Crossroads Comedy Hub to Return To 2022 Philadelphia Fringe Festival

Crossroads Comedy Theater has announced that their Comedy Hub will return during the 2022 Philadelphia Fringe Festival, with offerings from September 14 through September 18, 2022. This five-day series of performances and workshops will highlight the diversity of Crossroads' signature offerings while celebrating the city's long-standing Fringe Festival. The company will present their programming at South Philly's Theatre Exile (1340 S. 13th Street). Dozens of improvisers, stand-ups, sketch comedians, storytellers, and theater artists from the Philly area will be performing at the Comedy Hub.

"We're so excited for our second year as a Fringe Festival Comedy Hub. We have a stacked line-up of great shows including some old favorites and shows making their debut," said Founder Mike Marbach. "We have shows available for every type of comedy lover at our Hub, ranging from variety shows and movies created on-the-spot to shows inspired by the news and college lectures to a night of stand-up celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. We hope audience members come out, enjoy our performances, and support the Festival."

The Crossroads Comedy Hub program includes:

THE WADSWORTH CONSTANT PRE-FRINGE KICK-OFF

9/1 @ 8:30pm | $12

Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Crossroads Comedy Theater is excited to welcome a guest performance from The Wadsworth Constant in their first live show since 2018, featuring improvised absurdist one-act plays by Portland's Kristen Schier and Philadelphia's Nick Gillette. Drawing from the theatrical traditions of Albee, Ionesco, and Beckett, two veteran improvisors launch themselves into a newly generated world of absurdity and existentialist themes. Since its inception in 2014, The Wadsworth Constant has continued to astound and delight audiences from coast to coast.

THE NITTY GRITTY: A PHILLY THEMED STORYTELLING SHOW

9/14 @ 7:30PM | $12

Come hear some of Philly's best storytellers regale you with their favorite tales about what it's like living in Philly. We can't promise you'll hear about Wawa, dirt bikes, cheesesteaks, the ackamee, or other jawns... but we can't rule it out either. Hosted by the fantastic Geoff Jackson.

THE SIDESHOW: A VARIETY COMEDY SHOWCASE

9/14 @ 9PM | 9/15 @ 7:30PM | $12

Step right up! See the comedy wonders that Philly has to offer in The Sideshow! You might see improv! You might see a sketch! You might see stand-up! You might see dancing! You might see any number of fun, weird, or interesting things, all in the same block for one low price!

BORROWED TIME COMEDY SHOWCASE

9/15 @ 9pm | 9/16 @ 7pm | $12

Borrowed Time is a comedy showcase featuring a mix of improv and stand-up. Each show features different comedy acts not produced by Crossroads, so it's a chance to see performers you might not otherwise get to see.

NOT YET RATED: AN IMPROVISED ROM-COM

9/16 and 9/17 @ 8:30pm | $16

Using the well-tread tropes of romantic comedies, the hilarious cast will create a completely improvised, unlikely love story right before your eyes. Featuring hopeless romantics, klutzes, uptight bosses, players, journalists on assignment, free spirits, and more! No script. No props. No idea what's gonna happen.

RUNNIN' LATE PRESENTS: THE MARATHON

9/16 @ 10pm | 9/17 @ 10pm | $12

Crossroads Comedy Theater and Runnin' Late present The Marathon. The Marathon is a weekend of comedy shows hosted by comedians Cab Washington and Marcely Jean Pierre. Showcasing some of the top standup comics and comedic improvisers on the East Coast, these shows will have you walking out with deeper joy, higher energy, and tighter abs than you came in with!

FREE IMPROV BASICS CLASSES

9/17 12pm - 2pm; 9/18 3pm - 5pm | Free

Learn the basics of improv in this free and fun class. You'll learn the core concepts of improv from one of Philly's best improv instructors, meet new people, and have some fun while doing it! No experience necessary. Non-performers are encouraged to join the fun. Attendees will get a code good for $50 off an upcoming Crossroads class.

STUDY HALL: COMEDY INSPIRED BY LECTURES

9/17 @ 7pm | $16

Study Hall is back live on stage for some lessons and laughs! Now in its eighth year, Study Hall invites guests from the world of academia and beyond to present short lectures on a topic from their field. After each lecture, a cast of some of Philly's best and funniest performers will use what they've learned (or didn't) to improvise hilarious scenes right before your eyes! You'll learn and laugh in one side-splitting hour without worrying about getting detention!

EXTREE! EXTREE! COMEDY INSPIRED BY THE NEWS

9/18 @ 7PM | Tickets start at $10
Extree! Extree! Read all about it! This comedy show discusses the news of the week and improvises hilarious scenes inspired by it! Host Geoff Jackson presents news articles and clips to the cast who will be seeing them for the first time. After each article or clip the amazing cast improvises hilarious scenes inspired by what they saw. Get caught up on the latest goings-on of this big blue marble and have a laugh with some of Philly's best improvisers! Features a core of regular performers and guests from other Crossroads shows and the world of improv at large.

FREE IMPROV JAM AT THE CROSSROADS

9/18 @ 6pm | FREE
Are you a performer itching for some stage time? A non-performer looking to try improv for the first time ever? Come on out to our Free Improv Jam! All experience levels are welcome to sign up and hop on stage. Don't have any improv experience? No worries! You'll be paired with a more experienced improviser so you two can shine together. You'll do a scene, have some fun, and make some new friends while you're at it!

LATINX 2044 WITH CHE GUERRERO

9/18 @ 8:30pm | $12

September is Hispanic Heritage Month and Che Guerrero wants you to know it! Che has assembled some of the best Latinx comics in the area for this special, one night only event. Please note that portions of this show will be entirely en español.

¡Septiembre es el Mes de la Herencia Hispana y Che Guerrero quiere que lo sepas! Che ha reunido a algunos de los mejores cómicos latinos de la zona para este evento especial de una sola noche. Tenga en cuenta que partes de este programa serán completamente en español.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

All audience members will be required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination via their CDC vaccination card or a photo of the card on their portable device. All audience members and audience-facing staff will be required to wear a mask while in the building. All performers will be fully vaccinated, will be performing without a mask, and will be at least 10 feet from the closest audience members. Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the building. If the CDC and/or the city of Philadelphia eases or restricts guidelines, those changes will be considered before being implemented by Crossroads. Crossroads also reserves the right to tighten guidelines on their own accord.

Tickets can be purchased starting in August by visiting fringearts.com. Show performer information can be found at xroadscomedy.com.