UCB has announced the schedule for its annual Del Close Marathon and as always, it seems too good to be true. The 56-hour long-form improv marathon has grown even from last year’s insanity, featuring 420 shows on seven stages across New York City. There’s an extra international quality to this year’s festival, with teams from Mexico, UK, Portugal and Finland appearing. (Though there’s also a team claiming to be from Caprica, so who the hell knows.) The highlights are spread across the stages, from the return of last year’s amazing Mantzoukas and Morris at the main Chelsea theater, to several hours of Matt Besser’s improv4humans at its cousin UCB East, to a special taping of The Chris Gethard Show at a nearby theater. Most excitingly, the schedule promises three (!) Asssscat 3000 shows on the last night of the festival, featuring Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh alongside some of their friends. Unlike last year, where one big Asssscat show was held at a nearby 700-seat auditorium and required a separate ticket, this year’s Asssscats will take place in the tiny (and sure-to-be-overflowing) UCB Theatre in Chelsea. This year’s marathon runs from June 28-June 30. According to UCB’s Artistic Director Nate Dern, all-marathon wristbands will again go for $30, available at any of the stages once the marathon starts. It’s a pretty good deal, but to really get your money’s worth, I’d recommend forsaking sleep, balanced meals, and non-improv related conversations for the three days. It’s worth it.
