a variety of different experiences and viewpoints each time they apply for and are accepted into a session (you can take as many conservatory classes as you can get accepted into), and that it will help bridge the gap between finishing our core curriculum and successfully auditioning for a spot in the cast of PHIT’s special projects or House Teams.

As stated above you must either have completed PHIT Improv levels 101, 201, 30 and 401, completed the core curriculum of a comparable improv theater or have special permission from the Education Director. If you feel you qualify, but do not meet the aforementioned qualifications you can email me to discuss your situation.

Applications will be accepted through end of day 2/28/13. Those chosen for this round of the conservatory will be notified by Monday, 3/4/13 with class starting Sunday 3/17 (6:30pm-9:30pm). Special payment arrangements are available to students accepted into the PHIT Improv Conservatory program. Application and full schedule details can be found in the improv classes section of the website.

With so many great performers graduating this program all the time, this will no doubt be a very tough decision. Best of luck to all!

Philly Improv Theater Announces Artistic Team!

Greg — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:26:35 +0000

A full press release detailing the new Artistic Team will be available on this site tomorrow morning.

We are proud to announce appointments to the new Artistic Team for PHIT! After several years of rapid growth PHIT Executive Director Greg Maughan is handing day-to-day booking and talent management to five incredible comedians to allow increased theatrical offerings at PHIT and to develop more comedic stars for audiences in Philadelphia. The Artistic Team will be led by Ralph Andracchio as Artistic Director and will include; Emily Davis as Improv Producer, Brian Kelly as Sketch Producer, Jessica Ross as Variety Producer and Kristen Schier as Season Producer.

“I am incredibly excited by the potential of the new Artistic Team to really take our mission – giving Philly a top-notch comedy scene with quality shows to rival New York, LA and Chicago – to the next level,” says PHIT Executive Director (and founder) Greg Maughan. “The massive growth of PHIT has opened up a number of new opportunities like these to nurture the burgeoning comedy scene in Philadelphia and I think that with further guidance from all the members of team – who are a diverse and award winning bunch of performers – we can all look forward to a year of great alternative comedy shows… probably the best year this city has ever seen.”

The team has already met for the first time and their decisions on scheduling, booking and other artistic matters at the theater will begin to be reflected starting in late February!

Welcome to Philly Improv Theater (PHIT)!

admin — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:00:46 +0000

Philly Improv Theater (PHIT) is a showcase for Philadelphia comedy shows – and home to the best improv, sketch, and stand-up comedy Philadelphia has to offer. In addition to our more than 300 popular and affordable BYOB shows at The Shubin Theatre each year, PHIT has also produced for the Philly Fringe Festival and taken its company on the road throughout the United States. PHIT’s Training Center is the largest of its kind between New York and Chicago and introduces hundreds of everyday people to the world of comedy each year. We offer extensive training in improv, sketch comedy, stand-up, and storytelling for students of all ages in a relaxed community setting with a focus on having fun, learning, and laughing a lot. Students and instructors from PHIT have gone on to become performers on our stage, hot acts at comedy festivals around the country, published authors, and even writers and performers for TV.

PHIT Announces Cast for “Codename RZA” Sketch Revue!

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:21:50 +0000

After a really amazing turnout for our latest auditions, PHIT is excited to announce the cast for our newest Sketch Team, who will premiere on Thursday, November 29th @ 8:30 p.m.! Please welcome the following performers to the PHIT company…

Carl Boccuti
Tonye Briggs
Joel Dickerson
Emily Hill
Michael Marbach
Luke Sand
Dennis Trafny
Corin Wells

The show will be directed by Rob Baniewicz (Camp Woods, Meg & Rob) and has been written by Head Writer Joe Moore along with writers Trevor Cunnion, Matt Lacy, Joseph Paolucci, and Nora Rizkalla.

PHIT ANNOUNCES AUDITIONS FOR NEXT SKETCH REVUE!

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:22:52 +0000

The second of PHIT’s two new Sketch Revue Teams is finishing up their show and are now in need to actors for performances that last week of November and first week of December. We are super excited to invite new performers in the PHIT fold and stage another great sketch show to finish the year. If you are interested in auditioning please read the complete details about the audition process and scheduling a time to be seen on our Fall Sketch Revue Actor Auditions page! This show was created by team Codename GZA (Head Writer Joe Moore) and will be directed by Rob Baniewicz (Camp Woods, Meg & Rob, TV Party!).

Improvised B-Movie Double-Feature Starts 10/10!

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 18:23:28 +0000

PHIT House Team Asteroid! debuts B-Movie Double-Feature, an improvised show that celebrates the fun of the low-budget film genre of the 50’s, on October 10, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. and runs for three weeks.The term “B-movie” describes a low-budget commercial motion picture from the Golden Age of Hollywood, usually intended as second feature. The term B movie continues to be used in the broader sense today to represent a low-budget horror, thriller or sci-fi films. Asteroid! promise a double-feature with two improvised B-movies based on a single suggestion with low budget staples like aliens, monsters, Soviets, and mad scientists. Audiences should probably expect a Vincent Price and Peter Lorre impersonation as well. Get your tickets now!

ACTOR AUDITIONS FOR FRINGE SKETCH REVUE 8/9!

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:24:24 +0000

We’ve had our groups of writers for the new Sketch Revue teams hard at work for a while and they finally have shows coming together. So naturally we are in need of actors and actresses. Please come out and audition for PHIT’s first-ever Sketch Revue, next Thursday evening, August 9th. Full details, including instructions for requesting an audition time, are right here.

WRITERS FOR TWO PHIT SKETCH REVUE SHOWS CHOSEN!

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:27:42 +0000

We had a really incredible number of submissions (350+ pages) and a very deep talent pool for our first-ever sketch show writers submission process last weekend, and it forced us to make some very tough decisions. It also led us to make one decision that was very easy but also surprising… instead of casting just one team to premiere a show at the Philly Fringe in September 2012 we ended up casting two sets of writers (the second team will mount a premiere show in late-October). Also, don’t forget that it is not too late to still be a part of these shows – we will be casting actors for each Sketch Revue a little later this summer! Here are the writing teams, their Head Writers*, and their codenames:

CODENAME GZA (premieres Sept. 2012)
Steve Swan – Head Writer*
Vincent DiCostanzo
Luke Field
Sean Landis
Jess Ross
Matthew Schmid
Adam Siry

CODENAME RZA (premieres Oct. 2012)
Rob Baniewicz – Head Writer*
Trevor Cunnion
Matthew Jay
Matt Lacy
Joe Moore
Joseph Paolucci
Nora Rizkalla

AUDITION REQUESTS & WRITER SUBMISSIONS FOR FRINGE DUE FRIDAY!

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:25:30 +0000

If you’ve been eager to get involved with PHIT here is your next chance! During this year’s Fringe Festival PHIT will be producing many shows, and we have opportunities to get involved in a few of them that are open to anyone! The first is with the first-ever PHIT Sketch Revue – a fully scripted sketch show that is laying the groundwork for more opportunities for students in our sketch writing program in the future. We’re acceptingsubmissions from potential writers until Friday, June 15th at 5:00 p.m. EST.

The other opportunity that is open to improvisers and comedians at the moment is an audition to be involved with PRO-MANIA 2K12 – our big hit comedy wrestling show from last year’s Fringe which is getting a reprise. PRO-MANIA celebrates the bombast and general ridiculousness that is professional wrestling, with lots of jokes and very little actual physical exertion. If you are interested in auditioning we have all the information on a separate page as well, but he deadline to put yourself in the ring is this Friday, June 15th at noon EST.

DUOFEST IS HERE!

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:25:52 +0000

It’s here! It’s here! We’re writing things twice as a joke! We’re writing things twice as a joke! Duofest has started and we hope you’ll come out for the fun this weekend. Full details on PHIT’s very own special festival … Continue reading →

DUOFEST TICKETS & WORKSHOPS ON SALE NOW!

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:26:19 +0000

In just two weeks Philly will play host to the only comedy festival dedicated to two-person acts in the entire world. 38 great pairs from across the United States and Canada will be in town June 7th-10th, 2012 for fantastic shows, great parties, and amazing workshops. All the info is on the special Duofest website at Duofest.com and workshops are also listed on our website (look at the right-hand side of this page for links)!

SAVE THE DATE FOR PHIT’S YEAR AHEAD 2012

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 13:26:42 +0000

In the past we’ve had a meeting each year called “The State of PHIT” to talk about the current status of the theater and our plans for the future, but we decided that sounded way to self-important and/or political. Come on out for one of the dates we’ll be doing this presentation and hear what the theater has planned for 2012, where we need help, and how you can get involved:

Monday, February 27, 2012 @ 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 3, 2012 @ noon

You’ll be hearing from a variety of people running various aspects of the theater and important projects as well as PHIT Executive Director Greg Maughan. We think it’ll be information (if not totally exciting) and if it’s any extra incentive: there will be snacks. Complete details are available at the special event page for PHIT’s Year Ahead 2012.

NEW FOR 2012: PHIT’s IMPROV CONSERVATORY CLASSES!

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:27:08 +0000

After five years of training the best comedians in Philly with improv, sketch and storytelling classes PHIT has filled not only our stage, but the stages of countless other theatres, comedy clubs, and bar shows will fantastic performers. This is a great thing, but it’s also a challenge for people new to the comedy community: what happens when they have completed PHIT’s curriculum, want to continue studying and are not sure where they should go? Today we’re offering the answer to that question:

We are very excited to announce the creation of the PHIT Improv Conservatory. The goal of the conservatory is simple: create an offering that furthers the commitment PHIT has always had to create amazing performers out of everyday people and grow the comedy scene in Philly. Each conservatory class will take a small group from among a much larger pool of applicants (from graduates of PHIT’s Training Center to students who come to us with an extensive background at a comparable theater) and work with them to create an ensemble that has developed their own style of play. After eight weeks of work with one of our top instructors they will enjoy a one month run at PHIT for a paying audience, during which time they will continue to work with their instructor turned director to improve their show, review tape of their performance, and grow through the experience of working front of a crowd.

Our hope is that the Improv Conservatory will offer students a variety of different experiences and viewpoints each time they apply for and are accepted into a session, and that it will help bridge the gap between finishing our core curriculum and successfully auditioning for a highly-coveted spot in the cast of PHIT’s special projects or House Teams.

Our first conservatory class is open for applications beginning today.

GET YOUR HOUSE TEAM AUDITION TIMES NOW!

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:27:33 +0000

It’s a new year and we’re once again looking to cast two new improv House Teams for 2012. Previously we let potential auditioners know to save the dates 2/4, 2/7 & 2/8 so they wouldn’t miss out on the fun, and now we’re accepting requests for audition times. To make sure you have a spot and get your chance to be one of Philly newest improv stars, check out the full details on auditions right here.

PHIT IS SEEKING INTERNS

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 10:28:02 +0000

For the first time, PHIT is offering college and university credit internships in our office starting in 2012. We are very excited to make a variey of opportunities available to anyone interested in learning more about how PHIT runs, working to build the comedy community, and having a great time for a few hours each week at our office. All are welcome to apply, but students in a degree granting program (undergrad or graduate) will be given preference for this opportunity. Complete details are available here.

SAVE THE DATE: PHIT IMPROV HOUSE TEAM AUDITIONS FEBRUARY 4, 2012

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 09:28:26 +0000

PHIT will once again be looking for Philly’s best and brighest improvisers in the new year, as we expand our performance opportunities in the PHIT House Team program by adding two new ensembles of 8-10 players each. Further details on auditions will be available in January, but our dates are set. First round auditions will take place during the morning and afternoon of Saturday, February 4, 2012. Callbacks will be held on Tuesday, February 7 and Wednesday, February 8, 2012 in the evenings. Please hold all of these dates if you are interested in being cast!

THE GROSS SHOW ACCEPTING WRITER APPLICATIONS FOR SEASON TWO

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 08:28:52 +0000

PHIT’s tribute to trashy daytime talk TV, hosted by Alex Gross, is returning in January 2012 for a second year and plans to tweak the show’s format slightly for Season Two by taking on a staff of writer/performers to generate themes for each month and create the segments in the same style as those that entertained (and sometimes shocked) audiences in it’s first year. Full details on applying for a position with the show are available on the The Gross Show Writer Submission Info page.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY’S BETTER THAN BEST LIST NAMES PHIT “BEST PLACE FOR A CHEAP LAUGH ON SATURDAY NIGHT”

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 07:29:19 +0000

This is the second straight year an alternate weekly paper has included PHIT on their “Best of” list and we couldn’t be more excited for the continued recognition of everything comedic that’s happening on our stage. If you still haven’t been down to the theater for a PHIT House Team Night and then stuck around for the jam you’ve been missing out… but the good news is you can easily correct the problem this coming Saturday!

PHIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GREG MAUGHAN NAMED ONE OF PHILADELPHIA’S 76 “CREATIVE CONNECTORS”

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 06:30:59 +0000

Greg Maughan, PHIT’s founder and Executive Director, has been named a “creative connector” by Leadership Philadelphia, a list which sought to highlight “entrepreneurial professionals with an agenda for action” in Philadelphia’s art, culture, and design communities. The was developed starting this past summer when Leadership Philadelphia, the premier leadership development organization in Philadelphia, partnered with the Mayor’s Office on Creative Economy, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, and WHYY/NewsWorks to identify the city’s “Creative Connectors” – people in the region’s cultural scene who seem to know everyone, connect for the common good, and had a track record of getting things done. After a broad effort to solicit nominations that included an online citizen survey, the 76 people (from over 1,500 nominations) most often cited by their peers for using art, culture, and design to build community and economic vitality were announced last Friday.

KEVIN ALLISON (“THE STATE”, RISK!) TEACHES AT PHIT

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 05:31:27 +0000

We are super thrilled to announce our third year in a row with Kevin Allison teaching “How to Write a Sketch Comedy Show” and “Storytelling for Stage” at the PHIT Training Center. Most people will recognize Kevin from MTV’s The State, but many of you will also know him as a creator of the podcast RISK! – where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share. This is an incredible opportunity for Philadelphians to work with an incredibly talented and nice guy who also has a wealth of real experience to draw on. Don’t delay – sign up by 6pm Friday or before the spots are all gone!

TICKETS FOR CAMBRIDGE FOOTLIGHTS ON SALE

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 05:00:38 +0000

The Cambridge Footlights’ 2011 Tour Show – ‘Pretty Little Panic’ – has already played a string of prestigious London venues and granted much-coveted ‘sold-out’ status in its month-long run at the world-famous Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Festival. Thanks to this overwhelming success the Tour is transferring to America in Footlights’ first major tour of the States since the early 1960s. In addition to playing venues like The Second City, and UCB Theatre NY, Pretty Little Panic will be at PHIT for one night only on Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available now!

PHIT BOOKS FAMOUS CAMBRIDGE FOOTLIGHTS ON FIRST PUBLIC TOUR OF THE USA IN ALMOST 50 YEARS

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 04:33:46 +0000

Comedy nerds will appreciate that almost anyone famous in English comedy (including Mitchell & Webb, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, half of Monty Python, David Frost, Peter Cook, and Sacha Baron Cohen among others) has come from Cambridge Footlights – the comedy troupe at the famous University. Now, for the first time since the early 1960s, Footlights are publicly touring the United States and among stops at such historic venues at iO West, The Second City Chicago, and UCB New York… they will also be in Philadelphia with PHIT on Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

NEW SHOW PREMIERE TONIGHT: JIM GRAMMOND’S “REASONABLE DISCOURSE WITH JERKS” AT 8:30 PM

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:34:08 +0000

After The Bully Pulpit host Luke Giordano was hired as the newest writer for CBS’ Two and Half Men last month and moved to the west coast we’re excited to bring a new Panel Comedy show to our schedule starting tonight with the incredibly talented Jim Grammond’s take on comedians shouting at each other while they try to discuss the news. We expect Jim will be hired to write the reboot of How I Met Your Mother by early next summer.

IT’S OFFICIAL: DUOFEST IS THE BEST

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 02:34:38 +0000

Thanks from the Duofest 2011 producing team (Rick A. Rick H.,Greg, Mike, Amie & Kristen) to all the performers who traveled from 13 cities to entertain on our stage, drink at O’Neals Pub, and teach our army of students. Extra special thanks to Susan Messing & Christina Gausas for a headline performance so crazy that they have requested we not post it online. All told, the second Duofest drew over 1,000 participants – which is astonishing and humbling. We’ll see you again next year!

JUST ADDED: DUOFEST WORKSHOPS WITH RACHEL & DAVE

rachel — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 01:35:13 +0000

Due to the greater than expected demand for workshops at this year’s fest, we’re excited to add a second workshop with Austin, Texas duo Rachel and Dave focused on relationship work in scenes. If anyone understands this, it’s probably a real-life husband and wife duo who are both Second City alums! Enrollment is already open over in the Workshops section of the Duofest site and is also available via www.phitcomedy.com as well. Duofest Performers will receive an email with a link to their secret discounted registration page shortly.

DUOFEST WORKSHOPS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

rachel — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 20:35:45 +0000

Philly is incredibly lucky to have two master classes coming up during Duofest, and now spaces in those workshops are finally available for the general public. First, on Saturday 6/4 we’ll have a master class with nationally renowned instructor Susan Messing (from Chicago’s Second City Mainstage, the iO Theater, and The Annoyance Theater). Then on Sunday 6/5 New York’s Christina Gausas returns to PHIT for an afternoon workshop. Get spaces now – links to registration are down the right-hand side of this page.

DUOFEST IS COMING – LINE-UP ANNOUNCED

rachel — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:36:50 +0000

We’re back for our second year of Duofest, PHIT’s improv festival dedicated to comedic pairs. The full line-up is listed on our shows and tickets pages as of now. If you’d like more information about individual acts, or want to … Continue reading →

WE’RE BACK! NEXT RUN OF SHOWS STARTS TONIGHT

rachel — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 18:37:21 +0000

We’re kicking off April with The Gross Show (new night!) and we’ve got a ton of great improv for you over the next two weeks. Among the highlights: a special Saturday night edition of The Hopper Brothers’ Happy Magic Fun-Time Show on 4/30, Legendary Wid on Chip Chantry’s One-Man Show (w/ Special Guests) next Monday 5/2, and a performance of Momprov – Andy Moskowitz and his real life Mom! – on Mother’s Day, 5/8.

PHIT’s New House Teams Announced!

admin — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:37:58 +0000

We’re super-excited to say that casting decisions have finally been made for PHIT’s new House Teams directed by Matt Holmes and Kristen Schier. The talent this year was really amazing, we had our largest group of auditioners ever and felt strongly that everyone who made callbacks should be performing in the city, but just couldn’t accomodate them (over 100 peope were NOT cast, sheesh). Here are your new House Teams:

House Team Brandybuck (temporary name) directed by Matt Holmes: Aaron Hertzog, Alex Gross, Dennis Trafny, Jen Curcio, Lizzie Spellman, Mark Leopold, Rob Cutler, Scott Sheppard, & Tara Demmy

House Team Shadowfax (temporary name) directed by Kristen Schier: AJ Ortiz, Billy Thompson, Brian Ratcliffe, Claire Halberstadt, Erin Pitts, Karen Coleman, Matt Akana, Nathan Edmondson, & Scott Hinners

Funny Ladies Of Phit On Pw Cover!

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:40:54 +0000

This week’s issue of the Philadelphia Weekly – available for free all over town in yellow honor boxes – has an awesome cover featuring PHIT performers/instructors/directors Kristen Schier and Amie Roe, and an even more awesome feature story inside (“Philly Comedienne’s of Comedy”) that includes quotes from and sections about other great female comedians around Philadelphia who have also appeared on PHIT’s stage, including: Meg Favreau, Carolyn Busa, Mary Radzinski, Mary Carpenter, and Karen Getz. If you have time to pick up a copy of the paper, do it. If you want to read the article online, it’s right here.

Phit’s Scenic Improv Jam – Tonight 3/29!

admin — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:58:05 +0000

PHIT is very exicted to hold our first ever “Scenic Improv Jam” tonight at 7:00 p.m. – a weeknight and an earlier time for students who have trouble improvising at 11:00 p.m. on a Saturday night. Plus, if you catch … Continue reading →

Callback Notices Have Gone Out!

admin — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:57:35 +0000

All auditions from yesterday’s Open Call for House Teams will have heard from PHIT by 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, 3/29. If you haven’t received an email from us at that time, please get in touch and we’ll figure out what … Continue reading →

Missed The Roast Of Meg Favreau? Catch It Online!

admin — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:57:02 +0000

Last night PHIT bid a very fond farewell to Meg Favreau, who among others things was part of the sketch duo Meg & Rob, a member of original PHIT House Team Everything Must Go, creator of the show Sketch Up or Shut Up, the writer of our original sketch curriculum, and PHIT’s first Managing Director in 2009. It was an amazing roast with a packed dais, and we had to turn many people away. For those of you that missed it, we’re happy to say the entire roast is posted on PHIT’s YouTube Channel for you to enjoy.

Less Than One Week Left To Submit For Duofest 2011!

admin — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:56:21 +0000

Last year PHIT decided to have a small comedy festival dedicated to comedy duos and the response blew us away. Duofest is back for 2011 and moving from fall to summer – June 2-5th, 2011 to be exact. We’re super excited for our 2nd year (that’s an important one for duos) and hope that if you perform with a partner you’ll get an application in before the dealine on March 22nd! Duofest.com has complete details on the fest for the curious.

Thanks To Everyone Who Made It Out To State Of Phit!

admin — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:55:14 +0000

If you missed the presentation, it’s now available in .pdf format on the State of PHIT 2011page of this site! For anyone who is interested in where things stand with our space search, what the goals and plans for this year … Continue reading →

Phit House Team Auditions 3/27! Save The Date!

admin — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:54:44 +0000

2011 House Team Auditions will take place at Philly Improv Theater @ The Shubin Theatre, 407 Bainbridge Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 27th, 2011. Complete details of the auditions, along with directions … Continue reading →

State Of Phit Rescheduled.

admin — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 00:54:04 +0000

Because of the snow that dumped on Philadelphia last week and a flurry of class changes, show reschedulings, and continued bad weather The State of PHIT will not take place February 1, 2011 or February 5, 2011. We are instead … Continue reading →

Come See A Show Tonight!

admin — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:53:27 +0000

No significant snowfall is predicted for this afternoon or tonight, Philly’s streets have been cleared and you’re all probably stir-crazy from two days spent inside, so… WE’RE OPEN FRIDAY NIGHT! PHIT is excited to belatedly present our first performances of the new year with great acts on the bill including duos The Kristen & Amie Show at 8:00 p.m. and Rosen & Milkshake at 9:30 p.m. and The Hopper Brothers’ Happy Magic Fun-Time Show at 11:00 p.m.. Come out and enjoy a laugh!

All Thursday 1/27 Shows, Classes, And Rehearsals Canceled!

admin — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:52:54 +0000

Winter weather is continuing to affect the Philadelphia region today, complicating travel for our instructors, directors, and performers. As a result all shows, classes, and rehearsals at PHIT are canceled for Thursday, January 27, 2011. We currently anticipate going forward with shows on Friday, January 28, 2011 but please check this space tomorrow afternoon for confirmation that performances are indeed happening. Students affected by canceled classes will receive information on make-up sessions shortly. Patrons who purchased advance tickets will be able to use their tickets at rescheduled shows or will have their ticket purchase refunded if they do not pick up their tickets on the new date.

Wednesday Night Shows Canceled!

admin — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:52:14 +0000

Due to the winter weather descending on Philadelphia since this morning tonight’s shows at PHIT have been cancelled. The Bully Pulpit and Rant-O-Wheel will be rescheduled for other dates/times during our current run. If you purchased tickets for either of … Continue reading →

Announcing The State Of Phit 2011!

admin — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 00:51:34 +0000

It’s a brand new year and after taking a hiatus in 2009 & 2010 we’re having another meeting to evaluate our success in the last year and set our goals for the coming 12 months. And because PHIT has grown so much since the last time we got everyone together, we’re having two The State of PHIT sessions: Tuesday, February 1, 2011 @ 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, February 5, 2011 @ 3:00 p.m.. Both meetings will be at The Shubin Theatre, 407 Bainbridge Street with light refreshments and the chance to ask questions for those who attend.

Save the Date: The State of PHIT 2011!

Greg — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:10:48 +0000

Please mark your calendars now for The State of PHIT 2011 – a meeting to discuss what the theater accomplished in the past year, what we have planned for the year ahead and how things are going in our search for a permanent home after our fundraiser to generate funds to start looking for a space in 2010.

The State of PHIT is free and open to the public and will take place in the evening on Tuesday, March 1st, 2011 at The Shubin Theatre. More details to come.

New For 2011: Every Saturday Is Phit House Team Night.

admin — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:50:39 +0000

For too long, improv comedy fans haven’t known the best time to catch a show during our monthly run of shows or have had to ask around to learn when the best groups will be performing. For the new year we’re ending all that. Now every Saturday night PHIT is at The Shubin we’ll be brining you PHIT’s house teams back-to-back-to-back-to-back. Don’t ask where the best alternative comedy in Philly is anymore: just know it’s Saturday night at PHIT House Team Night. You can get tickets for the first ever PHIT House Team Night on our tickets page.

Thanks For A Great Year & Phit Will Be Closed Until Monday, January 10, 2011.

admin — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:49:34 +0000

You’ve probably already noticed PHIT isn’t running shows at The Shubin Theatre for the last week of December and first week of January. It’s our annual hiatus to close the books and take some time to think about what we’ll do differently in the new year. Right now, though, we do owe fans of the theater and loyal PHITizens a huge thanks for once again making 2010 our best year ever. There were over 7,000 of you who caught a show or took a class in the last 12-months and we wish we could cross your thresholds and speak to each of you individually, just like that stuttering King in the movies.

Phit In Citypaper’s Big Vision Issue!

admin — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:48:47 +0000

PHIT is incredibly honored to have been recognized in Philadelphia City Paper’s Big Vision Issue as one of 4 honorable mentions in Performing Arts – alongside a group that includes Pig Iron Theatre Company, Jennifer Childs of 1812 Productions, Brat Productions, and Liberty City Drag Kings & Burlesque. In a city of over 150 performing arts groups it’s a real accomplishment not just for PHIT but also for all the performers, volunteers, and audience members who have been a part of the comedy community we have built over the last five years. Here’s to even bigger and better things soon!

Catch Local College Performers At Comedy University Starting Tonight!

admin — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 00:47:46 +0000

PHIT has been supporting college improv since way back when we did bar shows (yes, we used to sneak students into bars to perform improv – that’s how nerdy we were at the time) – but now we’re expanding to support all college comedians! Improv Comedy PhD, our popular Thursday night showcase of up and coming college improv troupes is moving to Sunday nights and becoming Comedy University – featuring performances by local college improv, sketch, and stand-up performers. Each week there will be one or two acts and some of PHIT’s own performers, and it all starts tonight (10/17) at 8pm!

Sign Up For Level 101 Now

admin — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:46:59 +0000

! There are just a few days left to sign up for our 8 week Improv Level 101: Introduction to Longform class with Kristen Schier and get our early registration discount ($50 off!). This class will sellout so don’t delay … Continue reading →

Special Thanks To Ucb Harold Team Sandino For A Great Weekend, And To New House Teams Mayor Karen And Asteroid! For Fantastic Shows

admin — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 00:45:32 +0000

Never content to rest on our laurels (as laurels arenot very comfortable anyways) PHIT was on to our Next Big Thing(TM) the weekend of October 8-9th: growing the comedy community with the introduction of our two new House Teams. They’re named Mayor Karen and Asteroid, which we think is pretty reasonable considering what celebrities name their kids these days and we hope you’ll catch them again soon at PHIT. For the new teams christening we also had UCB Harold Team Sandino, which I suppose makes them the godparents, right?

It’s Official: Duofest Is The Best!

admin — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:43:30 +0000

Thanks from the Duofest 2010 producing team (Amie, Greg, Kristen, Mike, Rick A. and Rick H.) to all the performers who traveled from 13 cities – and two countries! – to rock our stage, the bars around The Shubin, and even the theatre’s basement last weekend at the first ever Duofest. We had 15 SOLD OUT shows, some of the best two-prov Philadelphia has ever seen, and a very special event. We’ll see you again next year!

(Photo by Shaun Landry)