Month: November 2011

What a week!

We’re in the midst of rehearsing for two days of 3-camera shoots (a la SNL) of parody sketches we’ve written.   We’re filming next week.  I can’t wait to see my Star Trek sketch come to fruition on screen.  I’m a bit nervous about playing a prostitute, primarily for the protection of my own self-esteem.  Perhaps I should consider forgetting the concept of self-esteem entirely for the rest of my second year at Humber and just go with the flow, as qotsa would say. Perhaps I should give up eating.

I performed a stand-up set as a dog sweater in class.  It went over terribly, although I still stand by my jokes.  Particularly this one:

“I’m not saying you have to be dumb to buy a sweater for your dog, I’m just saying I’m sorry your barren.” 

Another big development – the sketch troupe I’d been performing in, LaughDraft, dissolved this past week, for several reasons.  It’s too bad because we actually experienced some modest success at our shows, ie: people came to them.  We got ahead pretty quick in the game, what with our entry into this year’s Sketchfest – and we were starting to be asked to perform with other Toronto troupes around town, but I guess, ultimately, it was not meant to be.

I hope it doesn’t take too long before I find people to sketch with.

Oh November – getting dark at 4:30 does not do good things for one’s personal motivation or morale.   Good thing I already put up my Christmas lights!  #livingalonerules #imsimultaneouslylonely

Here are three things I’m worried about lately:

1) I think I may have fractured my foot over the summer and not really realized the severity of the incident until now, given I have had chronic foot pain ever since and my foot cracks in a way it never used to prior to the “Got-my-foot-slammed-into-the-heavy projection-booth-door-with-the-giant-air-sucking-fan-making-it-close-that-much-faster-than-a-regular-door” incident of 2011.

2) I think I’m losing my hearing. What?  Either I need to get my ears drained, or everyone else should just SPEAK UP for Pete’s sake!

3)  I have to be fitted for “contact lenses for lamewads with astigmatism” next week.  What the hell?  Like I’m not already blind enough, I have to have a funny-shaped eye?  This isn’t fair, life!

And then there’s the voices…

The current project we’re working on at school is a 3-walled shoot of a sketch parody we’ve written.   I’m excited to say that my parody was selected as one of the sketches to be filmed.  However, the upcoming rehearsal schedule is a little daunting; especially considering I still have to go in to work, I also have three additional assignments due this week and LaughDraft is performing at the Hard Luck on Tuesday.  This is going to be nuts.

I wonder if anyone else is feeling the pressure of this impending week of parody doom?

You know those days when you SHOULD be editing your 10-minute plays, but instead you sort and organize through all the photos on your computer – those days when you decide it might be a more effective use of your time to start writing Christmas cards or other correspondence?

You contemplate washing the dishes, but even that doesn’t seem nearly as important as installing the two-year old iLife you’ve been waiting a year to set up, even though the 2011 edition is now available.

You know… those days?

I was the opener (or emcee) for the late night Humber Yuk Yuk’s show tonight.  Normally they put me up near the very end of the show, so I have the entire duration of the show to dread my performance.  There was something nice about getting it done with first.  Like ripping off a Band-Aid.

But… I think I still prefer going up near the end.

You’re performance is more memorable when you go up closer to the end.

Well, my gig as one of the “Humber Interns” at the 2011 Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival is over, and what a ride it has been!

If my calculations are correct, I performed in 1 show with my sketch troupe, LaughDraft; I saw 12 shows, during which I was able to check out 23 sketch troupes; and I attended 3 workshops – 2 free and 1 that was supposed to be paid, but because of my “intern” status, I was able to check out for free. (Thank you to whoever made that possible, by the way – it was great to meet/work with other amazingly talented people from various other sketch and improv troupes.)

It helped that I was working on the Troupe and Video of the Day posts leading up to the festival, because I was able to get to know some of the troupes before I saw them perform.

Working with the producers with the fest, the other staff members and alongside the many volunteers has been such a fun experience.  I met and worked with so many great people.  What a treat!

Also, I’m not surprised but very happy for my buddies Vest of Friends, as well as for Falcon Powder and Peter n’ Chris for the awards they picked up.  All extremely well merited, if you ask me.  They all really did stand out this year!

I’d give honourable mention to CBC’s This is That & Two Kids One Hall for really knocking my socks off.  These two shows, part of the headliner series, even though I had to watch them on the sidelines, were so great, they were inspirational!  Scott & Kevin from the Kids in the Hall are icons in Canadian comedy.  To see them continue to work their stuff and that it’s funnier than ever says great things about comedy in Canada, I think.  That it exists?  That it’s here to stay?  Whether you like it or not.  (I don’t know?)

And This is That, I’d never heard the broadcast before, but the mere concept, to me, was hilarious.  And believe me, I will be listening from now on.  They were fantastic!  A CBC faux-broadcast taken completely seriously in all of deadpan’s splendor!   I’m still in stitches!

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Other moments or troupes that seem to stand out during the fest to me were:

Charles were so funny, so witty, so smart!  The reference-levels and knowledge they possess is quite impressive.  And that they demonstrated this knowledge in their sketches is something to aspire to.  I’ve made a note of that for my own future-sketch writing.

Fratwurst‘s sketches were super clever, but their Barbershop Quartet song really set them apart! (And the post-balloon make-out sess.  Way hot!)

Ninja Sex Party‘s video about the couple hooking up at a party.  Holy crap that was funny! And unexpected!  Bam!

Inside Joke Film‘s energy was out of this world! Seriously, they must be some kind of crazy-energy-robots.

Punch in the Box took physical comedy to a whole new level performing an entire scene topless, using their hands to cover their boobs.  Grown women, people.  This was hilarious!  (Don’t worry Mom, I don’t intend to try this out in any of my sketches any time soon.)

The Queer Comedy Collective’s “Dyke Moments in History” about the Invention of the Purse was ridiculously funny!

She Said What’s Napoleon sketch was probably the funniest sketch in the entire festival.  There, I said it.

Shoeless‘s banana bandana and celery cap have still got me laughing spontaneously on the bus, making other TTC riders uncomfortable.  And their Twilight scene?  Oh man.  Too much!!!

The National Theatre of the World, their professionalism and their chemistry was truly phenomenal.  I want to see EVERY show they do from now until the end of time.

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That wasn’t it though.  So many sketch troupes.  So much hilarity.  This list could go on for days!

What I’m getting at, I think, is that it was such a great experience to be a part of this festival, both in the role of intern and performer.

The only thing left to say, I think, Thank you Julianne & Paul (and Andrew).  And bring on TOsketchfest 2012!

HERE, newly-formed comedy troupe! Here’s the opportunity to have a coveted performance spot in a successful annual sketch comedy festival! Many troupes applied, and many didn’t make it in.  You didn’t even have to apply.  The program coordinator of your college got you the spot!  Lucky ducks!

Now, while we’re at it, here are several passes, allowing you to see any and every show in the festival for FREE.  Isn’t that awesome?

In addition to all that, there are free workshops going on that will help you become a better and more successful sketch writer, performer and troupe as a whole.   What do you think about that?  Wouldn’t it be great to learn how to get better, right from the get-go?  Some troupes take YEARS to figure this stuff out.  We’re just GIVING the information away for free!  All you have to do is show up!!

You can meet and mingle with other performers too!  Mingle with them and make connections that will almost guaranteed get more performance time!  It’s THAT easy!

Oh wait, what?  You’re all too busy for all of that?  More important things to do?  This whole comedy school thing you’re trying out, that’s what?  Just for fun?

That’s cool.  I understand.  I’m pretty sure success will just fall out of the sky and onto my lap too.