Alt-Comedy Festival Variety Pack to Offer 15 Performances in Philadelphia

Prepare to laugh, Philadelphia. Variety Pack, a new alternative-comedy festival from the InterAct Theatre Company, will present 15 performances from May 1 to 3 and 8 to 10.

Producer Chaz Martin told the PhillyVoice that the festival aims to close a gap in the city's comedy scene, bringing alternative and high-concept acts to the community. Martin said the goal is to offer "a little bit of everything" not featured at regular stand-up comedy clubs.

Are you wondering what Variety Pack will be like? Think drag-king pageant mixed with cabaret, live cartoons, and a summary of "The Twilight Saga" in one hour.

Tickets for Variety Pack performances are $10. Each performance lasts approximately one hour and will be held at the Louis Bluver Theater at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks St.

Highlights from the festival's lineup include the following:

The improvisation duo of Philadelphia actors and comedians Em Harnett & DJ Gleason will interview an audience member and create a complete story while acting out every character in the tale.

Dates and Times: Friday, May 2, 7 p.m.; Thursday, May 8, 7 p.m.

Vampires, werewolves? Oh, yeah. It's "The Twilight Saga" with a twist — the entire series told in an hour. Discover how Theatre Contra takes on the storyline for this large franchise production in one hour or less.

Dates and Times: Saturday, May 3, 7 p.m.; Friday, May 9, 10 p.m.

Philadelphia's only all-woman and all-queer comedy show delivers a drag king pageant for this year's inaugural Variety Pack. Watch as the finest kings in the city present their best moves and quirkiest jokes to a panel of judges to determine a winner.

Date and Time: Thursday, May 8, 8:30 p.m.

Comedian Tan Hoang attempts to perform her one-woman show, but everything is going wrong. Several characters are interrupting her performance!

Date and Time: Saturday, May 10, 8:30 p.m.