PRESTIGIOUS MANHATTAN THEATER TO OFFER SITCOM WRITING CLASS: Award-Winning Television Writer to Teac

Beginning Monday, September 11, 2006, the Peoples Improv Theater will sponsor a sitcom writing class taught by award-winning screenwriter Sarit Catz. The PIT has been named “The Best New Development in Comedy” by Time Out New York magazine and PIT classes have been named the “Best in New York” by New York magazine.

[USPRwire, Wed Sep 06 2006] New York City’s Peoples Improv Theater, or the PIT, is dedicated to the instruction, performance and development of original comedy. Composed of two elements, a theater that presents original comedic shows nightly and a school that offers a variety of classes, the PIT has been named “The Best New Development in Comedy” by Time Out New York magazine. Classes at the PIT, which features an unparalleled professional writing program, have been named the “Best in New York” by New York magazine. Beginning Monday, September 11, 2006, the PIT will sponsor a sitcom writing class taught by award-winning screenwriter Sarit Catz.

Sarit Catz has been a writer/producer on numerous TV series including Coach, Full House, Soul Man, Talk to Me, The Crew, Café Americain, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and others. She created two original series, Girls’ Night for UPN and Click for Big Ticket Television, a division of Spelling Entertainment. She has won three (3) Writers’ Guild of America Awards as well as being named a semi-finalist in the ScriptapaloozaTV screenwriting contest.

The class, offered in 6 weekly three-hour sessions, will teach students how to write for sitcoms like Everybody Loves Raymond and Entourage. Through instruction, writing assignments, authentic examples, and feedback, students will learn to construct stories, scenes and dialogue that work. At the end of the course, students will have a working sample script. Catz asserts, “The PIT is all about demystifying the whole process and so am I. After all, TV’s not exactly brain surgery. Rocket science – yes. Brain surgery – no.”

Beyond creating the spec script, the class will also cover the business of television, development, staffing, pitching, getting an agent, and keeping a job. According to Catz, “The spec is critical. But it’s not going to do you any good sitting in your drawer.” She continues, “Everyone knows it’s a tough market out there now, but TV is always looking for good writers with good ideas and I’m hoping this class will turn out a few of those. And then they’ll hire me.”


About Sarit Catz:

A recognized comedy expert, Sarit Catz began her comedy career in radio, creating, writing and producing three award-winning comedy services for ABC Radio Networks and other nationally syndicated services bringing her jokes, voices, song-parodies, and other bits to every market in the nation, from New York’s WPLJ to LA’s KLOS. Sarit went on to become a television writer/producer with credits that include “Coach,” “Full House,” “Soul Man,” “Talk to Me,” “The Crew,” “Café Americain,” and “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” In the feature film arena, Sarit wrote and sold options on two original screenplays currently being marketed to studios by producers. She has won three (3) Writers’ Guild of America Awards and been named a semi-finalist in the ScriptapaloozaTV screenwriting contest. When Sarit’s children were born, so was her stand-up comedy career. Not only do the kids drive Sarit crazy enough to run screaming from the house and into the clubs, they also provide her with plenty of material. She has played numerous comedy clubs including The Comic Strip, Stand-Up New York, Gotham Comedy Club, Comedy Cellar, New York Comedy Club, Boston Comedy Club, Rascals Montclair and West Orange, Jenkinson’s, Uncle Floyd’s, and many more. Sarit has been named a semi-finalist in “The Great Canadian Laugh-Off” and is a three time winner of “Clash of the Comics.” She is currently pitching new series for the 2007 season and is a producer and the Head Writer for the “Bob Gonzo Show,” a sketch/variety show appearing on RipeTV, the new on-demand network, and in syndication. For more information, visit www.princessofcomedy.com.

Bookmark this release: Del.icio.us - Digg - Furl - Blinklist - Reddit