Laugh out loud: Pittsburgh Improv in Homestead has a full funny lineup
Laughter is back.
After more than a year, the Pittsburgh Improv in The Waterfront in Homestead has reopened, giving guests a reason to giggle and smile.
“The year and a half that we were closed felt like forever,” said Paul Tebbets, Pittsburgh Improv general manager. “It is wonderful to be back.”
Tebbets said the comedians have told him that, after so long away, they appreciate being on stage even more.
At the Pittsburgh Improv, Guy Torry is performing Saturday, followed on Sunday by David Lucas. Shane Gillis will be on stage July 29-Aug. 1.
Torry’s roles in movies include “American History X” and” “Pearl Harbor.” His television credits include “The Tonight Show” and the “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.”
Lucas was on MTV’s “Yo Momma.” He is on the show “Roast Me.”
Gillis was named an “Up-Next” Comic at Comedy Central’s 2019 Clusterfest in San Francisco and a “New Face” at Just For Laughs in Montreal. He is a guest and co-host on Sirius XM and Comedy Central Radio’s “The Bonfire.”
Pittsburgh improv
July 29-august 1sthttps://t.co/Yf91GC2YIi— Shane Gillis (@Shanemgillis) July 23, 2021
See the entire calendar of upcoming performer here.
During the time off, Tebbets traveled to New York for shows being held in mall parking lots, outside and with social distancing. People remained in, or close to, their cars for the events.
“It was a very different atmosphere,” he said. “But definitely not the same feeling as going to a club and listening to a comedian. Comedians work the crowd and feed off their energy.”
He said as soon as they could book comedians, the dates began to fill up. Some shows have been rescheduled from last year to this year. He said while virtual shows are OK, there is nothing like being there with 300 other people who want to have an enjoyable evening.
“We have an interesting mix of comedians,” Tebbets said. “Some have been here before and others are new. All of them are funny and we need comedy in our lives. We need to be able to laugh at ourselves. It is so good to be able to be in a room with others having a drink and a meal and laughing and enjoying ourselves. It’s sweeter now that we’ve come back to it because we realized what we missed.”
Comedian Steve Trevino performed at the Pittsburgh Improv last weekend.
“It is my job to make you laugh and make you forget about your everyday life,” Trevino said. “We all need that human interaction. Comedians love to make other people happy. We don’t want people to feel sadness. We all need laughter.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region’s diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of “A Daughter’s Promise.” She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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