(Pictured from Left- Former BOONIE Hayley Williams, and Lara "Sweet Brier" St. Peter in AGL's ANTON IN SHOW BUSINESS)
HEY YA'LL! This week ANTON IS SHOW BUSINESS opens at AGL here in Lex-vegas. Do yourself a favor and go see it! Not ONLY is it directed by Cinncinatti Shakes' AD Brian Issac Phillips, and not ONLY does it have a stellar cast featuring some of the finest actresses here in the bluegrass, BUT it's a JANE MARTIN piece. Anyone who knows Tim X at all knows of my affinity for "Ms" Martin's works. One of my all time favorite shows, KEELY AND DU, was one of the most talked about shows of the 90's. It is also the first show I had the pleasure of directing my wife in (as Keely) and she was fan-damn-tastic! That was one of the most intimate, special pieces I've ever worked on, and it culminated with people litterally weeping in the audience...NOT crying, not sobbing but WEEPING! It was, as Mr Sartin in fond of saying, "Pure Magic!". I've also directed "Ms" Martin's VITAL SIGNS (not as good as his first all female monologue fest TALKING WITH, but pretty close) and the play I consider to be the funniest thing I've ever read MIDDLE AGED WHITE GUYS. I am desperate to direct this in Lexington when I get the chance and find the right venue...but it is, without a doubt, one of the wackiest, yet most touching pieces you'll ever see. I've been trying to get Rick to do it for years, but he won't bite. (Hell, dude, it takes place on a BASEBALL FIELD for God's sake! What more do you need????:) But I digress...
So get out and go see this wonderful ensemble piece with it's cutting edge humor, first rate production staff, and delightful cast...here's the details:
Presented by: Actors Guild of Lexington
When: Preview performances at 7:30 p.m. April 18 and 19. The show opens April 20 and runs through May 13. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.
Where: Downtown Arts Center, 214 E. Main St.Tickets: Regular performances: $24 general admission; $18 ages 65 and older; $15 students. April 19 preview is $20 general admission; $14 ages 65 and older, $12 students. April 18 and 22 are pay-what-you-can performances.
Phone: (859) 225-0370. Online: www.actorsguildof lexington.com
Sooo...question for today is: What is the FUNNIEST play you've ever read/seen/been involved with?
38 comments:
MISSY J- Call me at my cell when you get a chance
576-2744
Funniest plays I've seen/ever been in: Lend Me a Tenor and Noises Off. It's such a rush to make an audience laugh that hard - and to hold for the laughter! So wonderful. I love to make an audience "feel." There were also quite a few moments when we did "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" at AGL.
Hey Mikey,
Sorry about the removal. Holla at me and I'll explain why...
In 1982, I was in London, shooting my first two movies. The first play I saw there was at the suggestion of my producer, Sy Weintraub, who told me to go see NOISES OFF at the Savoy Theatre.
I went to the theatre that night not having a clue what the play was about other than it was supposed to be funny and it starred Paul Eddington, star of a British television show I loved, Yes, Minister. I had a front run seat...and funny? Well, I nearly fell out of my seat more than once, weeping with laughter. I've since seen it in LA and the recent revival in London and it was hysterically funny those two times as well.
Believe it or not, a production of George Bernard Shaw's MISALLIANCE at the Old Globe ranks as one of the funniest plays I've ever seen.
This last trip to London, I saw stage adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock's film THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS based on the John Buchan novel. It had four actors. One actor played the protagonist, Richard Hannay. An actresses played three or four women's roles, and then two other actors played probably fifty parts between them. Very inventive and very funny!
A production of Noel Coward's FALLEN ANGELS had a second act that pretty much consisted of the two leading leadies (Fecility Kendall and Frances DeLaTour) getting progressively drunker as the scene as they wait for a mutual old beau. Uproarious!
I'm sure there ones I'm forgetting (LEND ME A TENOR comes to mind) but I ain't going through all my theatre programmes to prompt my memory.
The funniest play I've ever been in was easily MOVE OVER, MRS. MARKHAM, a just fall-down, door-slamming, straight-out British sex farce by the master of it, Ray Cooney. I played the flamboyant decorator that everyone thought was gay, but was actually boffing the maid. I'd love to do it again...playing Mr. Markham this time. Shayne Brakefield, that grand farceur, would be brilliant in my old part of Alaister, the decorator.
I'll say it again- for me, it's the production I directed of MIDDLE AGED WHITE GUYS at USM. It was a small studio production, virtually no real set (acting cubes and such) and no budget at all, and I've NEVR seen an audience react the way they did to this piece. What d you want from a show with the Ghost of Elvis as a Harbinger of the future sent by a feminine God? GOOD stuff...
I'll third NOISES OFF, as well. I first saw it in the 80's at HORSE CAVE theatre. Had no idea what it was, and I'm not sure if I've ever laughed so hard in a theatre. I'll also give a shout out to the late 80's film version with Chris Reeve and John Ritter at the top of their game, a scenery chewing Carol Burnett, a perfectly clueless Nicholette Sherridan, and Michael Caine in a role that seemed tailor made.
BTW- Till further notice, please try and keep all posts PG, if you don't mind. Thanks!
Censorship is un-American. But then again, what should we expect from someone who signs his own name as "X"?
I haven't seen any funny plays in a long time.
(ck your email, Mr. X... if that is your real name!)
Har har...laugh it up, fuzz ball!
Quick- 25 points for that reference!!!!
Empire Strikes Back - Harrison Ford
and all I want to know is, what was deleted...
Nothing derogatory towards the show or anything like that - just a little off color joke prompted by a lyric I had initially put up. My fault, not Mikey's...let's let that be the end of it...
I was in LEND ME A TENOR directed by Dr. Mike Freidman at UK and I would say that was probably the most laughs I ever experienced in a show as an actress and ensemble member. Pretty funny poop- that show.
A little edgy and raunchy, but hilarious was doing PSYCHO BEACH PARTY by Charles Busch at AGL in the early 90's (Billy Breed kicked booty in that show!!!) and Chris Carrier's directing project of THEADORA SHE-BITCH of BYZANTIUM at UK...both had laughs that roared on and on and on. But I was in both...so ones that I have seeeeeen
Hmmmm...
I enjoy a good KATHY AND MO show..if the actresses are killer..."you look very very purty tonight"
BAT BOY at AGL was both touching and hilarious...
I laughed my head off at History of Shakespeare:Abridged and History of America: Abridged both at AGL
I am in a play that is NOT funny that opens on Thurs. here in Ft. Misery...another "world premiere" for me....it's called THE DUNES....it does not take place in FL...rather the Hamptons..good cast. Wish I was in ANTON instead.
Break legs all involved!!
"FT MiserY"- now THAT'S funny, L!
And that LEND ME A TENOR was pretty darn funny, as I recall...(saw it ACTF in Greensboro)
I was also in that same production of Lend Me a Tenor with Laurie, we had so much fun...as Corrinna Stroller, the deaf starlet in House of Blue Leaves, directed by Ava Lawyer, we brought the house down every night..Martha Campbell & I played the leads in the female version of the Odd Couple (I was the tidy one)..big laughs..and as Ouisa in Six Degrees of Separation, directed by Sully White there were some moments that were just hysterical..it is so much fun when the audience is right there with you, in your timing and enjoying it as much as you are..I adored playing all the characters in the Dining Room, from age 7 to 87, wow..those are just a few that come to mind the quickest, there is a slew of them though...oh, I directed Flea in Her Ear, people loved all the door slamming, actor spinning romp..ah the French Farce..
Some Things You Need To Know Before The World Ends (A Final Evening With The Illuminati) was one of the funniest shows I've been a part of. The audience laughed up a storm. Such a great sound. And constant, too. Ryan C and I played that one to the hilt. Looking forward to reviving that one again soon.
A production of The Rivals I saw at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin was also very funny. But that may have been due to the delirium brought on by jet lag.
I was actually about to mention "A Flea in Her Ear". That was the first show I was ever onstage in and still the funniest. The sheer glee we felt every night when that audience positively HOWLED... well, it sold me right then and there.
I really dug both "Lend Me a Tenor" and "Noises Off" when my wife did those. I was sound guy for all three of those (Tenor twice). Not to overplay it, but even the sound was a character (well, it IS called "Noises Off"). And in "Tenor"... well, just ask poor Fonzie Geary what happens when the sound you need (a phone ring) is not forthcoming.
That's one great thing about working in the booth: you can watch the audience and grin as big as you please when we "get 'em".
Never saw a more "appreciative" audience than those X and I experienced at KSU, though. When those kids dug it, they literally stood up and hooted! (But when it flew over them, it was like a turd in a punchbowl.)
Can I say "turd" now?
Let me consult the MSNBC code of conduct and I'll get back to you....
that is too funny!
btw, Tim that photo of you in the rocking chair with that precious son...priceless, so so sweet!
Thanks!
We are sweet, aren't we?
indeed
Is anyone having trouble lgging on? the Diva Master has been experiencing some difficulty. Could be them there Mississippi computers, though...
I was having some trouble but, I fixed it...
Funniest I've seen= Psycho Beach Party
Funniest read= The Marriage Counselor
Had to create a new account.
O.k. I've had a bitch of a time getting this thing worked out. I though it was these here arkansas computers.
I directed Beyond Therapy in 2001. I'm not a huge Durang fan, but this particular performance was truly very funny. We performed maybe 10 days after 9/11/2001, so I think we and the whole audience needed a good laugh. The play also took on a whole new poignancy.
Boston Marriage is a hilarious script. I wish I had had more seasoned performers when I directed it, but it played well. I think it's kinda too smart for the room down here.
I performed the role of Mrs. Mannering in Middle Aged White Guys. We had a blast.
Diva Master. The Marriage Counselor is tripe. The script is o.k. its really a 90 minute sitcom.
While at ACTF last month I saw a student written full length play called Grand Canyon. It's a road trip play with Abe Lincoln, Joseph Stalin, and Jack Kerouac. Now that was Hhilarious.
I also love the play Pterodactyls by Nicky Silver. Very dark.
Peace,
d$
D are you having trouble logging on as well? If so, describe the trouble and what you did to remedy it.
you have to create a new account...
i keep having to create a new account evey time i want to post. that blows. something is up. maybe i'm being banned because i used the word that rhymed with "block."
Yeah, somethin' in the system is f*&#@!
I keep havin' to flop back and forth on my log-in info.
I's okay if I stayed logged in.
when you create your new account, you have to write in the email address instead of just your username...it takes forever...the last blog, I kept creating a new account...I took it very personal (tee & hee)
stupud google
The funniest play I ever worked on was a rick directed production of Shrew. The theatre was about to close (closer than AGL ever was), and the energy this brought added to a very talented cast made it a show for the ages.
"What dogs are these?!"
The two funniest I have seen, Scapino starring Scott Wichmann and Fully Commited starring either Scott or the lovely Laura Blake.
Okay those typos occured because I was holding a squirmy 8 month old.
Does this thing work?
Yes, d$ I think it does.
Funniest seen: House of Blue Leaves at Missouri Rep in Kansas City.
Funniest in: House of Blue Leaves at Converse College in SC. My roomie and I talked our department head into doing it after we saw it in Kansas.
Love that Jack Kerouac road trip play idea! I wrote a musical for Dallas Theatre Center's Play Market that involved Jesse James, Neal Cassady, Walt Whitman, and Rudolf Hess. And it was pretty funny, dang it. And never saw the stage again. That's showbiz!
Tripe? TRIPE? Why I oughta....
Saw the show today and it ROCKED!!! Way to go, Ladies...great work!
All of you slackers in the area who've yet to check it out...step away from the betting window and get thee to the theatre, post haste!
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