Bastion reporter Rachael Mason is dipping into her pool of awesome friends at iO (last time it was iO Theater owner and guru Charna Halpern herself!) and is gifting us with both this terrific 30 minute Bastion interview podcast with the amazingly talented Susan Messing, AND a picture of our intrepid reporter allowing her interview subject to fluff her knocker. Never let it be said that the Bastion girls aren't willing to do almost anything for a laugh.
From Messing's iO bio: "She has performed for over eighteen years with Chicago's iO Theatre, and created and teaches their Level 2 Curriculum which is used in Chicago and LA's iO West. At the legendary Second City, Messing wrote and performed in two mainstage revues and directed their National Touring Company."
Also, here's Messing, along with Jill Benjamin, Kate James, and Gillian Vigman, at the closing night party for the 2007 Chicago Improv Festival, rattling off the best zingers from 9 years of the Golden Girls:
It's Chucklebowl time! Join the Lincoln Lodge folks for another bowling, beer, and stand-up comedy and short comedy film-stravaganza this New Year's Eve, From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. December 31st at Lincoln Square Lanes (4874 N. Lincoln).
Also, wanna have your short comedy film (three minutes or less) screened during the party? Send a link to chucklebowl@yahoo.com. 2008 needs your genius!
Highlights from the December 16, 2007 (that's last Sunday) edition of "Your Sunday Best" showcase at Schubas, with host Prescott Tolk, John Roy, Fay Canale, Dan Telfer, Tony Blanco, Brady Novak, Joe Kilgallon, Bradley Fojas, and Joe Fernandez.
Good afternoon gentle readers! The holidaze are truly upon us, which for us means holiday parties (and overserving oneself at them), frantically buying parents last minute gifts online whilst at work, and doing arts and crafts. We have, however, had somewhat of an opportunity to, you know, see (but mostly read) about comedy in our fair city. Here is some linkage and info for you should you find yourself with some down time today.
Chicago ex-pat Andy Ross alerted his MySpace friendsies to some fun blogs that could be found on The Onion's MySpace page, especially, as he said, "Mentoring Young Beauty Queens, Writing A Children's Book Is Harder Than You'd Think, Christiane Amanpour Must Be Cheating At Fantasy Football, Does Anyone Know How To Collate?, Flats Have No Place In The Workplace, and Somebody Tell My Son There's No Future In Entertainment Journalism". Keep on keepin' on, Andy!
Emily Dorezas wants everyone to know that currently you can download a free episode of Sports Action Team from iTunes. Simply visit the SAT Web site and click on the link for "Suspended in Mid Air", and be prepared to howl.
We received an email from the Lakeshore Theater with a deal too juicy to pass up: $5 tickets to see Reggie Watts this Wednesday, December 19. Send an email to scott@lakeshoretheater.com with the codeword WATTAGE in the subject heading and the number of $5 tickets you would like to set aside under your name. We know you won't regret that decision!
We got some fly shots of Three Dumb Men at the Annoyance Theater last Wednesday, and were treated to DVDs of all of the shorts that played during the show. Don't fret if you weren't there, you can still see the shorts at filmmaker Steve Delahoyde's YouTube.
Jared Logan, Robert Buscemi, and Steve Delahoyde. Photo by Krystle Gemnich.
Some argue that long-form is superior to short-form improv. Some argue that musical improv is superior to "I can act but I can't sing" improv. Some like it hot. If you want all of this, come to the doubleheader of "Get Your Story Straight" by Found in Translation and "Infinite Sundaes" by Second City's Music Improv House Ensemble on Sundays at 8pm at Donny's Skybox.
We don't like getting too far into "forms" or "structures" or "other important sounding words" regarding long-form improv, but Found in Translation's "Get Your Story Straight" is one of our favorites. After an audience suggestion, one improviser puts forth a (partially true?) monologue from which a number of scenes are created. However, in between these scenes other characters monologue their relation to the original monologist, giving unique perspectives on a singular theme. These same characters contribute from the backline during the main monologist's final speech, encapsulating the show (We promise that's the last we'll say monologist). This week, a pedicure-obsessed murderer, who happens to not know the difference between a pedicure and a manicure, was the offspring of the audience suggestion "pedicure," with various side tangents.
We personally think this structure is both interesting for giving multiple perspectives on a story, and, from a performing point of view, gives each improviser a chance to have the whole stage to him or herself (we hate being grammatically politically correct, too, just deal with it so we don't get sued by a he-she). However, the form is somewhat limiting. Only a few scenes really diverged from the pedicure murderer (aka Danny Boy), but these scenes were clearly much more free, enjoyable for the performers, and enjoyable to watch. From these sprang honest observations about relationships, our president, and how the latter could benefit from a picture of a pony riding a rainbow.
Though what relationship couldn't use a pony riding a rainbow?
The second act of the evening is "Infinite Sundaes," so called because they perform every Sunday at 8pm so check, check, check it out, y'all. While they are called Second City's house musical improv team, that does not mean that they improvise house music (We've all already seen "The System is Down.")
Short games held the attention of the audience through a rap battle (complete with guy who suggested both "Oprah for President" and "Oprah for Governor" as rap subjects), an improvised ballet, and various scenes with musical outbursts. However, much like with Found in Translation, Infinite Sundaes best moments came when they were most free. When serenading a French girl from the audience, four men sang "cherie, cherie, amore, marzipan." Clearly one of these men knows little to no French, but that both forces and allows him to be completely free and creative. This improvisation sans net was best
portrayed in the karaoke guessing game, where two improvisers had to sing while two more played charades. Trying to play charades in tune, and rhythm, and possibly even rhyming forced the improvisers to absolutely let go, resulting in the biggest laughs of the night. Both groups were at their best when it was most obvious they were both improvising and having fun.
So, if you like musical short-form comedy, the songs, scenes, and games change every week. If you like long-form singing-is-for-pansies comedy, throw out the suggestion "singing is for pansies." But if you're gonna be a dick about it, no one will give you a drawing of a pony riding a rainbow. -Chris Singel
The Bastion is very happy to announce the safe and healthy arrival of a one Mr. Colin Spencer Flannery! Blerds and VLR member Sean Flannery and his wife Jessica gave birth to a bouncing baby boy this past Wednesday. He clocks in at a robust 7' 12" lbs., and 20.5 inches! That's almost two feet long!
Sean gave us the brief run-down of events: "I received a call from Jessica after a routine doctor's appointment, saying they were going to induce labor. I was on my way to a company Christmas party with an open bar. We dodged a bullet. None of us would want that call to happen after I've been screaming to the guys in the mail room for five hours on free booze."
The boys have been keeping tabs on the details live on air, which you will be able to hear soon via the magic of podcast, or live, if you're like the Bastion and take an aural break at work from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.
Come on now, where are they!? Haven't seen too many local vids come through this way... Are we all already hibernating? It's not even technically winter yet! Sheesh. Send your links in the comments section and we'll be sure to get them up in a "for real" post.
EDIT!: Got one! After prowling through friends' of friends' subscriptions (and realizing how lax we are with our YouTube account), we snagged this hysterical number, starring Joselyn Hughes, Pete Holmes, Baron Vaughn, and TJ Miller, directed by Oren Brimer. We had to stifle our fit of laughter in our very somber office.
In addition, we'd like to mention a couple options for some fun new shows tonight. We told you about the holiday extravaganza "Three Dumb Men" happening at the Annoyance Theater. Before that, our student reportersBenjamin Vigeant and Greg Guiliano will be presenting their final to a live audience on Second City's e.t.c. stage (7:30 p.m.). Out in Wicker Park at the Gorilla Tango Theater (1919 N. Milwaukee Ave.), the second installment of everyoneKILLS starts tonight, 9:30 p.m., and will run Dec. 12 and 19, and Jan. 2 and 9.
There's a new one-time show in the works at The Playground Theater (3209 N Halsted St) Friday, December 21 at 10 PM, and host Robert Buscemi (whose show "Three Dumb Men" was called "smart" and "hilarious" by Chicagoist) is looking to book clever performers willing to spill the beans on their first and/or most hilarious sexual experience. And not just stand-ups.
Buscemi's vision: "We put up everyone who wants to go up -- improvisors, actors, stand-ups, civilians, anyone -- to tell a SHORT story about their first or a very early sexual experience. Or a funny recent one. Whatever. The point is: sex, early, funny, and true. I just think it'd be a blast and force us all to expand our range and get all hot and bothered for Christmas."
E-mail him if you'd like to tell your sordid and embarrassing tales of early gropes and bra strap fumblings. The Playground is BYOB and the cost for this show will be $3 for performers, $10 for fans.
Chicago's Michael Palascak won the Lucky 21 Contest, sponsored by the Las Vegas Comedy Festival. All that heavy campaigning paid off, apparently, and now he's the proud winner of $10,000 cash (you read that right), a tv spot, and a meeting with tv execs.
This is the same Michael Palascak who was a finalist in the "Funniest Person in Chicago" contest, and won the Chicago round of Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight, because he's willing to put in the legwork, from behind the keyboard and on stage, to coax his 456,592 friends and family to vote for him. Now that's hustle. Nice work, Michael. We assume the next round is on you?
Feel tough enough to brave another sleety, sloppy Chicago evening? Need some laughs and possibly some holiday weirdness?
Tonight at 9:00 at the Lincoln Lodge, the comedic talents of Steve O. Harvey, Mike Lee, Cameron Esposito (pictured at left), C.J. Sullivan, and the Oscar-nominated talents of Calabash Animation. Wonder if there will be less foot traffic than usual during the man on the street segment?
Catch the red line to the Lakeshore Theater for Freddy and Amy in How the Diva Stole Christmas. "The following holiday customs will not be featured in this show: cute children; staged nativity scenes involving real livestock; dancing Santas; figure skaters; elves; singing Santas; scenic backdrops of quaint villages and fake snow."
Hi readers! Some tidbits here and there for you today.
TONIGHT, if you have the intestinal fortitude, find yourself in Wrigleyville at the Cubby Bear (probably much, much earlier than) 9:30 p.m. to see Chicago native John C. Reilly perform songs as Dewey Cox, with his band the Hard Walkers. The film is set to be released in theaters December 21.
----
We got a nice MySpace message from a producer in Omaha, who wanted you to know the following:
"I'm with Torchwerks, a small production company in Omaha. Yes, Nebraska. We're currently casting for an interactive website that is to feature 3 characters. The job is improv heavy, as that's how we'll build the points of interaction with the viewer. It's a paid job, non-union, shooting in Omaha Jan. 3-4, 2008. Travel/Lodging are also paid.
We've two characters cast (one is a Second City alum), but are still seeking the role of the Starlet. 20's-30's girl-next-door. Any neighborhood."
Dylan over at Punchline Magazine is looking for new year's resolutions from comics "at all levels". Email him and make your promises and proclamations known! He also says to include a photo and your location!
----
Anyone else notice Blerds.com's little... crash? Mouthpiece Mike Bridenstine's recent MySpace blog says a "re-design" is in the works. Sean Flannery's account of events on yesterday's episode of VLR is decidedly... different. Listen to the ep if you have a chance (it might not be up in the archives quite yet). Oh, and if you missed Prescott Tolk's guest appearance on the show recently and his mind-blowingly amazing story about a certain run-in with some cops, drop everything and go stream this episode NOW.
Ready for some holiday dumb-assery? Besides having to listen to Grandpa's ill-informed and mildly racist rants at Thanksgiving, we mean?
Well, get happy. Chicago filmmaker Steve Delahoyde and stand-ups Robert Buscemi & Jared Logan are…The Three Dumb Men! Come celebrate your holiday with their world-premiere holiday films and live comedy!
"The Three Dumb Men" will feature several special guests, including stand-up favorite Brady Novak, who recently opened for Maria Bamford at the Lakeshore Theater, award-winning playwright and improviser Jenni Lamb, and "Impress These Apes" Grand Champion Kristen Studard, who is rumored to be performing her indescribably sick and funny sexy bee skit from th Apes finale (below):
December 12th, 9:30 PM
At the Annoyance Theater, 4830 N. Broadway
Tickets $15
Or call 773-561-HONK, and request the 2-for-1 "bring-a-friend" special!
Highlights from the "Your Sunday Best" showcase last night, featuring Prescott Tolk, Dan Telfer, Victor Marinier, Kristin Carney, Michael Palascak, and C.J. Sullivan:
Bastion reporter Rachael Mason is dipping into her pool of awesome friends at iO (last time it was iO Theater owner and guru Charna Halpern herself!) and is gifting us with both this terrific 30 minute Bastion interview podcast with the amazingly talented Susan Messing, AND a picture of our intrepid reporter allowing her interview subject to fluff her knocker. Never let it be said that the Bastion girls aren't willing to do almost anything for a laugh.
Some argue that long-form is superior to short-form improv. Some argue that musical improv is superior to "I can act but I can't sing" improv. Some like it hot. If you want all of this, come to the doubleheader of "Get Your Story Straight" by Found in Translation and "
There's a new one-time show in the works at 
Chicago's 
Tonight at 9:00 at the 
Ready for some holiday dumb-assery? Besides having to listen to Grandpa's ill-informed and mildly racist rants at Thanksgiving, we mean? 
