• Events
    • Los Angeles Open Mics
    • Los Angeles Shows
    • New York Open Mics
    • New York Shows
  • Book A Tour
  • Venues
  • News
  • Podcast
  • About
    • About The Comedy Bureau
    • Contact
    • Consulting
    • Digital Wall of Trustees

del close

divider

‘Del & Charna’ Biopic, Directed by Kay Cannon, Will Follow Founding of Long Form Improv in Chicago

November 5, 2019
Uncategorized
charna halpern, del and charna, del close, kay cannon

‘Del & Charna’ Biopic, Directed by Kay Cannon, Will Follow Founding of Long Form Improv in Chicago

When it comes to the world of long form improvisational comedy, the names Del Close (whose name you might often heard coupled with the title of ‘the father of modern improv’) and Charna Halpern are crucial to telling that story. As that sort of improv has undeniably shaped modern comedy, their influences even felt at this moment in so many movies and TV shows that we all watch, they deserve to have their story told in how they broke new ground for comedy in Chicago, ImprovOlympic, and more (as well as created an entire new discipline within the art form of comedy).

So, it’s nice to hear that this biopic of said story Del & Charna will be handled by the very talented and capable hands of Kay Cannon with a script from Rich Talarico and Alex Fendrich. Cannon’s last feature was the very satisfying Blockers and we’re very intrigued to see what she’ll do here.

“Punching the Clown” Sequel, Mike Birbiglia’s “Don’t Think Twice”, Richard Linklater’s “Everybody Wants Some”, and More Comedy Screenings You Might Want to Catch at SXSW

February 4, 2016
Uncategorized
and punching the clown, austin, del close, everybody wants some, henry phillips, mike birbiglia, punching the clown, search party, sxsw, vice principals

(via Deadline)

Oh, you didn’t think all the indie comedy was just going to screen at just Sundance, did you?

SXSW is almost a month away and the line-up for the film portion of the film festival has just been announced. While you probably already know about Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, and Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some premiering down in Austin, TX, you might also want to take note of a new film from Mike Birbiglia “Don’t Think Twice”, the long awaited sequel to Henry Phillips’ Punching The Clown.

Here are some more of the comedy films and TV series that are screening down at SXSW. Check out the full line-up at Deadline.

Before The Sun Explodes
Director: Debra Eisenstadt, Screenwriters: Debra Eisenstadt, Zeke Farrow
After his wife kicks him out, an anxious comedian is lured in by an intriguing woman with a stalker.
Cast: Bill Dawes, Sarah Butler, Christine Woods, Michael Rivkin, Amir Arison, Kerri Safran, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Gene Serritella, Kristin Slaysman, Eric Fillipkowski (World Premiere)

Don’t Think Twice
Director/Screenwriter: Mike Birbiglia
An improv group loses the lease on their home theater at the same time that one of their cast members gets chosen for the biggest sketch comedy show on TV.
Cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Mike Birbiglia, Kate Micucci, Tami Sagher, Chris Gethard (World Premiere)

Everybody Wants Some
Director/Screenwriter: Richard Linklater
In Richard Linklater’s anticipated “spiritual sequel” to Dazed and Confused, a group of college friends navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of the wild final weekend of the summer of 1980.
Cast: Will Brittain, Zoey Deutch, Ryan Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Blake Jenner, J. Quinton Johnson, Glen Powell, Wyatt Russell (World Premiere)
* SXsports screening

Pee-wee’s Big Holiday
Director: John Lee, Screenwriters: Paul Reubens, Paul Rust
In Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, a fateful meeting with a mysterious stranger inspires Pee-wee Herman to take his first-ever holiday in this epic story of friendship and destiny.
Cast: Paul Reubens, Joe Manganiello, Jessica Pohly, Alia Shawkat, Stephanie Beatriz (World Premiere)

Black Mountain Poets (UK)
Director/Screenwriter: Jamie Adams
Two professional con artist sisters go on the run and assume the identities of The Wilding Sisters, guest stars of the a poetry retreat in the depths of the Black Mountains. A romantic comedy drama about love, crime, spirituality and soul.
Cast: Alice Lowe, Dolly Wells, Tom Cullen, Rosa Robson, Richard Elis, Laura Patch, Roger Evans, Hannah Daniel, Ben McGregor, Claire Cage (North American Premiere)

My Blind Brother
Director/Screenwriter: Sophie Goodhart
Love for the same woman causes conflict between an over-achieving blind athlete and the brother who made him that way.
Cast: Adam Scott, Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate, Zoe Kazan, Charlie Hewson, Maryann Nagel, Greg Violand (World Premiere)
* SXsports screening

Rainbow Time
Director/Screenwriter: Linas Phillips
A developmentally delayed 40-year-old man named Shonzi is sent to live with his brother Todd. But when Shonzi developes a crush on Todd’s new girlfriend Lindsay, he threatens to reveal past secrets that could ultimately tear the couple apart.
Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Linas Phillips, Timm Sharp, Tobin Bell, Lauren Weedman, Artemis Pebdani, Jay Duplass, Reagan Yates, Austin Fryberger (World Premiere)

Slash
Director/Screenwriter: Clay Liford
Neil is a questioning teen who secretly writes erotic fan fiction about popular sci-fi characters. When his classmate Julia discovers his writing, she leads him down a rabbit hole deep into the world of ‘slash’ fiction. Cast: Michael Johnston, Hannah Marks, Michael Ian Black, Missi Pyle, Jessie Ennis, Peter Vack, Sarah Ramos, Robert Longstreet, Tishuan Scott, Lucas Neff (World Premiere)

War On Everyone (UK)
Director/Screenwriter: John Michael McDonagh
Two corrupt cops in New Mexico set out to blackmail and frame every criminal unfortunate enough to cross their path in this volatile jet-black action comedy.
Cast: Michael Peña, Alexander Skarsgård, Theo James, Tessa Thompson (North American Premiere)

Thank You Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon
Director: Todd Bieber
Fifteen years after Del Close’s death, thousands of comedians (both famous and unknown) gather to celebrate modern comedy’s most important person that no one knows. (World Premiere)

Jules and Dolores (Brazil)
Director: Caito Ortiz, Screenwriters: Lusa Silvestre, Caito Ortiz
Jules and Dolores is a pop comedy about the theft of the World Cup Trophy that occurred in Brazil in 1983. Curiously enough, nobody truly knows the details surrounding this unbelievable event, until now.
Cast: Paulo Tiefenthaler, Taís Araujo, Danilo Grangheia, Milhem Cortaz, Fabio Marcoff, Pedro Wagner, Álvaro Diniz, Thelmo Fernandes, Otto Jr. (World Premiere)
* SXsports screening

Karaoke Crazies (Republic of Korea)
Director: Kim Sang Chan
Welcome to ADDICTION KARAOKE and let’s sing till the end! (World Premiere)

Operator
Director: Logan Kibens, Screenwriters: Sharon Greene, Logan Kibens
JOE, a programmer and obsessive self-quantifier, and EMILY, a budding comedy performer, are happily married until they decide to use one another in their work. Operator is a dark comedy about love, technology, and what can’t be programmed.
Cast: Martin Starr, Mae Whitman, Nat Faxon, Cameron Esposito, Retta, Christine Lahti, Kate Cobb, Kristopher Lofton, Tim Hopper, Trevor Dawkins (World Premiere)

SERIES

Search Party
Directors/Screenwriters: Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers
Search Party is a dark comedy about four self-absorbed twenty-somethings who become entangled in an ominous mystery when a former college acquaintance suddenly disappears.
Cast: Alia Shawkat, John Early, John Reynolds, Meredith Hagner (World Premiere)

Vice Principals
Directors: Jody Hill, David Gordon Green, Screenwriters: Danny McBride, Jody Hill
A dark comedy series that tells the story of a high school and the two people who almost run it, the vice principals, who are engaged in an epic power struggle for the top spot.
Cast: Danny McBride, Walton Goggins, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Georgia King, Busy Philipps, Shea Whigham, Sheaun McKinney (World Premiere)

You Me Her
Screenwriter/Showrunner: John Scott Shepherd
An impulsive  “date” between suburbanite Jack and escort Izzy spins into a three-way affair including Jack’s wife Emma, posing the question: What if your truest, happiest life looked nothing like you imagined? Would you be brave enough to live it?
Cast: Greg Poehler, Rachel Blanchard, Priscilla Faia, Jarod Joseph, Melanie Papaila (World Premiere)

And Punching the Clown

Director: Gregori Viens, Screenwriters: Henry Phillips, Gregori Viens
Comedian Henry Phillips is lured to LA by a renowned TV producer who wants to bring his story of failure to the screen. But when a major network gets involved, Henry must decide whether he wants to make jokes for a living, or be the butt of them. Cast: Henry Phillips, Sarah Silverman, Tig Notaro, J.K. Simmons, Jim Jefferies, Ellen Ratner, Mike Judge, Mark Cohan, Clifton Collins (World Premiere)

RIP Second City Co-Founder Bernie Sahlins

June 19, 2013
Uncategorized
bernie sahlins, del close, improv, second city

RIP Second City Co-Founder Bernie Sahlins

We’re sure many of you know the name Del Close, but make sure you don’t forget one of Close’s biggest contemporaries in the late Bernie Sahlins. 

Two Del Close Biopics Are In The Making

March 22, 2013
Uncategorized
bio pics, del close, improv

Two Del Close Biopics Are In The Making

The legendary improv comedy guru, Del Close, has two different feature length films being made on the subject of him. We’re glad to see that he’s getting that much respect, but we wonder if this will play out like every duel between movies that were really similar (Capote & Infamous, Deep Impact & Armageddon, etc.)

Morning Debriefing 7/18/11

July 18, 2011
Uncategorized
burbank, cheap, comedy news, comedy shows, del close, eagle rock, echo park, eddie pepitone, free, hashtag games, hermosa beach, hollywood, howie mandel, legal advice, los angeles, los feliz, megan amram, open mic, pasadena, political comedy, universal city, what to do

1) Laughter Against the Machine (W. Kamau Bell, Janine Brito, and Nato Green) are trying to go on tour to some of the most politically charged cities in the U.S. and want to make a documentary. Please donate as this will be something that you’ll want to see (we hope).

2) Howie Mandel’s developing a reality stand-up comedy competition with only celebrities. Why do we need to convince more people that watching stand-up comedy isn’t their thing? [via Laughspin.com]

3) Twitter Feed Theater with Paul Cibis-#Legal Tip

4) Nominations for The Annual iO West Del Close Awards are now open!

5) Riki Lindhome of Garfunkel & Oates has a new podcast coming out this Wednesday!!!

6) You’ve probably already shared this, but just in case you haven’t-Megan Amram’s Favorite Harry Potter Spells.

7) Andrew Dice Clay seemingly humbled in interview in the LA Times. Maybe the Sklar Brothers got to him.

8) Puddin’-Shaving

9) ON THE HORIZON
Bill Burr @ Irvine Improv Thurs. July 21st-Sun. July 24th $25/2 item min.
Ed Helms & Friends @ Largo at the Coronet Theatre
Sat. July 23rd 9PM $25
Greg Proops @ Flappers Burbank Sun. July 24th 9PM $20/2 item min.

10) COMEDY CRAWL
The 2 & 45 @ All Star Lanes 8PM FREE
Doug Loves Movies w/Edgar Wright & Jordan Brady @ Jon Lovitz Podcast Theater 8PM $10/2 drink min.
What’s Up Tiger Lily? @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill 8PM FREE
Jamie Kilstein-One Night Only @ Steve Allen Theater 8PM $10
Keep It Clean @ 1739 Public House 10PM FREE 

11) OPEN MIC RUN
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/$4 min./first come, first served
CLUB 705 705 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA/Starts 7PM-ish/no purchase necessary/first come, first served
RED ROCK 8782 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/$5 min./multiple sets allowed/first come, first served
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 8PM/no purchase necessary/first come, first served
JAKE’S 38 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA/Starts 8PM/Sign-up is lottery/no purchase necessary
MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5 min./multiple sets allowed/bottled water and coffee provided 

12) Why isn’t there an Eddie Pepitone alarm clock? Someone please tell us.

Report 00218

THE COMEDY BUREAU/@thecomedybureau

Recent News

divider

  • The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 260: Erica Bitton & 10 Years of a Solo Show - Almost always, the work that goes into a deeply personal solo show is almost entirely… Read More
  • The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 259: Julie Seabaugh & Documenting Marc Maron - Julie Seabaugh has been and still very much is one of our absolute favorite people… Read More
  • The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 258: Victoria Male & Revisiting the 90s the Good Way - A lot of what has been dug up from the 90s, mostly by Gen Z,… Read More

Sign up For The Newsletter

Copyright © 2020 The Comedy Bureau
All rights reserved