Four Day Weekend
Encyclopedia
Four Day Weekend is an improvisational comedy
troupe based in Fort Worth, Texas
.
Opened in 1997, Four Day Weekend has been called "the best little comedy show (that you've never seen) in Texas." They have performed more than 3,500 performances in their current space. Four Day Weekend is the longest running live show in Ft. Worth history.
The group began as a show with a six-week run featuring members David Wilk, Frank Ford, Troy Grant, Chamblee Furgusson, David Holt and host David Ahearn. The run was extended and ran for almost a year at Sundance Square
at Casa's Theater on the Square. Soon after, the show was moved two blocks north to the 212-seat historic Caravan of Dreams in Sundance Square. There, they also provide improvisational comedy classes.
On March 21, 2007, they were featured on the cover of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
entertainment magazine. Four Day Weekend recently created and sold a half-hour television comedy pilot to 20th century Fox. The show is currently in development for the Fox Network. In addition to performing four weekly shows to the public, they travel across the country performing for corporate clients. Four Day Weekend is represented by United Talent Agency in Beverly Hills, CA and Managed by Generate in Santa Monica, CA.
Four Day Weekend introduced the art of improvisational comedy to Fort Worth on February 28, 1997 in a show that was scheduled for a limited six-week run at Casa Manana's Theater on the Square. The show quickly garnered critical acclaim, as well as a growing audience, and the run was extended. A year later, Four Day Weekend realized they were quickly outgrowing the 110-seat Casa theater and were invited to share the stage at the nearby Caravan of Dreams theater, a performing arts center located in the central business district of Fort Worth. Despite the fact that this new theater was more than twice the size of their previous location, Four Day Weekend was soon selling out their new theater on a regular basis.
A year and a half later, fellow veteran comedian Oliver Tull joined the cast, ready for a change from his life as a stand-up comedian. He soon found his footing in the show and has become one of the most accomplished, charismatic performers in Four Day Weekend. The following year, Grant discovered Ray Sharp playing the piano at a local delicatessen. Realizing the show needed a musical director, Grant invited Sharp to sit in on a comedy show. Sharp was a natural, and eventually was hired as the full-time musical director for Four Day Weekend. Soon after, Joshua Roberts graduated from the Four Day Weekend training center, a series of classes where the public can learn the art of improvisational comedy. He was asked to fill in as a weekend replacement when a cast member was unable to perform, and ultimately was brought on as a full-time member. Original members Fergusson, Holt and Grant eventually left to pursue other opportunities.
In 2001, the Caravan of Dreams closed its doors and offered Four Day Weekend the opportunity to take over the theater. The building was renamed the Four Day Weekend Theater, and the comedy troupe continues to entertain audiences there today.
In addition to live public performances at the theater, Four Day Weekend has generated its own corporate communications division which includes a corporate training division, a full four-level student training center, touring company and a film/television production arm. The cast has performed more than 4,000 shows around the world and has received rave reviews from local and national celebrities, including Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, baseball legend Nolan Ryan, and members of the United States Congress.
What began as a six-week show has become a 14-year success, and is still going strong today.
Additionally, Four Day Weekend's 4Day Creative is a turn-key production facility that caters to corporate clients. 4Day Creative conceptualizes, writes, direts, shoots, edits and performs in live, video and multi-media projects. Their full production facility includes camera packages, lighting and non-linear editing systems, all of which can be used in-house or can be taken on the road for off-site meetings.
Finally, Four Day Weekend also offers a Training Center in which they teach improvisational workshops in four levels of eight-week classes. From beginner to performer, these classes are a great way to learn the art of improvisation and perform on stage for an audience of friends and family.
Improvisational theatre
Improvisational theatre takes many forms. It is best known as improv or impro, which is often comedic, and sometimes poignant or dramatic. In this popular, often topical art form improvisational actors/improvisers use improvisational acting techniques to perform spontaneously...
troupe based in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
.
Opened in 1997, Four Day Weekend has been called "the best little comedy show (that you've never seen) in Texas." They have performed more than 3,500 performances in their current space. Four Day Weekend is the longest running live show in Ft. Worth history.
The group began as a show with a six-week run featuring members David Wilk, Frank Ford, Troy Grant, Chamblee Furgusson, David Holt and host David Ahearn. The run was extended and ran for almost a year at Sundance Square
Sundance Square
Sundance Square is the name of an area in downtown Fort Worth, Texas. Named after the Sundance Kid in western folklore, it is a popular place for nightlife and entertainment in Fort Worth and for tourists visiting the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
at Casa's Theater on the Square. Soon after, the show was moved two blocks north to the 212-seat historic Caravan of Dreams in Sundance Square. There, they also provide improvisational comedy classes.
On March 21, 2007, they were featured on the cover of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is a major U.S. daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. Its area of domination is checked by its main rival, The Dallas Morning News, which is published from the eastern half of the Metroplex. It is owned...
entertainment magazine. Four Day Weekend recently created and sold a half-hour television comedy pilot to 20th century Fox. The show is currently in development for the Fox Network. In addition to performing four weekly shows to the public, they travel across the country performing for corporate clients. Four Day Weekend is represented by United Talent Agency in Beverly Hills, CA and Managed by Generate in Santa Monica, CA.
History
In the fall of 1996, friends and comedians Frank Ford, David Wilk and Troy Grant left the famed comedy theater The Second City in Chicago to start their own improvisational comedy show. Settling on Fort Worth, Texas, the trio called longtime friend and stand-up comedian David Ahearn to join them and, while he initially declined the offer, Ahearn did agree to sit in on a photo shoot to help fill out the promotional photo for the show. Before he knew it, he was a full-time member of the Four Day Weekend comedy troupe. Fellow comedians Chamblee Furgusson and David Holt rounded out the cast, and the show was ready to debut.Four Day Weekend introduced the art of improvisational comedy to Fort Worth on February 28, 1997 in a show that was scheduled for a limited six-week run at Casa Manana's Theater on the Square. The show quickly garnered critical acclaim, as well as a growing audience, and the run was extended. A year later, Four Day Weekend realized they were quickly outgrowing the 110-seat Casa theater and were invited to share the stage at the nearby Caravan of Dreams theater, a performing arts center located in the central business district of Fort Worth. Despite the fact that this new theater was more than twice the size of their previous location, Four Day Weekend was soon selling out their new theater on a regular basis.
A year and a half later, fellow veteran comedian Oliver Tull joined the cast, ready for a change from his life as a stand-up comedian. He soon found his footing in the show and has become one of the most accomplished, charismatic performers in Four Day Weekend. The following year, Grant discovered Ray Sharp playing the piano at a local delicatessen. Realizing the show needed a musical director, Grant invited Sharp to sit in on a comedy show. Sharp was a natural, and eventually was hired as the full-time musical director for Four Day Weekend. Soon after, Joshua Roberts graduated from the Four Day Weekend training center, a series of classes where the public can learn the art of improvisational comedy. He was asked to fill in as a weekend replacement when a cast member was unable to perform, and ultimately was brought on as a full-time member. Original members Fergusson, Holt and Grant eventually left to pursue other opportunities.
In 2001, the Caravan of Dreams closed its doors and offered Four Day Weekend the opportunity to take over the theater. The building was renamed the Four Day Weekend Theater, and the comedy troupe continues to entertain audiences there today.
In addition to live public performances at the theater, Four Day Weekend has generated its own corporate communications division which includes a corporate training division, a full four-level student training center, touring company and a film/television production arm. The cast has performed more than 4,000 shows around the world and has received rave reviews from local and national celebrities, including Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, baseball legend Nolan Ryan, and members of the United States Congress.
What began as a six-week show has become a 14-year success, and is still going strong today.
Production
Four Day Weekend shows take place on a stage with minimalist set design - a few chairs and a wide array of props and costume pieces bring these shows to life. Each show is built around audience suggestions (which are sometimes called out or written on notecards or post-its) and audience participation (members are asked to join the troupe on stage to be included in the show). A musical director uses live piano and recorded music clips to enhance the comedy experience, and special lighting and a projector screen also come into play.Cast
Current members of Four Day Weekend include:| Cast Member | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| David Ahearn | Founding member, Host | 1997–present |
| David Wilk | Founding member, Improvisor | 1997–present |
| Frank Ford | Founding member, Improvisor | 1997–present |
| Oliver Tull | Improvisor | 1999–present |
| Joshua Roberts | Improvisor | 2000–present |
| Ray Sharp | Musical Director | 2000–present |
Facilities
The Four Day Weekend Theater is located in Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth between the Reata and Uno Pizzeria. In this building, guests can listen to live music in the Encore Lounge or enjoy a drink from the bar in the main lobby while waiting to be seated for the show. The beautiful 212-seat theater can be rented for private performances and corporate events. Catering, full-bar service and hotel accommodations are also available.Services
In addition to live public performances every Friday and Saturday night at 7:30pm and 10:00pm, Four Day Weekend offers a wide variety of corporate event services to make your meetings memorable:- Hosting Award Ceremonies
- Team Building Workshops
- Meeting Openers
- Keynote Speaking
- Emcee
- Man on the Street Videos
- Meeting Facilitator
- Talk Show/Game Show Host
- Theater Rental
Additionally, Four Day Weekend's 4Day Creative is a turn-key production facility that caters to corporate clients. 4Day Creative conceptualizes, writes, direts, shoots, edits and performs in live, video and multi-media projects. Their full production facility includes camera packages, lighting and non-linear editing systems, all of which can be used in-house or can be taken on the road for off-site meetings.
Finally, Four Day Weekend also offers a Training Center in which they teach improvisational workshops in four levels of eight-week classes. From beginner to performer, these classes are a great way to learn the art of improvisation and perform on stage for an audience of friends and family.
Recognition
While Four Day Weekend has received critical acclaim both locally and nationally, the most recent honors given include:- Key to the City of Fort Worth
- Invitation to keynote the United States Congress Democratic Caucus Issues Conference in Washington, D.C. in January 2011
See also
- Improvisational theatreImprovisational theatreImprovisational theatre takes many forms. It is best known as improv or impro, which is often comedic, and sometimes poignant or dramatic. In this popular, often topical art form improvisational actors/improvisers use improvisational acting techniques to perform spontaneously...
- List of improvisational theatre companies