Looking for some hilarious improv comedy in Philly? Check out what NYTEShift has to offer with dynamic and bold shows at ComedySportz Philadelphia.
For over ten years, NYTEShift has been performing improv and sketch comedy shows throughout the City of Philadelphia. The team has gone through many iterations, as they’ve lost and gained new cast members and even been through one legally mandated name change, yet they’ve continued to bring laughter to audiences and to each other.
“It’s an honor to collaborate with people who are hilarious and smart and work hard.” Actor and improviser Kelly Conrad’s tone was imbued with laughter as she shared about the various joys and challenges of diversifying Philly’s comedy scene. “Being on this team is affirming in a lot of ways. Although things are getting better, being on a stage with all people of color is still rare.”
NYTEShift’s all-BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) cast includes actors, improvisers, stand-up comedians, and writers, which enables them to bring a dynamic energy to the stage.
“It’s like performing with a family,” improviser Tia Kemp told me. Kemp and Conrad both joined the team in 2018. “The folks on NYTEShift are multi-faceted performers and hilarious people,” Conrad said. “It’s total shenanigans on stage. “
“Even though we’re all unique,” Kemp reflected, “We have a lot of shared experiences, which allows us to play with a freedom that we may not always experience in other spaces.”
Although NYTEShift often invites other Philly-based comedians to open for their shows, their standard cast includes a core of seven incredibly talented improvisers: Keane Cobb, Kelly Conrad, Jabari Dortch, Marcely Jean-Pierre, Tia Kemp, James Knight, and Tanya Morgan. Each of these improvisers regularly performs with other teams throughout the city, but Kemp and Conrad agreed that there’s something really refreshing about this particular team’s dynamic.
“We’ve been through so much change and a lot of iterations and name changes and a pandemic,” Conrad told me. “It’s a resilient team that just always finds a way to come back together and put on a show.”
Most recently, NYTEShift has been putting on shows at ComedySportz on the third Saturday of each month at 9 p.m. Although the show regularly changes its format to keep audience members engaged and amplify cast members’ dynamic and ever-evolving skill sets, there are some things you can always expect.
“I’d like to think that audience members walk away feeling surprised and a little shook from the energy and the boldness,” Conrad said. “When we’re at our best, when I think of the team and what we do on stage, the word bold comes to mind.”
If you want to see bold improv performed by amazing comedians, I’d encourage you to check out one of NYTEShift’s upcoming shows at ComedySportz Philadelphia at the Adrienne.
Main Image: Emma Kappel
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