In case you missed it (or if you want to see it again) Emily and Micah McGraw‘s set from Secret Pants‘ Christmas show A Banner Year at the Ol’ Bender Househas made its way online.
Pick up a copy of this month’s Philadelphia Magazine to check out an article on comedian and storyteller Juliet Hope Wayne. The article also talks about the comedy scene here in Philly and mentions a certain website that reports on it (it’s us!).
This Friday will mark the first of three shows of The New Dreamz Experimental Residency Performance Art Program. The New Dreamz is the comedy performance duo of artists Andrew Jeffrey Wright and Rose Luardo. During the residency, the audience can expect to engage with material that will never be performed again and material that will be indoctrinated into The New Dreamz fat folds. Each of the three performances will be unique. The residency will be held at Space 1026 (1026 Arch Street) a Philadelphia collective art community and institution that was established in 1997.
WitOut: How would you describe Secret Pants for someone who’s never seen one of your shows before?
Paul Triggiani: I would describe one of our shows as “TV sketch comedy on a stage.” We (both as individuals and as a group) come from a film and video background, so when we’re putting together a live show, we approach it the way you would sketch comedy for live (or live-to-tape) television. We try to replicate the TV experience live, even if it means building a seemingly unnecessary set piece or painting ourselves black and white. We have a lot of fun with it, and if we do it well, it can be pretty magical.
WO: Can you give a brief history of your annual Christmas show?
PT: We brought our previous variety/sketch show, Welcome to the Terrordome, to Johnny Brenda’s in 2009. We had a couple of successful shows there, and that led to Johnny Brenda’s offering us a slot a couple days before Christmas (which I guess had been historically difficult to bring in an audience for). We all agreed at the time that we might be committing event suicide, but we took on the challenge and put up our first all-Christmas show, Nobody Ever Dies on Christmas (Except Toshiro Mifune), on December 23rd, 2010. We got a good crowd that year, and more importantly, people drank a lot, so Johnny Brenda’s asked us back again. Honestly, it’s just the absolute worst time of year to put together a show, but as long as people keep showing up and Johnny Brenda’s keeps asking us, we’ll probably keep doing it. Until we finally decide to give up this silly, expensive passion project.
WO: What are you most excited about for this Sunday’s A Banner Year at the Ol’ Bender Household? (Alternatively, you can also just name everything that excites you about it.)
PT: It’s hard to name something we aren’t excited for. For starters, we’re all pretty jazzed about our set. It’s very different from any set we’ve ever done; it’s a bit of an experiment and we hope the experiment is a success. We love and respect all of the groups that are on the show— and it’s up to like, seven now—and we wish we could come and just watch instead of being in charge (sorta). We pride ourselves on putting together a show that more than delivers for the price, and we honestly don’t think that you can get more entertainment and fun for $10 anywhere else, ever. Also, PS, Mad Elf on draft.
This year’s Secret Pants Christmas show, ‘A Banner Year at the Ol’ Bender House’, is THIS SUNDAY, December 23rd at 9pm at Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Avenue). The show will be hosted by comedian Chip Chantry, and will also feature sketch groups Camp Woods, ManiPedi and Specific Jawns; a burlesque showcase with Randi Warhol; music from Emily and Micah McGraw. Admission is $10.
Chip Chantry’s debut comedy album Across From the Adonisis now available on iTunes. The album was recorded live in front of a packed crowd at Helium Comedy Club and can now be downloaded and enjoyed from the comfort of your own home for $9.99.
On Tuesday A Bunch of Improv at The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) returns with a show featuring improv from Nielsen, No Wait, Matt&, and Cock Hat and will be hosted by Rob Gentile. Doors open at 8pm with the show starting at 8:20.
This Friday The Arts Parlor (1170 S. Broad St.) will host The Sideshow: Short Attention Span Theater. The show will feature shorter acts (no longer than 15 minutes) and will hosts a mix of magic, stand-up, improv, sketch, storytelling, music, and more.
