Reno's Favorite Improv Comedy Show, 3/8/12, 7:30pm

You can still catch Reno's favorite comedy troupe Thursday March 8th, at Pioneer Underground. Doors open at 6:30pm, and SHOW NOW STARTS AT 7:30pm. Tickets are still available online at www.renotahoecomedy.com or you can buy them at the door. Show is recommended for mature audiences. There is a full bar for our 21+ crowd.

The Utility Players - Reno's Favorite Improv Comedy FamilyDoors: 6:30pm

Show: 7:30pm-9pm

Theater: The beautiful, Pioneer Underground, 100 S. Virginia St.

With: The Utility Players, Reno's best improv comedy show.

Hosted by: Jessica The-Jester Levity

Produced by: Homeslice Productions with Reno Tahoe Comedy

Sponsored by: Wayne's Automotive in Sparks, and Taxcrafters

Ever watch the iconic mystery show, Murder She Wrote and wondered what it would be like to don Jessica Fletcher's comfortable, yet classy, shoes and solve a murder yourself? Ever wondered what it would be like to piece together seemingly unrelated clues of evidence to uncover a murderer and their motive like the intrepid crew of CSI: Las Vegas?

Well now here is your opportunity. The Utility Players, voted Reno's best comedy troupe, is embarking on another intrepid journey where few comedy troupes have gone before: the Murder Mystery Party. I came up with the back story for the murder mystery - a formal Gala celebrating singer and Grade A Diva Vaunna Vandertrump -, drafted characters for the Utility Players to act out - Detective, crazy obsessed fan, spiful blogger, etc - and mapped out the series of events that will take place at the party. It was a fun experience, stepping outside my comfort zone to write a mystery - which is a Hell of a lot harder than I anticipated; murder mystery writers are truly geniuses. 

The mystery begins the second that audience members enter the Pioneer Underground. They will have a chance to interview guests, inspect evidence, and collaborate with other team members to determine who the murderer is and what is their motive. Though some of the moments of the night will be scripted, the Utility Players are going to improv most of the night, which will make for a crazy and unpredictable murder mystery unlike any you have seen before. 

The murder mysterys is this Thursday, October 27th, at 8:00pm - doors open at 7. Tickets are $11 in advance or $16 at the door. Come to the party dressed up in your Halloween costume or in formal attire! Here is a link to the facebook event!

Two a half years ago, a group a comedians sat in my living room, mapping out our improv shows for the upcoming season. At the time, GLEE was gaining incredible momentum and other TV shows were joining the musical bandwagon by having their own musical episodes. Almost as if it were a joke, we nonchalantly thought to ourselves "why don't we make our season finale a musical episode; we'll write a storyline, a script, and some original songs" - as if this was something people do everyday. Two and a half years later, this musical has been performed twice, re-written twice, and has had scores of musical numbers created for it - some of these numbers have been taken out or modified over the years, others are still in their original state. It's been an incredible journey, tiring and frustrating at times, but always an incredible journey. This year has seen the most change with the addition of new characters, new songs, new technical aspects, and an overhaul of some of the plot points. What we now have is comedic musical meant to make people laugh and inspire them to chase their dreams however far-fetched they may seem to yourself and the people in your life.

IMPROV-The Musical is the semi-autobiographical fairytale of a group in comedians in Reno, NV attempting to achieve their dreams of fame and success. People always say to write what you know ... I think we may have taken that advice a little too literally. The group decides to form an improv comedy troup - The Utility Players, who gain notoriety in the city of Reno. However,  a downtrodden comedian - aided by a dark and fabulous witch - attempts to steal the talent of comics around the world, including the Utility Players and establish himself as the one and only comedian in the world. Can the Utility Players - with the help of their own fairy godmother - stop this evil comedian and save the world's laughter?

Make sure to not miss this production. I have been given the honor of directing this production as well be in it. I am, obviously, playing the evil witch and fairy godmother - who are incidentally twins, convenient huh. My wigs and costumes for the production are ABSOLUTELY fantastic. As my choreographer likes to point out, my look is a combination of Black Swan, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Velma Kelly from Chicago... meets a drag queen ;). You have three chances to see this Artown sponsored show - the 19th, 20th and 21st. Doors open at 7 and show starts at 8pm. You can purchase tickets from me directly, check out one of our fabulous ticket hubs - Melting Pot, Prism Magic or Discology - or buy them online at Reno Tahoe Comedy North. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Hope to see you all there!!!

At some point during my "Inside the Actor's Studio" interview, James Lipton will look at me and say how long have you been an entertainer. With a sense of whimsy, I'll reply that I came out of my mother's womb an entertainer, glitter and all. After a quick guffaw from the studio audience, I will explain that for most of my college career, I had been a performing drag queen with aspirations of success and fame. Post college, I moved to the Biggest Little City in the World to earn my place in the lexicon of iconic entertainers and comedians of the world. Most assuredly, I will reference tomorrow's improv show at the Pioneer Underground as a momentous mile marker on my path to achieving that goal.

The Utility Players are having our premiere improv show at the Pioneer Underground, connected to the Pioneer Center in downtown Reno, this Thursday at 8PM. It seems ridiculous; at one point we were performing in a space to three people and slowly over time we have grown and expanded - both in our capacity as a troupe and performers but also our fan base and name recognition - to where we are now, having the opportunity to perform in a gorgeous theater with 175 seats. It truly is the biggest little show of my life. It seems a little surreal that this is happening. I love making people laugh; nothing brings me greater joy and excitement than watching a group of people lose it and allow themselves to fill into fits of hysterics. Or when someone comes up to after a show and exclaims that they came to the show in a terrible mood, upset by the events of the day, but were so happy they came to the show because it made their day.

Entertainment, especially comedy, has the power and ability to change society and impact the individual. Laughter can be a healing remedy. Performances can inspire people to action or create the opportunity or space for them to accept something about themselves and feel safe in doing so. I'm grateful that I continue to find opportunities to perform and contribute to that change.

So if you are looking for showing to do in Reno on a Thursday night, come see the funniest comedy show in town with the Utility Players. Get your tickets in advance for $10, or $15 at the door (additional fees may apply). The show begins at 8:00pm; come early and grab a drink at their full service bar. Hope to see you all at the Pioneer Underground on Thursday!!!  

Tomorrow (April 14th), the Utility Players- voted Reno's best comedy troupe - has a brand new all improv show. Well, given the nature of improv, can an improv show ever be anything but brand new? I believe I will leave that one to the theologians. Anyway, our very hilarious and very cheap - a meager $6 - is occurringtomorrow at the Good Luck Macbeth theater in the heart of downtown Reno - 119 N. Virginia St. As always show starts at 7:30 - doors open at 7:00pm - make sure to get there early.

the Utility Players just passed our two year anniversary, a momentous occasion that left us all in a state of utter disbelief. Two years .... seriously .... two years. How did we go from a period of time where barely anybody came to the show and very few individuals even knew who we were to now where we are selling out shows and big opportunities loom on the horizon. It has been ridiculous experience; one that I have been fortunate enough to be a part of. My roommate and I routinely make jokes about how this is all a part of our E! True Hollywood Story.

It's crazy to think that there was a period in my life where I didn't know what improv was and dubiously looked at my producer Jes whenever she attempted to throw me into an improv game. The timid member who usually ran sound or lights in the back is now a strong principal player in the troupe.  I couldn't imagine doing anything else and really want nothing more than to be able to perform and play improv and have that be able to sustain my livelihood.

So if you are looking for something fun to do on a Thursday night, make sure to check the Utility Players in our all improv show. There is really nothing else like this show in Reno; full of musical entrances, stand-up, short-form improv, short sketches and more. A show made by the audience for the audience is kind of the mantra of the Utility Players with your suggestions and ideas driving and shaping the show that is being crafted right before your eyes. So, bring your suggestions, your crazy props and your sense of humor and check out our show; I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.

I'm not going to say that my voice is horrible - on the offhand chance that a Broadway musical director is reading my blog as we speak - but I also wouldn't comment that it is anything stellar. As I was growing up, I had an affinity - dare I say obsession - with singing. I sang everything; usually extremely loud and off key. My mother repeatedly threatened to throw me out of moving vehicles if I sang on the way to school in the morning. It's not her fault; I often tried to emulate Whitney, Mariah, or Celine. My young gay pre-teen couldn't understand that it is hard for a 12 year old white boy to sound like Whitney Houston but lord knows I tried.

Over the years, I slowly and surely improved my vocals through proper instruction and practice with musicals. Well, the moment of truth came when fellow Utility Player Amanda was not at our most recent show. I had to step in for "Boy Band" and work with the three members of our band to come up with a solid performance. We pulled Jes' dad and stepmom up on stage - obviously - thus making the game a little more comfortable - with familiar folks there - however increased the pressure immensely; Jes' dad and stepmom wanted a phenomenal performance and we could not disappoint.

Typically when we have rehearsed this game I have gone last. Typically I don't have the best sounding voice, but usually can improv a decent rhyme scheme and hilarious lyrics that the audience doesn't care. Matt, Ian, and Ariel stepped up to the plate and delivered their improv verses with hilarity. Now it was my turn. Pressure on. Ariel had just delivered an incredibly performance, passed me the mic, and gave me the "alright you're up look". Time to bring it home. I decided to focus on Jes' stepmom - Cindy. Prior to this moment I was thinking of all the things to rhyme with Cindy. Time was running out and my options were unfortunately limited - not many things rhyme with Cindy. What happened after that moment was a mix of luck, divine intervention, and great improv coaching. Check out the video below; I think that I pull off the "straight-dude-trying-to-get-with-the-older-woman" well.

Bruka Theater has once again nailed the mark on quality entertainment with the run of their most recent work “The Complete History of America (Abridged).  This three man production – featuring the comedic talents of Chad Sweet, Bill Ware, and Adam Whitney – takes audiences on a journey highlighting the cliff notes of American history. Beginning with early explorers and ending with a film noir scene encapsulating the 50s-80s. Not really knowing what to expect from the show, I went in with an open mind to the experience at hand. What I got was the 90 minute American history lesson I always wanted to have.

The show had a consistent energy of a 1920s vaudeville act complete with musical numbers, quick costume changes – including some well-timed moments of drag from Whitney -, a plethora of characters, impersonations, and accents, and a slapstick humor that kept audiences laughing all night. All combined to create a truly entertaining and memorable experience.  I enjoy the intimacy of the show; the actors directly interact with the audience and play off the energy we give them. There was a moment when Sweet emerges as a convincing Barack Obama – minus the whole he’s white thing – and answers questions directly from the audience. I asked the question why America’s colors were “red, white and blue”. Sweet answered, without missing a beat, that that was a terrible question and a blatant example of the failing school systems. Thanks for that one Chad ;) The show actually wove a number of instances of improv; a signal to the audience that they are experiencing something unexpected and unplanned. The show, though primarily scripted, incorporates current and relevant pop culture and political references – such as my beloved Wisconsin – throughout the show.  There were even moments where the antics of the actors on stage caused each other to break; I love seeing those moments, when something happens so perfect in the moment, it causes the actor to break. Each actor brings something unique and complementary to the production. Whether it is Adam’s hilarious accents, Bill’s stoic disposition, or Chad’s passion the trio successfully carried the show.

The show closes this upcoming weekend, so I encourage everyone if you are looking for a fabulous way to spend your Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night. Check out bruka’s website for more information. 

The Utility Players had another fantastic improv show this past Friday. Though we were one player down for the show, we came out Friday night and delivered a fantastic show. One of my favorite moments of the evening was playing an improv game known as "Soap Opera" - we aptly renamed the game as Gays Of Our Lives. In this game, Shane and I are giving an object, a situation you wouldn't typically find two roommates arguing over, or a relationship to begin the scene. From that moment on, it becomes a drama-off between Shane and I to see who can take the scene to a more ridiculous place and be the most dramatic throughout the scene. For Friday's run of the game, the audience game us the suggestion "the longest fingernail" to mold and shape the scene with; check out the video below.

Often you are so wrapped up in the moment of the scene, you barely remember what you said and did during an improv scene, so it is kind of nice to see a playback. Producer, Jessica Levity, pulled me aside after the show. In awe of Gays of Our Lives, Jessica asked me what was going through my head during this game. It's a rather odd question isn't it? What is actually going through my head? Most of the time I envision myself as chessmaster, anticipating the moves of my scene partner and holding the multitude of potentialities in my head of where the scene could possibly go. However, in actuality there is often very little advance thinking that goes into developing an improv scene. Circumstances are always changing.  Most of the time, scenes require quick responses as not to give the appearance of "dead space" or that one of your scene partners is "lost" in the game. It seems as though you have a "5 second" window. Pauses up to 5 seconds can be played off as dramatic pauses,a moment to hold for audience laughter, etc. However, once you pass the 5 second marker, you are entering the space of over-thinking the scene and trying to think of the "perfect" thing to say.

When my producer asked me the question this was the best answer that I could come up:

"All of a sudden Ian pops into the scene to play the evil Stefano - reminiscent of Days of Our Lives. Suddenly I think to myself (1) Why did Ian's character just show up in the scene - there has to be some justification. So I came up with the idea of him waiting in the car (somehow I always think it is funny that someone is waiting in the car for you) (2) I didn't want to just say car - too easy - so the first ridiculous car name that came into my head was a Winnebago and I sort of rolled with it. Then suddenly everything built from that moment - my relationship with Stefano, a new conflict to cause discord between Shane and myself, and suddenly a third character to add their own comedic talent to the mix. Most of the time though, I'm thinking, 'Don't Fuck it Up!' more than anything else. "

Last night, I guest appeared on the Utility Players newest "Awkward Moments" podcast episode entitled The Tax Man Cometh. Scott Gasquoine, CPA with High Desert Accounting Resources (HDAR),served as our special guest for the show. HDAR has signed on as an official sponsor for the Utility Players' 4th season. Having Scott on the show last night served as reminder that I have avoided doing my taxes for the past month. Initially, I was waiting for all of my paperwork to filter in. However, now that that is no longer an obstacle in my way, one would assume I would get cracking on my taxes. No ... I won't. I say that I will and will have every intention of submitting my tax return early. Invariably, what will happen is I will wait until April 12th, see my W-2 sitting unobtrusively on my desk, remember that the deadline is the 15th, freak out, rush through my taxes, and pray that I answered all of the questions completely ... and honestly.

Scott got me thinking on the podcast yesterday about whether or not I might need a CPA. I always assumed that you needed a CPA's help when juggling mortgages, small children, deductions, write-offs, businesses, and the such. I don't really own anything - my assets include a feathered headdress and an extensive sci-fi fantasy book collection -, I thankfully don't have small swaddling infants, nor do I have to deal with filing jointly with my partner. So the questions is; do I really need one? It might be nice though to have a resource to answer my inane and stupid questions about what classifies a deduction and what doesn't.  

Either way, Scott was a fantastic addition to the show last night. A master of early 90s alternative rock, Scott impressed us all with his comedic wit. I also saw a blossoming bromance relationship brewing between Scott and host Ian Sorensen. I believed Ian's eyes started to tear up as Scott described his favorite bands and I thought they were going to make a date to go to a record store and point their favorite albums to one another. It was adorable to witness; may I just say I am a big fan of the bromance.

Check out the podcast below; we discussed everything from taxes to the complete and utter tragedy that was the Oscars. I want on another one my epic rants defending the Midwest and its people. Hope you enjoy.

Last night, I had a comedy show with Utility Players at the Good Luck Macbeth Theater in downtown Reno. What an absolutely fantastic night; everyone seemed to be at the top of their game and delivered a ridiculous amazing show. It's an incredible surreal experience to be backstage in the green room running through our typical warm ups and have your producer/host walk in and tell you that our show sold out 15 minutes after opening the doors. The idea that we are creating a product that people want to see over and over again is a gratifying experience and I believe motivate us as a troupe to push ourselves week after week.

Now, like most entertainers and performers, I have weird and strange pre-show rituals. I have an IPOD playlist loaded with my favorite "pump it up" anthems - including everything from "Defying Gravity" from Wicked to "Don't Stop Believing" from GLEE - , I always have to dab a little bit of lavender oil on myself for good luck, and of course I do not eat anything six hours prior to the show. Though I often brag that I have a stomach of steel and can literally eat anything without any major repercussions, I never take that risk before a show. The last thing that I want to have happen is to be an in the middle of an improv scene and have to tragically run to the bathroom. 

So, it is safe to assume that when I finish a show and the adrenaline has begun to wear off, that my stomach starts sending painful signals to my brain screaming "I'M HUNGRY". It's pretty much the only thing I can think of after a show; which of the many Reno delicacies will I indulge in tonight. Without fail, it usually falls to one of three options; Awful Awful, Denny's or the Gold 'N Silver. Last night the Gold 'N Silver won out. Like most diners, the Gold 'N Silver has a certain charm, apparent from the moment you walk in. Whether it is the rows of slot machines that greet you or the eclectic patrons that frequent the joint, the Gold 'N Silver is one the hidden gems of Reno.  Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives had a similar feeling toward the place when he showcased it on his show. Renown for their Lemonade Porkchops or their world famous gravy, you usually can never go wrong with something from the Gold 'N Silver. I think their best feature though is the squeeze bottle of Ranch dressing that they provide every table; I swear that their Ranch is by far the best Ranch dressing I have ever had. 

Ugh, but last night I regret my post-show binge. First of all, I ordered a side Caesar salad. I don't know why I did it. I think knowing that I would invariably order something that was fried, I thought I was doing my body a favor by ordering a "salad". For $4.50 I got what appeared to be one of the Dole pre-made Caesar salads; the triangular looking salad pieces, with some croutons, a little bit of parmesan cheese, and a sprinkling of Caesar dressing. There was absolutely nothing nutritional whatsoever about what I ordered and it certainly wasn't a side salad worthy of charging $4.50. However knowing that my meal was on it's way - and the ability to use the Ranch - kept me happy and made me forget my less than stellar starter. The rest of the meal was fine - including the brownie sundae my roommate ordered. However when all four of us got home, we began clutching our sides and stomachs - chastising ourselves for our overindulgence - and carefully sprinting to all of our open bathrooms. 

Now it is Sunday morning and I find myself wrapped in my Snuggie, snipping Ginger Ale, nibbling on Saltine crackers, and regretting the whole ordeal. Damn you Gold 'N Silver. Damn you for your delicious diner food that leaves my body both satisfied and in pain. I think I need to take a break from you for a while until both my body and I forget forget what you have done to us. Until next time ...