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The Saint

I was less than a week out from a very important comedy show, and I was jumpy. I'd been hitting open mikes in anticipation, trying to get the right mix for my set list, and working on my stage presence. I've been doing open mikes for some years now, but I still get a bad case of Tin Man Syndrome, and this will just not do for a show I produce in my own back yard.

As is my way, when faced with a nagging, persistent problem that requires swift and consistent effort, I lolly-gagged on Facebook. As it turns out, it was the best thing for me to do.

A noted comic in the region (who shall remain nameless) hit me up for a chat session. He is much more active and experienced in comedy than I am, so when he talks, I listen. It didn't take long for me to bring up my pre-game jitters and "oil can!" performance lament. "Your problem is a simple," he said. "You're not comfortable with your material." He went on describe what I had suspected in the back of my mind, but couldn't bring into focus: I was tentative and timid in performing, because I either hadn't memorized my material sufficiently, or didn't feel strong about it for other reasons.

I set about writing up a set list, dumping the weaker bits, and trimming and strengthening the rest. With that done, I drilled on the remainder, wearing grooves in my brain so that one word led to the next, and to the next, and so on. I've done this before, but for some reason had allowed complacency to rob me of what little discipline I'd had.

I've never met the guy, save through online contact, but he has yet to refuse an opportunity to lend a hand. Usually just a nudge in the right direction, helping me to stay on track, but sometimes more, taking an extended period of time to share his experiences and viewpoint. He's been so open and positive, I've taken to calling him "The Saint," for his nearly inexhaustible patience and willingness to offer ideas and expertise. Early on in my comedy works in the area, I was put off by some experiences I'd had: a few folks were stingy with information, reluctant to help or even backed out on gentleman's agreements. Some of this is to be expected of course; you can't expect people to fall all over themselves to embrace someone they've never met. Still, the circumstances were off-putting, and I had started to become disillusioned with the stories I'd heard about comedians collaborating on projects, tuning up each other's material and helping each other find work.

Luckily, I found that as I became less "the new guy," several active performers in the area began to share their opinions and insights. As I make small efforts here and there to contribute in my own small ways, a kind of karma has kicked into gear - seriously disturbing my cynical view of humans and the universe. Troubling, that.

I've thanked several in my circle for their contributions, The Saint most often and most earnestly. As time wears on, I can feel a positive sort of debit system building, keeping me on the lookout for the opportunity to do a good turn, especially (but not only) to those who've shown me some grace.

After a particularly time-consuming bull session, I asked The Saint what I could do to repay him for his time and selfessness. He replied with a continued invitation to hit him up for advice in the future and to: "Just pay it forward, man." Is it any wonder I call him "The Saint?"

Outta the park!

Not much time to write tonight, but I had to jot this down:

I produced and emceed a great show tonight, with Patrick Jaye doing a great job featuring, and Del Van Dyke headlining like a master. I could brag on either of them 'til the cows come home, but I'm too tired to do them justice, so I'll just toot my own horn:

My set was well-received. I brought some good energy, had my material down, concentrated on being myself (like Mike "The Saint" Betancourt told me), and drove that shit home like nobody's business. I admit I'm proud that I acquitted myself well in front of some seasoned pro's.

Crowd's happy, comics are happy, venue is happy. Rock on, let's do this again soon!

Good night!

Comedy Night in Lathrop, 12/19/09

I was fortunate to perform at a show last week in Lathrop, a show put on by the young entrepreneur Evin Smith. I was in good company, performing with Isaac Ames, Roberto Arreola, Nate Lewis, Brian Uecker, Josh Hollinger and my brother-in-geography, Matthew Zeller.

I had a great set, got a lot of laughs and gained some of that valuable stage time. I had a lot of highs, but enough lows to help weed out the weaker material from a few bits, which was great. This must be what I'm meant to do; I even enjoy the rough parts!

What was great about this show was that everybody brought something to the party: for examples:

• Isaac had some fearless crowd work, busting on a table of loud talkers
• Roberto brought clever new material
• Josh exploded on stage with a Jonas Bros. bit that I didn't see coming
• Matthew had thoughtful, new material written just for the show and
  
• Nate closed the show, headlining for the first time!

The show offered a "best street joke" slot, but the audience was too shy to take advantage of it, leaving a few spirited comics to take whacks at the pinata.

I'm looking forward to doing it again.

Rodeny Dangerfield

I heard Rodney Dangerfield on an online comedy radio station recently. I miss that funny old bastard...

La Contenta Show 11/21 - lighting lesson learned

One thing I learned producing the show last Saturday: lighting is important! I already knew that, but the lesson was certainly accentuated.

I'd arranged to set up lighting equipment package that was advertised by satisfied, independent customer reviews as being ample for lighting a "small or medium-sized stage." Confident in my purchase, I ordered the package.

Pressed for time, we set it up the night before, and we were concerned about the tripod stand it used to elevate the actual lights, for at least three reasons:

• The stand partially obstructed the view
• It presented a potential tripping hazard
• It displaced at least a few audience seats

We made an executive decision to distribute the lights on the floor, at the foot of the stage. This put a lot of light on the performers, but from a low angle. The downside was that it cast light in an eery, ghost-stories-by-the-campfire angle. The upside was that the view was unobstructed, tripping hazards were minimized and no seats were disturbed.

I'd quietly urged my fellow performers to stand as far back from the front of the stage in an effort to let as much light to our faces as possible. Even though it was my idea, I admit that I found it difficult to do so and still feel comfortable with delivery.

One final problem was that the channel-based lighting controller I purchased only lights one light at a time, out of a bank of four. This was a surprise, especially since customer reviews raved about how this package was plenty for small stages.

Retrospect, unanswered questions:

• Is there a better way to vet or research customer reviews?
• I wonder is we could have dedicated a small table to the bank of lights. This would have displaced a few customers, but the lighting quality may have been greatly improved by raising it a few feet from the floor. Nobody wanted to sit front and center, anyway!

Lessons learned:

• do dry runs farther in advance (although it was almost impossible in this case for reasons unimportant to this examination)
• mount lighting on a ceiling or floor mounting that allows for minimum intrusion into usable spaces
• consult a lighting professional

Live and learn, and we'll improve with every effort!

Blowout at La Contenta in Valley Springs

Last night's show was a total gas. I learned a lot, and although I can't wait to reflect upon it, I must put it off a little while longer. Lots to digest.

But a friggin great show. Thanks to Jason Resler, Joe Rivera and Roberto Arreola for making it one Hell of an evening!