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The Family Show is proud to be showcased in the Boston Comedy Arts Festival, and we hope that you'll come see our take on "family friendly" improv. Many times "family friendly" is a synonym for "for kids" which is in itself a euphemism for "dumbed down". The ImprovBoston Family Show prides itself on utilizing a child's creative potential, rather than condescending to him.

We don't swear, and we don't make direct references to sex, but we see these constraints as a challenge rather than a limitation. Come on by and bring the kids, bring grandma and grandpa to, also crazy aunt Rose and creepy uncle Charlie. At The Family Show, everyone can play.

The Family Show - Saturday 9/8, 6PM
http://bostoncomedyarts.com/act/improvboston-family-show

Featuring: Emily Holland, Emily Laverdiere, Emily Franz, Kate Semine, Christine Toohey, Sarah Bell, Holly Tarnower, Melanie Hardy, Dan Chapman, Burch Simon, Sam Ike, Ben Walsh, Brad Taylor

Enjoy the show.

Joe Creedon
Director, Family Show
@clunkytherobot

I'm so excited for this year's Boston Comedy Arts Festival. The amount of great acts is ridiculous. I'm also happy to have the Harold Night All-Stars performing on Wednesday night at 8:30pm, as part of ImprovBoston's 30th Anniversary Celebration. Our cast is psyched to be part of such a great night celebrating some of the best shows ImprovBoston has had over the years.

Our Harold Night All-Stars cast:

- Natalie Baseman (Maxitor)
- Ken Breese (Birthday Milk)
- Pete Fenzel (Rich Uncle)
- Sasha Goldberg (Maxitor)
- Geoff Ross (Respectable Gentlemen)
- Ben Scurria (Rich Uncle)
- Ben Snitkoff (The Rack)
- Lori Strauss (Birthday Milk)
- Nils Vaule (Chapter 9)

And it's great to see some acts in this year's festival that we've had the pleasure of hosting at Harold Night over the years. Here are some of those teams that I suggest you make a point to see:

Bastards Inc. - Wednesday, 9:30pm
http://bostoncomedyarts.com/act/bastards-inc

Four of my favorite improvisers and they just all happen to be on the same team. If you're new to the Boston improv scene and never got a chance to see them when they were ImprovBoston mainstays, do yourself a favor and catch them this year.

Casual Sex Offenders - Thursday, 9pm
http://bostoncomedyarts.com/act/casual-sex-offenders

I've been able to see them a handful of times over the past few years and they always impress me. They have a great balance and team dynamic. They're always having fun, which means I'm having fun too.

Magnet TourCo & North Coast - Friday, 10pm
http://bostoncomedyarts.com/act/magnet-tourco
http://bostoncomedyarts.com/act/north-coast

You can't miss this 10pm show. Magnet TourCo is some of the best performers from the Magnet Theater in NYC. We have had a ton of acts from the Magnet Theater perform at Harold Night and they always bring their A game. There is so much talent at that theater. Junior Varsity, another great Magnet team, is also performing in this show. And then there's North Coast. Want to be impressed? Check out the freestyle rap longform improv from North Coast. They don't mess around, so be ready.

Brick & 10£ Ally - Saturday, 7:30pm
http://bostoncomedyarts.com/act/brick
http://bostoncomedyarts.com/act/10%C2%A3-ally

Brick is another team from the Magnet Theater that wowed me when they performed at Harold Night. And 10£ Ally is an impressive 3-person musical improv group from NYC. If you're a fan of musical improv, then be sure to catch them.

Kiss Punch Poem - Sunday, 7:30pm
http://bostoncomedyarts.com/act/kiss-punch-poem

Part improv show. Part poetry jam. All awesome. I absolutely loved this show! Take great improvisers and have them perform scenes inspired by rich poetry from impressive NYC poets. Then tie it all together at the end with an improvised poem inspired by everything you saw earlier in the show.

And that's just a small chunk of the shows from this weekend.

There's also other big acts like RISK! (Friday, 8pm), Two Man Movie (Saturday, 8pm), and sketch comedy from MURDERFIST (Saturday, 10pm).

Start resting up now so you can take in as much as you can! Enjoy the fest and keep an eye on ImprovBoston and Harold Night (normally Thursday nights at 8pm & 10pm) for great shows in the weeks and months after the festival ends.

Jeff Perry
Harold Night Producer
haroldnight.com
@haroldnight

"Yes, I’m in two all-female improv teams." — Rachel Klein

In fact, the other day I suddenly realized that, at this particular moment, I'm only in all-female improv teams. One of them is all-female on purpose, one is all-female by accident (a bunch of dudes used to be in it, but they moved, or took a hiatus, or, you know, were run out of girl town—just kidding, we love boys!). The secret, though, is that both teams, the on-purpose and the by-accident, are great not because they’re full of ladies, but because the ladies on the teams have complementary strengths, similar outlooks and goals for the work of the team, and get along well as people.

Now, I could go off about how improv is a boys’ club, or ask you why you wouldn’t think twice if you saw an all-male team perform, but the truth is, I don’t really care if you do or don’t notice that my team is full of women, and I don’t even really think improv is a boys’ club. Sure, there are unique challenges for a female comedian (as there are unique challenges for a woman in most fields). Sure, there might be certain implicit expectations that an audience or a fellow performer might have when they see a woman on stage. But for me, the best way to meet those challenges is to simply get on stage. Play a man in a scene, not as a joke, but because, in this scene, you happen to be a man. Play a mom in a scene, not because you’re the only girl in the show and one of your male teammates calls you “Mom,” but because the scene calls for a mom.

The great thing about improv is that, at any given moment, you can be whatever—and whoever—you want to be. I invite you to come watch Bearcats on Thursday night and see what I mean for yourself.

Here’s some other shows you should make sure to check out, too (some of them have ladies, some don’t—whatever):

Bastards, Inc., Gorefest, 1.21 Jigowatts
http://bostoncomedyarts.com/act/121-jigowatts

Playing in the Wednesday night “30 Years of Comedy” celebration, Bastards, Inc. is flat-out one of the best teams I’ve EVER seen perform. They hosted a cult-favorite variety show in Boston for years until two of them hauled it out to New York City, and having them back together for BCAF is a real treat. The Bastards are basically a master class in patient play and balls-out commitment, plus they’re just straight-up hilarious. Also, the female Bastard, Erin McGee, is a Bearcat. ImprovBoston’s yearly Halloween musical is on the bill, too, so things might get messy (in a good way), and 1.21 Jiggowatts is a delight for fans of the franchise (read: everybody ever). The show is worth the price of admission just to see Rob Crean’s dead-on Marty McFly. (Bonus: Lorraine McFly? Also a Bearcat).

Briami Sound Machine
http://bostoncomedyarts.com/act/briami-sound-machine

Yes, I am recommending a show that is literally on at the exact same time as my team. That’s how much I love this show. Brian Perry is a one-man tour-de-force. Be forewarned (or excited, which should really be your reaction): this show is highly interactive and the best kind of weird. At points you might find yourself wondering whether it’s actually improvised—it is. At other points you might find yourself wondering if Brian is actually going “there”—he is. The best part will be chatting him up at the bar after the show and discovering that he’s actually the nicest human on the planet.

Kiss, Punch, Poem
http://bostoncomedyarts.com/act/kiss-punch-poem

If you’re from out-of-town, consider extending your stay to check out Kiss, Punch Poem at 7:30 in the ImprovBoston Mainstage. These guys are incredible. Slam poets inspire improv scenes that both find the funny, and the heart, of each poem. This group creates a unique experience that reminds you just how artful comedy can be. The final, show-ending poem—completely improvised by one of the slam poets as a sort of “summary” of the events, characters, and themes of the show, might be the most virtuosic thing I’ve seen outside of a Cirque de Soleil show.

Rachel Klein is a writer, teacher, and improviser from Boston. If you're from around there, you can see her perform with her all-female Harold team Maxitor (@maxitorcomedy) on Thursday nights at ImprovBoston, and with her all-female team Bearcats (@Bear_Cats) at random other times. If you have internet access, you can read her improv blog, The House That Del Built, whenever and wherever you want.

Check out the Fireside Improv Chat about Gender, Episode #9:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/improvboston-radio/id400508559.

Beanpot Veterans return to their roots and perform at BCAF!

Throughout the year, ImprovBoston hosts a number of special event and festivals. Many are familiar with GEEK WEEK, where nerds get to nerd out in Star Wars or Magik or Unicorn-Fairy-Princess-Werewolf themed improv shows. But the festival I'm most excited to be part of (BESIDES BCAF!) is the ImprovBoston College Comedy Festival and Beanpot.

Many IB cast members got their first taste of celebrity during Beanpot, myself included. Getting laughs for the first time from strangers, instead of college suitemates. Feeling tense as last year’s champion team struts into the green room. Highfiving the team that your team became best-friend-teams with. It feels like summer camp!

In 2005, the first Beanpot was only fiery competition. Players got to know each other, but rivalries & disappointment was still a major theme of the weekend. A theme I wanted to change when I became co-producer for the 2012 Beanpot.

Rebranded the College Comedy Festival and Beanpot, the competition remains, but we made it our mission to create a weekend of opportunity for college improvisers across New England. This year each team also had the opportunity to have an un-scored show and members of the groups were mixed up for workshops lead by ImprovBoston cast members. Watching the college improv world be built with hallway highfives & laughs even after loss, was a proud moment as both a producer and as part of the ImprovBoston family.

And it’s because of this comradery, that the College Comedy Festival has become an incredible bridge for performers. This year’s BCAF is sprinkled with Beanpot veterans. Some are cast members here at ImprovBoston. Another group has come to the festival 2 years in a row from Chicago. It’s just like Thanksgiving!

Beanpot veterans you can see at BCAF:

LosDosDudes: Cole Orloff & Pat Coakley (UMass’ Mission IMPROVable)
Bearcats: Natalie Baseman (UMass’ Mission IMPROVable)
Face Off: Ari Stern & Shawn Musgrave (BU’s Liquid Fun)
Hidden Falls: Misch Whitaker (UMass’ Mission IMPROVable)
IB Family Show: Emily Holland (ME!) & Melanie Hardy (Clark’s Peapod Squad), Christine Toohey & Burch Simon (BU’s Liquid Fun)

AND! In addition to these beloved veterans, you can see a current college group from Harvard University. Three Letter Acronym is the first and only Harold team at Harvard. (Go see them & then tell them to come to the Beanpot CCF this year!)

College.

Emily Holland
Beanpot Co-Producer
BCAF Volunteer