Get to Know: One Across
Mary Jo Pehl is a writer/performer/producer with Cinematic Titanic, the live version of the Peabody Award-winning TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000, for which she was a writer and on-air actor in the recurring role of “Pearl Forrester.”
In One Across, Mary Jo Pehl speaks frankly about high profile anonymity and her courageous struggle with a debilitating condition, all with the help of her Personal Assistant. We asked Mary Jo Pehl to be serious for ONE G-D MINUTE and answer some questions.
How did you get started in comedy writing?
Mary Jo Pehl: My first real job out of college (K-Tel International – yes, they exist!), one of my colleagues was really funny and we had a rapport and like-minded sensibility about humor. He was doing a lot of open mics, and he encouraged me to try one. I was very shy and introverted, and I’d never even heard of open mics, so that was a huge hairy deal. I wrote about three minutes of material, forgot two minutes, but some of that one minute actually worked! He and I and another colleague started a comedy group and that got us all writing on a regular basis. Dare I tell you our name? The Boneless Hams. Shut up. I was writing sketches and standup, showcased in our weekly Boneless Hams gigs, as well as the open mics I was hitting every week.
… Continue Reading
Get to Know: The Encyclopedia Show
The Encyclopedia Show is a live variety extravaganza that commissions local and touring artists and experts from all the performance disciplines to activate their individual talents to present a different verbal encyclopedia entry each month. A breakout hit at Austin’s ND@501 Studios, The Encyclopedia Show is making a special appearance at ColdTowne Theater on Wednesday, the opening night of Austin Sketch Fest. We asked E Show co-host Michael Graupman, what’s the haps, yo.
How did get you involved with the Encyclopedia Show?
Michael Graupman: The E Show was started in Chicago a year prior to [show co-host] Ralph [Hardesty] and I moving down to Austin by two of our best friends who are also writers/poets/comedians. They were curious if the show was replicable in other markets, and it turns out that it was. We were the second of the (so far) 15 cities to start up E Shows that follow the same basic format and season topic list. Our show just happens to benefit from the amazing talents of Austin’s comedy, literary and music scenes all together.
What’s your writing process like?
MG: Ralph and I have been writing together for five years now, on and off, and we spend too much time together, usually in the car going to events or parties or shows. Most of our ideas come from riffing on an idea that one of us thinks is funny and the other one building on that. We also have a great team of regular performers that help us with brainstorming and joke development. We’ve luckily built a lot of trust and respect for the collaborative process.
… Continue Reading
Get to Know: Spirit Desire
Spirit Desire formed in January 2010 through the power of friendship and The New Movement Theater. Since then this quartet of mostly bearded bros has played throughout Texas and have been on stage at The Out of Bounds Comedy Festival, Dallas Comedy Festival and Hell Yes Fest in New Orleans. Wild and unpredictable, Micheal Foulk, Brady James, James Patrick Robinson, and Rob Gagnon attack the stage with complete comic abandon. Their monthly variety show at The New Movement has become one of the biggest draws The New Movement has. We asked James Patrick Robinson some questions.
How did you get started doing sketch comedy?
James Patrick Robinson: When the group first formed in early 2010 we initially only wanted to be a group that made videos and perform sketches on stage. We were already friends but were all very new to comedy. Meaning the first few months involved us drinking more than anything else. We eventually pulled most of our focus towards improv and only in the past 6 months have we’ve been taking sketch more seriously.
What’s your writing process like?
JPR: We don’t have a defined writing process. All of us contribute to the writing process in various forms and combinations. Often our sketch ideas come from us hanging out, making each other laugh and eventually going “oh hey thats a thing. That should be a sketch.” Also sometimes someone writes a sketch independently and then pitches it to the group.
What are you looking forward to at Austin Sketch Fest?
JPR: Everything. The preview show last month at Drafthouse got us real excited to see full shows from the groups who participated. It was amazing to see the cohesion and how well the groups played off each other. And of course we’re stoked to see Mary Jo Pehl and Paul F. Tompkins.
… Continue Reading
Get to Know: The Hustle Show
The Hustle Show is ColdTowne Theater’s hit monthly comedy variety show. Quickly gaining a reputation as one of Austin’s can’t miss events, The Hustle Show features a mix of sketch comedy, games, and assorted mayhem. We asked some questions to cast members Michael Pedicano, Courtney Sevener, Jeff Whitaker, and DJ Skwurtz.
How did you get involved with doing sketch comedy?
Michael Pedicano: Sketch was a natural transition from improv and a good way for me to healthily channel a distorted sense of reality.
Jeff Whitaker: Growing up as a kid, my family and I used to watch Saturday Night Live together. It was definitely our family time. Since I was five, I started writing things down and making home movies with my friends. Fast-forward twenty years and I am now involved with a very supportive group of people that I met through improv. I was approached with the opportunity and I have loved every minute of it. I’m now getting to see all my stupid ideas put onto a stage.
DJ Skwurtz: I dropped da fattest beats at da Barbra Walters Middle School Talent Show and this dude was there and was like, “yo I got this show tha Hustle Show” and I was like, “Shhh shhh shhhhhhh shh Say no more dawg.”
… Continue Reading
