‘Comedy transcends the feud’: Yale and Harvard comedy groups to host a comedic feast
Yale and Harvard comedy groups will join forces the weekend of The Game to put on the Leftover Turkey Sandwich Show.
Courtesy of Betty Kubovy Weiss
A Yale sketch comedy group, a Harvard improv group and a Yale improv group walk into a bar. Well, actually, they will walk onto a stage.
On Friday, Nov. 17, three comedy groups, two from Yale and one from Harvard, will perform in the first-ever “Leftover Turkey Sandwich Show.” The show will feature Yale sketch comedy group The Fifth Humour, Yale improv group The Purple Crayon and Harvard improv group On Thin Ice.
Traditionally, The Purple Crayon and On Thin Ice have put on a show the weekend of The Game, while The Fifth Humour has always put on a show before Thanksgiving called “Dranksgiving.” However, this year, 5H Co-director Betty Kubovy-Weiss ’25 decided to reach out to Harvard sketch groups to do a joint show. Since Harvard does not have any sketch groups, Kubovy-Weiss said she decided to reach out to Harvard improv groups, and On Thin Ice was excited about the proposal. The result: a three-way joint show bound to produce some giggles.
“This year we’re doing something different and hoping that maybe moving forward will be a big annual show. It’s a very new territory for us,” Kubovy-Weiss told the News.
Although it is a joint show, they are not blending sketch and comedy.
The show will consist of three separate acts where each group will have the opportunity to showcase their work. Kubovy-Weiss said 5H had entertained the idea of working together with the other groups, but they did not think that there would be enough time to prepare considering On Thin Ice is coming from Harvard. Each group wanted to present their best work and feel well-prepared, so she said they decided that doing individual acts would help them achieve these goals.
To prepare for this show and others, 5H typically meets twice a week to write new sketches and suggest edits. Then, they typically start rehearsing about a week and a half in advance, according to Kubovy-Weiss. They typically average three shows per semester, some of which include their family weekend show and their senior show.
The Leftover Turkey Sandwich Show will not be much different from their other shows. While the show is the weekend of The Game, the majority of the content will not be game-related, according to Kubovy-Weiss. They will include some Thanksgiving content and perhaps open the show with a few football jokes.
“We are just putting on five sketches that we normally would for any other weekend so that people can see what our group just kinda does,” said 5H Co-director Dean Farella ’26.
Despite the theme of the weekend being rivalry, the purpose is for the groups to share their comedic talents.
“Comedy transcends the feud,” said 5H new tap Dora Molot ’27.
The stands of the Bowl will not be the only packed venue filled with nerves and excitement this weekend. This show is already oversold, and many 5H members told the News they are excited about this incredible opportunity.
“I am excited! Last time I checked the show was 50 seats oversold, so it’s definitely going to be packed, but I’m excited for that,” 5H member Charles Englander ’27 said. “It can certainly be nerve-racking but when it all works out it’s extremely fun and I’m looking forward to it!”
The show will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the Dunham Laboratory Auditorium with a comedy mixer to follow.