Magnet Theater Blog: News and Ideas about Comedy, Improv Shows & Classes in NYC

It’s BACK!  March 30th is the last day to be considered for the next round of The Circuit at The Magnet Theater.  The Circuit is made up of improv ensembles consisting of veteran Magnet performers and students.  Performances are every Friday night at 10pm starting April 13th!  You need to have completed up to Level 3 to qualify for The Circuit.  Names are still being accepted for what is sure to be the silliest, most explosive and rawest Circuit yet!  To apply, just send your name and resume to circuit@magnettheater.com.  From there, names will be thrown into a giant hat and randomly selected by someone with giant hands!  Shows start April 13th at The Magnet Studio Theater… GO!

This Wednesday at 8:30, Megawatt gets a new team!  Refreshing? Possibly.  Mind-blowing? Definitely.  World Peace Ending?…No, probably not.  Fresh out of Peter McNerney’s Level 6, The Party Lions plan to complete the circle of improv life at The Magnet Theater, and features performers from The Story Pirates, Kiss*Punch*Poem, Scoresby, Inspirado, Whisky Tango Foxtrot and We Just Might Kiss.  Wow.

Coached by the incredible Kelly Buttermore (Horses), The Party Lions consists of JR Harrington, Evan Barden, Katie Hammond, Nathan Peterman, Bianca Casusol, Gretchen Poole, Brian Frange and Willy Appelman.  Like them on Facebook for more updates and info on Megawatt’s newest ensemble!

The Party Lions premier at Megawatt THIS WEDNESDAY at 8:00pm.  We’re not psychic, but we’re guessing this baby will sell out.  You cannot make reservations for Megawatt’s later in the evening (since it’s pay once, stay as long as you’d like), so if you want to be there, the MBlog highly recommends showing up early to the 7pm Megawatt and sticking around.  Reservations for the 7pm Megawatt can be made here.  Be there!

The opening night of Company 29’s show, PS 2012, played to a sold-out crowd last night. Under the directon of Nick Benaquista, the show ran smoothly, with top-notch performances by some of the best performers at the Magnet, and effortless transitions between sketches. This was a great start for Company 29, the Magnet Theater’s very first sketch company-in-residence. more

Good improv is a little like a campfire.

There are three components to a campfire – heat, fuel and air.

Heat is the catalyst that forces the fuel and air to combust – a match, lightning, or a magical spell. If that catalyst is introduced effectively, heat will continue to be generated by combustion. Fuel is anything that combusts – wood, paper, or witch. Air is air – oxygen, really, but that’s in the air. Without all three, your marshmallows will go untoasted. more

This Friday, 3/2 at 8:30pm marks a historic occasion at the Magnet Theater. It is the opening night of “PS 2012,” the inaugural show of the Magnet Theater’s very first sketch company-in-residence, Company 29. Set in and around a public school, PS 2012 will introduce you to characters from the school bus to the schoolyard and the academic beyond.

Dedicated to producing new and original sketch comedy shows on a continual basis, Company 29 consists of the Magnet’s strongest writers, performers and directors. The goal of Company 29 is to create character-driven, thematically cohesive sketch shows with a uniquely Magnet voice. more