Magnet Theatre Presents 2012 Improv Fest, 10/4-7

The Magnet Theater presents The Fourth Annual New York Musical Improv Festival from October 4-7. Over 100 performers from as far as Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oklahoma City, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Washington DC and as close as Broadway, NYC will converge on the Magnet Theater stage to create fully improvised musical performances - ranging from traditional musical theatre fare to adrenaline-pumping rap battles. 

Featured performers will include: Baby Wants Candy (NYC), Jill Bernard's Drum Machine (HUGE Theatre, Minneapolis, Minn.), Tara Copeland (Los Angeles), Jeff Hiller (Los Angeles), Diamond Lion (UCBeast, NYC), North Coast (NYC), Shakespeare: The Musical (UN-Scripted Theatre Company, San Francisco, CA), Vox Pop (Washington, D.C.), Mansical (Chicago), TwinProv (Oklahoma City), The Lupones (Steel City Improv Theater, Pittsburgh), Trudy Carmichael's Musical Mixer (Las Vegas/NYC), JerJosh and the SteveCams (Opening Night Theatre, Toronto), Madde Gibba (HUGE Theater, MN), The Made-Up Musical (Magnet Theater, NYC), Choral Rage (Magnet Theater, NYC), FACE (NYC), The Boom Box Kids (the P.I.T., NYC), BEEES! (Magnet Theater, NYC), Atticus (Magnet Theater, NYC), Aquarius (Magnet Theater, NYC), There's No Place Like Home (Magnet Theater, NYC), Mikki Hommel (The National Underground, NYC), Soft Filter (Lincoln Center, NYC), The Montels (Magnet Theater, NYC), Legend (Magnet Theater, NYC), Fancy Mantlepiece (UCB, NYC), Hello (the P.I.T., NYC), THEM (the P.I.T., NYC), and Mint Condition (Magnet Theater, NYC). On Sunday, October 7, 2012, the Festival will present a special performance to benefit Gilda's Club of New York City to raise funds and awareness for people living with cancer. In honor of comedy legend Gilda Radner, the benefit will feature many of the top female musical improv artists in the country. Headliners for the benefit include Tara Copeland's powerhouse all-female troupe, "Generation G" and featured Broadway and recording artists including Cooper Grodin from The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park production of "Into the Woods." Jill Bernard returns with her one-woman improvised musical - playing every role - creating a myriad of songs and characters on the spot. 

The New York Musical Improv Festival will also be featuring up-and-coming performers in the NYMIF I.P.O. (Initial Public Offering). Performing this year are JerJosh and the Steve/Cams (Toronto), Petting Zoo (Secret Theater, Queens, NY), Hollywood Kansas (UCB, NYC). 

Tickets are $10-$15 and include performances by two different musical improv acts per show. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com or by phone at 800-838-3006. See schedule on www.nymif.com for details. 

The Magnet Theater was founded in 2005 by improv legends and Del Close students Armando Diaz, Ed Herbstman, and Alex Marino. The theater hosts quality shows including long form improv, scripted sketch comedy, and storytelling performances all by the best of New York’s improv masters and International Artists seven days a week at 254 W. 29th Street. The theater also offers a full schedule of classes for all levels of experience with new classes forming regularly. Ticket prices vary; reservations are recommended and can be made by visiting www.magnettheater.com or by calling (212) 244-8824.