The Tin Can Brothers, also known as the Tin Can Bros, are an Los Angeles based comedy group founded in 2014 by Joey Richter, Brian Rosenthal, and Corey Lubowich. The trio has written, directed, and produced a wide variety of creative endeavors, including original musicals, sketch comedy shows, short films, and a video/podcast companion series.
Tin Can Brothers began as a YouTube channel in 2014, comprised mostly of sketch comedy videos featuring Richter and Rosenthal in their apartment.[1] Many of the sketches featured other actors and friends, and these sketches eventually allowed Tin Can Brothers to grow into a much larger company. The trio met at the University of Michigan while working with Team StarKid.[2] Their viewers regularly contribute to their projects on Kickstarter, and the Tin Can Brothers have amassed over $573,000 on the platform.
Joey Richter, one of the Tin Can Brothers
Members
Joey Richter is an American actor who first gained popularity after appearing as Ron Weasley in Team StarKid's A Very Potter Musical, which was published on YouTube in 2009.[3] Richter went on to appear in many other productions with the company, including throughout his time with the Tin Can Brothers.[4] He is married to Lauren Lopez, who has been involved with many Tin Can Brothers projects over the years.
Brian Rosenthal also appeared in A Very Potter Musical as Professor Quirrell, but took a hiatus from StarKid after the Potter series. He has pursued a variety of other projects in local film and theater.
Corey Lubowich is a writer, director, and producer who has worked across a variety of mediums.[5][6][7] He also worked with StarKid in their early days on the technical side of production, and went on to direct several productions of A VHS Christmas Carol in the early 2020's.[8]
Tinlightenment World Tour
In honor of TCB's 10-year anniversary, the Tinlightenment World Tour went to Kickstarter in early 2024, with the hopes of raising funds for a variety of projects throughout 2024 and the coming years. The roster of projects included several Spies are Forever live concert screenings, a full run of The Solve It Squad! Returns at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, a This Could Be On Broadway concert at 54 Below, a new musical called Gross Prophets, a pilot reading of Intelligent Life, and several iterations of The Great Debate.[9] Many of these projects are ongoing.
Popular works
Spies are Forever
Spies are Forever is an original musical by the Tin Can Brothers that follows Agent Curt Mega as he works against the Nazis in the Cold War. The Tin Can Brothers wrote the book, while Talkfine (Clark Baxtresser & Pierce Siebers) wrote the music and lyrics. Corey Lubowich directed the original production.[2] The show was released for free in 15 parts on YouTube, divvied up by act and scene number. Spies Are Forever features 19 original songs, which were also released in the original cast recording in 2016.[10]
The story follows Agent Curt Mega's depression after his partner, Owen, does not survive their last mission. He is forced to spy again after discovering that the Nazis are plotting with the Deadliest Man Alive, and he must join forces with Tatiana in order to defeat the Deadliest Man Alive and foil the Nazi plot. He meets a variety of characters along the way, and must contend with his past in this musical spy thriller.
The 54 Below production was scheduled to happen in 2020, but it had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Solve It Squad (series)
The Solve It Squad Returns is a one-act play by the Tin Can Brothers parodying Scooby-Doo. It follows the Solve It Squad as young adults as they struggle to adapt after the death of their dog, Cluebert. When new information surfaces about Cluebert's untimely death, the squad reunites to crack the case once and for all.[13]
Wayward Guide for the Untrained Eye is a dual medium series that premiered on October 12, 2020 at a drive-in theatre in Los Angeles, CA. The story follows the fictional Schue-Horyn twins, who travel to Connor Creek and create a podcast about the mysterious happenings in the area.[16] The Tin Can Brothers released ten episodes of a video series in tandem with ten episodes of the fictional podcast.[17][18]
Alive! On Stage! was a sketch comedy show performed on August 9–10, 2014 at Stage 773 in Chicago. It featured all three of the Tin Can Brothers, as well as Jaime Lyn Beatty, Jeff Blim, Joey deBettencourt, Lauren Lopez, Elyse Serafini, and Joe Walker. The Tin Can Brothers were able to access Stage 773 for these late-night performances because StarKid was using the space during the daytime for their "Summer Series" productions of The Trail to Oregon! and Ani: A Parody.[22]
Seriously. Not A Joke.
Seriously. Not A Joke. was a sketch comedy show performed on December 11–13, 2014 at the ACME Comedy Theatre in Los Angeles. It featured all three of the Tin Can Brothers, as well as Brant Cox, Esther Fallick, Emily Hanley, Jordan Kelley, and Ashley Skidmore.[23]
Choose Our Destiny Improv Adventure
Choose Our Destiny Improv Adventure was a weekly musical improv show on Project Alpha (Geek & Sundry) starring the Tin Can Brothers, Lauren Lopez, and Ashley Skidmore; with Eric Schackne on the piano. It ran for 27 episodes before Project Alpha shut down.[24] The show allowed online audience members to cast their vote during the show and influence the story.
Episode
Theme
Title
01
Sci-Fi
Space Junkies
02
Love Lasers Lost
03
Planet of the Grapes
04
Holiday
Holiday Fun Ride
05
Feliz NaviDAD
06
Deck the Balls
07
CHALLAHback Girl
08
Film Noir
Whispers in the Moonlight
09
Smokin' Guns and Toasty Buns
10
Murder... On The Rocks
11
Rom-Com
Smack Dem Lips With Mine
12
New Phone Who Dis
13
oB*TCHuary
14
We Bought A Pool
15
Teen Horror
Sleepover Slasher
16
There Will Be Gluten
17
The Bare B*tch Project
18
Have A Knife Day
19
Friday the 19th
20
High Octane
Gone in 60 Minutes
21
Die Soft
22
The Escape Games
23
Last Action Gyro
24
Fantasy
Thief of Thog
25
The Cancelled Quest
26
Can I Has Dragon?
27
The Fellows and the Ring
Flop Stoppers
Flop Stoppers is a musical short film about two friends thrust into a Hollywood action scheme.[25] It stars Brian Rosenthal and Joey Richter. Flop Stoppers premiered at Buffer Festival 2016, and it was released on May 9, 2017.
Idle Worship
Idle Worship is a mockumentary short film about the dangers of extreme stardom starring Ashley Clements. Idle Worship premiered at Buffer Festival 2017, and it was released on August 7, 2018[26]
We Didn't Plan to Kill Our Guest
We Didn't Plan to Kill Our Guest was a series of one-act plays personalized to the guests they featured. These began in June 2019 with Jon Cozart, Devin Lytle, Lee Newton, and Dylan Saunders. All three of the Tin Can Brothers appeared as themselves, while Lauren Lopez, Jaime Lyn Beatty, and Angela Giarratana formed a small ensemble. A second series of live shows was planned for March 2020, but these were instead hastily filmed without an audience and released on digital. This series featured Jon Matteson, Tessa Netting, Joe Walker, and Mary Kate Wiles.
This Could Be On Broadway
This Could Be On Broadway is a musical about a high school theatre club's production of "The Matrix Musical". It was originally released on March 8, 2022 as a staged reading, featuring Chris Bunyi, Bryce Charles, Esther Fallick, Ryan Garcia, Jiavani Linayao, Lauren Lopez, Joey Richter, Brian Rosenthal, Jessie Sherman, and James Tolbert. StarKid Productions promoted the show on their YouTube channel.[27]This Could Be On Broadway was later performed at 54 Below in November 2024 as part of the Tinlightenment World Tour.
Gross Prophets is a musical about corporate schemes. The original production starred Joey Richter, Brian Rosenthal, and Lauren Lopez. It played in Melbourne in February 2025 as part of the Tinlightenment World Tour.
The Great Debate is an ongoing series of comedy gameshows pitting different online groups against each other in a friendly debate matchup. Joey Richter hosts the shows.
StarKid: Devin Lytle, Joe Walker, Angela Giarratana
Intelligent Life
Intelligent Life is a queer sci-fi comedy that premiered in Los Angeles in November 2025 as part of the Tinlightenment World Tour. It starred Brendan Scannell and Vinny Thomas.
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