Comedy Contest at Irvine Improv Winding to Close

The competition heats up in the “Captain Morgan Laff Off” Sunday and Monday at the Irvine Improv, as the monthlong contest winds to a close.

Four Mondays of comedy one-upmanship have narrowed the field of hopefuls from 48 to 17 for Sunday’s semifinals. The four survivors will move on to Monday’s finals, where they will compete for a top prize of $4,000 and four weeks of bookings at the Improv. Second and third prizes are $1,000 and $500 respectively, each with three weeks of Improv bookings.

The contest has not been an amateur showcase: Sunday’s field is dotted with veteran professional comics, including such high-profile performers as Rick Rockwell, a headliner with frequent TV appearances to his credit, and San Francisco’s Johnny Steele, who was second-billed on this week’s Improv lineup with Bill Engvall.

Sunday’s field of 17 will divide and perform in two shows, at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Semifinalists are: Bob Worley, Lry Sknr, Allan Murray and Rene Sandoval (from the May 7 competition); Jerry Miner, Vince Champ, Doug Benson, Ron Robertson and Gerry Swallow (May 14); Chuck Martin, Don McMillian, Dave Maxey and Scott Herriott (May 21); and Don Barnhart, Steele, Rockwell and Greg Ray (May 28).

Tickets to the semifinals are $7. Tickets for Monday’s 8:30 p.m. finals are $10. The Improv is at 4255 Campus Drive in Irvine, in the Marketplace shopping center. Information: (714) 854-5455.