After hearing that Books and Brews was being replaced with an entertainment and comedy club, I was intrigued. The Wit Theater, located at 3808 Shelby St., currently houses a comedy organization called ComedySportz, which performs competitive improv. I found this very interesting, as I had never heard of improvisational comedy being played as a sport. The theater has shows on Friday and Saturday nights. They have family friendly shows, as well as 17 and older shows with more adult-oriented comedy. I attended the family friendly show on Saturday, Feb. 4th.
Immediately walking in, the venue is somewhat unfinished. This is understandable, as ComedySportz is new to the building. The first thing you see is the concession stand, which has your typical concessions food such as soft pretzels, popcorn and candy. They also serve alcohol for those 21 and older. You order at the counter, and then they bring your food to you once you sit down, which I thought was very nice. There were about 20 folding tables around the room, which could seat anywhere from two to five people. There was a small stage with some fun elements, such as a rainbow light and design props. A few other things to note would be the speaker and TV that displayed images relating to the game the performers were playing.
I thought the actual show itself was very fun. The performers were obviously passionate and skilled in what they were doing. There were two teams of three competing against each other with a referee to mediate the competition. The show was a series of small improv games with a lot of audience engagement. One game they played was called ‘Genre Replay,’ where each team was given a movie category from the audience to act out. The players created their scene, but had to act it out in 3 different genres that were also suggested by the audience. Overall, I felt very included in the performance without feeling uncomfortable at all.
The price of tickets varies depending on whether you purchase online, which is $18, or at the door, which is $23. At first I thought this was a little on the pricey side, but compared to other comedy shows you can find online, it is reasonable—and even arguably on the cheap side. The food is also reasonably priced.
Overall, I would recommend the Wit Theater to University of Indianapolis students and anybody nearby who enjoys stand up comedy. I would also suggest this show to older students, as it seems to be an environment more geared towards that group.
