phillytheatertix.com

For immediate release

Philly Improv Theater (PHIT)
4606 Chester Avenue, Suite 1R, Philadelphia, PA 19143-3605
Contact: Greg Maughan (office: 267-233-1556, cell: 267-253-4203)
Background information:
http://www.duofest.com, http://www.phillyimprovtheater.com

Philly Improv Theater (PHIT) will host DUOFEST 2010, the first-ever improv comedy festival dedicated to comedic duos, in Philadelphia on September 30-October 3, 2010. Acts hoping to appear at this year's Duofest can submit applications beginning today on the official festival website at www.duofest.com.

Duofest builds on the success of PHIT's brand as the home of alternative comedy in Philly and the largest comedy training Center between New York and Washington. The festival will introduce top comedians from television, as well as theaters across the United States to local audiences. The general public will also have the opportunity to take comedy workshops with visiting performers. Finally, DUOFEST 2010 will help PHIT
raise funds for a permanent home ahead of a December 31, 2010 deadline for a $50,000 matching grant from an anonymous donor.

The fest is produced by a team of six, located in Philadelphia and New York City. It includes two founding producers of the Philadelphia Improv Festival - Rick Horner and Michael McFarland - as well as PHIT Executive Director Greg Maughan, N Crowd Artistic Director Kristen Schier, local improv director and performer at New York's Magnet Theater Amie Roe, and New York comedian Rick Andrews. (All of the producers are available for interviews by request).

The producers will draw on their national network of connections and the recognition PHIT enjoys outside of its hometown to book comedy stars. (PHIT regularly brings top national comedy acts to Philadelphia - hosting Scott Adsit from NBC's 30 ROCK for a weekend of performances and workshops last month with his performing partner Christina Gausas). The theater's own performers and instructors have appeared on stage
across the country from New York to Los Angeles, and on Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NBC, and the Discovery Channel.

PHIT Executive Director Greg Maughan said, "After five years spent creating a vibrant community of comedians in Philly by producing close to one thousand performances and through PHIT's training center programs, we are excited to bring a unique comedy festival to Philly that will draw on our national connections."

Duofest's submission period will run through July 22nd, with early applications encouraged before July 2nd. The festival line-up, which is expected to include major national acts headlining each night of performances, will be announced on August 22nd, 2010.

ABOUT PHILLY IMPROV THEATER
Philly Improv Theater (PHIT) is the only longform improvisation theater in the Metro Philadelphia area. Founded as a nonprofit in 2005, PHIT embraces the art of improvisation as an end rather than a means - creating and producing improv, sketch, and alternate comedy shows in the tradition of theaters like Chicago's Second City and New York's Upright Citizens Brigade. To further this philosophy, PHIT offers it's own take
on the theories and concepts behind good improvisation in a full curriculum of classes for performers of all skill levels taught by local talent and through master classes with distinguished performers and teachers from all over the world (including Impro author Keith Johnstone, Kevin Allison form MTV's The State, and former SNL writer Ali Farahnakian, and 30 ROCK's Scott Adsit). In addition to performing as part of PHIT's weeklong residency at The Shubin Theatre each month, local improv troupes produced and presented by PHIT have toured extensively on the East Coast and performed in comedy and theatre festivals throughout North America.