User:Maughangl/Philly Improv Theater (PHIT)

thumb|Philly Improv Theater logo Philly Improv Theater, or PHIT (pronounced "fit"), is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania comedy theater which produces and presents shows at The Shubin Theatre in Philadelphia's South Street Headhouse District. The theater also operates a training center with programs in improv comedy and sketch comedy. PHIT's most notable alumnus is stand-up comedian Kent Haines, who was the 2008 winner of the Philly's Phunniest contest at Helium Comedy Club and has appeared on public radio show The Sound of Young America and Season 4 of Comedy Central's program Live at Gotham. In addition to Haines, other comedians from Philadelphia who appeared on stage at PHIT have gone on to perform at major comedy venues in cities like New York and Los Angeles, founded their own theatre companies, and appeared in touring productions for The Second City.

History
PHIT was founded as a nonprofit in October 2005 by Greg Maughan, with assistance from local improvisers Bobbi Block, Matt Holmes and Alexis Simpson. The original purpose of the theater was to offer improv comedy instruction for beginning to advanced students. Over time PHIT expanded its mission to include sketch comedy instruction, and became an important presenter and producer for all varieties of alternative comedy shows. Viewers of Philadelphia's local FOX affiliate, WTXF-TV, voted PHIT as the city's Best Comedy Club in their 2009 HOT LIST competition. In November 2009 it was reported that PHIT would open a permanent performance space in the South Street Headhouse District.

Productions
PHIT hosts improv, sketch, stand-up, and variety comedy shows, as well as occasional movie screenings. The theater is responsible for producing performances by five Philadelphia-based improv comedy groups (Activity Book, Everything Must Go, Fletcher, King Friday, and The Moops), two monthly variety shows (The Bully Pulpit, and Guilty Pleasures), a monthly stand-up showcase (Hey Everybody!), and a sketch comedy open mic (Sketch Up or Shut Up). PHIT has also presented shows by performing groups from New York's Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, Magnet Theater, and The Peoples Improv Theater; and individuals including Kevin Allison of MTV's The State, and Dave Hill.

From March 2006 until January 2008, PHIT produced a monthly improv comedy show at Fergie's Pub in Philadelphia's Center City. Since January 2007 the theater has hosted regular performances at The Shubin Theatre, in addition to producing additional shows at others venues. In 2009, the theater produced a weekend of shows collectively titled "Philly Invades NYC" at Under Saint Marks' in New York City.

Philly Fringe Festival
PHIT has participated in the Philadelphia Live Arts and Philly Fringe Festival every year since 2006. In 2008 the theater programed performances by improv and sketch comedy groups on all 16 days of the festival, anchoring these shows around an original improv-to-script musical comedy titled "The Hoppers Hit the Road". The production garnered considerable attention and positive reviews in mainstream local media, including a review by The Philadelphia Inquirer. During the 2009 festival, the theater presented an ambitious schedule of performances - this time in the Fringe Festival's newly created Improv/Comedy category.

Training program
Since its inception, the theater has offered a core curriculum of classes teaching basic to advanced improvising techniques. PHIT's curriculum is based heavily on similar programs at Chicago's Second City Training Center and iO (formerly ImprovOlympic), and New York's Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. In February 2009, PHIT introduced a similar core curriculum in sketch comedy writing. PHIT uses local performers as instructors for its improv core curriculum, and a mix of local and nationally recognized teachers (including Kevin Allison of MTV's The State and former Saturday Night Live writer Ali Farahnakian) for its sketch comedy program.