ComedySportz Quad Cities Revels in a New World Championship
For the first time in 10 years, ComedySportz Quad Cities hosted the improv comedy world championships, and for the first time ever at their home at Moline’s Spotlight Theatre.
After the July 9-12 tournament that saw performances by 18 other cities nationwide (including New York City, Chicago, Boston, St. Louis and Twin Cities), the home QC team emerged victorious, based on feedback from the hometown audiences. CSz-QC has hosted the world championship four times before — in 2015, 2007, 2002, and 1997 — and the local troupe won each time, as most host cities have.
QuadCities.com connected with several ComedySportz QC members for their impressions of the fun tournament week, which included many daytime workshops in addition to the evening matches.
The Jersey Shore ComedySpoortz team, with (L-R) Ria Torricelli, Scott Mihalik, Philip Gravuer, Emily Zargan and Sophie Rakus (little girl audience volunteer).
Monta Ponsetto, team manager, was performing the first time the Quad Cities hosted, in 1997 and the local team won.
“I remember because I was on that team along with Chris Moore, Rick Davis, and Don Abbott. I remember vividly because I was almost 5 months pregnant and was starting to have trouble closing the vest of our uniform,” she said recently. “We got a standing ovation for doing a completely silent version of Styles Replay with the scene taking place in a library.”
“That first win was amazing. Other cities did not expect us to perform as well as we did. We received a standing ovation from all the visiting players at the end of our final scene – that was incredible.”
Ponsetto has been part of the local ComedySportz since it started in 1990 (CSz nationally was founded in 1984 in Milwaukee). “Though I wasn’t one of the four team members this year, it was still great to have QC win — and it was a very deserved win!” she said by email. “Last week was “amazing and every team visiting thought this time in the Quad Cities was one of, if not THE best, championships ever!”
The performing stage at Spotlight Theatre, 1800 7th Ave., Moline, with referee Courtney Pong of Boston.
“It was also great to hear other cities’ reaction to being in the Quad Cities — they didn’t have any idea of all we have to offer and some individual players said they were coming back to vacation here,” she said. “It’s always good to win in your home theatre. We love The Spotlight (and so did everyone else). It’s always a friendly, fun rivalry with feigned bravado.”
Ponsetto said other cities didn’t expect the audiences the home team had. “We had turnout from our ‘superfans’ but had a lot of new people to ComedySportz attend after seeing the TV spots,” she said. “Our audience was supportive of us but very generous to acknowledge some great improv from other cities. They truly made this a great experience from every city attending.”
The QC team, with (L-R) Danielle Mueller, Amelia Fischer, Brendan Sears and Britton Wenthe (little boy audience volunteer).
Danielle Mueller is a new ComedySportz player, having done her first show in April.
“The week overall was very tiring but also very rewarding,” she said of the championship week. “In addition to attending shows and workshops and meeting lots of new people, I was also a volunteer and helped with a bunch of different aspects of the week, so I was very busy! It’s hard to compete with getting to perform in the World Championship Match, so that’s the obvious highlight for me, but I also really enjoyed the improvisational Shakespeare workshops I took, getting to meet new players from other cities, and hanging out with the QC players.
“It was a real honor to get win at the first World Championships at the Spotlight,” Mueller said. “As a rookie, I never expected to get that sort of opportunity so soon. I’m very grateful to Bob (Kelly) for giving me that chance and for all my teammates for supporting me.
“Playing against the other cities was really great,” she said. “We played against Indianapolis and they were the nicest and most supportive people. Even though the show is a competition, we all have the same goal of putting on a fantastically funny show for our loyal fans. When you have a shared goal like that, it’s easy to feed off of each other’s energy and make each other better. Also our referee Courtney was fantastic, making sure we were all on the same page and keeping the show moving.
ComedySportz performer Frankie Bolda from Indianapolis.
“Having the hometown support was a little intimidating before we started the show; I didn’t want to let them down!” Mueller said. “But once we started, I could feel all the love from our fans. When we did our introductions, I did this thing where I went down to the right side of the stage and motioned for that half of the audience to cheer louder and then the other side.
“Feeling them respond to that and cheer for me was a big confidence boost!” she said. “I’m glad we were able to put on an excellent show and bring home the title for them. I hope they tell all their friends what an awesome time they had and come to our regular weekend shows. We have so many funny and talented performers in our group that I’m sure they would love just as much as us.”
Bob Kelly, who co-owns the local franchise with his wife Kasey, has been doing CSz since 1999, but this was just the second championship he performed in (the other being in Chicago).
“This year was so exciting. We were so proud to have everyone in our space,” he said by email. “Watching so many of our performers (we had 12 different performers on stage throughout the course of the week) shine in front of our hometown audience & their peers across the nation” was a key highlight.
Having it at the Spotlight for the first time, “There is something special in that building, and we’ve got a lot of positive feedback from other cities,” he said. “It’s just awesome! Different areas perform games differently. It was awesome to see our players adjust on the fly and still be amazing.”
On each night of the championship week, they had a late show that was specifically for the players. On Friday night, they had a “Managers Show,” and to up the stakes, they challenged each manager to donate $25 into a pot. They divided the country up, West Coast, East Coast, Midwest and South. Then they chose four QC charities for each “division” to represent. In the end, the division representing the Nest Cafe in Rock Island won, and after the tournament, Kelly and crew delivered a check for $720 to the Nest Cafe.
Dave Levora, who’s done CSz about 12 years, said this was his first time performing at championship.
“This week offered two opportunities to grow as an improviser. During the day, I went to workshops and learned new techniques and practices from some of the top performers/teachers from across the country,” he said by email. “Then the shows! These teams that travel to championship are made up of the quickest, funniest and most uniquely talented players. Watching them play, opens a ton of doors for my own performances in the future here every weekend in Moline.
“Understand, we had people from all over America here marveling at our facility and this community,” Levora said of the Spotlight. “We’ve known for two years now how special The Spotlight is. Hearing outsiders share that opinion was certainly validating.”
Brendan Sears from the QC team.
Just before their final match against Indianapolis July 12, Levora said that winning didn’t matter. “The entire time leading up to the championship, I would have told you it was so important we win, especially as the host city,” he said. “But just before we ran on the field, something clicked in my head and my purpose shifted to just having fun and doing whatever we could to make sure everyone in the room was having as much fun as we were.
“The gimmick is competitive improvisational comedy but I’ll let you in on a secret, both teams are focused on one goal, a good show and a great time,” Levora said. “That’s true at championship and every Friday and Saturday night.
“I hope our loyal local fans understand their role in our latest world title and take ownership of it,” he said, quoting a famous Queen song. “It’s like my good friend Freddie once told me, ‘WE are the champions, my friend.’ In a week packed with great memories, getting all the high fives from all the fans after the championship ranks at the top.”
QC team members (L-R) Amelia Fishcher, Brendan Sears, Danielle Mueller, and Dave Levora.
Amelia Fischer, a CSz performer since 2017, also was part of her second championship.
“I played on this year’s winning team and it was awesome!” she said by email. “It was so great to hear a crowd of proud Quad Citians cheer for our team.
“It’s great to meet and learn from other players. It’s interesting to take similar content and see how it’s interpreted in other locations,” Fischer said. Different jokes/games/gimicks can work in different ways in different cities.”
Winning at Spotlight for the first time “really instilled a sense of pride that we’re part of this team and organization. We’re great at what we do and belong in this community,” she said, noting it was enlightening to play against other cities. “It’s fun to learn how they play games and which games are their favorites. We can have a game with the same name but there will be slightly different rules.”
Getting the QC hometown support was “amazingly reassuring,” Fischer said., “I think most of us would perform to a crowd of one but when so many people show up and support, it fills you with joy.”
Brendan Sears has been improvising for 21 years, with 15 years at CSz-QC. This was his first time competing in any kind of tournament.
“Being lucky enough to be in the championship match meant a lot to me,” he said. “The entire week was special. I got to learn from and perform alongside some of the best improvisers in the world.”
Rotating teams among the 40-person CSz-QC troupe play every Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. at the lower-level Spotlight Studio. For tickets and more information, click HERE.
Celebrating the ComedySportz World Championship on the Spotlight Theatre stage, with the QC team at right.
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