UCB Theatre To Reopen; Comedy Brand Acquired By Mosaic Founder Jimmy Miller & Former Onion CEO-Owner Mike McAvoy

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: The UCB Theatre is coming back as Mosaic founder Jimmy Miller and former CEO/Owner of The Onion Mike McAvoy have acquired the legendary comedy brand with the financial support from Elysian Park Ventures.As part of the acquisition, their plan is to reopen theaters in the coming months as well as completely rebuilding the Upright Citizens Brigade’s business, including providing additional support and opportunities for comedic talent and continuing the brand’s efforts to create a more diverse and inclusive environment.

The venue reopening, I’m told, includes UCB’s black box theater at 5919 Franklin Ave. in Hollywood.Miller will serve as chairman and McAvoy will serve as CEO of the new UCB entity, which is not part of Mosaic.

A rep to several big names in comedy including Will Ferrell, Judd Apatow, Kumail Nanjiani, Miller brings a long history of success in comedy to the future of UCB.The esteemed comedy theater, which was launched in 1999 in New York by Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh, came at a time when the foursome were exploding with their hit Comedy Central sketch series, Upright Citizens Brigade, which ran for three seasons from 1998-2000.

While the four separately burned their own comedy paths in showbiz after the Comedy Central show, UCB Theatre and school became its own animal, quickly becoming an incubator for film and TV comedic talent, with a Los Angeles theater and improv/sketch writing school opening in 2005 on 5919 Franklin Ave.With the pandemic taking its toll on many theaters across the U.S., both live and cinemas, UCB was forced to close its New York City locations at the onset of Covid, followed by the sale of its then five-year old two-stage venue at 5419 W.