Five Dollar Comedy Week: Laughs on a budget

We're all about a bargain here, and what better bang for your buck is a comedy festival featuring over 30 performances for a mere $5 a show?

Five Dollar Comedy Week runs from Monday, Aug. 25 through Sunday, Aug. 31 at Queen Village's Shubin Theatre with entertainment beginning at 7 p.m. each night (however, daily workshops begin at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday). The shows are all produced independently and feature over 150 local performers. And we so dig homegrown talent.

The week begins with no shortage of theatrics as performers and attendees meet at Rittenhouse Park at 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 25 for an Olympic-style run to Shubin Theatre for a torch-lighting ceremony followed by a 7 p.m. show about cooking, "Cookblock."

Other performances include "The Bit Show," a 90-minute medley of 15 bits, starting at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 26; "The Internet is Forever," where comedians reveal their less-than-shining web moments at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 27; "The Backfatularette," an interactive, on-stage dating performance with Philly's most eligible at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 28; "The Tinder Show," exploring the conversation-starting nature of online dating at 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29; "You-Logies," where audience members can have their eulogies improvised live at 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30; and "Battle of the Bands," where comedians pair up with local musicians for original music at 10 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 31, followed by closing ceremonies.

If grab bags were totally your thing, the next set of shows will be your dream come true. Closing out the evening on Monday, Aug. 25, Tuesday, Aug. 26, Wednesday, Aug. 27 and Thursday, Aug. 28 is a super-secret show that starts at 11:30 p.m. You'll have no idea what you're in for until you show up — or if you're already in the audience: It's free following the previous show.

From Tuesday through Sunday, you can get interactive at 4 p.m. with special festival workshops covering topics like life as a plant (Tuesday, Aug. 26), modeling (Wednesday, Aug. 27), fart jokes (Thursday, Aug. 28), emotions and painting (Friday, Aug. 29), podcasting (Saturday, Aug. 30) and comedic writing (Sunday, Aug. 31).

If you're making plans to see more than five of these shows, it's probably in your best interest to scoop up a $25 wristband (sold at the door) that gives you unlimited access to all shows and workshops.

Wristband or not, you'll still have to reserve a seat online.

Five Dollar Comedy Week is organized by Aaron Nevins (Hang On with Aaron Nevins, Curses) and Kate Banford (Test Pilot, The Choose Your Own Adventure Show).