Posts Tagged “Upright Citizen’s Brigade”

Domesticated Primates Don’t Monkey Around ( At The PIT)

The People’s Improv Theatre better known as The PIT, along with UCB is like the epicenter of “hip”, alternative comedy these days. I’ve been seeing some very cool things there and the other night I got the chance to see a series of vignettes (if that word is still used anywhere!) called “Domesticated Primates”, which compares our mating habits, and ideas of sexuality to those of monkeys, our closest relatives in the animal kingdom!

This series of sexy,funny sketches starred four actors I think you’ll be seeing a lot of, Corinne Fisher, who is also a stand-up comic, and Improv performer, Kaira Klueber,(who for some reason pronounces her first name “Kara”! The “I” is silent, but if you leave it out, it makes her name too loud! It’s like the extra “A” in Aaron! LOL), the very funny Brian Berrebbi, and a multi-talented actor who goes by the name of Jonesy!

(L-R) Kaira Klueber, Jonesy, Corinne Fisher, and Brian Berrebbi outside at The PIT. Their show however was INSIDE at the PIT, (cause it’s easier to perform inside than in the street!)

All four of them are very funny and have great stage presence! And it doesn’t hurt that two of them are really pretty! With great smiles! ( Guess which two I mean!) LOL

Corinne Fisher and Kaira Kluber, two funny girls with great smiles!

The sketches examine how our male and female roles have developed in our modern day society, and whether monogamy is a natural state for human beings, since it only came about as a concept a mere 14,000 years ago. Before that it was one long party!

If you get a chance to see this show or any of the performers in this group, drop whatever you’re doing at the moment, (or put it down gently!), and run straight out of your door to see them. And make sure to tell them I sent you!

Posted in: Cabaret, Celeb Photos, Comedians In The News, Comedy Clubs, Comedy Events, Comedy Matters, Nightlife Events, Sketch Comedy, Variety Show

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Onassis The Sketch Troupe Not the Dead Billionaire

Onassis The Sketch Troupe Not the Dead Billionaire

I recently had the opportunity to experience a performance by an 11 member sketch troupe with the unlikely name “Onassis.” When I asked how they chose the name this is the answer I got : “It’s a handsome name on its own and has a regal connotation, but also conjures up subtly horrific images and the idea of a dark past.” Just what I would have guessed!

Most of the time I’m afraid to see sketch troupes, especially if I know someone in the troupe, because I find it very hard to tell them it was a great show, if I didn’t enjoy it, and unless it’s Monty-Pythonesque in style, which is the only way I can describe the fantasy-type sketches I enjoy, I usually come away feeling disappointed. Not so with Onassis!

(L-R) Jocelyn Deboer, Jason Saenz, Benjamin Apple, Ben Rameaka, Dawn Luebbe, Lauren Conlin Adams, Eric Cunningham, Emily Altman, Rob Michael Hugel, Seth Reiss, Mike Scollins, Frank Hejl!

Sketches are easy to get into but very hard to get out of, comedically speaking that is! There’s lots of funny premises, but the endings mostly fall flat as far as I’m concerned, … and no one really knows how far that is! LOL Again, not so with Onassis. I actually asked them afterwards if they minded being compared favoritively to the Pythons and they said they were flattered. Who wouldn’t be? LOL

Onassis is the house sketch team for The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, and they premiered a film as part of the Friars Club Comedy Film Festival, at the Clearview Cinema in Chelsea. One of my assistants, Corinne Fisher turned me on to Onassis, as she is connected to the troupe through one of the members Frank Hejl.

Debuting in January 2011 Onassis has gone on to win acclaim as one of the best sketch teams in New York City and was awarded the FrISC Sketch Comedy title at the Friars Club Improv + Sketch Competition in June 2011. Along with the award came a prize of $5,000 to commission a short film for the annual Friars Club Comedy Film Festival, which is the film I got to see!

The resulting work, “Onassis”, features one man’s wild journey to convince a small town to rename New York City’s Central Park. Directed by The Onion head writer, Seth Reiss, written by and starring Onassis, the project was filmed August – September 2011.

The film is serving as a pilot episode of an upcoming Onassis sketch TV series. I would definitely watch this!

Click here to see the Onassis interview with Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV! It was one against eleven, but I think it worked out okay! (LOL)


And make sure to go and see their next live show this coming Monday, 11/14/11 at 9:30 P.M. at the UCB Theatre in Chelsea.
You can find out more about Onassis online at:
Facebook.com/OnassisComedy
Twitter.com/OnassisComedy

Posted in: Breaking News, Celeb Photos, Comedians In The News, Comedy Events, Comedy Matters, Comedy Videos, Featured, New TV Show, Nightlife Events, Red Carpet Events, Sketch Comedy

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