What comes to mind when you think of blinking traffic lights?
For B.J. Ellis , executive director of The N Crowd, a Philadelphia comedy troupe, they are a "clear attack of the epileptic liberation front".
It takes about five seconds before the audience will find themselves laughing out loud. These moments during a show are the highlight of the night for Ellis.
The N Crowd was the brainchild of comedian Ray Reese, who has over 10 years of experience in the performing arts industry. It was established in April 2005 and the comedy group has since performed over 175 shows in Philadelphia and Pottstown and also at events such as Philly Fringe arts festival.
For the actors in this Philadelphia-based improv comedy group, performing does not pay their rent. They are incredibly talented people who have regular jobs in addition to acting. They lead double lives, in the most impressive sense.
Ellis, for example, is a teacher by day and a comedian extraordinaire by night.
What differentiates the N Crowd from other comedy troupes is the interactive quality of the performance. Audience members are expected to yell out suggestions which are brought to life on stage with witticisms that are guaranteed to make you laugh .
It must be pointed out that no suggestion is ever rejected. This is a bold claim for a comedy group, but the N Crowd is up to the challenge.
To provide a sneak preview of what to expect, the N Crowd took the somber topic of abortion and improvised a story about a space mission being aborted because of the native people of Abor-tian.
Boring will never describe this comedy group. Each 90-minute performance is unique because of the heavy audience participation.
If you are looking for a quiet comedy skit, Ellis has forewarned that the N Crowd is not for you. The actors pride themselves on voice projection - they do not need microphones and love rowdy interactive audiences.
Ellis likened the N Crowd to Mel Brooks movies. So, if you are not easily insulted, are just looking for a good laugh to start off your weekend or seriously love Mel Brooks movies, check out a front row seat at the N Crowd's show on Friday night at 8 p.m.
