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<p>Entries in UCBT-NY (36)</p>
<p>Tuesday Feb 16 2010  The Honey Shot</p>
<p>Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 9:00AM  Mamrie Hart (and the late Matthew McConaughey) | Photo: Eric Michael Photography</p>

<p>* THE PLUG: Don't miss "CELEBRITY FUNERAL: Matthew McConaughey," featuring Mamrie and a vast cast of mourners on WEDS, FEB 17 @ 8PM at The UCBT-NY | $5</p>
<p>* RELATED: R.I.P. Ab-Man</p>

<p>Wanna plug? E-mail me photo & credit. And join our flickr group. Send 10 days in advance.</p>

<p>keithhuang | Post a Comment tagged Mamrie Hart , UCBT-NY in Photos Thursday Jan 28 2010  Prison Freaks: A Talent Show</p>
<p>Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 10:00AM Shannon O'Neill as "Poly" | Photo: Matt Mayer</p>

<p>By: Keith Huang</p>

<p>In Shannon O'Neill's "Prison Freaks: A Talent Show," the veteran UCB improviser and teacher has compiled a cavalcade of prison misfits so freakish in looks and behavior that they come full circle to funny. Set in the fictional (or prophetic) Charlie Sheen Prison, the show starts with a computerized emcee who offers tips on how not to get attacked by the inmates. O'Neill (Stepfathers, Thunder Gulch) then gets introduced as four different characters, each of whom is a powder keg of pain, suffering and fury just waiting to explode. How each character seemingly hides that is what makes O'Neill so masterful at balancing comedy and tension. With direction from Will Hines (The Stepfathers), intricate video and graphic design by Matt Mayer and stage and costume help from Polo Tate and Kat Toledo, "Prison Freaks" is a perfect representation of O'Neill's sense of humor -- you won't find anything conventional here. But that's just how she likes it. At the risk of getting stabbed in the neck with a dull pencil, The Apiary asked O'Neill a few questions about the show:</p>

<p>What was the inspiration for "Prison Freaks: A Talent Show"?</p>
<p>Five years ago I did a show called "Laid Up" with Julie Brister and Erin Rose Foley. When writing the sketches, we kept the idea or theme of prison in mind, and most of our sketches wound up being about the characters that felt like prisoners of their own body or life situations. We had purchased prison jumpsuits to use for promoting the show, and when I put mine on the first time, I knew I was going to have to do a show all about prison. Little did I know it would take me five years to make it happen and figure out exactly what it would be.</p>

<p>You've been in numerous shows on the UCB stages, but this your first one-person show. Why did you wait so long?</p>
<p>It is funny you ask that, because just the other day I finally realized myself why it has taken this long. Ten years ago I moved to New York and started taking classes at The UCB. It only took me about six weeks to get the first draft of this show written, but I honestly feel that it has taken me 10 years to find myself, believe in myself and trust myself, both as a person and a comedian. A one-person show is terrifying -- I am putting who I am out there. Even though I am not telling a life story, I am telling the audience that I think this is funny. And I finally, 100%, trust my own sense of humor (insert fart noise).</p>

<p>After I saw your show, two of the phrases I heard most from people at the bar were: "hilarious" and "fucked up." What do you make of that?</p>
<p>That means I am doing the job I set out to do, which is to be myself. I have a dark, warped sense of humor so I don't get compliments like: "That was really cute and adorable." I usually get: "What's wrong with you?", "Jesus Christ" and "YOU'RE Married?" And those are the ones I enjoy the most.</p>

<p>There's also a lot of improv in "Prison Freaks: A Talent Show." Do you prefer the improv over the written material?</p>
<p>I could never choose, which is why I think I had so much fun putting both in my show. I really love those improvised moment, but I'm also thankful to have things planned out that I believe in.</p>

<p>What did Will Hines bring to your show as a director that you didn't already have in place?</p>
<p>Will has a brain that functions on a much more human level than my own. One of the biggest and smartest decisions was the order of the characters, and that was Will. He explained it to me from a human's point of view. Will also gets my sense of humor. We took a sketch class together back in the late 1700's and I remember him laughing at my weirdness back then. So I knew he would support and trust my choices, but he also knows when to say "Hey, weirdo, I like the idea, but it is too fucking weird, re-word it so it's not so fucking weird, you weirdo."</p>

<p>How would you describe your writing process for this show?</p>
<p>When I was writing "Prison Freaks" I gave myself the challenge of doing a new character every week for four weeks. I am lucky enough to have very supportive friends: Justin Purnell gave me three school Night slots and Steven Michael Rondel and Molly Lloyd gave me a slot at Muffins in the Window. I was able to test all these characters individually in front of an audience before writing a show around them. So deadlines are what make me write; unfortunately, self-imposed deadlines are hard to keep. But lately I have finally realized I am not a spry little comedy lad anymore, so the deadline of DEATH has resulted in me being much more productive.</p>

<p>* THE PLUG: Don't miss "Prison Freaks: A Talent Show," happening FRI, JAN. 29 @ 8PM (and Feb. 11 & 25) at The UCBT-NY | $5</p>

<p>enda - I love mustaches and wigs, so I put them on, talked and walked around and figured her out.Poly - the first character I came up with. I signed up to do a character at School Night, having nothing prepared at all yet. I opened up my prop bin at home, found my jumpsuit and a mask I purchased a year or so ago, put them both on, walked around, found a voice and figured it out. After that school night, I knew I had a show Idea I believed in.Dinkle Toots - I was at a point where I knew I was now building a prison Talent show, so I was just searching for more freakish looks, again looked in my prop bin, found some unused items and decided this dude likes to tell jokes.Howard Defendorfer - the name comes from my childhood. My dad used to say it all the time, and I honestly don't know why, I should probably ask him. I think it made us laugh as kids. It is such a cartoonish name, so I created a character that to me is a caricature of a prisoner, so it just made sense that he also likes to draw caricatures. keithhuang | 5 Comments tagged Prison Freaks: A Talent Show , Shannon O'Neill , UCBT-NY in Show Recap Monday Jan 25 2010  The Honey Shot</p>
<p>Monday, January 25, 2010 at 10:53AM  Don Fanelli, Mackenzie Condon and James Dwyer of Big Ass Movie | Photo: James Robilotta</p>

<p>* THE PLUG: Don't miss "Big Ass Movie," happening TONIGHT @ 9:30PM at The UCBT-NY | $5</p>

<p>Wanna plug? E-mail me photo & credit. And join our flickr group. Send 10 days in advance.</p>

<p>keithhuang | 1 Comment tagged Big Ass Movie , UCBT-NY in Photos Thursday Jan 14 2010  UCBT Announces Charity Asssscat Shows For Haiti</p>
<p>Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 4:44PM  ASSSSCAT (Mantzoukas, Sudiekis, Carter and Glaser) @ The Del Close Marathon 2009 | Photo: Ari Scott The UCB Theatre has just announced a couple of ASSSSCAT performances to raise money for the disaster in Haiti.</p>

<p>> THE UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE THEATRE PRESENTS TWO SPECIAL PERFORMANCES OF ASSSSCAT TO RAISE SUPPORT FOR MERCY CORPS' HAITI EARTHQUAKE RELIEF EFFORTS</p>

<p>MERCYCAT</p>

<p>SUNDAY, JANUARY 31ST, 2010</p>

<p>The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre presents two special performances of their long-running improv show, ASSSSCAT, to raise support for Mercy Corps’ relief efforts in Haiti after the devastating earthquake of January 12th. Every dollar raised at the show will go directly to Mercy Corps' relief efforts in Haiti.</p>

<p>The performances of MercyCAT will be on Sunday, January 31st at 7:30pm and 9:30pm, and will feature celebrities from Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show¸ 30 Rock, and more.</p>

<p>Mercy Corps is an international relief and development organization that exists to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. Mercy Corps has a long history of helping earthquake survivors meet their immediate needs and recover what they've lost. The organization has aided families after earthquakes in Peru in 2007, China and Pakistan in 2008, and Indonesia last year. All contributions will go directly to fast, efficient relief and recovery programs.</p>

<p>TICKETS FOR BOTH MERCYCAT SHOWS ARE AVAILABLE HERE</p>

<p>The UCB usually brings out the big guns for special shows like this, seats will go fast.</p>

<p>RELATED</p>

<p>* Haiti Earthquake Relief: How You Can Help | HuffPo</p>

<p>The Apiary | Post a Comment tagged ASSSSCAT , Mercycat , UCBT-NY in Upcoming Wednesday Dec 23 2009  The Honey Shot</p>
<p>Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at 9:00AM  Kurt Braunohler with Matt Braunger in background | Photo: liezl was here</p>

<p>* THE PLUG: Don't miss Kurt performing in "Kurt Braunohler: AUTUMN AT THE CHUCKLE SHACK," happening TONIGHT @ 8PM at The UCBT-NY | $5</p>

<p>Wanna plug? E-mail me photo & credit. And join our flickr group. Send 10 days in advance.</p>

<p>keithhuang | Post a Comment tagged Kurt Braunohler , UCBT-NY in Photos Friday Dec 04 2009  More "Mystery Team Week"</p>
<p>Friday, December 4, 2009 at 11:00AM  Dominic Dierkes and Dan Eckman of Mystery Team | Photo: Keith Huang</p>

<p>At Wednesday's MYSTERY TEAM LIVE! show, two members of Derrick came to the UCBT-NY bearing gifts. Dominic Dierkes and Dan Eckman toted a K-mart bag filled with Tub Time Toys, a Swing Vote DVD and some random paperback books, cheerily handing out items to anyone who had seen Mystery Team at previous screenings.</p>

<p>Kevin Brown plays "Dotcom" on 30 Rock Some of the biggest laughs came from Dierkes's reading of the synopsis to "Playing With Fire," by Gena Showalter: The substance snuck into the protagonist's grand mocha latte "changes her life forever: the new Super Belle can control the four elements -- earth, wind, fire and water." Eckman quickly said he wanted to adapt a screenplay.</p>

<p>Ahead of today's first, official New York Mystery Team screenings, the Derrick gang (sans DC and Donald) asked all their friends whom they had asked to be in the movie to come out for an improv jam.</p>

<p>The special guest monologist was Kevin "Dotcom" Brown from 30 Rock, who told a story about buying a gold suit in Detroit and an incredibly funny story about a famous Brown-family gem about how "when I was born, they thought I was dead."</p>

<p>Although tonight's Mystery Team screenings are sold out, the fellas will be on hand at evening screenings this weekend and all next week to meet-and-greet and field some Q&A with the audience.</p>

<p>Tickets for the Saturday and Sunday shows are still available, as are tickets for next week's shows (Tickets).</p>

<p>--Keith Huang</p>

<p>RELATED: Donald Glover leaks "I'm So Official" by Childish Gambino</p>

<p>^ Bobby Moynihan and Will Hines</p>

<p>^ Kay Cannon wrote last night's 30 Rock episode "Dealbreakers Talk Show" ^ Neil Casey and Dominic Dierkes ^ Anthony King ^ Will Hines</p>

<p>http://bln.kr/5LV/ keithhuang | Post a Comment tagged Derrick , Mystery Team , UCBT-NY in TV/Film Tuesday Nov 24 2009  The Honey Shot</p>
<p>Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 9:00AM  Photo: Rob Michael Hugel</p>

<p>*  THE PLUG: Don't miss "600: The Movie," happening TONIGHT @ 11PM at The UCBT-NY | $5</p>

<p>Wanna plug? E-mail me photo & credit. And join our flickr group. Send 10 days in advance.</p>

<p>keithhuang | Post a Comment tagged UCBT-NY in Photos Friday Nov 13 2009  The Honey Shot</p>
<p>Friday, November 13, 2009 at 9:00AM  Neil Reynolds (Aaron Burr) and Matt Tucker (Alexander Hamilton) are Code Duello | Photo: Alex Erde</p>

<p>*  THE PLUG: Don't miss "Code Duello: Hamilton & Burr," performing their signature 2-person improv TONIGHT @ 8PM at The UCBT-NY | $10</p>

<p>Wanna plug? E-mail me photo & credit. And join our flickr group. Send 10 days in advance.</p>

<p>keithhuang | Post a Comment tagged Code Duello , Improv , Matt Tucker , Neil Reynolds , UCBT-NY in Photos Page 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 Next 8 Entries » Copyright © 2011, [theapiary.org]. All rights reserved.</p>