Book Club: Plot Twist Pending Opens September 4

If ComedySportz - Philadelphia’s longest-running comedy show - could travel back in time to extend its reach even further back into history, the result might be their newest show, Book Club: Plot Twist Pending. With an incredible cast of CSz faces and area theatrical talent, this improv comedy show knocks the classic authors William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and Agatha Christie off their pedestals and lovingly spoofs their unique styles. We have the inside scoop on this original production - read on for all of the details!

“It’s sort of like if Who’s Line Is It Anyway? fused with Masterpiece Theatre,” says co-creator and director Sarah LeClair. “The show has all of the manic energy of a ComedySportz show, with playful games and audience suggestions, but with the added challenge of making these three specific British authors and their works come to life.” This is no small feat; each of the authors selected are giants of the Brit Lit canon, and are known for redefining what was possible in the worlds of poetry, playwriting, and prose.

Each of the authors will be present at the Book Club, each struggling in their own ways to produce their next greatest work of literary achievement. That’s where the audience comes in. All of them will require suggestions for the content of the show. In fact, audience volunteers may even be asked to provide some of their own stories to advance the narratives. All three are played by veteran Philadelphia actor and ComedySportz member Brian McCann. McCann has a staggering amount of Shakespearean and Dickensian theater credits to his name, through locations such as Lantern Theater Company, The Arden, and Hedgerow Theater Company. McCann is also a co-creator of the show, as a huge fan of the authors and when “smart people get to act silly.” He provides another element that makes the show unique: a hand painted monochromatic set in the style of Edward Gorey, never before seen on the ComedySportz stage. His artistry makes the concept of pages of text “come to life in a whirlwind of fast-paced Brit Lit wit.”

The cast is stacked with the area’s best improvisers, and a quick perusal of their performer bios on the ComedySportz website shows off their work in both improvisation and scripted theater. Chase Dannelly, Karen Getz, Noah Max Levine, Alex Levitt, Murf McManus, Don Montrey, and Chris Packard play all of the roles required and adjust for any curveball thrown at them through the course of the evening. All of them are drawn to these authors and have experience as actors and appreciators of their various genres and tropes. Moreover, all of them are performing the high-wire live performance feat of improvising three original long form works without knowing where the night will take them. Director Sarah LeClair adds: “This cast is such a strong ensemble, practically reading each other’s minds and working seamlessly to build rich words and memorable characters while making me laugh so hard I cry. It is truly one of the most joyous groups I’ve ever collaborated with, and I’m so grateful for the chance to be in a room with smart people doing smart (and wildly absurd) comedy.”

CSz Philadelphia is delighted once again to partner with the Philadelphia Fringe Festival this September. Book Club: Plot Twist Pending opens on September 4 (tickets available on our website), and then runs through the Fringe Festival ticket site for its other 3 shows (September 11, 18, and 25). All ticket sites are clearly linked and open for orders on the CSz Philly website.

With tech by Dave Jadico and Jake Lucas, and an original set design by Brian McCann, the only thing missing from the show now is YOU! Come create mysterious murder suspects for Agatha Christie, provide the fodder for the wordplay and rhyming couplets of William Shakespeare, and see if Charles Dickens can successfully weave wildly divergent plot threads together to make a cohesive novel storyline. BYOB and have the most memorable book club meeting you’ve ever experienced. Get your tickets now for Book Club: Plot Twist Pending by clicking THIS LINK and reserving your spots today!