In these grim political and economic times, the need for the uplifting and energizing effects of laughter is greater than ever. This was very much on Chaz Martin’s mind when they proposed the alt comedy festival Variety Pack to their colleagues at InterAct Theatre Company.
Martin, literary and development manager at InterAct, put forth the idea of Variety Pack when the company realized they had a scheduling gap in one of the performing spaces they manage in the Drake building on Spruce Street. The idea was inspired by Good Good Comedy, a beloved troupe that shut down in 2020 during the pandemic. Martin, a performer too, had worked with them.
The result is a kind of mini-festival of offbeat comedy performances taking place in the first two weekends in May in the Louis Bluver Theatre at The Drake. In a press release, Martin, who is producing the festival, says, “Philly is FULL of weirdos! We have incredible stand-ups, brilliant improv, and an emerging sketch comedy scene, but there’s been a void when it comes to truly wild, out-of-the-box comedy.”
Martin cast a wide net among their contacts in the local comedy and theater scene to fill out a roster of weird and unpredictable performances, each of which runs an hour or less in time. Among the presentations will be spoofs of beloved cultural franchises like “Sex and the City” and the “Twilight” saga, along with improv, game shows, talk shows, drag and pageants.
“We’re looking to draw in people who don’t normally go to live theater,” Martin said. “We want to expand their entertainment diet.”
One of those dietary expansions will doubtless be Theatre Contra’s entry, titled “The Whole F**kin Twilight Saga…in 60 Minutes,” a sort of “Fractured Fairy Tales” spoof script reading plus plenty of improv based on audience reactions. According to Contra co-founder Bryant Edwards, who co-directed the show with Liz Crino, “We just want to have fun.”
Theatre Contra was formed in 2018 by “a small group of artists who wanted to try new things — and have fun doing it,” Edwards said. The group specializes in staged readings that spoof well-known cinematic franchises like “Hunger Games” and “Jurassic Park.” The group has had success performing mostly in bars like Tattooed Mom and Meyers Brewing Company.
They must be doing something right, since Philadelphia Magazine gave them a “Best of Philly” award for Best Live Readings in 2024.
Edwards admits to being a fan of the “Twilight” films. “Well, [I like] the first three movies anyway, “ Edwards said. “The last two, not so much.”
But how are they going to compress five movies involving sexy sparkly vampires and hunky werewolves and creepy babies into one hour?
“You have to see it to get the magic,” Edwards said.
InterAct’s presentation of Variety Pack runs May 1-10 at the Drake, 302 S. Hicks St. For a full list of shows or to purchase tickets, visit atthedrake.org/variety-pack.