The Manhattan Comedy Project

That's a Wrap!

2009-08-24T14:07:00.005-04:00

Well it came... and it went. I can hardly believe our 4 shows in Montreal are already over. And what a weekend of shows it was! Thursday's was virtually sold out, and the shows on Friday and Saturday nights were big hits too. We got people from as far as Ottawa, as well as from all over Montreal of course, including folks who had heard about the show in the Mirror or the Hour, on Virgin Radio 96 (thanks for the shout-out on the radio and on your blog, Sir Patrick!), or on Christine Long's entertainment segment on CTV Montreal. (And I'll tell you what's "on"--Christine Long's HOTNESS!)

Stay tuned for more shows in Montreal, as well in other cities across Canada and the U.S., to be announced shortly!

Last Chance to Catch the Show in Montreal!

2009-08-22T12:04:00.010-04:00

Tonight (Saturday, August 22) is your last chance to catch The Manhattan Comedy Project in Montreal! We have 2 shows tonight: an early show at 8:00 pm and a late show at 10:30 pm. It's going to be wild. And Christine Long at CTV Montreal gave us an awesome shout-out yesterday on their local television newscast.

Hope to see you tonight!

Wendy Ho is AMAZING!

2009-08-20T13:48:00.002-04:00

Come See her Tonight, Friday and Saturday!

Clix to get tix!
http://ca.brownpapertickets.com/event/71088

After a Quick French Lesson

2009-08-18T09:30:00.005-04:00

I was looking into some French Phrases before our trip to Montreal. I just learned that "comedien" means actor and "comedienne" is actress.

Why do the french lump comedians and actors together? Would anyone out there want to see Tom Cruise telling jokes? Hell no! Or how about Tara Reid knockin' em dead in front of a brick wall with "Just so you know, Hep C ain't Kool Aid!" How about Shannon Dougherty doing her hot schtick, "So, I was the bitch on 90210 but let's be honest, James Eckhouse was the real bitch! We walked all over him. Am I right? Am I right?"

Actors spend hours learning someone's words and can blame the director, set designer, playwright and any number of things on a bad show. Comedians are alone with their own thoughts on stage and they know if they're not doing well by the deafening silence. Its just the comedian and his jokes. It's their fault. Some say the most brave form of performance besides netless tight rope walking and wrapless tight butt fucking.

Comedians spend years trying to figure out this craft. Most don't have a great 10 minutes until 5 years into their craft and some say aren't truly great until they've been doing it 10 years. I think it's fair to say that most comedians can act, but most actors can't comedien.

Me and the "Children"

2009-08-13T12:30:00.005-04:00

This is a picture of me (on the far right, in my costume as Pokey) after the last performance of A.R. Gurney's Children at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. (Meanwhile, Judith Light, center right, is TOTES rockin' the Betty-Ford-circa-1972 look. Fierce!)

Check Out Our New Video!

2009-08-03T23:16:00.001-04:00

Finding Time

2009-07-30T18:01:00.009-04:00

So I have been at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in picturesque Williamstown, Massachusetts working as an Apprentice for the past 5 1/2 weeks, and the hardest part has been finding time to do anything other than the never-ending work being thrown at us (sweeping floors, picking up cigarette butts, building sets--oh, and a little acting here and there too).

I keep telling myself that all this hard labor will be worth it. After all, lots of great actors got their starts here, including Christopher Reeve, David Hyde Pierce (from Frasier), and more recently, Bradley Cooper (from The Hangover) and Chris Pine (from the new Star Trek movie). Who knew.

Anyhooters, with all that hard labor to do, it's been challenging to find time to do other things, like eat, sleep, go to the bathroom--you know life's essentials--to say nothing of the work I need to do in preparation for the Montreal launch of The Manhattan Comedy Project, which includes writing for this Blog. But I figure, there is no better time than the present, and I had about 5 free minutes this evening, so I decided to take a few minutes to write a short post.

Just to get you up to speed on what I have been doing in Williamstown, I was cast in the Main Stage production of Children by A.R. Gurney, in which I got to share the stage with Judith Light for 6 minutes every night. Her wig was FABULOUS! She also happens to be a powerhouse of an actor, and she would hold the audience riveted every night during her final monologue (which she delivered directly to me, as I stood there glaring at her...).

I am currently working on a new play entitled What Is The Cause of Thunder? by Noah Heidle (a young, up-and-coming New York playwright who apparently thinks wearing the manufacturer's tag on his suit sleeve looks cool). Wendie Malick (best known for her turn as Nina Van Horn on NBC's Just Shoot Me) plays an aging soap opera actress who is losing touch with reality. Hilarious! And Wendie, who started her career as a runway model, is not only gorgeous (and at almost 60 years of age, is still turning heads--look out Mrs. Robinson!), she is also a total jokester backstage, and she is a ball to work with. So at each performance, right before she takes the stage, the Apprentices on the show (Stage Left--represent!) serenade her with a song that symbolizes how we feel about her that day. So far we've done "If You Think I'm Sexy" by Rod Stewart, "I'm Bringing Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake, and perhaps my personal favorite, "Supermodel" by Rupaul. ("Wendie, you better WORK!")

Tonight is the opening night party for the latest Main Stage show, The Torch-Bearers, which stars Andrea Martin (from My Big Fat Greek Wedding and SCTV) and Edward Hermann (the grandfather on The Gilmore Girls and President Roosevelt in the movie-version of Annie). The fun never stops here at Williamstown...

So that's the latest from me and my adventures in Williamstown. The Montreal launch of The Manhattan Comedy Project is only 3 weeks away now! If you are in Montreal on August 20, 21, or 22 (or know someone who will be), get your tickets today. (Reduced-rate $15 tickets are now available through Brown Paper Tickets online at http://ca.brownpapertickets.com/event/71088.)

The Manhattan Project

2009-07-17T08:10:00.003-04:00

Learn a little more about The Manhattan Project. I think this video is a school project, but that's where you may have heard of this. I've done too many drugs to remember. Here's a refresher!