Bonerama

Thu.-Sat., July 16-18, 8 and 10 p.m., $10, Philly Improv Theater at the Shubin Theatre, 407 Bainbridge St., 267-233-1556, phillyimprovtheater.com.

by Chelsea Calhoun

[ comedy ]

A bonerama is not what you think it is.

"I tried to throw a roller-skating birthday party under that name, and it didn't work out," says Tabitha Viadurri. "Apparently, it's this old, Valley-girl slang word for 'the mall,' and I like to believe that."

Viadurri, along with Alexis Simpson and Meg Favreau, are the local ladies behind Bonerama, also the name of their all-female sketch and improv festival. The three-day event will feature female standup comedians from the region, improv performances by BWP and Cecily and Gwendolyn, and a "Bonerama Variety Hour," where performers will introduce new material created just for the fest. Best of all, though, it kicks off Thursday with The Real Housewives of Philadelphia, a sketch that follows a circle of wives, playing out all the familiar drama (i.e. ex-husbands and fake boobies) of Bravo's highly dramatic and widely publicized reality series — with some Philly flair, of course.

Despite the occasion's all-female design, the ladies say it's really just an excuse to have a comedy festival.

"The last thing I want is for this to be seen as some sort of separate-but-equal thing, giving the impression that women can be funny if they're in a little box by themselves," says Favreau. "Women in Philadelphia comedy, and comedy in general, hold their own."

Thu.-Sat., July 16-18, 8 and 10 p.m., $10, Philly Improv Theater at the Shubin Theatre, 407 Bainbridge St., 267-233-1556, phillyimprovtheater.com.