The San Francisco Improv Festival 2007 will kick into its third week in high style this weekend with performances by the improv troupes Oui Be Negroes and Messing With Ike (featuring Suan Messing from the Annoyance Theatre, Chicago and MadTV's Ike Barinholtz) at 8 p.m. June 28-30, Thursday through Saturday at the Buriel Clay Theater, 762 Fulton St., San Francisco. 

Hope to see you there! 

20007's Oui Be Negroes cast featured Nkechi, Marcus Sams, Hans Summers, and Shaun Landry with Music by Joshua Raoul Brody

Oui Be Negroes,  conceived by Artistic Director Shaun Landry and Director Hans Summers, made its debut in the Windy City in 1993, drawing personnel from the Second City Outreach Program. After a number of years in Chicago, Oui Be Negroes sought sunnier climes, and relocated to the Bay Area in 2000. 

Both Landry and Summers worked together for years with the Underground Theatre Conspiracy, and had thrown around the concept of an all African American Improvisational troupe, which would be geared specifically toward social/political humor.

Unfortunately finding African American improvisers back then in Chicago, was like finding mail that was not burning on the South Side of Chicago.

Landry actively went seeking Negroes and ran upon them at the Second City Outreach Program There she assembled a fine cast of improvisers and mounted a show at Cafe Voltaire Chicago.

Several shows at Voltaire, Sheffield's Improv Olympic and the Turnaround Theatre later, Oui Be Negroes has come to be known as the ORIGINAL African American Improv/Sketch Comedy Troupe in the Country. The Negroes has traveled to several festivals and has performed all over the country (from New York to San Francisco)!

Check out The Oui Be Negroes Performance Page for upcoming shows and Bookings with Negroes!