Top Story! Weekly’s Guide to the 10th Annual Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival!!

This Sunday, June 3rd, is the first night of the 10th Annual Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival at iO West! Top Story! Weekly is very excited to be taking part – we’ve put together a special show at a special time – Sunday June 3 at 10 (right after the Mad TV Reunion!). And joining us is one of the top comics in America – Bill Burr!!

Tickets are just $10, so make sure you get them now!! Not only will you see an awesome show, but you’ll help a great cause – part of the proceeds will go to the Chris Farley House, a residential sober living facility.

The festival runs from Sunday, June 3 till Saturday, June 9, with amazing shows and workshops every night. The cast of Top Story! Weekly will be hosting all week. And we’ll also be performing in other shows, and teaching workshops that you shouldn’t miss. Check them out after the jump:

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Join the Top Story! Weekly Writing Staff!!

JOIN THE WRITING STAFF OF TOP STORY! WEEKLY!!

Top Story! Weekly, the award-winning news-based sketch comedy show held every Sunday night at 9 at iO West, is looking for talented comedy writers to join its writing staff!

TS!W’s writing staff is responsible for putting together a collection of sketches for each Sunday’s show based upon the events of the previous seven days.

Requirements for staff members include:

1. Submitting two or more sketches each month (weekly submissions are welcomed!)

2. At least one week a month, attend the two production meetings:
– Wednesday night at 8:30, a writers’ meeting where sketch ideas are pitched and developed
– Thursday night at 8, a readthrough with the cast where all submitted sketches are read, a running order is selected and rewrites are assigned
– Friday afternoon by 3pm, turn in rewrites to that week’s director

To apply: Email a sketch packet (3 sketches, topical/news-oriented preferred) to tswpackets@gmail.com

– This file must be a .pdf file, a .doc file or a .rtf file.
– Email subject header should say (MY NAME) Sketch Packet

In the body of the email, please include your name, email, phone number, and availability, and a brief note about yourself and your experiences with comedy.

The deadline for submissions is Monday, April 16, 2012.

For more information about the show, please visit our Facebook page or our website.

Even better, come see the show at iO West, every Sunday night at 9 pm. If you have any questions, or would like to request a comp to our show for, please email us at tswpackets@gmail.com

We look forward to reading your work!

Watch “Puerto Rico, Romney Mas Rico” from Top Story! Weekly Episode 142: “Road to the Final Four!”

Mitt Romney’s troubles connecting with Southern voters, the Puerto Rico primary falling on the same day as our show, and the fact that two of our cast members of Latin descent were in the cast gave me the inspiration for this look at Mitt’s attempt to be kinda Puerto Rican!

PUERTO RICO, ROMNEY MAS RICO by Michael Hughes

Starring Phillip Wilburn (Mitt Romney), Tammie Smalls (Gail Gitcho), Neil Garguilo (Carlos) and Matt Moore (St. Patrick) and

Directed by Michael Hughes

Top Story! Weekly Nominated for Two 2012 INNY Awards!!

This is cool.

My show, Top Story! Weekly, has been nominated for two 2012 Inny Awards! These are national awards, so it’s very exciting.

We’ve received nominations for Best in Sketch Comedy (we’re the only show in Los Angeles to be so recognized, and one of only two outside New York and Chicago!) and Best Comedy Song (for “Sad Christmas Songs,” with lyrics by me and music by Gregg Lopez! We’re even nominated in the latter category with Flight of the Conchords!

And other folks in the TS!W family were nominated as well:

– Our home venue, iO West, was nominated for Best Venue and Best Training Program!

– One of our head writers, Matt Manser, was nominated for Best in Stand-Up!

– Bro Squad 5, featuring our writer/segment co-producer Phil Ranta, was nominated for Best in Long Form!

– And one of our writers, Keith Saltojanes, was nominated for Best Instructor, his team English Speaking Moose was nominated for Best in Long Form, and his school ImprovLA was nominated for Best Training Program!

If you could take a moment and vote for us in categories #7 and #11, I’d really appreciate it! Just follow this link!