|
|
Main
 Just how good can a rock musical be that was written in a week with a necromantic main character? Infinitely better than it sounds.
"Love is Dead" centers around a small-town mortician, Orin (played by writer James Asmus), who thinks the jig is up when a forensic analyst comes to town to investigate a string of murders. Things get interesting when a real live woman, Julie (Brooke Bagnall) shows interest in Orin.
The two dead characters Jane Doe and TK Nichols (Lyndsay Hailey and Mort Burke), who only Orin can talk to of course, both have great comedic timing and singing ability; and Megan Johns does well as the kooky forensic analyst Dana Strand. The favorite duo in the play, however, would have to be the Sheriff (Daniel Jessup) and Deputy Don (Nick Vatterott) - complete with Vatterott's version of the bumbling police officer, reminiscent of the classic Bernard P. Fife.
The musical numbers were written by Second City veteran Julie Nichols, with Asmus writing the lyrics. The songs are witty and catchy, "Dead Girls Make Better Lovers" in particular. Director Andrew Hobgood utilizes the small stage well, and despite seeing a "preview", the show looked ready for opening night.
So even if you hate musicals (as I do - "Little Shop of Horrors" being the exception) or didn't like "Six Feet Under" (this is funny! Not gory!), go see "Love is Dead." Never has "I'm sorry for your loss" been funnier.
"Love is Dead" officially opens at the Annoyance theater TONIGHT at 8pm, and runs every Friday through October 26th - late enough to see it one last time before Halloween.
-- Jen Bacher
 Robert Buscemi's DVD release party last night at the Annoyance was good fun. We talked to him last year shortly after the filming of the DVD, which was shot by filmmakers Landon Kirksey and Jordan Vogt-Roberts at the Subterranean, and we have been eagerly awaiting the project ever since. Produced with a DIY-spirit that seems to be taking over more and more Chicago comedians, the Buscemi DVD is more proof that if you want to showcase your skills, you don't have to sit around and wait to get your own HBO special.
The Annoyance soiree included film clips and performances by an unexpectedly mayo-loving Buscemi, plus Jared Logan, Kumail, Jenni Lamb, Mike Sheehan, and more. Andy Ross also took the stage in a reporter's trenchcoat, doing a faux-news bit that may or may not have been a tip of the fedora to the fact that he recently nabbed a gig writing for the Onion News Network.
Werewolves! PTSD-suffering, compulsively masturbatory Vietnam vets! Cruel and petulant moon Nazis! Sexily bewigged, if slightly self-sabotaging assassins! A glittery, disco-inspired, and not-at-all-gay SuperHitler! The year is 1969. The place? Planet Earth and its one and only natural satellite. These are the key elements of the new sketch show Dr. Amazing, Your Country Needs You!
Dr. Amazing, "America's smartest genius" (not one of those non-smart geniuses), swoops into the middle of this crazy situation to save the day and win the girl (oops...have we said too much?), but not before talking computers jump into the mix, cigarette commercials are ridiculously spoofed, and actors tumble around in what are surely stiflingly hot gorilla suits.
The show keeps up a busy pace of frequent costume and character changes, and makes excellent use of the intimate theater space, with actors popping up behind and in the middle of the audience throughout the piece. It's very clever and quippy and a thoroughly good show, and there's a brief intermission during which audience members can refresh their drinks or, as we did, grab a can of Pringles at the bar.
Dr. Amazing is directed by Sean Cusick and written and performed by Dave Aldridge, Emily Candini, Kyle Dolan, Sarah King, Lauren Lapkus, Conner O'Malley, Andrew Peyton, Adam Rubin, and Sam Weiner.
It has an open run at the Annoyance Theater, 4840 N. Broadway, Sundays at 8 PM.
- Elizabeth McQuern
If you are tired of traditional sketch shows or your regular improv shows in Chicago then you are invited to take a trip up north to the Annoyance Theater. All of their shows are very unique and "Stop That Show" keeps that trend going by providing a very different and extremely fun show. Most impressive about this show is that they deliver a very wacky tongue-in-cheek type of comedy, but with such polish and attention to detail. The transitions from scene to scene are very smooth and funny in themselves and the show is technically sound thanks to the Mr. Clay Goodpasture in the light booth. Julie Nichols excels as the musical director, composing over twelve original songs and playing over eight instruments! The music is as fun as the show, which is about a small town that has a theater problem. The solution? Fight fire with fire and put on a show to stop all shows! The real fun happens in act two when the townspeople start putting on a show for every single problem they have. The cast is extremely talented and visibly having a fun time playing with each other; some stand outs include Dan Jessup as The Mayor (whose physicalities, songs and commitment are worth the price of admission alone), Chris Witaske as The Preagician (who is just plain fun to watch, and super over the top. Simply put, hilarious.), and Emily Candini as Darla (Emily is always great at bringing emotion and energy to her characters, in this show she gets to really amp it up). Dunbar Dicks puts all of this together in his directorial debut at The Annoyance and he does a fantastic job. The very last scene of the show is some of the most wonderfully chaotic and absurd comedy this writer has seen all year. "Stop That Show" runs Thursday nights at 8 pm at The Annoyance Theater and is a $15 ticket.
 Over at The iO Theater, 3033 is doing some of the best improv in Chicago right now. 3033 is made up of Bill Arnett, Alex Fendrich, Rush Howell, Danny Mora and Andy St.Clair. Everyone in the cast except for Rush was a member of People of Earth, one of the most influential and original iO teams of the past decade. So the fact that these guys are getting back together in a longform improv show should be enough to get you to the theater - but let's add Rush Howell. All you need to know about Rush is this: bar none, he is the funniest person in Chicago right now. All these ingredients make for an incredibly fun show every week, sometimes it is even brilliant. 3033 doesn't do a set form every night, instead they improvise the show structure and rules as they perform which is pretty awesome to watch. 3033 plays on Thursdays at 11pm at iO through May, and moves to Sundays at 10:15 pm starting June 10. It is only $5 (free for iO students/performers) and on a double bill with Stubs (Dina Facklis and Brad Morris).
 Finally we would like to congratulate the cast of Feverberry Mountain for getting an extension on their run at iO! They will now be playing every Thursday night at 8 pm through June 7, which means you have three chances left to go see them. Feverberry Mountain is a very tight ensemble that knows each other extremely well which leads to a very cohesive and smart improv show. The cast is made up of Weston C. Haney, John Langen, Gina Nicewonger and Jeff Rukes. It is $10 or free for iO students/performers.
- Jon DeWalt
 Love can lead to anxiety, an underaged son and daughter pageantry, and a one-night stand with the mentally challenged. Oh, and love entails a lot of talk about doodie as well according to Susan Messing and Joe Canale from their hilarious collaboration on this past Thursday for Messing With A Friend at the Annoyance Theater.
 Each week Susan Messing pairs up with a new guest for an hour of improv comedy. This show featured Joe Canale, a brilliant performer as well as Messing's ex-husband. In my brief experiences, two person improv can be quite disastrous but the comic genius, experience, and chemistry of Messing and Canale kept standing room only audience in constant laughter.
Love was the suggestion to start the evening and due to the history of the performers, it drew immediate laughs from the audience. Messing played a new and very reluctant engaged woman to Canale's Bloody Mary drinking and frustrated groom-to-be. The second sketch turned a little crude on paper as Messing portrayed a mentally challenged one night stand that simply wouldn't go away. The interplay was fantastic with both performers creating some great one-liners. A visibly embarassed Canale was then forced into the role of a pre teen boy in a beauty pageant with Messing as the stage mom who directed from the front row.
 The sketches started and ended with purpose. Fishing for rhythm and substance was unnecessary as both performers seemed to always be on the same page. Only one sketch seemed to last longer than needed which featured Messing as a bratty granddaughter with a dirty mouth to Canale's frustrated and ass-smacking grandfather. At only $5 for admission, this is one of the best value tickets in town. The sixty minutes zipped by and the audience could have sat there for another hour.
Messing With A Friend starts at 10:30 PM every Thursday with a new guest. For more info on Messing With A Friend, visit the Annoyance Theater online.
--Jeff Tobin
|
|
|
