May 02, 2024
Chris Compendio/PhillyVoice
Most shows for Philly Sketchfest 2024 will take place on the MacGuffin stage of the Adrienne Theater, located at 2030 Samson Street. Other shows will be at Sawubona Creativity Project.
Live from Philadelphia, it's the Philly Sketchfest.
The comedy group is throwing its 15th festival, bringing sketch comedy writers and performers together for a shows. The lineup starts May 31 and ends June 8, with shows at the MacGuffin stage of the Adrienne Theater in Rittenhouse Square and at Sawubona Creativity Project in South Philly.
"We're thrilled to be celebrating our 15th year of bringing laughter to the streets of Philadelphia," said Curt Riedy, co-organizer of the festival. "Philly Sketchfest has always been about fostering community and providing a platform for comedians to showcase their talents. We can't wait for folks to see this year’s stellar performances, which we’ve curated to be the perfect mix of some of the most insanely smart and brilliantly dumb material you’ve ever seen."
Each show is a ticketed event for $15. (Check out the full calendar on the Philly Sketchfest website.) In addition to live performances, the group is hosting its ninth Sketch Comedy Film Festival at Theatre Exile in South Philly on Wednesday, June 5.
Over 25 sketch comedy acts will perform at the festival, with talent coming from across the country. Local Philly troupes like High Dramma (which Riedy is a part of) and Septar are part of the lineup, and the Philly-based group Secret Pants is one of the headliners.
Also headlining is the Chris and Paul Show from New York City, a two-person act inspired by vaudeville-like physical comedy. The duo performed in the NBC competition show "Bring the Funny" in 2019, reaching the finals. Other acts hail from Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Toronto and Portland, Maine.
Sketches are short, standalone comedic scenes that are scripted and rehearsed before they are performed — think "Saturday Night Live," "Mr. Show" or "Key & Peele." Improvisational comedy, by comparison, is all made up on the spot.
Philly Sketchfest began in 2007, with current producers including Riedy, Ben Maher, Brian Kelly of Secret Pants, and Josh Higham, who hosts the podcast "My First Sketch," a showcase of comedians worldwide.
The previous festival from the group was in 2022 as a three-night event.
