Admissions officer, or improv comic - or both?

Tom McManus, an admissions officer by day, works as a comedian at the Comedy Sportz comedy club by night. By day, 1994 College graduate Tom McManus works as a regional director for the Office of Admissions, but by night, he moonlights as a stand-up comedian and the unofficial "rap king" of South Street. As an undergraduate, McManus held a work-study position in admissions, so staying on in the office seemed like a logical decision. But the 12-hour days and frequent travelling sometimes leave him reminiscing about his former days in Chord on Blues, Penn Players and the Stimulus Children's Theatre. To satisfy his theatrical yearnings, he joined an improvisation group at Comedy Sportz comedy club. "Comedy Sportz saved my life," he said. "My job for Penn is fun but thankless -- no one ever comes to visit their admission officer." The Philadelphia chapter of the national comedy club chain was founded by four University graduates who had been members of Mask and Wig and Without a Net. Since then, several University theater members have joined the chapter's humorous ranks upon graduation. "Once I graduated, I tried to stay in touch with my theatre and music groups at Penn, but I knew less and less people," McManus said. "Comedy Sportz gave me the opportunity to participate in steady acting and introduced me to 20 new friends," he said. Two nights a week, McManus takes a break from analyzing SAT scores and reading application essays to practice and perform comedy. The group -- which performs improv comedy every Saturday night at 623 South Street -- is composed of some full-time actors, but is mostly made of professionals with other full-time jobs, such as a nurse and a district attorney. Since they work without scripts, group members say they depend solely on "trust and support." "The truckasaurus is supposed to be a powerful force for good," McManus yelled during a story game of Saturday's Battle of the Sexes theme show in honor of Valentine's Day. McManus proved his fearless attitude during the show, which featured a competition between four male and four female actors. With the assistance of two referees, the "act-letes" and the audience battled to find the funnier gender. McManus, as team captain, led the "Blues Brothers" to a last-second win over the "Red Sistas," with a final score of 27 to 23. "You know -- I'm going to bust a rhyme," McManus said as he controlled the final game of the night, "Elimination Rap." He said his University English degree probably gave him a little edge on the competition. McManus said the shows are a necessary break from his University job -- especially while the Admissions Office makes decisions for the class of 2001. "I'm glad I'm part of the admissions process," he said. "But Comedy Sportz is also an important part of my life." Comedy Sportz has performed at several events on campus, for organizations such as Hillel, and at fraternity and sorority parties. The group also teaches several improvisation workshops. Information about the group can be obtained from its hotline at 98-LAUGH. Comedy Sportz is beginning a high school league for the West Philadelphia area, and has chapters in 22 cities. The South Street location is above Mont Serat restaurant, where Comedy Sportz patrons can receive a discount on their meals.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.