Posts Tagged ‘comedy’
Saturday, July 28th marked the Magnet Theater’s second Ladies Night. From 7pm – 11:30pm the stage was set for only those with X chromosomes. Hosted by Magnet’s Artistic Director Megan Gray and Registrar Kim Ferguson, the shows featured over 50 female performers from all over the city, improvising, reciting poetry and putting on a sketch show.
The 7 & 8pm blocks featured female improvisers from Magnet, The PIT and UCB, in mixed combinations you have probably never seen before (except in your dreams). The Magnet was packed to capacity, as 9pm brought a special :Kiss*Punch*Poem: Ladies Night edition — all female poets and all female improvisers.
The latest installment of The Director’s Series, directed by Rick Andrews, opened last Thursday to a loving Magnet audience! The Weave, the 7th installment of The Director’s Series, is a “rule-less” form that encourages organic improvisation in two parts. The cast did a wonderful job of incorporating the suggestion into a string of organically found scenes.
The show started with a trio taking on the mythical tales of “Ernesto”, a mysterious wise old man. It then transformed into a physical game, in which two brute doctor’s are trying to save a man’s life. The scene continues until they were transfused into an entirely different set of circumstances from the other trio. The six players found themselves onstage, slowly dying from a gas leak. This quickly became a scene about a love triangle which transformed into Olympic Gold Medal winners.
The show continued, weaving (sorry) in and out of different scenes, only to call back what was necessary. It ended, like all shows should end, with a backflip.
The Weave continues this Thursday at 10pm at The Magnet Theater, and continues every thursday at 10pm for the month of August. Make sure to catch a performance before it’s took late!
Thursdays at 10pm in August!
This Thursday at 10pm is the debut of “The Weave” directed by Rick Andrews! The show is the latest installment of the Magnet Theater’s Director Series, a monthly series of performances where a director presents a different improv form with a completely different cast. The only rule is that there are no rules. Watch Magnet’s best improvisers perform organic freeform improvisation in two mind blowing parts! Featuring: Russ Armstrong, Peter McNerney, Chet Siegel, Alan Fessenden, Frank Bonomo, Alex Marino and Special Guests!
For more information, take a look at our Facebook event!
Join us afterwards for a special opening night party at Smithfield!
SAT. JULY 28TH- $10 FOR THE NIGHT!
This Saturday, July 28th is a night you don’t want to miss! All star casts of lady comedienne’s take the Magnet stage to bring you breathtaking sketch, improv and poetry! For the incredibly cheap price of $10, you’re in for the whole night! But who and what is it? Read on Noble woman….
7pm- Lady Liberty Improv: Phoebe Tyers, Alexis Lambright, Rachel Werbel, Caitlin Steitzer, Abby Holland, Chrissie Gruebel, Ingrid Ostby, Maggie Morris, Melissa Gordon, Lauren Olson, Christina Dabney, Jen Curran.
8pm- Lady Godiva Improv: Christina Gausas, Keisha Zollar, Kelly Buttermore, Ruby Marez, Emily Shapiro, Jen Sanders, Maddy Mako, Amber Nelson, Shannon Coffey, Danielia Donohue, Angela DeManti.
9pm- Kiss Punch Poem: Megan Gray, Kim Ferguson, Bianca Casusol, Sandra Struthers, Angela DeManti, Lisa Flanaghan, Alexis Lambright, Meghann Plunkett. (W/ All Female Poets).
10:30 pm- Lady Sketch Show!!! Directed by Beth Newell
Written by: Heather Seltzer, Gwen Mesco, Kate Chamuris, Kelly Donahue, Ali Fisher, Megan Meadows, Stephanie Streisand, Kaitlin Fontana.
Featuring: Heather Seltzer, Gretchen Poole, Ruby Marez, Robin Rothman, Gwen Mesco, Steph Garcia, Tamara Young, Megan Meadows, Jaclynn Larington, Hannah Chase, Kate Chamuris, Kristy Wesolowski, Ali Fisher, Stephanie Streisand, Jennifer Stokes, Danielle Tolley, Emily Shapiro, Beth Newell, Kaitlin Fontana, Phoebe Tyers.
Hosted by Megan Gray & Kim Ferguson! Don’t miss this incredibly cheap and hilarious night! Get there at 7pm and stay til the afterparty!
Join us afterwards at Smithfield for an afterparty with special Lady Drinks!
Poster by Carly Monardo
Jazz Freddy is the fifth installment of The Director Series, a 4-week series of performances wherein a Director selects a cast and presents a different form. This month, Charlie Whitcroft directs a form named after the Chicago group that made it famous. Kevin Cragg, Tony Mui, Gretchen Poole, Jamie Rivera, Sandra Struthers, Teddy Shivers, Mike Ferreira and Kristy Wesolowski take the stage under Whitcroft’s mighty direction. We spoke with Charlie about his choice to present the form.
What is Jazz Freddy?
Structurally, Jazz Freddy is a 4 scene tag-out piece that starts in the present (whatever that means), then tags to the past, tags to the past again, then tags to the future. Simple though it is, it can only be performed by a stellar cast. We get to meet a character, see a bit of her developmentally significant life moments, then see how things turn out for her. Then there’s a further exploration of the other characters we’ve met, and the world they live in. Jazz Freddy is named after the group that performed it first in Chicago in 1992. The first cast included Jimmy Carrane, Rachel Dratch, Dave Koechner, Noah Gregoropoulos, Miriam Tolan, Kevin Dorff, Brian Stack, Meredith Zinner, and others. I’ve heard that it was the first long form show to use tag-outs. I don’t know if that’s true, and I haven’t been able to find anyone who was even alive in 1992 to confirm or deny.
Why did you choose this form?
Two things that I love about the Jazz Freddy – it’s not too complicated, and it’s a lot of fun. The Boss performed Jazz Freddy for a long time as part of Megawatt. We added a lot of our own touches to it, but the simple structure was there. I’m sure there are other groups that have performed the structure since the original cast, but I don’t know of too many in New York. And I don’t appreciate or respect the anti-Jazz Freddy regulations that the Mayor is trying to put in place. Read the news. These are important issues.
What is the future of improv?
I don’t know… I hope it stays out of the drug business. Liquor and gambling have been fine. I’d like to see it go completely legit, maybe clean up some of the money in real estate or something like that.
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Jazz Freddy takes the stage Thursdays at 10pm in June! Check out the opening night, Thursday 6/7 at 10pm- followed by an after party at Smithfield (28th btw. 7th & 8th). Be sure to catch the show for the password for drink specials!
