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<p>Entries in Steve Soroka (6)</p>
<p>Wednesday Apr 27 2011  NEW VIDEO WEDNESDAY! - ADAM PALLY, STEVE SOROKA AND SLEEP IN OUR BEDS</p>
<p>Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 2:37PM Riding Shotgun With Adam Pally | Adam Pally</p>

<p>Steve Zings the Movies! With Chris Roberti | Steve Soroka</p>

<p>Christian Punis, Pt. 2 | Sleep In Our Beds</p>

<p>keithhuang | Post a Comment | 10 References tagged Adam Pally , Chris Roberti , Mary Grill , Matt Hobby , Steve Soroka in NVW Thursday Mar 31 2011  INSIDE WITH: STEVE SOROKA & MAMRIE HART OF BŌF</p>
<p>Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 2:56PM  Matt Fisher, Steve Soroka & Mamrie Hart | Photo: Eric Michael Pearson By: Meghan O'Keefe</p>

<p>Friends are people who see the best in us and like us for it. Best friends are people who see the best and the worst in us and still love us for it. Mamrie Hart and Steve Soroka are best friends who combine their friendship and their foibles to create the sketch group, BoF. In their latest show, “BoF: It’s Pronounced Boaf!” the duo combines upbeat dancing, dreams of pop stardom, the trials of unemployment, and the importance of Lifetime movies in a delightful and hilarious show. We spoke to Mamrie and Steve about BoF's origins and which one of them is most like Blanche Devereux.</p>

<p>How did each of you get started in comedy?</p>
<p>Steve: I moved to New York right after college and kind of sheepishly putzed around for long time. I would lie to friends about doing stand up. Then one night a friend took me to an improv show -- against my will, because I hated improv -- and I really liked it. So I started taking classes and hanging around and it was a lot of fun. Improv led to sketch, which led to videos. It's a slippery slope!</p>
<p>Mamrie: Well, like a lot of folks, I moved up here to pursue serious acting. I found myself working really hard to find auditions and then showing up and thinking, "Oh no no no no. Even f I got cast in this, I would be too embarrassed to even invite anyone to it" -- Joey Tribbiani (of Friends) stuff. So I decided to take a writing class to develop my own stuff, and I can contort my face to such levels of ugliness that I thought it a shame to not try comedy!</p>

<p>Photo: Eric Michael Pearson In the show you guys say you first met in 2007 and have been inseparable best friends ever since. When you first met did you instantly know you would also be comedy partners?</p>
<p>Mamrie: Tell em Stevie!</p>
<p>Steve: I’m not sure we still know if we'll be comedy partners! We met in a writing class, and I remember it was the first day and another student had just presented their sketch and the class was giving notes on it. As I was about to say something, Mamrie chirped in with her opinion and it was the same exact thing I was going to say. In that moment I thought, "Do I like her or do I hate her?" And then after class she was the first one to agree to get drinks so it was kind of fated.</p>

<p>What is your writing process like? Do you guys base sketches on improv or shared stories or original ideas?</p>
<p>Mamrie: We play heightened versions of ourselves. So, from there, the sketches start with one of us pitching a simple scenario that would be fun to see these two characters play out. Something as normal as running into an ex or being unemployed can lend itself to a lot of silliness. You will never see Steve being kidnapped by aliens and Mamrie going undercover to save him. Unless.....</p>
<p>Steve: While we never get on our feet and improvise a scene, there really is a strong improv vibe to the writing in that we'll have a simple idea and then heighten and heighten and find what we find funny about it. We always try to make ourselves laugh and that usually involves some aspect of a true story. And of course, drinks!</p>

<p>Audience participation is something that is essential to improv, but rarely seen in sketch comedy, yet you guys incorporate it fully into your show. How did you decide to do that?</p>
<p>Steve: We wanted to break up the rhythm of the show with something so it wasn't just six or seven scenes back to back. And so much of BoF is us being ourselves that it seemed natural to interact with the people at the show, talk to them, and have them be a part of the show. My favorite part might be when an audience member realizes they are about to play a character in the next scene. Although we are very careful to not embarrass them! And you never know what people are going to do, so it's nice to have a bit of controlled chaos to keep us on our toes.</p>
<p>Mamrie: We love adding the element of improv into the show, but in a controlled way. So it's fun to interact with audience members, but with a pretty tight plan as to not make them feel uncomfortable. I know that when I go to a show and they pull people up, I get automatic douche chills. But in our show, we never embarrass anyone. Except ourselves.</p>

<p>If you could compare your chemistry to any duo in history, which one would it be?</p>
<p>Steve: Is it too lowbrow to say two of The Golden Girls? Because I'd say I'm a mix between Dorothy and Sophia and Mamrie is a mash up of Rose and Blanche, right down to her southern lilt! We emulate the sense of warm familiarity with and underlying jovial disdain.</p>
<p>Mamrie: Blanche Hollingsworth Devereux and Sophia Spirelli Petrillo Weinstock. Obviously, Steve is Blanche.</p>

<p>Mamrie Hart and Steve Soroka answered the last question without consulting each other, which would explain why they disagreed on who was most like Blanche.</p>

<p>* THE PLUG: Don't miss "BoF: It’s Pronounced Boaf!" happening FRI, APRIL 1 (and April 22) at 7:30PM at The UCBT-NY | $5</p>

<p>Friends are people who see the best in us and like us for it. Best friends are people who see the best and the worst in us and still love us for it. Mamrie Hart and Steve Soroka are best friends who combine their friendship and their foibles to create the sketch group, BoF. In their latest show, “BoF: It’s Pronounced Boaf!”, the duo combines upbeat dancing, dreams of pop stardom, the trials of unemployment, and the importance of Lifetime movies in a delightful and hilarious show. We spoke to Mamrie and Steve about the origins of BoF, how they get their inspiration, and which one of them is most like Blanche Devereux.</p>

<p>How did each of you get started in comedy?</p>

<p>Steve: I moved to New York right after college and kind of sheepishly putzed around for long time. I would lie to friends about doing stand up. Then one night a friend took me to an improv show - against my will, because I hated improv - and I really liked it. So I started taking classes and hanging around and it was a lot of fun. Improv led to sketch, which led to videos. It's a slippery slope!</p>

<p>Mamrie: Well, like a lot of folks, I moved up here to pursue serious acting. I found myself working really hard to find auditions and then showing up and thinking, 'Oh no no no no. Even f I got cast in this, I would be too embarrassed to even invite anyone to it". Joey Tribbiani (of Friends) stuff. So I decided to take a writing class to develop my own stuff, and I can contort my face to such levels of ugliness that I thought it a shame to not try comedy!</p>

<p>In the show you guys say you first met in 2007 and have been inseparable best friends ever since. When you first met did you instantly know you would also be comedy partners?</p>

<p>Mamrie: Tell em Stevie!</p>

<p>Steve: I’m not sure we still know if we'll be comedy partners! We met in a writing class, and I remember it was the first day and another student had just presented their sketch and the class was giving notes on it. As I was about to say something, Mamrie chirped in with her opinion and it was the same exact thing I was going to say. In that moment I thought, "Do I like her or do I hate her?" And then after class she was the first one to agree to get drinks so it was kind of fated.</p>

<p>What is your writing process like? Do you guys base sketches on improv or shared stories or original ideas ?</p>

<p>Mamrie: We play heightened versions of ourselves. So, from there, the sketches start with one of us pitching a simple scenario that would be fun to see these two characters play out. Something as normal as running into an ex, or being unemployed, etc can lend itself to a lot of silliness. You will never see Steve being kidnapped by aliens and Mamrie going undercover to save him. Unless.....</p>

<p>Steve: While we never get on our feet and improvise a scene, there really is a strong improv vibe to the writing in that we'll have a simple idea and then heighten and heighten and find what we find funny about it. We always try to make ourselves laugh and that usually involves some aspect of a true story. And of course, drinks!</p>

<p>Audience participation is something that is essential to improv, but rarely seen in sketch comedy, yet you guys incorporate it fully into your show. How did you decide to do that?</p>

<p>Steve: We wanted to break up the rhythm of the show with something so it wasn't just 6 or 7 scenes back to back. And so much of BoF is us being ourselves that it seemed natural to interact with the people at the show, talk to them, and have them be a part of the show. My favorite part of the show might be when an audience member realizes they are about to play a character in the next scene. Although we are very careful to not embarrass them! And you never know what people are going to do, so it's nice to have a bit of controlled chaos to keep us on our toes.</p>

<p>Mamrie: We love adding the element of improv into the show, but in a controlled way. So it's fun to interact with audience members, but with a pretty tight plan as to not make them feel uncomfortable. I know that when I go to a show and they pull people up, I get automatic douche chills. But in our show, we never embarrass anyone. Except ourselves.</p>

<p>If you could compare your chemistry to any duo in history, which one would it be?</p>

<p>Steve : Is it too lowbrow to say two of The Golden Girls?Because I'd say I'm a mix between Dorothy and Sophia and Mamrie is a mash up of Rose and Blanche, right down to her southern lilt! We emulate the sense of warm familiarity with and underlying jovial disdain.</p>

<p>Mamrie: Blanche Hollingsworth Devereux and Sophia Spirelli Petrillo Weinstock. Obviously, Steve is Blanche.</p>

<p>Mamrie Hart and Steve Soroka answered the last question without consulting each other which would explain why they disagreed on who was most like Blanche.</p>

<p>BoF’s next shows are April 1 and April 22. Both shows are at 7:30pm at the UCB. “BoF: It’s Pronounced Boaf!” stars Mamrie Hart, Steve Soroka, features Matt Fisher and is directed by Mike Still.</p>

<p>keithhuang | Post a Comment | 5 References tagged BOF , Mamrie Hart , Steve Soroka , UCBT-NY in Interviews Thursday Jan 20 2011  BōF: It's Pronounced 'Boaf' @ UCBT - 1.6.11</p>
<p>Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 10:14AM BōF is Mamrie Hart and Steve Soroka | Photo: Charles Miller</p>

<p>By: Lucas Hazlett</p>

<p>The ECNY-nominated sketch group BōF (Mamrie Hart and Stephen Soroka) return to form with "It's Pronounced Boaf," a new sketch show featuring an upbeat collection of silly video clips, cheeky contests, catchy dance numbers and a series of live "scenarios" purported to depict some of the everyday trials best friends struggle to overcome.</p>

<p>Through pearly white smiles, housewife-husband clothes and cheery production music, Hart and Soroka are a super sweet archetype evocative of 1950s Bob Clampett cartoons.</p>

<p>They love each other and they drive each other nuts; they have each other's backs all the while waiting to stab; and they leave the subtle impression that their charm and banter is perchance nothing more than a thin sheath disguising a lunacy below. Because of this, and their ability to never tip the balance into being cloy, it's hard not to fall for them.</p>

<p>This is all the more impressive considering the comedic density of the material they're performing. Every sketch comprises mouthfuls of wordy repartee of which few words are ever wasted; each line serves a practical purpose. Jokes are both set up and called back in ways you rarely anticipate or, ironically, are so damned obvious and cheesy that you can't help but surrender a laugh.</p>

<p>The two-person male-female act has been a staple of the stage and screen for years. There's little doubt that BōF has what it takes to continue this tradition and it's only a matter of time before the names Mamrie and Steve are said in the same breath as Nichols-May, Ball-Arnez and, unfortunately (?), Will and Grace.</p>

<p>-- Lucas Hazlett is a comedy geek who improvises with anyone he can. He can be seen performing with Herschel at The PIT (123 E. 24th St) on JAN 22 @ 11PM.</p>

<p>* THE PLUG: Don't miss "It's Pronounced 'Boaf,'" happening TONIGHT @ 8PM at The UCBT-NY | $5</p>

<p>keithhuang | Post a Comment | 2 References tagged BOF , Mamrie Hart , Steve Soroka in Show Recap Thursday Jan 06 2011  THE HONEY SHOT - BŌF</p>
<p>Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 9:00AM  Steve Soroka & Mamrie Hart | Photo: Eric Michael Pearson</p>

<p>* THE PLUG: Don't miss BŌF in "It's pronounced 'Boaf'," 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 | 2 References tagged BOF , Mamrie Hart , Steve Soroka in Photos Wednesday Oct 21 2009  The Honey Shot</p>
<p>Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 9:00AM  Mamrie Hart and Steve Soroka are BŌF | Photo: Keith Huang</p>

<p>THE PLUG</p>

<p>* Catch "BŌF: This Old Thing," happening TONIGHT @ 8PM at UCBT-NY | Reservations</p>

<p>Wanna plug? E-mail me photo + photo credit. Or join our flickr group. Send at least 10 days in advance.</p>

<p>keithhuang | 2 Comments tagged BOF , Mamrie Hart , Steve Soroka , UCBT-NY , sketch comedy in Photos Wednesday Sep 30 2009  Joan Rivers Gave Me Her Jewelry!</p>
<p>Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 10:00AM</p>

<p>Yesterday, my boyfriend Seth was running sound for an interview with comedy legend Joan Rivers (he's working with Break-Thru Films on a documentary called "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work").</p>

<p>Having watched me watch my fair share of QVC, Seth pointed out to Ms. Rivers that the necklace she was wearing in the interview was one that I had once expressed interest in. In response, Ms. Rivers quickly removed it from her neck and handed it him: "Give it to your girlfriend," she said. What a peach!</p>

<p>Naturally, I took the necklace out for a night on the town (meaning I slapped on some lipstick and danced around my apartment snapping pictures of myself). Everyone (in my head) kept complimenting me on it. It's my lucky charm. I can feel it rubbing off on me. In fact, my neck is pretty irritated this morning. Okay, off to the appraisers. "I'm no trashy poka' player, but I bet this thing is real rubies."</p>

<p>--Mamrie Hart</p>

<p>* Catch Mamrie Hart and Steve Soroka in "BŌF: This Old Thing" on WEDS, OCT. 7 @ 8PM at The UCBT-NY | Reservations</p>
<p>* Own your own Joan Rivers Couture Faceted Crystal Adjustable Bib Necklace</p>
<p>* Mamrie's blog | BŌF blog</p>

<p>keithhuang | 1 Comment | 2 References tagged BOF , Mamrie Hart , Steve Soroka , UCBT-NY , sketch comedy in True Accounts Copyright © 2011, [theapiary.org]. All rights reserved.</p>