Boston Improv Festival Puts Comedy Center Stage With Todd Barry And More

For six days at the end of summer, the Boston area is about to get a lot funnier. From September 6-11, ImprovBoston hosts the third annual Boston Improv Festival which features improv, sketch, and stand-up comedians from all over the country and Canada. The festival opens Tuesday, September 6 with two performances from stand-up comedian Todd Barry. Tickets to Todd Barry's shows are $18 each. Tickets to all other shows are $10. (A complete schedule is below) Tickets can be purchased over the phone at 617-576-1253 or online at www.bostonimprovfest.com or www.improvboston.com.

The festival performers will appear on three stages. ImprovBoston Le Meridien Main Theatre will be the central point at ImprovBoston. The festival will also use the ImprovBoston Studio. Weekend shows will continue at both theaters and will take place at the Durrell Theater at the Cambridge Family YMCA. Improv Boston is at 40 Prospect St. in Central Square. The Cambridge Family YMCA is located at 820 Massachusetts Ave. There will be nearly 100 acts on three stages. Last year,

"Each year the Boston Improv Festival has grown and this year is no different. We have a wide array of funny people coming in from all over to infuse Boston with an amazing amount of great comedy in just six short days," said Festival Producer Jeremiah Jordan. "ImprovBoston is incredibly excited to host this gathering of creative people."

Todd Barry kicks off the festival on Tuesday, September 6 with two shows at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.M. Barry is a New York City based comedian, actor, and voice over artist. He has appeared on Letterman, Conan and has had a ½ hour Comedy Central Special. His television appearances include small roles on Flight of the Concords, Bored to Death, and others. Barry also had a role in the Oscar-winning film, The Wrestler. At the festival, he will be showcasing material for his next hour-long comedy special.

This year's festival features performers from Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chapel Hill, Vancouver, Toronto, Washington DC, Miami, Greensboro, Portland (Maine), Austin, Minneapolis, and of course all over Massachusetts.

Other festival highlights include: the sketch group MURDERFIST (NYC), the 2010 ECNY Award Winner for Best Sketch Group; People's Sketch Association, the INNY Award for "Best Sketch Group" and a User's Pick on FunnyorDie.Com; The Magnet Theater TourCo (NYC); North Coast (NYC), a freestyle rapping improv team; Harry Roasts America (Boston), a Colbert Report like sketch comedy show; Unbadass (Boston), stand-up comedienne Laura Clark's one-woman show; ImprovBoston Family Show: After Dark! (Boston), an adult version of the theatre's popular family show; Big Bennessy (Los Angeles), a championship team from iO West; Elvis & Me, An Improvised Romance (NYC); Boris Khaykin (NYC), stand-up comedian; Aeropuerto: Dodgeprov! (Boston), the audience votes with dodge balls; Yellow Submarine Improv Troupe (Boston); a high school improv team from Boston Latin School; and many others.

Official Schedule
Tuesday September 6, 2011
ImprovBoston Le Meridien Main Theater
7:00 PM - Todd Barry
9:30 PM - Todd Barry

Wednesday September 7, 2011
ImprovBoston Le Meridien Main Theater
7:00 PM - Groaners and Boners , Daft Agenda , Aeropuerto
8:30 PM - Bear Eats Cow , Blue Suede, The Mo Show
10:00 PM - The Family Show: After Dark!, Fists of Joy
ImprovBoston Studio
7:30 PM - My Two Moms , OBV, Active Ingredients
9:00 PM - Bring Your Own Improv , Manthonre and The Baron, Briami Sound Machine

Thursday September 8, 2011
ImprovBoston Le Meridien Main Theater
7:00 PM - Space Museum, The Dowry, Sawyer and Hurley
8:30 PM - Harold Night All-Stars , Casual Sex Offenders , Bastards, Inc.
10:00 PM - Harry Roasts America! , Mon Frere, Boom Scones
ImprovBoston Studio
7:30 PM - Dependable Felons, Sauce, Kraken
9:00 PM - UnBadass, Camping with Friends, #klepper

Friday September 9, 2011
ImprovBoston Le Meridien Main Theater
7:00 PM - Ladies & Gentlemen, The HITMEN, Fruit Paunch
8:30 PM - The Amie and Kristen Show/The Kristen and Amie Show, King Friday , Local 154
10:00 PM - We Slept Together , We're From Here
11:00 PM - Just The Funny, North Coast
ImprovBoston Studio
7:30 PM - 8GirlsHarold, Borealis, Upstate
9:00 PM - AJ Schraeder, who cares, losdosdudes
10:30 PM - Elvis & Me: An Improvised Romance . STAG Comedy
Central Square YMCA
7:00 PM - Boris Khaykin, Laura Crawford, Legion, KAndy
8:30 PM - MURDERFIST, People's Sketch Association, The Magnet Theater Touring Company

Saturday September 10, 2011
ImprovBoston Le Meridien Main Theater
3:00 PM - Film - David Shepherd: A Lifetime of Improvisational Theatre
6:00 PM - The ImprovBoston Family Show
7:00 PM - Chet Watkins, The Cascade, Bos Angeles
8:30 PM - Froduce, Nobody's Token, Dumpster Tequila
10:00 PM - Pound For Pound, The New Deal

ImprovBoston Studio
6:30 PM - Book, Weekend of Regret, The Bennets
8:00 PM - Stand-up Showcase (Saturday), Big Bennessy , Adrift
10:00 PM - Camp Woods, Get Paid , Two Weird Ladies

Central Square YMCA
7:00 PM - Matt Kona, Tari Fanderclai, My X - Featuring Joe Bill, VEAL
8:30 PM - Junior Varsity, Improv Boston Le Meridien Mainstage, Festival All-Stars

Sunday September 11, 2011
ImprovBoston Le Meridien Main Theater
6:00 PM - 10£ Ally, Wrestling Team
7:00 PM - Directions with Steve and Harry, Dreamboat
8:00 PM - Improv Asylum Mainstage
9:00 PM - Stand-up All-Star Showcase

ImprovBoston Studio
7:30 PM - Caveat, Yellow Submarine Improv Troupe
8:30 PM - Portland Improv Experience, Teachers Lounge Mafia

About Boston Improv Festival
Now in its third year, the Boston Improv Festival was created to showcase the city and its thriving comedy scene. Each year, it features improv, sketch, and stand-up comedy from the Greater Boston area and from around the country.

The festival is produced by ImprovBoston, who has entertained audiences in New England and around the country since 1982. For the last 30 years, ImprovBoston has used a fresh, funny approach to improv comedy, showcasing today's best performers and training tomorrow's stars. With a full calendar of the funniest shows in Boston and nationally-known education and corporate training programs, ImprovBoston is more than just a great Comedy Club-it's a recognized center for the evolving art of improvisation. ImprovBoston is a registered 501(c)(3).

 

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