COMEDY : Four Score . . . or So Comics at Brea Improv Hope, Anyway

Robert Hartmann is betting that four lesser-known comedians doing their best stuff will be as big a draw as one big-name headliner.

The regional manager for the local Improvs knows he’s taking a chance, but he’s willing to bet that the format will be a boon to audiences and comics alike for the next three weeks at the Brea Improv.

“This kind of came out of a quest for something a little more than the traditional three-man show,” Hartmann said, referring to nights that feature opening, middle and headline acts. “A number of comics conceived it to make it a lot more fast-paced with higher energy. A lot of times there are ups and downs in shows, so (the comics) thought they could combine their talents. This helps them grow as performers. Each has 20 minutes that can destroy.”

Performing are John Bowman, Todd Glass, Tommy Koenig and Lynn Shore. Glass opens the evening and sets the stage for the rest of the show. The first 10 minutes are devoted to each comic doing a couple minutes of stand-up, Hartmann said, to introduce themselves to the audience. After that, the revue becomes a mix of sketches the performers have written together, stand-up material and musical parodies--all aided by the venue’s upgraded lighting and video capacity.

“In the long run, it lets us pull in a lot of comedians who can’t carry a show but have minutes that kill,” Hartmann said. “This opens up a new field for those comics. This is the first time we’re committing a whole show to it.”

For the initial offering, Hartmann has pulled together a cast that exceeds that criteria. All are veterans, and Koenig, Bowman and Glass have headlined at various Improvs.

Koenig’s strength lies in his musical talents and ability to play myriad characters (male and female, age problem), including all four Beatles simultaneously. He also appeared in Mel Brooks’ movie “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” and has been on several TV shows, including a guest-star role on “Miami Vice.”

Bowman, a frantic comic who recently appeared on the “The Tonight Show,” also boast stints in theater, television and films.

The freewheeling Glass, a veteran of “The Dennis Miller Show” and “Comic Strip Live,” likes to mug his way through a set, which includes a fine bit on his father’s smoking.

Shore’s forte is impressions, and his TV credits include A&E;’s “Evening at the Improv,” MTV’s “Half Hour Comedy Hour” and Fox’s “Comic Strip Live.”

Where and When

What: Four-comedian revue.

When: Through July 10, except Mondays.

Where: The Brea Improv, 945 E. Birch St., Brea.

Whereabouts: Take the Lambert Road exit from the Orange (57) Freeway and go west. Turn left onto State College Boulevard and right onto Birch Street. The Improv is in the Brea Marketplace, across from the Brea Mall.

Wherewithal: $7 to $10.

Where to call: (714) 529-7878.