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ARTSQUEST CENTER LAUNCHES THURSDAY COMEDY NIGHT

DATE: Aug 29, 2011
CONTACT: Ryan Hill, Programming Manager – Cinema/Comedy – rhill@artsquest.org or 610-297-7110

ARTSQUEST CENTER LAUNCHES THURSDAY COMEDY NIGHT

Two Laugh Minimum stand-up shows, Associated Mess to switch off on Thursday nights

Bethlehem, PA – Beginning Sept. 8, the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks will establish Thursday night as Comedy Night at SteelStacks. Two Laugh Minimum, the venue-produced stand-up show currently on Wednesdays, and the Associated Mess, the Lehigh Valley improv troupe that currently performs on Sundays, will switch off performing Thursday nights. The shows will be held in the Blue Cinema of the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas at SteelStacks.

Ticket prices for Two Laugh Minimum are $10 regular/$8 students & ArtsQuest Members, while Associated Mess prices are $8 regular/$5 students & members. Tickets are available in advance at www.artsquest.org and 610-332-3378, and they may also be purchased at the box office at the ArtsQuest Center, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. All Thursday comedy shows will begin at 8 p.m. and last for approximately 90 minutes. The Associated Mess performs Sept. 8, with Two Laugh Minimum following on Sept. 15.

"There isn't anyplace in the Lehigh Valley that you can regularly see comedy on a Thursday night," says Ryan Hill, ArtsQuest's Programming Manager of Cinema and Comedy and the original producer of Tickle Me Tuesdays at the Allentown Brew Works. "With area colleges back in session, we believe that this is the perfect time to own Thursdays as comedy nights at SteelStacks."

The Associated Mess show Sept. 8 will be part of the SteelStacks' tribute to John Hughes; the troupe will bring back its popular film-dub game by screening some of the most iconic scenes from Hughes' films and muting the sound so that they can improvise new dialogue. The schedule for Two Laugh Minimum is below:

Sept. 15 – headliner Ryan Reiss, feature Dan Gill, host Randy Tonge

Reiss has been seen on MTV and Spike TV, heard on the Howard Stern show and recently appeared at SteelStacks opening for the Axis of Awesome.

Sept. 29 – headliner Nikki Glaser, feature Robbie Collier, host Tyler Rothrock

Glaser has been seen on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno & Last Comic Standing and was named one of the Top 10 Emerging Comics by AskMen.com.

Oct. 13 – headliner Joe DeRosa, feature Chip Chantry, host Ryan Hill

DeRosa is a Philadelphia native and has been heard on the Opie and Anthony radio show and seen on HBO's Bored to Death and IFC's Z-Rock.

Oct. 27 – headliner Chris Coccia, feature Jim Tews, host James Hesky

Coccia has been seen on Comedy Central and the Game Show Network and heard on XM Radio.

Nov. 10 – headliner Michael Lawrence, feature and host TBA

Lawrence has been seen on John Oliver's New York Comedy Show and recently appeared at SteelStacks opening for John Oliver.

AUG. 31 AMY SCHUMER SHOW AT THE ARTSQUEST CENTER CANCELLED

As a result of Hurricane Irene, comedian Amy Schumer's Aug. 31 show at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks has been cancelled. Due to disruptions in airline service, Schumer is unable to return to the region in time for her performance. ArtsQuest will contact ticketholders in regard to refunds.

ABOUT ARTSQUEST

ArtsQuest™ is a Bethlehem, PA-based nonprofit dedicated to presenting music, arts, festivals, cultural experiences and educational and outreach programs that aid in economic development, urban revitalization and community enrichment. Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest®; the Banana Factory® cultural arts and education center; and the ArtsQuest Center and SteelStacks™ arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest's programming reaches more than 1.5 million people annually.

For more information on ArtsQuest, visit www.artsquest.org or call 610-332-1300.