Khristee Rich loves to make people laugh. In fact, she is making a full-time career out of it.

The Dancing Curtain is her sketch comedy group that performs throughout Connecticut and New York. The group writes and presents skits based upon real-life occurrences. In the style of "The Carol Burnett Show" or "I Love Lucy," this troupe lives to laugh.

The Dancing Curtain Theater Company started in May of 2009. After years of acting and performing, Rich decided to harness her constantly-flowing story ideas.

Originally from Virginia, Rich moved to Connecticut at age five and grew up in Ridgefield.

From ages five through 18, she was involved in a now-defunct Ridgefield Parks and Recreation program called Spotlight Theatre, where she acted in productions such as "Oliver," "Annie" and "Bye Bye Birdie" A very shy child, Rich said being involved in theater helped her overcome it. "Through theater, I really broke out of my shell," she said.

After college, Rich pursued her love of the theater by earning a BFA at the University of Michigan. She studied abroad in London during her junior year, where she shared a flat with seven other young women and wrote a play about their wacky adventures. Upon returning home, Rich produced and directed her play, called "Seven People and a Grain of Rice." This was when her love of comedic theater began. 

In 1997, she moved to New York City to focus on auditions. She lived in the Village and soon became involved in Tweed Theater Works, which produced drag queen shows and spoofs on old cinema. 

After staying in Manhattan for a few years but not having much luck with theater, Rich chose to return to Connecticut, where she redirected her creative ambitions towards writing and tried to get her plays and children's books published. Strike two. Time to refocus.

After a stint working at a mental hospital and then at the Aldrich, Rich decided to return to her first love, comedic theater.

She chose the name The Dancing Curtain, because she wanted a unique name that people could remember.

"I thought of the musical 'Gypsy' and the character who said, 'You gotta have a gimmick,' and I decided on our gimmick," Rich said. Each of their shows ends with a dancing curtain call.

Besides performing, The Dancing Curtain also teaches acting classes for children and adults at the Recreation Center, as well as various locations throughout the state.

Rich is currently looking for more actors, singers and performers to join The Dancing Curtain and is holding auditions on Saturday, April 17 in New York City and in mid-April (date and location to be determined) in Connecticut. Interested actors and comedians should e-mail pictures, resumes, and reels to info@thedancingcurtain.com.