Well, The 8-Track premiered last night, and for such an ambitious show (sketch and stand up merging "seamlessly" with live musical performances, with both a guest host and musicians) it was remarkably bump-free. And I'm sure it can only get better as we learn what works, what doesn't, and how to best put it all together.
Anyway, for those of you who didn't make it to the show, here was my contribution:
The African Adoption Sketch
A HOLLYWOOD ACTRESS enters, with a VILLAGE ELDER. She holds a T-Moble Sidekick, which she glances at, frequently, during the scene that follows. Three ORPHAN CHILDREN are lined up hopefully, awaiting them. The third is a REGULAR DUDE, wearing a backwards baseball cap.
ELDER
We are so honored to have you visit our village. We were big fans of the movie where I think you played a cat burglar vigilante who also was a surfer.
ACTRESS
You’re so sweet! I actually had a lot of input into the skintight bodysuit I wore in that.
ELDER
It’s important to keep… (struggling for the right phrase) cre-a-tive control.
ACTRESS
I’m surprised you saw it.
ELDER
Oh, we do not have a movie theater. Or electricity. No, some Americans on Safari discarded a half-eaten Burger King Whopper, and the wrapper had a promotional tie-in photo… It fed our village for a week. Of course, many were not used to consuming so much meat, and vomited more than they ate. The smell drew hyenas, led by the Devil Hyena, whom we believe to be the death spirit Pazuzu. He fed on the elderly and infirm for six days and nights. It was known as the coming of the Blood Whopper. But those who survived tell me it was flame-broiled and delicious.
ACTRESS
(She has been texting, and has heard nothing) Great. Can we just do this thing?
ELDER
Certainly. (He gestures to the children.) These are our parentless children. We wish we could support them, but ever since the corpses of our dead poisoned the water suppl…
The actress runs forward squealing and hugs one of the children…
ACTRESS
Oh look at this one! It’s so adorable! Look at its little potbelly!
ELDER
His belly is distended from starvation. You see, the build-up of gas…
She springs back from the child.
ACTRESS
Gassy. No thanks. (Points to next child.) What about this one?
ELDER
That is little Abebe. Never have I seen a child so full of love.
Abebe hugs the actress’s legs.
ABEBE
Shall you be my new mother? I will bring you kisses every morning.
She extricates herself from Abebe’s arms.
ACTRESS
A bit too full of love. Mommy has to catch up on her rest after an all-night nose candy binge, know what I mean? (The Elder’s face is blank). Dust? Flake? Merge? Mojo? The White Horse? Bolivian Marching Powder? (He’s still not getting it) No? You probably have some crazy African name for it. Got any orphans that are a little less “clingy?”
DUDE
Yo, over here!
ELDER This is… uh… Barry.
DUDE
(sticks hand out for fist bump) Barry Lunt, what’s up. I sincerely hope you choose me to be your adopted African son.
ACTRESS
He’s got a Mets cap. And that wristwatch is from Sharper Image.
ELDER
Mr. Barry wandered out of the desert one week ago. We felt bound by hospitality to feed him.
ABEBE
He took my cassava.
DUDE
I’m bigger than you. I need more food. That’s science.
ACTRESS
I don’t know. You just don’t seem that Ethiopian.
DUDE
I immigrated.
ACTRESS
From where?
DUDE
Hackensack. Look, you gonna adopt me, or not? (looks at watch) I have it on good authority that Angelina Jolie’s gonna be in a village fifteen kilometers south of here around noon. If you don’t want me, I need to hop in my Taurus and get down there.
ELDER
Mr. Barry, if you own a fuel-efficient Ford Taurus, then perhaps you would like to step aside, so that other, truly impoverished orphans can have the chance to…
DUDE
Hey, you don’t know me. You don’t know my life. Growing up, when all the other kids had Playstation 2’s, I had a Nintendo 64. You know how that feels? What if I wanna play God of War?
ELDER
The God of War? Pazuzu?!
DUDE
And now you’re gonna stand in the way of my lifelong dream of being adopted by a beautiful Hollywood starlet? Maybe you need to do some thinking about what poverty really means. Poverty of being sympathetic towards me!
ACTRESS
Look, I’d really like to adopt you. I would. Mainly because I’m afraid I’ll catch a disease from those other orphans.
DUDE
No doubt.
ACTRESS
But I’m worried if I come back with you, my friends think I don’t care about starving Africans.
DUDE
Tell them I’m South African.
ACTRESS
I don’t know…
DUDE
We’re all just one big beautiful rainbow. Check it. (singing) WE ARE THE WORLD. WE ARE THE CHILDREN. WE ARE THE ONES WHO MAKE A BRIGHTER DAY, SO LETS START (hums “giving” because he doesn’t know the words). THERE’S A CHOICE JAMAICAIN WHO’S… SOMETHING… ALL OUR PIES. (hums some more, then breaks into different song) WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE WE GOT FUN AND GAMES, IN THE JUNGLE, WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE (back to We Are the World) IT TRULY IS A BETTER DAY SO ADOPT ME!
ACTRESS
Your song makes a strong case.
DUDE
Also, if you want to get all Woody Allen/ Soon Yi on me, I’m almost 18, and I totally wouldn’t mind. These guys won’t be legal for years.
ACTRESS
Sold.
The dude sticks his hand in Abebe’s face.
DUDE Face! (To Actress) Now let’s get you home so you can start breast-feeding me.
The actress giggles, and they turn to leave.
ABEBE
(To Elder) I think I finally understand the American word “douche.”
Showing posts with label music and comedy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music and comedy. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Thursday, May 10, 2007
More Information About the 8-TRACK, Starting May 21st!
I promised more details about the new show I'm doing when I had them. And do I ever have them. Flyer and press release below...
"The 8-Track" A Seamless Blend of Music and Comedy
Mondays at 8pm. First show May 21st.
No show Memorial Day.
Location: The Green Room 45 Bleecker Street (Previously of "The Culture Project") North side of Bleecker St., between Lafayette & Mott, New York, NY
Closest subway: 6 to Bleecker
Tickets: $12.00 - available at the door or in advance.
For now, BYOB -- Discounts at "Astor Wines".
Next/First Show: MAY 21st, 8pm
The Mother's Day Show
Hosted by:
Carolyn Castiglia
Accompanied by:
Shockwave
Featuring Musical Guests:
Erin and her Cello
Cock Lorge
Soce the Elemental Wizard
Standup Comedy by:
Rick Younger
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The 8-Track: A Seamless Blend of Music and Comedy
Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan of Freestyle Love Supreme and Off-Book Productions arrange the hottest comedic writers, actors and musicians in New York City's newest hotbed of downtown comedy and music. The 8-Track creates a brand new sketch comedy show every week directed by AJ Morales ( Wicked Wicked HammerKatz) and combines it with a guest host, musicians, standup comedy, films and a house band- integrating words and music seamlessly!
------------------------------
Credits and Bios:
Sketch Direction:
AJ Morales
Writers:
Dan McCoy
Rob Bates
Matt Koff
Laura Buchholz
Josh Drimmer
Musical Direction:
Damian Cremisio
Performers:
Various
Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (Creator and Producer), can be seen in the improv comedy hip-hop group Freestyle Love Supreme which has been performed at The Aspen Comedy Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, The Melbourne International Comedy Festival and regularly at The Ars Nova Theater, NYC. He currently produces and performs Shockwave: THE MIXTAPE at Ars Nova Theater and The BEATdown: A Comedy Rap Battle at Mo Pitkins every 4th Saturday. He has trained with Chicago's Joe Bill, Miles Stroth, Mick Napier, NYC's Upright Citizen's Brigade and The People's Improv Theater. Sullivan has production managed Saturday Night Rewritten at Juvie Hall and co-created Character Dogville with Manhattan Comedy Collective. Additionally, he is co-founder of long-form improv troupe TOAST! at UMass Amherst and alumni/director of short-form improv troupe Mission:IMPROVable.
AJ Morales (Director) is Emerging Comics of New York Best Director of 2005, and the proud founder of Wicked Wicked HammerKatz (T.O.N.Y . 'Critics Pick'). Hailing originally from Arizona, he began his sketch comedy career with the legendary Arizona State University group Farce Side, where he performed and wrote for their widely attended weekly show and received 5 Audience Choice awards for his writing. Over the past 8 years, he has directed over 35 theatrical productions and has studied improv under The Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater.
Off-Book Productions
The entity known as Off-Book Productions is currently a birthing brainchild of Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan, the creator of The 8-Track. It was created to help define and promote a loose networking of performers of stage and studio, individuals and companies, and the hard work that gets them there. Created to help collaborate and network musicians and actors, this show is their first official project. Company/Project Affiliations: Beatboxer Entertainment, Goldishack Recordings, Freestyle Love Supreme, The BEATdown, The MIXTAPE, Manhattan Comedy Collective and Character Dogville and JagCo. Productions.
"The 8-Track" A Seamless Blend of Music and ComedyMondays at 8pm. First show May 21st.
No show Memorial Day.
Location: The Green Room 45 Bleecker Street (Previously of "The Culture Project") North side of Bleecker St., between Lafayette & Mott, New York, NY
Closest subway: 6 to Bleecker
Tickets: $12.00 - available at the door or in advance.
For now, BYOB -- Discounts at "Astor Wines".
Next/First Show: MAY 21st, 8pm
The Mother's Day Show
Hosted by:
Carolyn Castiglia
Accompanied by:
Shockwave
Featuring Musical Guests:
Erin and her Cello
Cock Lorge
Soce the Elemental Wizard
Standup Comedy by:
Rick Younger
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The 8-Track: A Seamless Blend of Music and Comedy
Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan of Freestyle Love Supreme and Off-Book Productions arrange the hottest comedic writers, actors and musicians in New York City's newest hotbed of downtown comedy and music. The 8-Track creates a brand new sketch comedy show every week directed by AJ Morales ( Wicked Wicked HammerKatz) and combines it with a guest host, musicians, standup comedy, films and a house band- integrating words and music seamlessly!
------------------------------
Credits and Bios:
Sketch Direction:
AJ Morales
Writers:
Dan McCoy
Rob Bates
Matt Koff
Laura Buchholz
Josh Drimmer
Musical Direction:
Damian Cremisio
Performers:
Various
Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (Creator and Producer), can be seen in the improv comedy hip-hop group Freestyle Love Supreme which has been performed at The Aspen Comedy Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, The Melbourne International Comedy Festival and regularly at The Ars Nova Theater, NYC. He currently produces and performs Shockwave: THE MIXTAPE at Ars Nova Theater and The BEATdown: A Comedy Rap Battle at Mo Pitkins every 4th Saturday. He has trained with Chicago's Joe Bill, Miles Stroth, Mick Napier, NYC's Upright Citizen's Brigade and The People's Improv Theater. Sullivan has production managed Saturday Night Rewritten at Juvie Hall and co-created Character Dogville with Manhattan Comedy Collective. Additionally, he is co-founder of long-form improv troupe TOAST! at UMass Amherst and alumni/director of short-form improv troupe Mission:IMPROVable.
AJ Morales (Director) is Emerging Comics of New York Best Director of 2005, and the proud founder of Wicked Wicked HammerKatz (T.O.N.Y . 'Critics Pick'). Hailing originally from Arizona, he began his sketch comedy career with the legendary Arizona State University group Farce Side, where he performed and wrote for their widely attended weekly show and received 5 Audience Choice awards for his writing. Over the past 8 years, he has directed over 35 theatrical productions and has studied improv under The Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater.
Off-Book Productions
The entity known as Off-Book Productions is currently a birthing brainchild of Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan, the creator of The 8-Track. It was created to help define and promote a loose networking of performers of stage and studio, individuals and companies, and the hard work that gets them there. Created to help collaborate and network musicians and actors, this show is their first official project. Company/Project Affiliations: Beatboxer Entertainment, Goldishack Recordings, Freestyle Love Supreme, The BEATdown, The MIXTAPE, Manhattan Comedy Collective and Character Dogville and JagCo. Productions.
Monday, April 30, 2007
NEW SHOW ALERT!
I've not been doing a lot of live comedy for a while, partly because I've been working on a screenplay (sure to remain unpurchased and unproduced), and partly because a few long-running projects I was a part of came to an end, and I never took the initiative to come up with replacements.
However, starting in May, I'll be part of a regular show again. And, based on the concept and the other people involved, I'm very excited.
Every Monday, starting on May 21st (skipping May 28th, Memorial Day) I'll be doing a new show called The 8-Track, at 49 Bleecker St., between Lafayette and Mulberry (formerly the Culture Project theater). It will consist of 8 musical performances and 8 comedy performances woven seamlessly into one another, much like a DJ set, or a mix tape. The show will be all-new every week, and each show will feature a guest host and guest musicians, in addition to the usual sketch performers.
The show is produced by Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan, of the improv hip-hop group Freestyle Love Supreme, which has been featured at the Aspen Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The head writer is Erik Marcisak, named a Back Stage Comedy Best Bet in 2006 and the former manager of Juvie Hall, an Emerging Comics of New York winner for Best Venue in 2005. The director (at least for the first several shows-- this will likely rotate) will be A.J. Morales, winner of the ECNY award for Best Director in 2005, and the founder/director of The Wicked Wicked Hammerkatz which also won a ECNY award, was a Del Close Marathon selection, etc. etc. etc.
These are good folks.
My place in the show will primarily be on the writer's side, but I should also be appearing as a performer for one reoccuring segment.
More than that I cannot say, partly because I don't know how much I should spill at these formative stages (the show will effectively be "in previews" for the summer, as we discover more about the shape it will take and work out the technical niceties), and partly because I don't know much more at this point. But I wanted to let folks know what I could, because I believe this could be something great. I hope you can make it out to see for yourself, and I'll keep you posted as I get more specifc details regarding our debut.
However, starting in May, I'll be part of a regular show again. And, based on the concept and the other people involved, I'm very excited.
Every Monday, starting on May 21st (skipping May 28th, Memorial Day) I'll be doing a new show called The 8-Track, at 49 Bleecker St., between Lafayette and Mulberry (formerly the Culture Project theater). It will consist of 8 musical performances and 8 comedy performances woven seamlessly into one another, much like a DJ set, or a mix tape. The show will be all-new every week, and each show will feature a guest host and guest musicians, in addition to the usual sketch performers.
The show is produced by Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan, of the improv hip-hop group Freestyle Love Supreme, which has been featured at the Aspen Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The head writer is Erik Marcisak, named a Back Stage Comedy Best Bet in 2006 and the former manager of Juvie Hall, an Emerging Comics of New York winner for Best Venue in 2005. The director (at least for the first several shows-- this will likely rotate) will be A.J. Morales, winner of the ECNY award for Best Director in 2005, and the founder/director of The Wicked Wicked Hammerkatz which also won a ECNY award, was a Del Close Marathon selection, etc. etc. etc.
These are good folks.
My place in the show will primarily be on the writer's side, but I should also be appearing as a performer for one reoccuring segment.
More than that I cannot say, partly because I don't know how much I should spill at these formative stages (the show will effectively be "in previews" for the summer, as we discover more about the shape it will take and work out the technical niceties), and partly because I don't know much more at this point. But I wanted to let folks know what I could, because I believe this could be something great. I hope you can make it out to see for yourself, and I'll keep you posted as I get more specifc details regarding our debut.
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