So, we opened "The Back Pocket Gang Presents ... An Evening of Sketch Comedy" last night. Seven of us writers (Detroit Angie, Dan, Laura, Ben, Mark, Shane, and I) also had our first Writing Five class with Joe Janes at Second City yesterday from 1:00pm to 4:00pm.
With class until 4:00pm, we were going to have just enough time to grab a quick lunch at Piper's Alley before driving over to Bucktown to get ready for our 6:00pm show. Our Writing Five and Six classes are part of a sixteen-week process that culminates with us putting on a sketch comedy show at the Second City. However, we in the Back Pocket Gang couldn't wait one year, and we decided to put on our own show. Now that we are in Writing Five and Six, we have a seasoned professional, Joe Janes, directing the show. We've already learned some valuable lessons putting on our own show without a pro's guidance, and we're sure that we'll learn even more in the next sixteen weeks. Coincidentally, the running time of our Writing Five and Six show will be approximately as long as "An Evening of Sketch Comedy." Hopefully, we don't learn that we royally screwed everything up with respect to "An Evening of Sketch Comedy."
We began class with Joe giving us an overview of the general concepts for establishing a running order. It reminded me of picking a batting order in baseball, and Joe's example also had nine slots. This started to make me nervous, because we didn't follow this guideline. For example, the first and last scenes ("the opener" and "the closer") are meant to involve the entire ensemble. We didn't do that. Our show opens with the first scene of a runner and ends with the last scene of the runner -- which is Dan's gameshow/reality TV parody assailing the fine work of America's douchebags.
The next-to-last spot is supposed to be the funniest/strongest sketch of the show. That's a relief. I think we may have done that by putting Ben's sketch with dueling minstrels in the next-to-last spot. Then Joe informs us that the seven-spot should be our "going to crazy town" sketch. Damn it! I have a pretty strong feeling that my sketch, which mixes doggy daycare with the corporate world, is our show's ticket to crazy town, and it's early in the show. The theory of having the "crazy town" sketch towards the end of the show is that you've built trust with the audience and they're more willing to make that leap with you after you've built that trust. On the other hand, if the audience doesn't enjoy the trip to crazy town, then you have less time to lose them. That, and the next-to-last sketch is supposedly your strongest, so you should get them back if the crazy sketch bombs. That revelation probably would have worried me, if I weren't so excited about acting in the show.
We had a great class running through re-writes of previous sketches. Because seven of the eight people in our class have gone through these classes together, it was a very fun trip down memory lane, but more on that material in the coming weeks after we have completed our run at Gorilla Tango.
So, back to the show. After class, Angela, Dan, Mark and I grabbed some grub at Chipotle and then piled into my Jeep. We arrived at the theater around 5:00pm, the house opened at 5:30pm, and the show would begin promptly at 6:00pm. We gathered in the basement of the theater and waited for the stage to be free. At that point we received some pleasant news: the show was close to selling out. I high-tailed it upstairs to buy a ticket for my wife. With that crisis averted, I went back to preparing for the show.
The backstage area is pretty cramped. We all set up shop and I put all of costume changes in order on a table: I was wearing a suit to be a douchebag in Dan's sketch (complete with sunglasses while indoors and a bluetooth); then I had my black tartan v-neck sweater (to look suitably suburban for Mark's sketch); then my Red Wings jersey, boxing gloves, and chicken accouterments for Shane's cockfighting sketch; then my doctor/mechanic garb for Angie Lang's sketch; and finally my crown and Australia Wallabies rugby jumper for Ben's sketch. While this sounds like a lot, it was basically putting different tops on over my shirt and tie. I had it easier than Michelle, who had to scurry downstairs to change into different dresses and a powersuit. And I also had it easier than Scott and Sam, who had to make a very quick change from minstrels to douchebags for the conclusion of the show.
As we set up back stage, Shane received a text from Laura -- sold out, standing room only. I think we were all getting excited to go on stage. I was pacing around and doing stupid dances backstage. I finally settled down and began going over lines. Finally, the time came for Shane to warm up the crowd with his intro song admonishing people to turn off cell phones and pagers. As usual, his timing was perfect, and he killed it.
With that, Michelle and I were set to take the stage for the first part of Dan's sketch. The audience gave us a great reception, and some big laughs. Dan has a special talent for writing dickhead men. I suppose I should feel honored that he thinks that I have a special talent for playing such men.
Next up was Detroit Angie's sketch, performed by Dan and Mary. As is usually the case, Detroit Angie wrote a very funny and technically strong sketch. We could hear the laughter back stage. With Shane's song, the opening of Dan's sketch, and Detroit Angie's "Twilight Fan," we were well on our way.
My sketch, "Alpha Dog," was next. I think I heard some laughter, but I was busy reading lines and talking to Dan about his sketch. The actors (Ben, Scott, Nicole, Sam, and Michelle) have put that sketch on their back and morphed it from a very rough and confusing first run through to something that made the audience laugh. Thanks for saving my ass, guys.
Laura's hit piece on bureaucrats was next, with Dan and Sam playing wonderfully off each other. The laughs continued, and I think at this point we were feeling pretty good about ourselves back stage. The nerves had settled down, and we were humming along. Sam's work wasn't finished, because he was right back out for the second installment of Dan's douchebag chronicles -- the pretentious artiste. When Sam auditioned for this part, we had to have him.
Next was Mark's touching look into the lives of a married couple with differing approaches to their religion -- Satanism. This sketch has me dressing like somebody from the Santorum campaign. It's a joy to perform, in large part because the actors (Michelle, Scott, and I) get turned loose to complement the dialogue with action. Michelle is a very experienced actor, and she taught me quite a bit about following your scene partner while we were rehearsing this scene. (And I'm not sharing my secrets, so there!)
Next was Mary's monologue, "Workout Barbie." I remember when she wrote this in our first writing class. I cracked up, and kept calling her "Workout Barbie" for the remainder of the course. From backstage, it sounded as if she had the audience eating out of her fabricated, plastic, doll hands.
Shane's cockfighting sketch began the home stretch. When he wrote this in Writing Two, I damn near wet myself from laughing. The script is funny as hell, and when you add Dan's portrayal of the cagey boxing coach (think Burgess Meredith's Mickey from Rocky), you'd better be wearing Depends (TM).
Building on that momentum, Scott and Michelle came out to introduce the third of Dan's douchebags - the big, blowhard sports fan douchebag who thinks he's irresistible to all women. Scott owns this role. Dan was about as close to giddy as I've ever seen him when Scott read this part during his audition.
Angie Lang's "Shot" was next, and it was in the "crazy town" slot that I mentioned above. If "Alpha Dog" couldn't be in the crazy slot, this was a good choice. (Quite fitting, actually, because Angie was always willing to go to crazy town with me in Writing One.) "Shot" has a husband and wife (Nicole and Mark) going to a an OBGYN who behaves like a mechanic (yours truly). Well, the audience got right on the bus with us, and we had a nice little voyage to crazy town. Honk! Honk!
In the next to last spot, we had Ben's "Minstrels." The laughter was loud and frequent. I was standing right behind the curtain the entire time for my entrance near the end of the scene. Ben was sitting next to me. He had such a look of joy on his face, and deservedly so. I was so happy for him that I almost stopped paying attention and missed my cue to enter. (That would have sucked.)
Finally, we reached the conclusion of Dan's douche-a-rama. The audience went nuts when Scott came out in his get-up for the end of the game. The sketch is set up as a competition, but Scott blew me and Sam away with his portrayal of Lenny last night.
And with that, we were ready to take a bow. The audience was wonderful, we were all grinning from ear to ear after it was over. We reconvened at the Green Eye tavern. (It's under the Western Blue Line stop. Go there. They serve good beer, the bartenders are friendly, and it's a gorgeous space.) We also ordered pizza from Piece. (Green Eye has no kitchen, but you can bring in whatever food you like.) The lovefest was in full bloom. Even Dan and I were smiling.
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