Spitfire Theater opens expanded space for improv comedy in the Grand Central District
/Let’s be honest. This year has been rough. And not just for some of us, but for everyone. At this point, I think it’s safe to say we could all use a good laugh. And what better way to blow off steam and relax than to experience live comedy!
Spitfire Theater, St. Pete’s home for improv comedy, will host their first shows in almost 300 days this weekend at their new and expanded theater located at 1920 1st Avenue South in the Grand Central District. The new space is steps away from Pinellas Ale Works, Cage Brewing, and Hideaway Cafe.
Safety will be top priority. Each show will be limited to 15 people. Additionally, parties can sit together with marked “spacer seats” between other parties. Hand sanitizer will be available in the lobby and all door handles, chairs, hand railings and microphones will be sanitized in between each show.
“We take the health of our audience members, performers, and staff very seriously,” says Programming Director Zach Mouriz. “We’ve implemented strict procedures that will ensure our guest’s safety while they enjoy the best improv comedy Tampa Bay has to offer.” All of Spitfire Theater’s safety information can be found here.
The lobby snack bar at Spitfire Theater’s new location at 1920 1st Avenue South
The new theater is a roomy 2,400 square feet, more than double the size of the previous space. The lobby now boasts a stage of its own called the Red Room Cabaret, which seats 20 and will host free events like Open Mics and Hip Hop Whose Line Is It Anyway. The 40-seat main stage will be home to all of the ticketed shows held Thursday through Sunday.
Almost everything has been upgraded. The bar offers an expanded selection of beer, wine, sodas, and snacks. The light and sound technology has been given a big boost. An outdoor patio with picnic benches under the lights is available for mingling before and after shows. And there is even a private parking lot, a rarity in Downtown St. Pete!
Spitfire Theater offers nine shows every week at 8PM, 9PM, and 10PM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Thursday’s shows feature teams and music, Friday’s feature game shows and an improvised sitcom, and Saturday features the most popular shows such as Whose Line St. Pete, Closeline, and Sketch & Stand Up. Tickets are $15 on Thursday and $20 on Friday and Saturday.
Never been to an improv comedy show? You aren’t alone! It’s a brand of comedy that is performed on-the-spot with no script. Often, the performers will ask the audience for a word or place to inspire the scenes.
Cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Austin have huge improv scenes. Many of your favorite comedians probably got their start in improv comedy, such as Stephen Colbert, Will Ferrell, Ellie Kemper, Tina Fey, and pretty much the entire cast of Saturday Night Live.
In fact, if you find yourself in the audience at Spitfire Theater this weekend thinking, “Hey I could do this!”, you’re right! Improv is for everyone. Beginners are encouraged to attend Spitfire’s Short Course, which is held every 2nd Saturday of every month from 12PM – 1PM. The course costs $20 and also grants you 15% off enrollment in their Level 1: Foundations class, a four-week primer that meets for three hours once per week. After graduation, you can audition to be a performer!
Spitfire Theater quietly opened their doors in November 2016 in a parcel next to what would later become Lolita’s Wine Market. The theater was small, 980 square feet to be exact, and only sat a modest 36 people. But when the lights dimmed and the curtain rose, it was magic.
New stadium-style seating at Spitfire Theater’s new space
Word spread of this little comedy theater on the outskirts of Downtown St Pete and before long, Spitfire’s performers were playing to sold out crowds. Over the course of almost three years, Spitfire Theater not only built a growing audience of comedy aficionados, but also amassed a huge roster of local performers.
The theater became so popular that the owners decided to search for a larger space. And so, in August of last year, Spitfire announced a three-month hiatus while they built out a new theater space less than 1,000 feet down the road at 1920 1st Avenue South.
But as luck would have it, construction permits took longer than expected and thus their reopening got delayed. After an arduous eight months, Spitfire Theater was finally ready for showtime when COVID-19 suddenly shut down the country.
“We didn’t know if we would be able to pay rent long enough to see the new space open,” says Mouriz. In early April, the City of St. Petersburg announced the Fighting Chance Fund, a $5,000 grant meant to provide relief to small businesses impacted by local COVID-19 orders.
Spitfire Theater was among the first businesses to apply for the grant and fortunately were approved. “The City’s Fighting Chance Fund has helped us get through the shut-down months,” says Mouriz. “It quite literally gave us a fighting chance.”
There is something insanely gratifying about watching a group of performers acting out side-splitting scenes that have never been seen before and will never be seen again. Improv comedy is a spur-of-the-moment experience that encourages the audience to forget reality for an hour. And maybe now more than ever, this might be the cure.
Spitfire Theater is located at 1920 1st Avenue South. Shows are every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. These shows WILL sell out, so be sure to buy tickets in advance at SpitfireTheater.com. Lastly, be sure to follow the theater on Instagram and Facebook.
