The Happiest Medium » Comedy

Get STUPEFIED By Paul Hutcheson

Karen Tortora-Lee — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 19:11:48 +0000

I met Paul Hutcheson during the New York Frigid Fest a few years ago and, as most people do, immediately fell in love with him – as a person and as a performer. Just take a look at that face and you can see why! If you don’t already know Paul you have a great chance to see him perform – one night only – this weekend at the Duplex. Here’s a special 10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE SHOW BEFORE YOU GO so you can plan your weekend around this and make sure you’re STUPEFIED.

Stupefied
Saturday April 23rd at 4:30 pm
The Duplex, 61 Christopher Street $10/15

Answers provided by: Writer & performer Paul Hutcheson

1. Forget the PR version. When you’re talking to your friends, how do you explain this show to them?
Paul: This is the show where I discuss all things that ‘stupefy’ me! From gay men & a drinking study, to teaching teenagers, to the anus and love, I am constantly ‘Stupefied’ by life!

2. Here’s a scenario: After the show some audience members go have a drink. What’s the part of the show you hope they’re discussing?
Paul: I hope they are discussing how their cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing.

3. What drives your show – character, theme or plot?
Paul: The theme drives the stories and life experiences that I vividly bring to life on stage.

4. In rehearsals, read-thrus, or prior incarnations, what’s the one thing someone said about the show so far that made you (or the team) the most proud?
Paul: That their cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing!

5. If money and resources (and even reality) were no object what is the most lavish, luxurious, pointless prop, costume, effect – anything – that you would spend money on for this show?
Paul: I want to ‘stupefy’ the audience by flying around the stage and swooping into the audience in a custom made Wonder Woman outfit.

6. What’s the one thing you’re looking forward to as your show opens?
Paul: Getting to premiere the show in NYC! (This is a dream for a Canadian artist.)

7. Is there a scene, a moment, a gesture … anything at all in the show that you anticipate may get a completely different reaction depending on the audience that night?
Paul: Scolding people for not being able to talk about oral sex and masturbation but watching shows like ‘The Bachelorette’ & ‘Breaking Bad.’

8. What’s your favorite line from the show?
Paul: “Stupefying, isn’t it?”

9. What’s the last thing you usually do before the beginning of a show?
Paul: Stretch.

10. You scan the audience and you see a face that stops you dead in your tracks – who is it? And why are you shocked?
Paul: I scan and see John Cameron Mitchell. I am shocked because – how did he find out? And I hope he’s looking to manage a queer comedic performer!

~~~

Paul, my sweet, I know you’ll be stupefying that Duplex audience like crazy. The rest of you – get your butts over to the Duplex … one of my favorite New York places to hang and have fun. To purchase tickets CLICK HERE.

THE DUPLEX
INFORMATION: (212) 255-5438
61 CHRISTOPHER STREET @ 7TH AVE
NYC, NY 10014

It’s A Triple Play For Natalie Menna!

Karen Tortora-Lee — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 22:46:56 +0000

For an emerging playwright there’s nothing like getting your work published on Indie Theater Now, run by the amazing Martin Denton who single-handedly does so much for the New York Theatre scene – championing plays and playwrights alike. But how about getting three of your plays published on Indie Theater Now in just one month?

Meet Natalie Menna, an award-winning playwright and actress who is celebrating the fact that three of her plays were just published and are now available for purchase. All different in scope, length, and subject they still all have Natalie’s signature brand of insight and humor:

Zen A.M.: In the wake of 9/11, Bruno abandons his lucrative Wall Street career to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a painter. After years of struggling, he finally books a once in a lifetime project, only to develop major misgivings about completing his painting. Can a marriage-minded girlfriend, greedy guru, financial folly, and one bitchy boss change Bruno’s mind?

i-POD: An artist posing as an environmentalist struggles to survive two months on an Eco-Barge in order to compete for a Guggenheim grant and come to terms with her father’s legacy.

Roberta!: At the corner of hope and delusion, meet Roberta. Join her on her journey from reality to unreality to projected reality and back again. There’s no end to Roberta’s fantasies and rants. Scary that there’s a little bit of Roberta in all of us!

Natalie chatted with me about where her comedic voice comes from, how she handles each milestone of success, and puts to rest the question of ever meeting a poor vegan.

Natalie! February was a terrific month for you! You had 3 of your plays published on Indie Theater Now. Amazing! So, first of all, congratulations.
Natalie Menna: Thanks, Karen!

Secondly—what does it feel like to now have your work out there officially? Is there a feeling of “I’ve arrived”?
Natalie: If I ever feel that way, please tie my hands to the bedpost. And not in the good way. Seriously, if I feel that way ever they’ll be no need to write anymore. I write precisely BECAUSE I’ve never thought of myself as arriving, arrived, about to arrive, or on the way to arriving. Departing, maybe, on a sinking ship …

Of course, publication isn’t the only way to ‘arrive’ right? All three of your plays have gotten acclaim by winning awards. What goes through your head when you find out that something you’ve created is not only being celebrated with a nomination, but then championed with an actual award win?
Natalie: I do like awards! Momentarily, I feel like I’m not on that sinking ship. But then I’m right back on it. Hours. Sometime minutes later. And then I keep writing.

In Roberta, I-Pod, and Zen A.M. you’ve shown you have a knack for writing, if not comedy per-se, then extremely comedic characters. When you conceive of a concept for a play do you set out for it to be funny, or is that just a part of your personality that shines through?
Natalie: This is a tough question. Requires me to analyze myself, which I hate. I only like analyzing others. Let’s see — a lot of people say this, and I wholeheartedly agree — “There’s comedy in everything.” EVERYTHING! That’s the way I’ve survived my life so far. The way we all do. I don’t think I consciously set out to write a comedy. I can be writing about a serious topic, for example, my play Committed, which deals with the last two days of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh‘s life before his murder. A regular laugh/riot, no? Believe it or not, audiences for the reading of that play were laughing steadily throughout. Humor is the ultimate coping tool, even under the worst of circumstances.

I’m also of the Larry David school of comedy – that anyone, anything, or any circumstance can be used for comedy. I think sometimes this clashes with the aesthetic of the current climate in theatre today, but I won’t let this affect my work. Comedy is life, and there’s comedy in everyone and everything on the planet.

I’ll be blunt: your main characters are very fun and interesting on the page, but they definitely come with a lot of issues! Frankly, I think if I was friends with Roberta, let’s say, I’d want to pull my hair out. And yet the play is fantastic. What’s the key to making a character likable on the stage even as you know that in person they’d be unlikable?
Natalie: Really? I feel like all of my friends, including myself, have BEEN Roberta (well maybe not to that degree!). But sure, at one point or another … I think maybe it’s about heightening the reality — I seriously have never gotten this obsession with ‘likable’ characters — sort of like what David Mamet says about the ‘polemic’ play – BORING! (Despite disagreeing with him politically, I LOVE his writing).

I love creating characters who are deeply flawed, bad examples, crazy, self-involved, etc. That’s why it’s theatre! When I am in an audience and a play has a character who ‘represents’ goodness, morality, nobility, etc. I feel so bored I want to slash my wrists. (Okay –that’s a tad dramatic– I just want to go to the restroom and never return.) Bring on the crazy! That’s entertainment. That’s theatre!

And on that note, (and this may seem obvious but you’d be surprised) just because my character is saying something does not mean I agree with it. As an example, in my solo show i-POD, the character at one point says “No coincidence I’ve never met a poor vegan”. A playwright approached me after the show and informed me that he was offended and knew many poor vegans. But of course! It’s this character’s view!

I think I may have digressed. Back to your question. I think people are responding to the uncensored truth. I try to create characters that are always speaking from their truth. Unpleasant or not. I try to avoid ‘flowery’ dialogue intended to make the character look like ‘a good person’. And I think people crave the truth. The truth of that particular character and their life.

You make a good point, Natalie. Flawed characters are speaking from a place of their own truth – and letting the audience go along for the ride means bringing them on a specific journey. Getting inside the head of someone who thinks a particular way is what innovative and audacious theatre is all about!

Now that you’ve got three published works and they can be accessed by other people, what would be your biggest dream for these shows?
Natalie: To have audience members say “That hit me. That made me laugh. That made me think differently“. That’s all. That’s nirvana.

Well, Natalie, based on what I’ve read, you’re well on your way to nirvana already! Here’s to more truth, more flaws and more productions!

~~~

For information on how to purchase any (or all!) of these plays by Natalie Menna, simply click here for more information.

~~~

NATALIE MENNA is an award-winning playwright and actress living in downtown Brooklyn. A native New Yorker, she recently won Outstanding Overall Production of a Play and Best Actor for her full-length drama Committed at Planet Connections Theatre Festivity 2015. Committed, produced by Ego Actus, received six nominations, including Outstanding Production of a Staged Reading, Outstanding Playwright For A New Play in a Reading, Best Director, Best Actress, and Two Nominations for Best Actor.

She was nominated for Outstanding Writer for her full-length comedy Zen A.M. in Planet Connections Theatre Festivity 2014. Her solo show Roberta! was featured in United Solo Theatre Festival, Theatre Row, in November 2014. Select previous awards include The Nettie Award for Best Solo Show for her play I-pod in the Network One-Act Festival, and Best Actress for I-pod in The Midtown International Theatre Festival. Her play Hiroshi-Me, Me, Me was a finalist in both The Strawberry Festival and The Network One-Act Festival, with two nominations for Best Actress and Winner for Best Supporting Actress.

Her work has been developed with Casey Childs, Andrew Leynse and David Caudle at Primary Stages, and Nicky Silver at The Vineyard Theatre.

~~~

INDIE THEATRE NOW is an engine for discovering new American drama — one that enables teachers, students, actors, directors, producers, and artists of every stripe, as well as those not involved in the theater, to experience the brilliance of contemporary indie theater as close to first-hand as possible.

All is Fine in Sunny Florida: 10 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2016 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

Karen Tortora-Lee — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 17:54:48 +0000

Ten Questions. Ten Answers. And one Big Surprise in the audience …

All is Fine in Sunny Florida

produced by Hub Theatricals

Florida is a crazy state. This play stages TRUE “#FloridaMan” stories and shows you why you should avoid it. Also 98% of this play is fully true….seriously and some have happened to the author.

Show Info:

Fri Feb 19, 2016 | 5:10PM
Mon Feb 22, 2016 | 10:30PM
Sat Feb 27, 2016 | 5:00PM
Sun Feb 28, 2016 | 1:50PM
Sat Mar 05, 2016 | 6:40PM

Kraine Theater New York, NY $18

Answers by Mark Levy
(Writer and Actor)

1. Forget the PR version. When you’re talking to your friends, how do you explain this show to them?
Mark: I always talk about how insane Florida is, this is true stories and it’s dark, honest and funny as hell.

2. Here’s a scenario: After the show some audience members go have a drink. What’s the part of the show you hope they’re discussing?
Mark: The Turkey and what is real (Honestly 98% is true).

3. What drives your show – character, theme or plot?
Mark: This is complicated. As the play is all based off of true stories plot is huge and so is Character. They are all hyper specific to Florida, ALL OF FLORIDA.

4. In rehearsals, read-thrus, or prior incarnations, what’s the one thing someone said about the show so far that made you (or the team) the most proud?
Mark: “You must’ve really combed Twitter, reddit and Buzz feed for this information”.

5. If money and resources (and even reality) were no object what is the most lavish, luxurious, pointless prop, costume, effect – anything – that you would spend money on for this show?
Mark: I reference my area of the stage as a porch many times in the play. I’d want a porch and a rocking chair. Also, part of the play takes place in a carnival, would really love a dunk tank because It’s a dunk tank….they are fun.

6. What’s the one thing you’re looking forward to regarding the FRIGID Festival itself?
Mark: FRIGID is known for bold and I look forward to seeing these shows. And the Mayberry show sounds funny too.

7. Is there a scene, a moment, a gesture … anything at all in the show that you anticipate may get a completely different reaction depending on the audience that night?
Mark: The end of the radio station scene.

8. What’s your favorite line from the show?
Mark: “Florida gives you lemons, and you take those lemons and you make Orange juice.”

9. What’s the last thing you usually do before the beginning of a show?
Mark: I tell everyone I got their back. I have a background in improv, it’s good form.

10. You scan the audience and you see a face that stops you dead in your tracks – who is it? And why are you shocked?
Mark: The unfrozen head of Walt Disney because he’s dead and the show has some dangerous Disney talk.

Wow, Mark, many people have mentioned being shocked to see a full person, but you’re the first to just get shocked by a head! Of course, since we all know the Walt-Disney-Frozen-Head story, it makes sense. THAT would make a funny #floridaman story though, right? Florida Man Attends FRIGID Show With Head Of Walt Disney!

Thanks so much for answering our questions, Mark!

The rest of you – don’t forget to check out All is Fine in Sunny Florida.

-*-*-

Horse Trade Theater Group will present the 10th Annual FRIGID New York Festival at The Kraine Theater (85 East 4^th Street between 2^nd Avenue and Bowery) and UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1^st Avenue and Avenue A) February 16-March 6. All shows run 60 minutes, or less. Tickets are available for purchase in advance at http://www.horsetrade.info/

Acute…Girl: 10 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2016 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

Karen Tortora-Lee — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 21:57:11 +0000

Ten Questions. Ten Answers. And one Big Surprise in the audience …

Acute…Girl

produced by CMC Theatrical

How much bullsh*t can a girl put up with just to have nice things to wear? Come and listen to her stories told in a heartbreakingly hilarious way: between amateur modeling gigs and mail-in beauty pageant, what could possibly go wrong?

Show Info:

Wed Feb 17, 2016 | 7:10PM
Sun Feb 21, 2016 | 1:50PM
Thu Feb 25, 2016 | 5:30PM
Tue Mar 01, 2016 | 7:10PM
Thu Mar 03, 2016 | 8:50PM

Kraine Theater New York, NY $15/$18

Answers by Julia Sun
(Writer & Performer )

1. Forget the PR version. When you’re talking to your friends, how do you explain this show to them?
Julia: It’s about the insecurity and vainness that every single one of us has. We all want to appear better than we are, so how much bullsh*t can one put up with to present a better version of him/herself? Oh, and it’s meant to be a comedy : )

2. Here’s a scenario: After the show some audience members go have a drink. What’s the part of the show you hope they’re discussing?
Julia: I hope they’ll discuss their own stories relating to my character’s – the stories are inside everyone already. I guess it also doesn’t hurt if they remember my name and look for me online (I’m at www.juliasun.tv)

3. What drives your show – character, theme or plot?
Julia: The character drives the show – not because it’s an one-woman show, but because the persona is always crucial.

4. In rehearsals, read-thrus, or prior incarnations, what’s the one thing someone said about the show so far that made you (or the team) the most proud?
Julia: Someone sent me this text after a show and I was beyond proud: “you’re sooo hilarious when you sing and dance, I could’t stop laughing, I almost fell off my chair!!! =D ”

6. What’s the one thing you’re looking forward to regarding the FRIGID Festival itself?
Julia: Do free food and parties count?

7. Is there a scene, a moment, a gesture … anything at all in the show that you anticipate may get a completely different reaction depending on the audience that night?
Julia: Everyone will laugh at the comedy, but the drama part, that depends on the people. That being said, drama can be funny, too.

8. What’s your favorite line from the show?
Julia: “I looked at him as if I saw the most delicious cheesecake in the world, and then I asked…”

9. What’s the last thing you usually do before the beginning of a show?
Julia: Oh, you know, being happy, being scared, being unsure how I got here in the first place and then glad I did.

10. You scan the audience and you see a face that stops you dead in your tracks – who is it? And why are you shocked?
Julia: My high school crush (name withheld on purpose). I don’t think he ever liked me back and I’d be shocked if he came, awww~

Well, Julia, you never know. Maybe he actually DID have a crush on you too … and he was waiting for the perfect moment to approach A Cute Girl like you! Let’s see if he buys a ticket!

Thanks so much for answering our questions, Julia!

The rest of you – don’t forget to check out Acute…Girl.

-*-*-

So Amazing: 10 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2016 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

Karen Tortora-Lee — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 17:57:45 +0000

Ten Questions. Ten Answers. And one Big Surprise in the audience …

So Amazing

produced by: Diana Brown Production Company

HBO’s Going Clear meets Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt in this one-woman comedy that takes you along for the ride as main character, Diana, gets into and out of a cult. Based on a true story, Diana’s family does everything they can to rescue her as the cult holds firm control.

Show Info:

Tue Feb 16, 2016 | 7:10PM
Sat Feb 20, 2016 | 8:20PM
Wed Feb 24, 2016 | 5:30PM
Sat Feb 27, 2016 | 3:20PM
Sat Mar 05, 2016 | 1:40PM

Kraine Theater New York, NY $12/17

Answers by Diana Brown

(playwright, producer, actor)

1. Forget the PR version. When you’re talking to your friends, how do you explain this show to them?
Diana: This show is how I’m making lemonade out of lemons. I was in a cult, it was very bad, it affected my life in irreversible ways. So instead of trying to reverse the damage, I’m trying to move forward and champion it. The show itself takes you along for the ride as my character, a younger version of myself, gets into and out of a cult. There’s brainwashing, there’s an intervention, there’s rapping about doomsday…it’s fun for the whole family! It’s also about family and friendship. My family are the ones who dropped EVERYTHING to rescue me from the cult. This is a one-woman show, I play all the parts.

2. Here’s a scenario: After the show some audience members go have a drink. What’s the part of the show you hope they’re discussing?
Diana: I hope they’re discussing which jokes they laughed the hardest at! I hope it comes across that my family saved me from what could have been a very tragic story. Bottom line: Blood is thicker than Kool-Aid.

3. What drives your show – character, theme or plot?
Diana: My character is the eternal optimist. She never gives up, even when she should, and her desperation to avoid the failure of her Zumba business leads to her becoming friends with some girls who claim to be helping, but are really recruiting her into a cult. My dad, the other central character, stops at nothing to rescue me from the cult. His motivation is that his oldest (and favorite) kid is being taken from him and he could possibly never see her again.

4. In rehearsals, read-thrus, or prior incarnations, what’s the one thing someone said about the show so far that made you (or the team) the most proud?
Diana: “That’s exactly like what I/my relative/my friend was in, and I’m so glad you have the courage to tell people about it” Sometimes people don’t want to admit they were in a cult for fear that people will blame the victim, ie. “well why did you join a cult in the first place?” Nobody joins a cult. My experience has been that most people hear a cult story and are generally understanding, even if it’s the first time they’re learning about cults, it’s easy to understand how mind control works and that it can happen to anyone. Often times after performances people run up to me and say “is this a cult?” “is that a cult?” “etc happened to my cousin, is my cousin in a cult?” I direct those people to my website www.soamazingshow.com where there are tons of resources for how to deal with a cult.

5. If money and resources (and even reality) were no object what is the most lavish, luxurious, pointless prop, costume, effect – anything – that you would spend money on for this show?
Diana: While I was in the cult, one of the other members told me that the leader didn’t die, he disintegrated into thin air. I’d like to have a special effect where I can illustrate that. Maybe a hologram or something.

6. What’s the one thing you’re looking forward to regarding the FRIGID Festival itself?
Diana: I’m very excited to meet the other participants! I love meeting people who are doing the same things that I’m doing, career-wise.

7. Is there a scene, a moment, a gesture … anything at all in the show that you anticipate may get a completely different reaction depending on the audience that night?
Diana: There is one joke that gets the biggest laugh every time without fail, but if the audience is full of kids it will go right over their heads. There are also times in the show when characters that are cult members over-emphasize their words when they are doing things like committing fraud, blackmail, using loaded language, etc. That always gets a reaction, sometimes it’s a laugh, other times it’s a verbal reaction like they’re watching a horror movie “no don’t go in the basement!”

8. What’s your favorite line from the show?
Diana: Cult member: “Do you ever read the bible?” Me: “Oh no, I’m Catholic”

9. What’s the last thing you usually do before the beginning of a show?
Diana: Ask the stage manager if he’s got everything, knowing full well he is winging this, and then give him a big kiss! lol The stage manager is my boyfriend, Aaron Fragnito, real estate investor and CEO of People’s Capital Group. I provided him with a copy of the script with big colorful stars on each cue that says “click powerpoint” “phone ringing sound effect” “throw water in my face”, he just follows along. In earlier incarnations of the show I would make changes to his script and then just hand it to him right before I’m about to start. He has no experience as a stage manager but he’s so down for anything I ask him to do. I could just go on and on about how wonderful he is but…I’ll spare you. #gagmewithaspoon Luckily for him, for the FRIGID festival I have a professional team helping me so he doesn’t have to panic every time the curtain goes up.

10. You scan the audience and you see a face that stops you dead in your tracks – who is it? And why are you shocked?
Diana: The real life girl who the character Serena is based on. She was my handler in the cult. She is still in the cult. If she came to my show, that would mean that she has left the cult or is considering leaving it. In cults, you’re not allowed to view any publication or production that is anti-cult. They control all information consumption and members are even encouraged to stay away from the internet. There won’t be any current cult members in the audience of my show because they would never allow current members to poison their minds with the reality that they are in a cult. But if I saw “Serena” or any of my friends from the cult in the audience, I would be overjoyed. I would love to see them again, I would love them to finally get to experience the amazing feeling of freedom.

Wow, Diana! I hope that your audience is FULL of ex-cult members, and that you all get to celebrate getting to the other side.

The rest of you – don’t forget to check out So Amazing.

-*-*-

Lil’ Women: a rap musical: 10 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2016 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

Karen Tortora-Lee — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 15:57:57 +0000

Ten Questions. Ten Answers. And one Big Surprise in the audience …

Lil’ Women: a rap musical

produced by Lil Theatre Company

Come join the March sisters as they spit rhymes, drop sick beats, and kick it old schoolhouse! Original debuted in at the Orlando Fringe in 2012; Lil’ Women: A Rap Musical combines the classic story Little Women with hip-hop music.

Show Info:

Tue Feb 23, 2016 | 5:30PM
Thu Feb 25, 2016 | 7:10PM
Sun Feb 28, 2016 | 3:30PM
Tue Mar 01, 2016 | 8:50PM
Fri Mar 04, 2016 | 5:10PM
Sat Mar 05, 2016 | 3:20PM

Kraine Theater New York, NY $15

Answers by Lindsay Taylor
(Producer/Co-writer/Director)

1. Forget the PR version. When you’re talking to your friends, how do you explain this show to them?
Lindsay: It is the classic story of Little Women set in the 1800′s combined with rap music.

2. Here’s a scenario: After the show some audience members go have a drink. What’s the part of the show you hope they’re discussing?
Lindsay: How the show stays true to the story-line of the book, and how fun the rapping was.

3. What drives your show – character, theme or plot?
Lindsay: Theme with characters as a close second. If you have a sister you will relate to someone in this show for sure, but the strong themes of family and growing up to become independent women drive the story.

4. In rehearsals, read-thrus, or prior incarnations, what’s the one thing someone said about the show so far that made you (or the team) the most proud?
Lindsay: In the original debut of the show in 2012, an elderly man came up to me post show to tell me the only problem he had with the show is that it was too short.

6. What’s the one thing you’re looking forward to regarding the FRIGID Festival itself?
Lindsay: I love meeting other artists and talking about our shows together. The community of creating art together from scratch is the foundation of fringe festivals, and it’s inspiring to get to know other people, their processes to create their work, and see the final product.

7. Is there a scene, a moment, a gesture … anything at all in the show that you anticipate may get a completely different reaction depending on the audience that night?
Lindsay: We get pretty consistent reactions throughout our show, but it always amazes me how our audience goes from laughing in one scene to the very next scene crying.

8. What’s your favorite line from the show?
Lindsay: “You’ll be sorry for this Jo March.”

9. What’s the last thing you usually do before the beginning of a show?
Lindsay: We hold hands in a circle and take a moment to prepare for the show with a few words. The majority of the cast has been with this show since the beginning in 2012, so it’s very special to us. It’s hard to find great people to work with, and I could not be more blessed to know all of these people involved.

10. You scan the audience and you see a face that stops you dead in your tracks – who is it? And why are you shocked?
Lindsay: I don’t have anyone in particular that comes to mind, anyone I recognize that has traveled a great distance to see our show always pleasantly surprises me!

Well, Lindsay, a pleasant surprise is certainly something I hope you get! After all, you never know who might be out there, waiting for those lil rappin’ women to get bizzy rhyming.

The rest of you – don’t forget to check out Lil’ Women: a rap musical

-*-*-

Don’t Move To Toronto: 10 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2016 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

Karen Tortora-Lee — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 17:00:14 +0000

Ten Questions. Ten Answers. And one Big Surprise in the audience …

Don’t Move To Toronto

produced by Fresh Hell

The show follows Daniels’ move from a contented collegiate life to the unpredictable big city, and will be familiar to anyone who has been dumped, evicted, threatened, fired, or bankrupted. Using a musical playlist of the most heartfelt love songs of the last generation and her years of experience as a stand-up comedian and storyteller, Daniels presents the brutally hilarious tale of a perfectly happy life absolutely ruined by moving to the Big Smoke.

Show Info:

Wed Feb 24, 2016 | 5:30PM
Fri Feb 26, 2016 | 7:10PM
Sun Feb 28, 2016 | 12:10PM
Tue Mar 01, 2016 | 7:10PM
Thu Mar 03, 2016 | 10:30PM
Sat Mar 05, 2016 | 5:30PM

Under St. Marks New York, NY $15/$18

Answers by Zoe Daniels

(writer/performer)

1. Forget the PR version. When you’re talking to your friends, how do you explain this show to them?
Zoe: This show is all true stories of the insane year I had after moving to Toronto. You know all the bad things that usually happen in your 20′s? Those all happened to me, all at once. At a certain point I was just like “Yes, yes, this is the worst. Bring it on. What else can go wrong? Show me.” Just bathing in my own tears.

2. Here’s a scenario: After the show some audience members go have a drink. What’s the part of the show you hope they’re discussing?
Zoe: Probably the part where my neighbour goes insane or where my boyfriend dumps me in the dumbest way possible.

3. What drives your show – character, theme or plot?
Zoe: Character + theme. I do a couple characters from my year who were just too silly not to mock, but the overall show is in my voice and the theme is a combination of “You gotta laugh or you’ll cry” and “Woo0o0o0owwww, life is absurd.”

4. In rehearsals, read-thrus, or prior incarnations, what’s the one thing someone said about the show so far that made you (or the team) the most proud?
Zoe: A friend of mine said “I laughed, I cried, I was on my period.” A reviewer from the Pioneer Press (the big newspaper in Minnesota) said

“Daniels offers a comedic voice for a next generation [and] tells her personal stories [...] with such wit, humor and sarcasm, that it has you wanting to know what happens next and laughing throughout”

5. If money and resources (and even reality) were no object what is the most lavish, luxurious, pointless prop, costume, effect – anything – that you would spend money on for this show?
Zoe: I would bring my audience to Toronto with me an perform a year-long show where I would recreate every day in painstaking detail, including the awful apartments, ridiculous jobs, and hysterically bad trip to Europe.

6. What’s the one thing you’re looking forward to regarding the FRIGID Festival itself?
Zoe: Verrrrry excited to see what people are doing back in the homeland. I live in Canada now so it’s always sort of novel to see American theatre. Also, I hope I see some dance shows because I never tire of being like “HOLY SHIT WHAT IS THAT I CAN’T DO THAT AMAZING.”

7. Is there a scene, a moment, a gesture … anything at all in the show that you anticipate may get a completely different reaction depending on the audience that night?
Zoe: Yeah, one of the big jokes in the middle is a kind of crushing moment – sometimes the audience gets sad instead of laughing because they’re worried about me but I gotta tell you, don’t be – it’s really, really funny.

8. What’s your favorite line from the show?
Zoe: “The owner was a 5 foot 2 lady the color and texture of beef jerky, she drove a pink Hummer with her initials on the side in pink and she had a ponytail facelift… and also a regular facelift.”

9. What’s the last thing you usually do before the beginning of a show?
Zoe: Pushups to waste my adrenaline.

10. You scan the audience and you see a face that stops you dead in your tracks – who is it? And why are you shocked?
Zoe: Oh, for sure my ex-boyfriend who features in the show but has 100% not seen it. But honestly, that is exactly the kind of thing that was happening during that first year in Toronto – huge, comically horrible bad luck – so I wouldn’t be surprised if it did happen.

For your sake, Zoe, I’ll cross my fingers and hope that of all the surprise guests that could show up, that ex isn’t one of them. Sounds like you’ve had enough comically bad luck.

The rest of you – don’t forget to check out Don’t Move To Toronto.

-*-*-

Punk Grandpa: 10 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2016 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

Karen Tortora-Lee — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 20:29:49 +0000

Ten Questions. Ten Answers. And one Big Surprise in the audience …

Punk Grandpa

produced by Glitter Candy

Punk Grandpa is about one magical weekend 5 3/4 year old misfit Laura spent with her grandpa, portrayed through storytelling, dance, music and vintage family movies and photos. Grandpa was the most free, most inappropriate person Laura ever knew and this show portrays how he set Laura free to be herself through his humor and unpredictable, wild ways. It’ll put hair on your chest.

Show Info:

Fri Feb 19, 2016 | 5:30PM
Sun Feb 21, 2016 | 3:30PM
Mon Feb 22, 2016 | 8:50PM
Tue Feb 23, 2016 | 7:10PM
Sun Feb 28, 2016 | 6:50PM
Sat Mar 05, 2016 | 3:50PM

UNDER St. Marks New York, NY $10/$12

Answers by Laura Force Scruggs
(playwright, producer)

1. Forget the PR version. When you’re talking to your friends, how do you explain this show to them?
Laura: It’s about being different and how my grandpa helped me to find myself (by showing how he really didn’t care what anyone thought) and to be okay with who I am: a freak and a fairy (for example: Tinkerbell). My brother told me, “You aren’t just a freak in the freakshow, you are the entire freakshow.”

2. Here’s a scenario: After the show some audience members go have a drink. What’s the part of the show you hope they’re discussing?
Laura: I hope they’re discussing anything funny grandpa did, like pretending to communicate with spies through his hearing aids, playing in the high school band (since senior citizens could audit any class for free and he didn’t feel ready to play in a band with people his own age yet), or going to a Lost and Found and asking, “Did anyone turn in a black umbrella?” One of my top hopes for the show is for my grandpa’s legacy to be carried on, of how he found humor and spontaneity in the every day and had no fear. I aspire every day to possess the kind of freedom that he had, as my Uncle Jon says, the kind of freedom for which people would spend thousands of dollars for in therapy.

3. What drives your show – character, theme or plot?
Laura: I feel like the characters of grandpa and Laura drive the show, Laura feeling like she doesn’t fit in anywhere and grandpa helping her find herself by modeling that it’s okay to be herself by being his full-out unfiltered, spontaneous self and loving her unconditionally, while others around her don’t “get her.” The character of grandpa is always doing the unexpected, like telling other people at church who are bragging about their kids’ prestigious careers, “My kids are doing great, too. My son John, he lives in New York. He drives a big car, runs his own business. He’s a pimp. And, my daughter, Amy, she’s doing real well, too. She works for him!”

4. In rehearsals, read-thrus, or prior incarnations, what’s the one thing someone said about the show so far that made you (or the team) the most proud?
Laura: “It is simply put, perfect beauty.

Intersections of identity and vulnerability and honesty and history and family, executed by a very talented and special performer, coming together in a way that touched everyone’s hearts.

If you’ve ever felt different and admired the freedom that comes with just being true to that difference, no matter what other people think or say, go see it! Really.”

~Audience member at Chicago Fringe

5. If money and resources (and even reality) were no object what is the most lavish, luxurious, pointless prop, costume, effect – anything – that you would spend money on for this show?
Laura: A full big band orchestra, super over-sized objects in the dream sequence (like a donut bigger than me), lots of puppets, elves playing ice hockey in the freezer and more fairiness: a chorus of real fairies, an over-the-top fairy costume for the character of Laura with genuine fairy dust and a wand that could make wishes come true!

6. What’s the one thing you’re looking forward to regarding the FRIGID Festival itself?
Laura: I am really excited to see what a cast and director (who have never met my family) do with a show that I wrote based on my family (and originally as a one woman show), who are collaborating along with my production manager/stage manager/dramaturg, who is my cousin and shared the same punk grandpa with me. This is a New York premiere of the multiple character cast version of “Punk Grandpa” (it was first performed with multiple characters at Three Brothers Theatre in Waukegan); I’ve been performing it as a one woman show on and off for the past two years at various festivals throughout Chicago, Orlando, Indiana, Elgin and at the 2015 New York Planet Connections Theatre Festivity.

7. Is there a scene, a moment, a gesture … anything at all in the show that you anticipate may get a completely different reaction depending on the audience that night?
Laura: Grandpa yelling out of his car window at every lady we saw on the street, as he drove us around at exhilarating rates of speed, “Hey, pick you up in an hour!”

and/or

When grandpa was asked to take a fertility test at the doctor and was handed the cup, he said, “Oh, I thought someone was going to help me.”

8. What’s your favorite line from the show?
Laura: That’ll put hair on your chest.

and

If someone told grandpa no (including grandma), he just thought they needed more information.

9. What’s the last thing you usually do before the beginning of a show?
Laura: Pray and hug my husband really hard.

10. You scan the audience and you see a face that stops you dead in your tracks – who is it? And why are you shocked?
Laura: If Weird Al showed up, it would be astounding and magical, as he is someone who, like my grandpa, is unafraid to be himself.

I love Weird Al! Wouldn’t it be great if he saw your show and was so inspired that he contributed a song to it? Based on what you’ve told us, he’d have no shortage of material for a whole series of Grandpa songs!

The rest of you – don’t forget to check out Punk Grandpa.

-*-*-

The Murder At Ginger Creek: An Interactive Mystery: 10 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2016 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

Karen Tortora-Lee — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 19:24:15 +0000

Ten Questions. Ten Answers. And one Big Surprise in the audience …

The Murder At Ginger Creek: An Interactive Mystery

produced by Panto-WHAT?! Theater Company

Welcome to Ginger Creek, where curious characters and perplexing events are the norm. Join Hank O’ Hara and Sally Silver Gunz, as they run from the law, stumble over clues and suffer from amnesia. Their lives depend on you, as they attempt to solve a murder and prove their innocence.

Show Info:

Thu Feb 18, 2016 | 5:30PM
Mon Feb 22, 2016 | 5:30PM
Fri Feb 26, 2016 | 5:10PM
Thu Mar 3, 2016 | 5:30PM
Sun Mar 6, 2016 | 3:30PM

Kraine Theater New York, NY $12/$15

Answers by Michael Curtin and Ruthie Scarpino
(Co-Writers and Performers)

1. Forget the PR version. When you’re talking to your friends, how do you explain this show to them?
Michael: When we are talking to our friends we tell them that it is a murder mystery for young people that we devised to be engaging. We created characters first and found a way to put the story together second.
Ruthie: It is a murder mystery for young people that we devised to be engaging and necessitate young people’s participation. At it’s core it is a laugh out loud comedy with characters that are over the top and a story line that everyone of all ages will enjoy.

2. Here’s a scenario: After the show some audience members go have a drink. What’s the part of the show you hope they’re discussing?
Michael: I hope they are talking about the big reveal, who they thought it was and when it changed through the show.
Ruthie: I hope they’re talking about the importance of the audience and the interactive components.

3. What drives your show – character, theme or plot?
Ruthie: Comedy drives the show. Subtle nuance: we’re leaving these tiny breadcrumbs for our audience to pick up on. Some are bigger than others, and our audience will probably pick up on breadcrumbs that we didn’t intend to leave.

4. In rehearsals, read-thrus, or prior incarnations, what’s the one thing someone said about the show so far that made you (or the team) the most proud?
Michael: We had two responses that really stood out to us for different reasons. A fellow performer shared that The Murder At Ginger Creek was her “favorite thing to watch” in the 2015 creative season, while a young viewer told us that The Murder At Ginger Creek was “the only reason I came to came to school.” Both are really meaningful for completely different reasons.

5. If money and resources (and even reality) were no object what is the most lavish, luxurious, pointless prop, costume, effect – anything – that you would spend money on for this show?
Michael: We already have extraneously lavish props. Our show features two live horses, a blowing tumbleweed, a leaking sewage pipe, authentic 18th century money, and a family of waterbugs. All of them are totally lavish, brilliantly used, and perfectly imaginary.

6. What’s the one thing you’re looking forward to regarding the FRIGID Festival itself?
Ruthie: Whenever artists talk about FRIGID Festival they always talk about the genuine creative community that pops up every winter to celebrate new, original and exciting work. We are excited to get to be apart of that this year.

7. Is there a scene, a moment, a gesture … anything at all in the show that you anticipate may get a completely different reaction depending on the audience that night?
Ruthie: I think one of the most wonderful things about our show is that every night is different based on audience participation. Our characters can not solve the mystery and clear their names without the help of the audience, so each show has the potential of being drastically different then the one before.

8. What’s your favorite line from the show?
Michael: “I just wanna have the pleasure of walking into the kitchen for my afternoon glass of milk, opening the refrigerator door and not being greeted by the carcasses of dead cock-a-roaches.”

9. What’s the last thing you usually do before the beginning of a show?
Ruthie: Someone a long time ago told me that if your sing to yourself it helps with pre show nerves… now it’s habit. I always sing to myself.

10. You scan the audience and you see a face that stops you dead in your tracks – who is it? And why are you shocked?
Michael & Ruthie: —

Wow! It takes a lot to shock these two! Looks like NO ONE would stop them dead in their tracks. You know what that means, don’t you? No matter who you are, you’re welcomed to come down and see this great show!

So don’t forget to check out The Murder At Ginger Creek: An Interactive Mystery.

-*-*-

Rotten Apple: 10 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2016 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

Karen Tortora-Lee — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 16:40:47 +0000

Ten Questions. Ten Answers. And one Big Surprise in the audience …

Rotten Apple

A woman raised by pigeons, an author famous only on NPR, and a devil worshipping cable company all know how to make it in the big city. Do you? Once you do, you may be too damaged to make it anywhere else…

Show Info:

Wed Feb 17, 2016 | 10:30PM
Sun Feb 21, 2016 | 6:50PM
Fri Feb 26, 2016 | 8:50PM
Wed Mar 2, 2016 | 10:30PM
Sat Mar 5, 2016 | 2:10PM

UNDER St. Marks New York, NY $8/$12

Answers by Amanda Nicastro
(co-producer, co-writer, co-director)

1. Forget the PR version. When you’re talking to your friends, how do you explain this show to them?
Amanda: It’s like Portlandia, Whitest Kids You Know, and @elbloombito all had a baby together.

2. Here’s a scenario: After the show some audience members go have a drink. What’s the part of the show you hope they’re discussing?
Amanda: I would like to think they notice that comedy is very reliant on relationships between characters. For instance, in the show we have a scene between Mary, the Pigeon Girl and William, the man she meets in the park while she’s feeding the birds. The scene is funny not just because Pigeon Girl is wearing a fleece covered in pigeon poop, but because we can all relate with her struggle to find love and acceptance in a harsh world. And then maybe fall back on our old habits when we hit a bump in the road. Not everyone personifies pigeons… But you do what helps you cope.

3. What drives your show – character, theme or plot?
Amanda: Theme and character equally I would say. All of the characters interacting with each other are bringing the audience into the shared experience of what’s it like to relocate to a big city and suddenly find yourself faced with a myriad of different problems and situations.

4. In rehearsals, read-thrus, or prior incarnations, what’s the one thing someone said about the show so far that made you (or the team) the most proud?
Amanda: During our first show at The People’s Improv Theater spring 2015 an audience member said they found themselves caring very much about most of the characters. They wanted them to succeed and find whatever it was they were looking for. They said for them, it’s what made our show and our comedic material different from other things they had seen.

5. If money and resources (and even reality) were no object what is the most lavish, luxurious, pointless prop, costume, effect – anything – that you would spend money on for this show?
Amanda: HA! This is hard. We’ve dreamed about having access to the YouTube studio’s subway car. But I wouldn’t actually call that lavish. If I had to guess I would say a realistic set for what Hell would look like. We have a scene involving Satan calling a certain cable company wanting to know why his internet is out, and it would be great to have a realistic lava effect in the background.

6. What’s the one thing you’re looking forward to regarding the FRIGID Festival itself?
Amanda: This one is easy. Meeting other artists. I took my first solo show, I’m Just Kidneying, which is about my decision to be a living kidney donor, to the Orlando Fringe Festival last spring after premiering it in New York during the SoloCom Festival. My husband described the Fringe as “theater camp” for performers. We did our shows, then all grabbed beers afterwards. It was amazing. Best two weeks ever.

7. Is there a scene, a moment, a gesture … anything at all in the show that you anticipate may get a completely different reaction depending on the audience that night?
Amanda: Uh, yes. We have a scene where we put a spotlight on racism and white male privilege. And if people don’t laugh where we think they’re going to laugh we could feel very awkward… But I think you always take a risk when you’re trying to use theater and comedy to raise social awareness. If the risk pays off, great. If it doesn’t, back to the drawing board.

8. What’s your favorite line from the show?
Amanda: “You make me feel the way new babies smell.”

9. What’s the last thing you usually do before the beginning of a show?
Amanda: I always stretch, drink a coffee, and use the bathroom before the show. It’s my ritual. Yeah I know, coffee is not good for you’re vocal chords. But at this point I’m superstitious.

10. You scan the audience and you see a face that stops you dead in your tracks – who is it? And why are you shocked?
Amanda: This one is hard! My family has come before and it’s shocked me just because they live far away. Doesn’t stop me in my tracks though. I have a good relationship with an actor who has seen a lot of success lately. And if he was to come I would be overwhelmed with happiness because I’m in such awe of him.

OOOH! A secret successful actor! Well, kudos to you for not being a name-dropper, but I have to say, you’ve got me wondering who you’re one-degree separated from! And maybe he’s reading this … and he’ll come to the show anyway! Ha-HAAA. Wow! That would really make my day. Knowing my little Q&A question which has always been just for fun actually came to life. Be sure to tell me if it happens, Amanda!

The rest of you – don’t forget to check out Rotten Apple.

-*-*-

The Happiest Medium » Comedy

Get STUPEFIED By Paul Hutcheson

Stupefied Saturday April 23rd at 4:30 pm The Duplex, 61 Christopher Street $10/15

Answers provided by: Writer & performer Paul Hutcheson

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