Philly Sketchfest
Philly Sketchfest is proud to present 2 BRAND NEW EPISODES of the My First Sketch podcast hosted & created by Joshua Higham!
In the following episodes Joshua Higham talks to D.C. Fisher of High Dramma and Ross Weisman of Temple Smash.
Scripts read by Joshua Higham, D.C. Fisher, Curt Riedy, Dru Kramcsak (Monologues at PHIT / it’s the new.)
Thanks for enjoying and don’t forget to subscribe to the My First Sketch podcast via iTunes, Soundcloud, and facebook.
No time for love today; only news about sketch comedy shows happening in Philadelphia. Big news of the week? There’s a new sketch group in town and their name is Nakatomi. Even bigger news of the week? That same brand new sketch group is making their debut this week opening for PHIT Sketch House Team, Dog Mountain. But the most big news this week? All of Nakatomi’s writers & performers are improvisors. According to Nakatomi’s Tom Hannigan, everyone in the group has “dabbled” in sketch comedy over the past year and collectively decided forming a group together would give them an opportunity to work out their sketch comedy-chops. We’re thrilled to hear it and excited to see it. What day? What time? Attire? It’s all below! You should really know that by now…
Yes, you came here to find out what the ‘happs’ are this week for sketch comedy in Philadelphia. But first, we have to take a moment to acknowledge some Philadelphia sketch groups who’ve been accepted into and will be performing in some incredible festivals over the next two weeks. Please join us in congratulating The Flat Earth (PHIT) and The Incredible Shrinking Matt & Jacquie on their acceptance into Montreal Sketchfest 2016 as well as it’s the new., Kathryn & Sarah, Sweetish, and Until Pluto on their acceptance into this week’s Charm City Comedy Festival in Baltimore, MD! If you’re from Philly and looking for an over-night adventure built around supporting sketch comedy from your city, you could make the trip to Baltimore in time to see Kathryn & Sarah (10:00pm) and Until Pluto (11:30pm) on Friday night, Sweetish (4:00pm) and it’s the new. (7:00pm) on Saturday, and then be back in Philly in time for Mother’s Day on Sunday. Or you could stay in Philadelphia and catch all the incredible sketch comedians that are performing this week. Who are they? See below for all the details…
Tonight is OPENING NIGHT of Philly Sketchfest 2016! Please join us and hosts, comedians Rachel Fogletto (Comedy-Gasm) and Chip Chantry at The Ruba Club (416 Green St., Philadelphia, PA 19123) for all the sketch comedy you can fit into a single evening with performances from – it’s the new., Locked In Julia’s Basement, Wretched Hive, Youth Large, Dog Mountain, Peggylouloulouloulou by Amanda Xeller, Sweetish, House of Solitude, Bye Bye Liver, and for the first time in Philadelphia (we think? say maybe, 98% positive?) a PAY-WHAT-YOU-LIKE sketch comedy cover show called, ‘Old To Begin’ with performances from The Prince, High Dramma, Your Mom, it’s the new., and Uncle Robert. Check out the details below or at our festival calendar here…
 #
Philly Sketchfest 2016 – it’s the new. + Locked In Julia’s Basement + Wretched Hive
The Ruba Club 416 Green Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Thursday, March 31st – Doors at 6:45pm and Show at 7:00pm / Tickets – $10
 #
 #
Philly Sketchfest 2016 – Youth Large + Dog Mountain + Peggylouloulouloulou by Amanda Xeller
The Ruba Club 416 Green Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Thursday, March 31st – Doors at 8:15pm and Show at 8:30pm / Tickets – $10
 #
 #
Philly Sketchfest 2016 – Sweetish + House of Solitude + Bye Bye Liver
The Ruba Club 416 Green Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Thursday, March 31st – Doors at 9:45pm and Show at 10:00pm / Tickets – $10
 #
 #
Philly Sketchfest 2016 – ‘Old To Begin’ a Sketch Comedy Cover Show
The Ruba Club 416 Green Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Thursday, March 31st – Show at 11:00pm / Tickets – PAY WHAT YOU WILL/FREE
 #
 #
Can’t wait to see everyone tonight. Don’t forget about all our shows and workshops! – Brian, Curt, and Ben!
In one week, we’ll be announcing the line-up of performers, workshops and panels taking place at Philly Sketchfest 2016! Also next week, it’s Philly Sketchfest Presents’ February showcase with two shows taking place at the Adrienne Theater Playground on Friday, February 19th. First at 8:30pm, we’re celebrating the Philadelphia groups that made it into this year’s Chicago Sketchfest with Spirit Animal & The Flat Earth performing sketch and stand-up from Alyssa Al-Dookhi! Then at 10:00pm it’s a brand new set of sketch from The Prince entitled, ‘Whole Human, Whole Horse’ directed by Maggy Keegan with stand-up from Joe Bell! Check back on Monday for our festival line-up and check out below all the great sketch happening in Philly this week…
Happy February 2016 everyone! We’re absolutely thrilled February is here because that means that in a few short weeks, we’ll be announcing the line-up of performers, workshops and panels taking place at Philly Sketchfest 2016, March 31st through April 3rd. If you haven’t heard, we’ve extended our submission deadline by 48 hours making today the final day to get your sketch group in on the festivities. But that’s not all we’re up to in February as Philly Sketchfest is also presenting two new sketch showcases! Both shows take place on Friday, February 19th with our 8:30pm showcase featuring sketch from Spirit Animal & The Flat Earth who will performing their sets from the 2016 Chicago Sketchfest with stand-up from Alyssa Al-Dookhi. Then at 10:00pm it’s a brand new set of sketch from The Prince entitled, ‘Whole Human, Whole Horse’ directed by Maggy Keegan with stand-up from Joe Bell.
Philly Sketchfest is also a proud sponsor of the 2016 Bechdel Test Fest celebrating Philadelphia’s women and trans comedians at the Christ Church Neighborhood House. You can find out about all the sketch groups performing in it after the break…
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016! Yes, we are still celebrating because there is so much to be happy about. On New Year’s Day we opened up submissions and announced the dates of our upcoming 2016 Philly Sketchfest taking place from March 31st through April 3rd. You can submit here until we close out the submission process on January 31st. We’re also thankful to everyone who came out and enjoyed our January showcase featuring the American Breakfast Reunion Show with Your Mom and our 17 group sketch event, Sketch Hangover – The First Sketches of 2016. Our never-ending thanks to the performers who spent their New Year’s Day with us including, American Breakfast, Your Mom, Adventure Friends, Barbara Bush, Dog Mountain, High Dramma, HoagieFist, House of Solitude, ManiPedi, Mean Wendy Band, Patric Writes Sketches, The Burgundy Boys, The Flannel Chucks, The Flat Earth, The Incredible Shrinking Matt & Jacquie, The Prince, Until Pluto, and WGRA Radio Theatre. Let’s do it again next year! If you missed your first opportunity to see sketch comedy in 2016, you are in luck. There are no less than six sketch comedy shows occurring this week and we can’t wait to tell you about them…
This week Philly Sketchfest will be taking a look back at the year 2015 through the eyes of the writers, performers, directors and producers that make sketch comedy in Philadelphia a reality. Matthew Schmid is one-half of sketch duo, The Incredible Shrinking Matt & Jacquie and is a writer/performer for PHIT Sketch House Team, The Flat Earth. In 2015, Matthew toured across North America with The Flat Earth where they performed at the Chicago, San Francisco and Toronto Sketchfests. In November, The Incredible Shrinking Matt & Jacquie successfully defended their Dirtiest Sketch in Philadelphia title, becoming the event’s first, three-time winner. This Friday night, on New Year’s Day, both of Matt’s groups will perform their first sketches of 2016 at our January showcase, Sketch Hangover! But enough about Matthew… It’s time for you to enjoy what Matthew enjoyed about 2015 in his sketch year in review…
We hope everyone had a pleasant Thanksgiving this past weekend. For those of you that also enjoyed The Black Friday Comedy Marathon, we hope you were able to catch up on your sleep. Most especially the hosts of the entire 38 hour marathon Hey, We’re Cool, our first featured sketch show of the week. Also this week, Monologues and Brought To You By at PHIT, and The Mean Wendy Band at The Comedy Show Gates.
Yes, Philadelphia, there is a laser comedy show and it’s going to be in town this week. Also, PHIT’s monthly tag-team show of comedic monologues and filmed sketches returns for it’s November edition.