Alli Soowal is a member of the longform groups MakeOut Clinic and Men About Town, a member of the improv mainstay ComedySportz Philadelphia and is half of the snackprov duo, BWP. Her all-female powerhouse team PonyCoat claimed the grand championship of the competition based improv serial, Troika. She is a producer of the Philadelphia Improv Festival and has studied with both the ComedySportz Comedy College and the Philly Improv Theater. She has also workshopped with such noted improvisers as Joe Bill of the Annoyance Theatre, Jill Bernard of IO and Rebecca Sohn of Second City.
Corey Cohen is a member of Men About Town and a writer / performer in the celebrated Philadelphia-based sketch group, The Sixth Borough. He has trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in NYC and studied scene and sketch writing with the Peoples Improv Theater. He is also the co-producer, writer and star of the episodic Internet show, Zombie Country.
Matt Nelson is the editor of PhillyImprov.com and executive producer of the Philadelphia Improv Festival. He has trained with The Groundlings, ImproWorks and the Philly Improv Theater, as well as having workshopped with instructors from UCBT, iO and the Second City. He can be seen performing in the longform group Men About Town, currently serving as host of the weekly shortform group the N Crowd and is the creator and host of the acclaimed competition based improv serial, Troika.
Members
Corey Cohen, Matt Nelson, Alli Soowal
Men About Town's Interests
General
"It was at one time the fashion to affect a certain negligence, which was called poetic, and supposed to be the result of genius. An ill-tied, if not positively untied cravat was a sure sign of an unbridled imagination; and a waistcoat was held together by one button only, as if the swelling soul in the wearer's bosom had burst all the rest. If in addition to this the hair was unbrushed and curly, you were certain of passing for a "man of soul". I should not recommend any young gentleman to adopt this style, unless he can mouth a great deal, and has a good stock of quotations of the poets. It is of no use to show me the clouds, unless I can see you in them, and no amount of negligence in your dress and person will convince me you are a genius, unless you can produce an octavo volume of poems published by yourself"
The Habits of Good Society, 1859
"Don't dress like a 'dude' or a 'swell'; nor carry a little poodle dog (a man's glory is his strength and manliness--not in aping silly girls), nor cock your hat on one side, nor tip it back on your head (let it sit straight and square), nor wear anything conspicuous or that will make you offensive to others"
Modern Manners & Social Forms, 1889
"A well dressed man does not require so much an extensive as a varied wardrobe. He wants a different costume for every season and every occasion; but if what he selects is simple rather than striking, he may appear in the same clothes as often as he likes, as long as they are fresh and appropriate to the season and the object."
"There are four kinds of coats which he must have: a business coat, a frock coat, a dress-coat and an overcoat. A well dressed man may do well with four of the first, and one each of the others per annum. An economical man may get by with less."
"The dress of a gentleman should be such as not to excite any special observation, unless it be for neatness and propriety. The utmost care should be exercised to avoid even the appearance of desiring to attract attention by the peculiar formation of any article of attire, or by the display of an immoderate quantity of jewelry, both being a positive evidence of vulgarity. His dress should be studiously neat, leaving no other impression than that of a well dressed gentleman."
"The native independence of American character regards with disdain many of the stringent social laws which are recognized in England and on the continent. Thus, the dress which many of our countrymen adopt...would subject them to serious annoyance abroad."
About me:
Cast: Alli Soowal, Corey Cohen & Matt Nelson
Men About Town are three members of the genus Homo, family Hominidae, order Primates, class Mammalia; characterized by erect posture, opposable thumbs and the ability to punch you in the face with adrenaline-pumped improv madness.
A classic line of film dialogue suggested by the audience is all the inspiration Men About Town needs to create a unique half hour vignette fueled by character-driven comedy that the Philadelphia Weekly calls "raucous" and "hilarious."
Men About Town has performed off-Broadway, at the NYC Sketch-a-thon, the Philadelphia Improv Festival, the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, the Dirty South Improv Festival and at the historic Trocadero Theatre. They perform regularly for the Philly Improv Theater where they took the win at the first ever Cagematch competition.
Men About Town at PHIF 2007 from Matt Nelson on Vimeo.
Who I'd like to meet: Fellow discerning gentlemen; well represented by suitable attire, an air of esteem and a living testament to social grace and etiquette.
We are of solid gentlemen stock and tire easily of swells and dudes, so those affecting such self disdain need not apply. Dandies will be welcomed, provided they are of England or the Continent.
