Feel Me Don't You

[caption id="attachment_2902" align="alignleft" width="336" caption="Kansas City Improv Festival 10"][/caption]Yes, it’s time for Tantrum’s performance, but this month is a little different as we’ve been selected to the KCiF: X (again). What does that mean? It means that if you come see us this month (and you definitely should!), you won’t be able to catch us on our usual Second Fridays at the Westport Coffee House, but you will be treated to three other troupes – local up-and-comers Not A Great Gorilla, Chicago’s own Counter-Productive Lover, and one of last year’s festival faves Messing With A Friend featuring Susan Messing and T.J. Jagadowski (from the Sonic commercials) at Crown Center’s Off-Center Theatre.

Sure, that might be enough for the common person, but you have discriminating taste and want more (greedy, aren’t ya?). What else will Tantrum be bringing to the table? Beauty & The Geek, of course! Reprising their monologist roles will be Massive Tassel‘s own Kim Carrington and Tantrum fan-fave Kevin “DILF” Dilmore (newspaper writer, Star Trek author, life/love guru). You read that right, we’re ramping it up with two monologists for this festival performance. Where can you find all this excitement?

Off Center Theater
3rd Floor, Crown Center
2450 Grand Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64108

– Buy Tickets Online –
Or call 816-842-9999

Do not miss out on this weekend and plan on making it out to see SNL’s (and hometown KC boy) Jason Sudeikis with Der Monkenpickel the following weekend. Two amazing weekends for so little money – it’s a sound entertainment investment and, dammit, don’t you deserve it?

[caption id="attachment_2876" align="alignleft" width="407" caption="MS 150 Benefit Show - Be There!"][/caption]The weather’s blazing hot and this benefit show is looking to top it. Last year, Scott Sjoberg stepped up to the plate to knock one out against MS and this year his li’l sis, Kristen Christian (please no Night Ranger jokes), wants her shot. She will tell stories on the spot—and raise money to fight Multiple Sclerosis. Kristen’s sister-in-law, Kami, was diagnosed with MS in 1999; now they both ride in the MS 150.

For more a more personal look at Kristen, head over to tantrumkc.com.

8pm Friday, August 13
Westport Coffeehouse Theater, 4010 Pennsylvania
Tickets: $20 (no discounts or passes will be accepted for this benefit performance)
Call 816-678-8886 for reservations.
Will almost certainly contain adult material.

Caliente!

[caption id="attachment_2855" align="alignleft" width="406" caption="See the whole glory!"][/caption]Sex sells… just ask Bryn Donovan, author of An Experienced Mistress (not to be confused with the website of the same name). Lest you believe the genius dial only goes to published author, think again. She is also an accomplished poet and Emotioneer, which we’re positive has nothing to do with Disney regardless of how it sounds. Will she regale you with sultry sonnets, torrid tales, or a lilting libidinous lyric? Who knows? Perhaps she’ll simply peel back the curtain to reveal the muse undulating in her subconscious. One thing that’s certain is it will be honest and you’ll laugh.

If you’d like to know more about Bryn, head over to the Tantrum site to check out her bio and answers to Tantrum’s 7 Questions. It would be great to see all of you loyal readers this Friday night – we haven’t seen you at a show in ages!

8pm Friday, July 16
Westport Coffeehouse Theater, 4010 Pennsylvania
Tickets: $10
Call 816-678-8886 for reservations.
Will almost certainly contain adult material.

Yes, I’m still alive. My apologies for the gap in posts and overall online absence. As I stated in a recent text, “I’ve just been dealing with a lot of shit lately.” The cause? “Life, death, love, anger, the pursuit of happiness… or the lack thereof” One of the donors to the dead air is simply a fried power supply on the server. Thank you, Sean, for getting that back up and operational with no apparent lingering effects.

So many things have been swirling around the cerebellum and I don’t want to delve into them and drag you fine folks through the mental mire. A very generic update will have to suffice for now. I arrived in Illinois late Wednesday night and will be here until Sunday when I will head back home with my brother in tow as it were. My schedule at the moment is pretty scattered as I hang out with the family and friends of the family – the regular cavalcade of characters now extending to my Aunt Paula, cousin Stacy, cousin Wosie (Rosie’s new nickname thanks to little Breanna), and a seemingly endless revolving door of others that I either a) haven’t seen in ages or b) have never met.

As much as I’m enjoying being around my family, tonight I will be missing my first Tantrum show and that really saddens me. Why? Tonight’s monologist is local filmmaker and musician Tony Ladesich. The opportunities for musical games and scenes will be the greater than we’ve had since our TBA shows and it’s something I’ve wanted to add to a Tantrum show for quite some time. Please go see the show and support the group even though you won’t be able to see yours truly? Thanks, I owe you one.

Other than that, there will be some more flash fiction forthcoming. So, that’s something to look forward to or avoid as you feel.

Here’s a little improv update for those interested few who still drop by…

Last Friday was Tantrum’s show with our first ever monologist couple and as one audience member said, “they couldn’t have been cuter if they’d held a puppy in one hand and a baby in the other.” I don’t know if they realize it, but they were also paid one of the highest compliments when another audience member asked them how much of their performance they had scripted. As they are both editors for a local card manufacturer, I can see how one might assume that, but it wasn’t the case. Huge kudos to Emily and Sergio for their stories (I’d put it all in caps with exclamation points, but I don’t want to be that obnoxious). Coming off a two month break between shows thanks to a scheduling conflict and minus one person in the preceding rehearsal, I will admit I was nervous about the show. There was nothing to be nervous about as the entire ensemble had many moments of shining glory. That show felt good and I’m curious to see how it stands up on DVD.

Saturday was a trip down memory lane as I joined current and former members of ComedySportz Quad Cities for their 20th anniversary celebration. The show format was altered from the norm to accommodate an engaging Q&A with the performers after their scene. Add in a touching tribute to manager Jeff Adamson, given by his son Patrick, and you had a belly-busting and heart-warming evening for the entire family. During the after party, we all had a chance to relax, catch up with old friends, and have a beverage before jumping into the jam. JAM! The jam (JAM!) was an interesting mix of new and old players, some experienced in long form and some not at all, and beer. That’s all I will say on that. What I had forgotten was the level of celebrity status one can have as a CSz player. After the show, a long-time CSz female fan asked me to autograph her t-shirt to join about six that were already in place. I was so taken aback by the request that I think I might have giggled before signing her shirt.

Thanks to fo0, I learned that fellow improvisers Brian Huskey (from UCB, Conan O’Brien, Sonic, and more) and Rachael Drummond (from i.O. West and The Groundlings) are starring in a new Toyota commercial. I’m assuming it was written and not improvised, but I got a chuckle out of it regardless.

Since Saturday, I’ve spent time with my family and a few friends. I overheard a conversation with my crazy, conspiracy theory-inspired cousin (not the weed smoking one) that had me seriously worried. I also learned today that I am once again a great uncle to little Chloe Marie.

[caption id="attachment_2765" align="alignleft" width="408" caption="Surprising Status Check"][/caption]Please join Tantrum this Friday, May 14 – 8PM, as we welcome our first monologist couple Emily Akins and Sergio Moreno. It’s also the first time that a pregnant woman will appear on stage with us – that we’re aware of anyway. She blogs some amazing recipes. He beats skins with sticks. Together they suffer the enslavement of a local card cooperative. Just what will they talk about? That’s up to you! Come witness what happens when the unstoppable Mexican force meets an immovable not Mexican object (most likely and explosion of laughter). Don’t you owe it to yourself to come out for an evening of inexpensive entertainment?

[caption id="attachment_2665" align="alignleft" width="423" caption="She\'ll soon be back, and in greater numbers"][/caption]It takes a brave person to dress in costume when it’s not Halloween or when you’re not getting paid. True, it’s easier when you’re covered head to toe, but often the heat of a costume will become unbearable – unless you’re on an ice planet in the Hoth system – and it’s necessary to remove your headpiece to cool off. That’s when your geekdom is finally exposed and you must embrace it fervently or die of embarrassment. Thankfully, Tantrum & Spite-girl Trish Berrong, falls into the former and not the latter category.

In case you were unaware, the Spite-girls are following the rule of “firsts” this year as they try to engage in many events for the first time – they’re really pushing themselves to try new things. Pictured here, Ms. Berrong is unleashing her inner geek as her favorite Star Wars character at Planet ComiCon 2010 this past weekend in Overland Park. While this isn’t technically the first time she’s appeared in costume – according to several ex-boyfriends – it is her first public appearance as a Tusken Raider. Kudos to you, Trish! I wonder if the high-pitched “SQUEEEE!” she emitted when meeting Lou Ferrigno was loud enough that he could hear it.

IN MARCH (Friday 3/12/10): KMBC’S JOHNNY ROWLANDS

[caption id="attachment_2606" align="alignleft" width="408" caption="There\'s no grass under her feet"][/caption]He flies a helicopter. He chases tornadoes. He tells you if you’re crazy to even THINK about trying to cross the Broadway bridge at rush hour.

In March, KMBC’s NewsChopper 9 pilot and traffic reporter Johnny Rowlands will tell true stories about any topic you suggest, and Tantrum will spin them into scenes that may be even more outrageous.
Join us for a night of improv and mayhem. Just $10. Call 816-678-8886 to hold your spot.

Don’t forget to head over to www.tantrumkc.com/ to check out Johnny’s answers to Tantrum’s 7 Questions. You might be surprised by what you learn. Come to the show and then join us at McCoy’s afterwards for a potential behind the scenes look. You never know what is going to happen.

Belly dance that is…

When was the last time you saw live belly dancing? No, I mean good belly dancing right there before your very eyes. I’m not talking about the student show you had to sit through, I’m talking about the type provided by the ladies of Massive Tassel. They will bring their Tribal Fusion belly dance to the stage after co-founder Kim Carrington finishes weaving tales for Tantrum at the Westport Coffee House this Friday, February 12 @ 8PM. Comedy and dancing girls? That’s quite a bargain for only $10! Call 816-678-8886 to reserve your seats and get there early to be close to the action!

You can learn more about Kim by visiting the Tantrum website.

Most of you know I’m usually late to the game on many subjects. What can I say other than I’m just not the internet equivalent of the Western European backpacker? Anyway, I finally had time to look into some things that had been annoying me about the blog – specifically re-posting the links to various social networking sites. A little digging on the WordPress site and I came across this handy little plugin CR post to Ping.fm (click the pic for the link to Ping.fm) which allows you to setup various posting groups. Once you configure your site with the Ping.fm API, all you have to do is publish your WordPress post and PingFM does the rest. Pretty handy, huh? Perhaps I’ll apply this to Tantrum’s site too, hmmm…