Spread Holiday Cheer through Laughter and Comedy at ArtsQuest
Announcing the 11th Annual SteelStacks Improv Comedy Festival and upcoming Comedy Classes
December 12, 2023, Bethlehem, PA- ArtsQuest is excited to announce several upcoming comedy events taking place on the SteelStacks campus this winter season, including the 11th Annual SteelStacks Improv Comedy Festival on Friday, Jan. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 27, with The Improvised Shakespeare Company® as this year’s festival headliner. The festival starts at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and 3:20 p.m. on Saturday, with The Improvised Shakespeare Company® taking the stage at 9:30 p.m. on both nights.
The Improvised Shakespeare Company® creates a fully improvised Shakespearean masterpiece right before your eyes. Prepare for an evening of spontaneous comedy using the language and themes of William Shakespeare. Nothing has been planned out, rehearsed, or written. All of the dialogue is said for the first time, the characters are created as you watch and if ever you’re wondering where the story is going…so are they!
“The Improvised Shakespeare Company received the most thunderous standing ovation I’ve ever seen when they performed at the SSICF in 2017; I can’t wait to have them back,” commented Addyson Young, ArtsQuest Programming Specialist and SteelStacks Improv Comedy Festival Director. “I’m also excited to get improvisers from New York and Philadelphia all under one roof with our own area performers to further create community in our improv scene.”
The Improvised Shakespeare Company® is one of the funniest and most critically acclaimed improv troupes in the world. It was founded in Chicago in 2005 where it ran to sold-out audiences at the iO Theatre for over a decade and performs regularly at Los Angeles’s Largo at the Coronet. Guest performers have included Jason Alexander, Bradley Whitford and Patrick Stewart. To learn more about additional accomplishments, click here.
Get your tickets here to see this award-winning comedy festival and be prepared to laugh out loud! Please note, children ages 12 and under will not be permitted. Ages 13-17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Are you interested in learning more about Improv comedy? This style of comedy is a fun, liberating performance medium with benefits that extend beyond the stage. Your team will learn improvisational techniques to better listen, support and ultimately satisfy your clients. The following classes are being offered through ArtsQuest:
Classes:
- Improv 301 with Evan Stutts on Tuesday, Jan. 9
- Improv 101 with Jamie Bleasdale on Wednesday, Jan. 10
- Intro to Sketch Comedy Writing with Jiah Peck on Monday, Jan. 22
- Improv 201 with Christy Devlin on Sunday, Feb. 4
- Intro to Standup with Glen Tickle on Monday, Feb. 12
Be sure to check out Steelstacks.org for more information on all things comedy including upcoming shows, workshops and more. Looking to spread holiday cheer? Consider giving the gift of laughter with an ArtsQuest gift card, available here.
About ArtsQuest
ArtsQuest’s mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic, cultural and educational experiences using arts and culture as key elements of economic development for our urban communities. ArtsQuest™ supports this mission via the presentation of performing and visual arts, film, arts education classes and outreach, youth programming and cultural events.
Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest; the Banana Factory Arts Center; and the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.9 million people annually. The organization’s programs and events, over 50 percent of which are free to attend, have a combined economic impact of more than $136 million annually in the region.
