Time: Tue, 02-Apr-2002 18:41:36 GMT     IP: 165.97.46.30

Dear Fellows in the No Shame Theatre in Iowa City, United States 
of America,

I hope you do not mind my making a simple request for a friend  
who has expressed an interest in learning more about your 
entertainments.

This friend would like to know more about the Oscar Wilde piece 
in which a fellow rubs his trouser fronts on the face of another 
fellow.

My friend wants to know because he thinks he had a dream very 
much like that once, and wants to know what happens.

A simple description will do, or perhaps a recording or 
transcript would be easier for you.

Thank you for your continued appreciation of my requests.

Ever alive,
Evil Ratgirl No. 5

Postits Scrotums: Please do not do me the harm of thinking that 
either myself or my jolly good friend would have any intention 
of thievery or other dark thoughts about the Oscar Wilde piece. 
My friend is both a Mason and a member of triple A and is 
considerably well-known for his integrital demeanor.
ER5

Time: Tue, 02-Apr-2002 19:31:01 GMT     IP: 216.243.220.117

I would first like to say that membership in the Ancient and 
Accepted Guild is no guarantee of integrity. I would remind you 
and your Blackfriar-debauching friend of the Brotherhood's 
involvement in the late unpleasantness in France. 

In more direct response, the Oscar Wilde monologue was delivered 
by Mr. Chris Stangl, whose strident flamboyant urgency was 
poignantly underlined to comedic effect by his avowed adherence 
to a creed of tact and dignity. At the climax of Wilde's 
description of his ideal funeral, a Bacchanalia of absurdly 
rococo showmanship, Mr. Stangl reached down and pulled up a Mr. 
Jason Nebergall and planted his not-insubstantial crotch in Mr. 
Nebergall's face, sitting on the edge of stage and kicking his 
legs in the air in an ecstatic frolic while Mr. Nebergall flailed 
helplessly. Mr. Stangl released Mr. Nebergall, who returned 
shaken to his seat. 

Yes.

Time: Tue, 02-Apr-2002 21:33:21 GMT     IP: 165.97.46.30

Dear Most Devious Worshipful Master Erwin,

Thank you for your cogent description of the final moments of 
this quite obvious piece de theatre.

I believe my friend will be sufficiently satisfied with what you 
have so deliciously written. I take it that Mr. Nebergall is some 
sort of neophyte and that Mr. Stang One was presenting the figure 
of the very late Mr. Wilde.

Would it be too much to ask to have you tell me, so that I may 
relay this potent information to my friend, what exactly Mr. 
Stang One said about the "ideal funeral." I understand that it 
would be something rather posh, but I lack the imagination to 
deliver such an image to my friend. My friend also lacks a 
certain je ne c'est qua which most admirers see as poise, but 
which we who know him well call vacuity.

You have been so kind. I will find it in myself to forgive you, 
as a matter of proper breeding and being that you are somewhat 
Masonic and debonair in writing.

Yours ever evil,
Evil Ratgirl No. 5

Post Scrofula: Will you be requiring some sort of payment for 
your services? I have several pies.
ER#5

Time: Tue, 02-Apr-2002 22:53:07 GMT     IP: 216.243.220.117

1) I actually refer not to Stang One, but to Stang-L. Dr. Ivan 
Stang (or Stang One) remains hidden in an underground lair 
somewhere in the East Indies. His nefarious clones continue to do 
his bidding throughout the world, despite the recent capture of 
Stang-X and Stang-H during an attempted hijacking of nuclear 
materials just outside Yucca Mountain, Utah.

2) I find myself unable to relay much of Stang-L's discourse to 
you, for which I apologize profusely. It was such a madcap 
whirligig of ideas and images that most of them have escaped from 
my braincasing and returned to the world of Platonic ideal 
comedy. Suffice it to say, there were midgets, flaming torches, a 
stadium of roaring Wildeophiles, and sodomy. If I recall 
correctly.

33) I am not a Mason, nor do I have any connection with those 
accursed half-wit Templar wannabes. They should get on with their 
troweling and leave the business of conspiracy to us 
professionals, to wit: Asians. Jubelo, Jubela, Tweedledum. 

Past Septum: 

Time: Tue, 02-Apr-2002 23:05:02 GMT     IP: 216.243.220.117

Past Septum: I like pie. I have been repaid for favors done in 
pie and attended parties whose sole raison d'etre was pie. Pie! 
Yes. But in moderation. I cannot have too much pie. 

*in Milton Berle voice* You can't have too much pie? Neither can 
my wife! She's 300 pounds! *rimshot* She got on a talking scale 
at the supermarket- it said "ONE AT A TIME!" *rimshot* Speaking 
of time, I got a brother-in-law who worked for the department of 
entomology at the University of Bern in Switzerland. He was doing 
research on parasitic arachnid vocalization, but they kicked him 
out of the country. Thing was, he proved that the Swiss couldn't 
make a tick talk. *rimshot* Thank you! You've been great! I love 
this crowd! Good night!

Time: Tue, 02-Apr-2002 23:24:56 GMT     IP: 209.212.82.162


My Dear Mr. Erwin,

I am sorry to say that your vocal characterization of Mr. Milton 
Berle is, while possessed of a certain Faulknerian manchild 
charm, not in any way reminiscent of the late Mr. Television's 
actual voice. That voice, as of early last week, sounds as 
follows:

"Nnnnnnnggggggaaaaaahhhhh...*sound of air sucking through 
ethereal suggestion of lungs*...bleargggghhnnngahh... 
braaaaaiiiiins."

This is, not coincidentally, the exact text of a haiku found at 
the base of Mt. Fuji by English merchant and sodomite Samuel 
Jacob Morgenstern in 1875. Traced the the court at Kofu in 1697, 
the haiku is generally attributed to Basho, and was sold under 
such pedigree to the Vatican in 1916, for a sum of money 
described by Italian officials as "it's-a lotta the money-a 
*sound of tommy gun fire, bootlegging*". However, even a cursory 
knowledge of Japanese literature while immediately suggest the 
fact that Basho was long dead in 1697, and while therefore 
capable of composing similar haiku aloud on lonely hillsides with 
single willow trees, would not be able to write them down. The 
fact that the intrepid, well-educated, deeply lubricated 
Morgenstern could be complicit in such an obvious falsehood is 
confusing, until one sockets the last jigsaw piece of information 
deep into the fleshy opening at the center of this puzzle: 
Morgenstern was a Mason. Using his Masonic connections with A) 
the Vatican and B) the Asians, Morgenstern was able to sell his 
bogusly attributed haiku to the Papists at a wildly inflated 
price, generating significant income for his dark organization 
and compensating the Vatican and the Asians, respectively, for 
their assistance in assassinating Franz Ferdinand and destroying 
our schools, respectively.

I, also, would enjoy a slice of pie. However, in my quasi-
diabetic state, that would kill me.

Yours in the Battle Against Masonry, Witchcraft, and Non-
Reacharound Sodomy,
Daniel Bysshe Brooks

Time: Wed, 03-Apr-2002 00:07:18 GMT     IP: 12.217.181.138

My "dear" Mr Brooks:

It is a well-known fact that Morgenstern was not a Freemason at 
all! The truth, as any researcher worth his salt knows, is that 
Morgenstern was actually in the employ of the House of 
Rothschild, the shadowy bankers whose support of the Talmudic 
evil of the Elders of Zion in their shadow war against the Masons 
and the Bilderberger-Trilateral New World Order is taken for 
granted in academic circles. 

You suggest, sir, that the Masons would employ Morgenstern? And 
that, in fact, he was a liaison with the Zion-Mafia-Vatican axis? 
Laughable! If anything, Morgenstern was a dedicated soldier of 
Continental reaction, and a veteran of the Vatican's Jesuit 
campaign to raise the Boxers against British/Masonic control of 
China. 

I can see only one reason you would spread such appalling 
misinformation: You, sir, are a Freemason! An idol-worshipping 
apron-wearing devotee of DeMolay! Shame and fie! 

Also against non-reacharound sodomy (and recommending, in fact, 
that form of reacharound sodomy perfected by the Knights of St. 
John during the siege of Aleppo in 1258 and called by the 
Freemasons "The Secret Handshake of the 31st Degree"), 

James Erwin

Time: Thu, 04-Apr-2002 02:48:33 GMT     IP: 66.25.168.222

Dearest Evil One of Ratgirl #19,
Good show, man. How delightfully clever You are. Pose as a 
Friend, so as to Steal their pieces for Display in the Valley of 
Austin, Ordinance of Texas. The numskulls in Texas would 
never dare Venture onto the chatting chamber of our Friends 
up North. Just when I think You couldn't possibly be any more 
Evil, you astound me Yet again.
Your Servant in Evil,
Evil Ratgirl #13

Time: Fri, 05-Apr-2002 20:40:01 GMT     IP: 198.214.104.100

Not true, evil ones. Not true. Texans, which is what we are, are 
a)everywhere and b) lstening to you.

Go ahead with with your Enrony and Talibany ways. We know.

Yee-hah.

Randy Minnow,
Thourough Mediocrity

Time: Sat, 06-Apr-2002 00:27:14 GMT     IP: 64.6.87.39

Anyone else beginning to not care what Texans have to say?

Remember the Alamo,
-Nick

Time: Sat, 06-Apr-2002 18:08:22 GMT     IP: 12.217.181.138

How can you not care what Texans think? Texans have contributed 
so much to our society! Like the Bowie knife. And the pocket 
calculator. These are good things. I would love to have a Bowie 
knife. I have a pocket calculator, but it was made in the Czech 
Republic and I can't decipher the goddamn instructions. 

Why do I have an East European calculator? You'd love to know. 

So! Where's that order? I am raring to review last night's kick-
ass show.

Time: Sun, 07-Apr-2002 01:47:09 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.172

so people can start writing reviews (if they so please), i'm 
posting a very primitive order. this is definately NOT official. 
i know aprille couldn't post it (like she usually does out of 
the kindness of her heart), so somebody else has the order. i 
don't know who this is. until they post it (which for me, is not 
a great rush or huge issue), here's a "quasi-order." natch!

1. Nick Clark's bat-friend piece w/ Jason N. and Michael T. 
2. Al Angel's driving cow poem
3. Danielle K.'s president lesbos piece 
4. Steve Heuertz' Diff'rent Strokes reunion
5. Matthew Hart's No Rain piece
6. James Erwin's Mexico piece
7. James Erwin's brother's wrestlin' bros piece
8. Michael T.'s "In My Pants" piece
9. Furious Skinny song
10. Paul Rust's ran-over bike piece
11. Jason Nebergall's 3-viewpoints on sex piece
12. Chris Okiishi's Gay Porn Literature piece
13. Ron Wright's Garden Party piece 
14. Aprille's operator confessional piece
15. Chris Stangl's "The Big Rape"
and Pookman's "fuck!" pieces

these are all going from my memory, so i could have forgotten 
someone. if i left anyone out, i apologize. please make sure to 
add it then.

Time: Sun, 07-Apr-2002 20:53:25 GMT     IP: 12.217.181.138

I can contribute this much towards an official order.

1. Nick Clark's bat-friend piece (J Nebergall, M Tabor)  
1.5 Purity in Essence and Understanding by James Horak (J Horak, 
J Erwin)
2. Al Angel's driving cow poem 
3. Danielle K.'s president lesbos piece (D K, J Nebergall, A 
Galbraith, A Clarke, M Thompson, ?)
3.5 Pookman (Andy, C Stangl)
4. Steve Heuertz' Diff'rent Strokes reunion
5. Matthew Hart's No Rain piece (A Lawson, A Galbraith, M 
Thompson)
6. The Hilarious Mexico Sketch, by James Erwin (J Erwin, C 
Stangl, C Okiishi) 
6.5 Pookman
7. Introducing Scott Erwin by Scott Erwin (S Erwin, J Erwin)  
8. Michael T.'s "In My Pants" piece (M Tabor, A Clarke, others...
poo)
9. Furious Skinny song (C Stangl, AJ River)
10. Paul Rust's ran-over bike piece (P Rust, A Clarke) 
11. Jason Nebergall's 3-viewpoints on sex piece (J Nebergall, M 
Thompson, S Heuertz)
12. Chris Okiishi's Gay Porn Literature piece (E A Burton, C 
Okiishi, ? [forgot his name already.])
13. Ron Wright's Garden Party piece (R Wright, A Galbraith, E 
King, M Tabor)
14. The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True, pt 7: Louise (A 
Clarke, J Erwin)
15. Chris Stangl's "The Big Rape" (C Stangl, A Angel, T Wilson, ?)
and Pookman's "fuck!" pieces

Time: Sun, 07-Apr-2002 21:21:14 GMT     IP: 128.255.174.15

Michael Tabor's (ME!) "In My Pants" skit had these people in it: 
Andy Juhl (pookman) Jamie Margolin, Nick Clark, Michael Tabor, 
Toni Wilson, and Paul Rust


Pookman also did a piece at 9.5 and 12.5

After 12.5 in the order it should go like this:

13. The Add-Sheet stand-up by Jamie Margolin

14. Ron Wright's Garden Party piece

15. Aprille's piece

16. THE BIG RAPE!

Time: Sun, 07-Apr-2002 21:25:47 GMT     IP: 12.217.181.138

So this night rocked. I remain firmly convinced that this is 
because of a little something I like to call positive feedback. 
In the tiny confines of Room 172, you were able to hear 
everything everyone did. The laughter and the applause was 
deafening, where the same amount of reaction in Mabie would have 
sounded about as loud as worms fucking at a hundred paces. As the 
night went on, the performers got giddy off it, the audience was 
put into a really energetic mood, and a show that went 105 
MINUTES flew past quicker than almost any rigidly timed show I 
can recall. Absolutely beautiful and I don't regret losing Mabie 
at all. 

1. Nick Clark's bat-friend piece (J Nebergall, M Tabor)  

Nick's best homage piece. Not only does Nebergall have a style 
which begs for imitation, but Nick nailed that style beautifully. 
Funny funny! Yay!

1.5 Purity in Essence and Understanding by James Horak (J Horak, 
J Erwin)

Zip! In out. This is how .5s are supposed to be. I liked it. What 
the hell is GHB?

2. Al Angel's driving cow poem 

Cute! I cannot contribute much more, because Al has hit a 
consistent note with these pieces and that note is: cute!

3. Danielle K.'s president lesbos piece (D K, J Nebergall, A 
Galbraith, A Clarke, M Thompson, ?)

Many new performers the last couple of semesters (J Nebergall the 
notable, although certainly not the only, exception) have jumped 
in with the following notion: What is No Shame? No Shame is the 
most visible and memorable of No Shame's pieces that I recall. 
What is this essence of No Shame? Dan Brooks-style shock cruelty 
and, by extension, the other shock-cruelty pieces I have seen 
that Dan inspired, even if I have never seen Dan perform. In 
order to break in at No Shame, I must cannonball in with the most 
cruelty I can muster. While this piece fits nicely into this new 
genre of No Shame writing, it was, I have to say, the funniest of 
the Cruautˇ Nouveau pieces.

3.5 Pookman (Andy, C Stangl)

Pookman's Fuck pieces were each nice little .5s, but for me? each 
would have been better served with a different punchline than 
Fuck.

4. Steve Heuertz' Diff'rent Strokes reunion

Perhaps the only piece that indisputably would have worked better 
in Mabie, as that would have enhanced the creepy aspects of this 
piece. Good No Shame Dada. I am ashamed of myself that I did not 
click that the dead lady was Dana Plato until the piece was 
almost over.

5. Matthew Hart's No Rain piece (A Lawson, A Galbraith, M 
Thompson)

Did you expect this from Matt Hart? I didn't. I liked it, because 
1) it was genuinely likable, well-written and well-performed, and 
2) Matt tried something different and it worked right off the 
bat. Keen.

6. The Hilarious Mexico Sketch, by James Erwin (J Erwin, C 
Stangl, C Okiishi) 

Me. The Christophers were perfect and I thank them again for 
making my dream come true. I would also like to thank the Academy.

6.5 Pookman

see Review: Pookman, 3.5.

7. Introducing Scott Erwin by Scott Erwin (S Erwin, J Erwin)  

He is my brother! I love him! You love him with good reviews or I 
hate you with a baseball bat!

8. Michael T.'s "In My Pants" piece (M Tabor, A Clarke, others...
poo)

Cute gag-writing. I liked.

9. Furious Skinny song (C Stangl, AJ River)

The funnest.

10. Paul Rust's ran-over bike piece (P Rust, A Clarke) 

Paul took what in lazier hands could have been a completely 
predictable 2-minute skit and made it into a really moving and 
engrossing 5-minute piece of Theater. Good, honest dialogue and 
frankly, my favorite Rust piece of the semester.

Time: Sun, 07-Apr-2002 21:26:27 GMT     IP: 12.217.181.138

11. Jason Nebergall's 3-viewpoints on sex piece (J Nebergall, M 
Thompson, S Heuertz)

Whoa boy! Such talk of sex. Steve stole the piece. 

12. Chris Okiishi's Gay Porn Literature piece (E A Burton, C 
Okiishi, ? [forgot his name already.])

Having never read gay porn with the exception of William S 
Burroughs, I am almost completely dependent upon Herr Okiishi for 
my gay porn insights. Given this, it is easy to sound witty. 
Despite this obvious cavil, good writing and hee-hee oh! you 
boys. The acting.

13. Ron Wright's Garden Party piece (R Wright, A Galbraith, E 
King, M Tabor)

Dammit, I lost all of the dialogue once the food came out. I have 
to say: if you have something to say and something cute to do and 
you want the audience to apprehend both, one must not distract 
from the other.

14. The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True, pt 7: Louise (A 
Clarke, J Erwin)

I was in this.

15. Chris Stangl's "The Big Rape" (C Stangl, A Angel, T Wilson, ?)

Two weeks without a Stangl monologue. This was a good joint if 
not up to Stangl's unearthly monologue skills. One thing: both 
participants in the rape were obviously half-committed and I 
don't know. I wasn't shaken up enough by it on that account and 
it was just committed enough that I couldn't find it all that 
enjoyable. As part of the piece, not bad. As theater, eh... 
*waggles hand* 

No Shame Jungian Watch: Good-natured sexual transgression. Quite 
possibly the wakka-chikka-est No Shame ever. Oh, we're naughty. 
Also, Mexicans.

And just where the hell is your review, punk?

Time: Sun, 07-Apr-2002 21:28:06 GMT     IP: 128.255.174.15

So, adding on to James' order, I have this:

1. Nick Clark's bat-friend piece (J Nebergall, M Tabor)  
1.5 Purity in Essence and Understanding by James Horak (J Horak, 
J Erwin)
2. Al Angel's driving cow poem 
3. Danielle K.'s president lesbos piece (D K, J Nebergall, A 
Galbraith, A Clarke, M Thompson, ?)
3.5 Pookman (Andy, C Stangl)
4. Steve Heuertz' Diff'rent Strokes reunion
5. Matthew Hart's No Rain piece (A Lawson, A Galbraith, M 
Thompson)
6. The Hilarious Mexico Sketch, by James Erwin (J Erwin, C 
Stangl, C Okiishi) 
6.5 Pookman
7. Introducing Scott Erwin by Scott Erwin (S Erwin, J Erwin)  
8. I Love Almost Everybody ...IN MY PANTS! by Michael Tabor (M 
Tabor, N Clark, A Juhl, P Rust, T Wilson, J Margolin)
9. Furious Skinny song (C Stangl, AJ River)
9.5 Pookman
10. Paul Rust's ran-over bike piece (P Rust, A Clarke) 
11. Jason Nebergall's 3-viewpoints on sex piece (J Nebergall, M 
Thompson, S Heuertz)
12. Chris Okiishi's Gay Porn Literature piece (E A Burton, C 
Okiishi, ? [forgot his name already.])
12.5 Pookman's piece where he read the thing about the girl and 
then said "See, I told you that I could get through the piece 
without saying 'fuck!'"
13. Jamie Margolin's stand-up about the add-sheets
14. Ron Wright's Garden Party piece (R Wright, A Galbraith, E 
King, M Tabor)
15. The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True, pt 7: Louise (A 
Clarke, J Erwin)
16. Chris Stangl's "The Big Rape" (C Stangl, A Angel, T Wilson, ?)
and Pookman's "fuck!" pieces

It's true! 16!

Time: Sun, 07-Apr-2002 21:29:14 GMT     IP: 12.217.181.138

13: Jamie Margolin's Add sheet stand up. 

By-the-numbers comedy monologue. I did enjoy Jamie's earnest 
delivery. Good.

Time: Sun, 07-Apr-2002 21:43:00 GMT     IP: 12.217.181.138

CNN! Space section!

Chlorophyll on Mars! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Time: Sun, 07-Apr-2002 21:54:05 GMT     IP: 63.228.160.67

James Erwin. What are you going on about now?

Time: Sun, 07-Apr-2002 22:08:19 GMT     IP: 128.255.174.15

8. I Love Almost Everybody ...IN MY PANTS! by Michael Tabor (M 
Tabor, N Clark, A Juhl, P Rust, T Wilson, J Margolin)

Oh, and Erin King! Erin King was in my piece too! Sorry, Erin! 
You rock!

Time: Sun, 07-Apr-2002 23:21:29 GMT     IP: 63.25.167.87

                No Shame Theatre
                  4-5-2002
          Theatre Building, Room 172
Announcements: Rust, Clarke, River, Galbraith
Order: Stangl

1. "Danny and the Space Dinosaur; for Jason Nebergall" by Nick 
Clark
   Jason enjoys tumultuous friendship with bat; parody sketch.

1.5 "Parity in Essence and Understanding" by James Horak
 Do you believe in God, or is it the GHB talking?; comedy sketch

2. "COW'S' TORY" by al angel
   Cow, calf meet wizard; humorous dramatized poem.

3. "'Our Founding Fathers'? HA! More Like, 'Our Founding Lezbo 
Porno Pervos'! -or- Pretend I'm a Guy So This Piece Will Work" 
by Danielle Santagelo Kovalick
   Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson demand "eat her chach!"; 
comedy sketch.

3.5 "Great Moments in Fuck" by Pookman
   Stangl, Pook, bemoan Pook's unpopularity; comedy sketch.

4. "The Power to Keep You Going" by Emeril Lagasse
  Non sequiturs gradually unveiled as "Diff'rent Strokes" 
reunion; comedy sketch.

5. "No Rain" by Matthew Hart
   Boy meets, looses girl, set to monosyllabic poem; dramatized 
poetry.

6. "The Hilarious Mexico Sketch" by James Erwin
    At "Mexicology" conference, in passionate, extended 
metaphor fashion, prof. makes love to the woman who "is" 
Mexico; comedy monologue triptych.

6.5. "Great Moments in Fuck Part II" by Pookman
  Pook bemoans his laughable endowment at urinal; comedy sketch.

7. "Introducing Scott Erwin" by Scott Erwin
   Sibling rivals vie for NST attention as J. Erwin vs. S. 
Erwin spar. Physically; comedy sketch.

8. "I Love Almost Everybody... IN MY PANTS!" by Michael Tabor
   Michael's single quip (see above) eventually backfires; 
comedy sketch.

9. "YOU ARE DEAD" by Areli River, Performed by Furious Skinny
  Furious Skinny play a song on guitar and chair; music song. 

9.5. "Great Moments in Fuck Part III" by Pookman
   Pook embarrassed while singing to self; comedy sketch.

10. "Sea Badge" by Paul Rust
   Nerd smashed by car rejects sexual favors, takes refuge in 
inept screenplay writing; seriocomic scene.

11. "Go Dog Go! A Tri-alogue" by Jason Nebergall
   3 characters on the transcendent goodness of sex; poetical 
comedic 'tri-alogue.'

12. "Hot and Heavy" by Chris Okiishi
    Two lovers entwine/ literary critic laments utter lack of 
quality gay erotica; romantic comedy sketch.

12.5 "Great Moments in Fuck Part IV" by Pookman
   Pook "recites free-verse memorized poem"; poetry, comedy 
monologue.

13. "I Loves Me Some Add Sheet People" by Jamie Margolin
   Margolin expresses admiration for Add Sheet distributors; 
stand-up comedy.

14. "Garden Party Part V (The Harvest)" by Ron Wright
    Range war re-enacted in vegetable patch, this time 
physically; political comedy, food fight.

15. "The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True; Part VII: Louise" 
by Aprille Clarke
   Carl's child neglect/ alien Jesus capturing punished thanks 
to vigilant, eavesdropping telephone operator Louise; comedy 
sketch.

16. "The Big Rape" by Chris Stangl
    World's Horrors: Al on schoolyard bullies, revenge murder, 
Toni on Carson Daley, Chris on rape, dinner parties, Arlen on 
9/11/01; live attempted rape, comedy sketch.

Time: Sun, 07-Apr-2002 23:26:00 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.172

I agree with Chaz Erwin. This was a good No Shame. I wish my ma 
and sis could have seen this one instead of last week's slow, 
watery death. 

1. Nick Clark's bat-friend piece (J Nebergall, M Tabor)
Nick did a great job in matching Nebetron's style. I also dug 
Jason's self-parody (him using the voice that gained him so much 
fame - and hate! - in his initial pieces).
  
1.5 Purity in Essence and Understanding by James Horak (J Horak, 
J Erwin)
I couldn't see the actors. One of the few casualities of using 
room 172, I'm sure. I bet it looked neat for the balcony kids 
though.

2. Al Angel's driving cow poem
I liked the fact that this was child-like without having to use 
children as the main characters.  If you can write innocently 
with cows and old wise men, I tip my wrist-watch to you, laddy.
 
3. Danielle K.'s president lesbos piece (D K, J Nebergall, A 
Galbraith, A Clarke, M Thompson, ?)
Good first piece. Was able to say "This is who I am" without 
explicitly saying, "This is who I am" (like most first pieces 
are prone to do in their throat-clearin' ways). Could have used 
some editin' in the beginning though. I hope Danielle keeps 
writing.

3.5 Pookman (Andy, C Stangl)
I wish this first one would have been last since I think NS self-
reflexivity is a more powerful closer.  But what about the 
fourth "you thought I was going to say fuck" one?  Isn't that 
the best closer?  Boy, you could have just ended on the third.  
3's a good number. No one likes the fourth part after a trilogy. 
Although I did like the fourth's tonal shift, which fucked with 
the audience's expectations. That was fun.

4. Steve Heuertz' Diff'rent Strokes reunion
Steve doesn't care if you get his jokes. He writes them. They 
make him laugh. He gets fulfillment. Fuck 'em if they can't 
catch the caboose. 

5. Matthew Hart's No Rain piece (A Lawson, A Galbraith, M 
Thompson)
Best Hart piece ever. Like a Jamal piece in that it's stripped 
down and simple and therefore, more powerful than useless 
forewords and appendices.

6. The Hilarious Mexico Sketch, by James Erwin (J Erwin, C 
Stangl, C Okiishi) 
Having James stewing in the back as the Double McChris's were 
speaking was a fine set-up indeed. It intensified James' 
presence/purpose/performance (the 3 p's of No Shame!). And that 
Mexico-as-woman description was a one-two punch of great writing 
and strong performing (I sound like a famous movie critic!). 
However... where oh where was the "combination of Mexico and 
sex" joke... known as Sexico?!

7. Introducing Scott Erwin by Scott Erwin (S Erwin, J Erwin)  
3 reasons why this made you laugh: 1) unadulterated, faux 
arrogance, 2) an outside source exagerrating another's supposed 
persona, and 3) wrastlin'. I laughed, too, my expatraites. I 
laughed, too.

8. I Love Almost Everybody ...IN MY PANTS! by Michael Tabor (M 
Tabor, N Clark, A Juhl, P Rust, T Wilson, J Margolin)
Beating a dead horse into the ground = the bread and butter of 
weisenheimer comedy. Shaka!

9. Furious Skinny song (C Stangl, AJ River)
Best NS song performane in awhile. Well-rehearsed (especially in 
the double vox sections) w/o losing any of its rawness.

11. Jason Nebergall's 3-viewpoints on sex piece (J Nebergall, M 
Thompson, S Heuertz)
I would have preferred more movement and blocking. The 
viewpoints could have used more distinction from one another. I 
respect the shifts Jason has been making though.

12. Chris Okiishi's Gay Porn Literature piece (E A Burton, C 
Okiishi, ? [forgot his name already.])
This was a great piece. I felt it wasn't only critical of gay 
literature, but gay art in general. Okiishi expects more from 
this world and lets you know it. And you're more enlighetened 
because of this. The third man's name is Adam by the way.  

13. Jamie Margolin's stand-up about the add-sheets
This piece needed to take things to a larger plane.  Yeah, add 
sheets are funny, but what's that have to do with the price of 
Anne Rice?  Why are we compelled to them and their grunt-
workers? What's that say about US FOLKS? I wanna' know, Jamie! I 
wanna' know!

14. Ron Wright's Garden Party piece (R Wright, A Galbraith, E 
King, M Tabor)
Yeah, I lost the dialogue after things got thrown. No fault of 
the actors though. I just got distracted. Damn you, "Seaseme 
Street!"

15. The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True, pt 7: Louise (A 
Clarke, J Erwin)
Revelation of the martian-as-baby was a nice piece of horror. 
The stage set-up of phone-operator-as-confessional was a neat 
physical visual, too. And it's always good to hear some social 
criticism at NS since it is rare (and often only consists of 
campus affairs).  Aprille was able to satire the whole priest 
sex scandals without coming off as a soapbox blowhard.

16. Chris Stangl's "The Big Rape" (C Stangl, A Angel, T 
Wilson, ?)
Arlen Lawson and Aprille Clarke were in this, too. In this 
piece, the use of Sept. 11th brought some color(without just 
using - gasp, Sept. 11th!). For me, it showed the contrast 
between tempid, naive reactions to complete chaos (the 
teenager's summation of 9/11) and outraged, stupid reactions to 
simple observations (the party-goers' resonse to Chris' rape 
comment) and finally, primal, violent reactions to schoolyard 
teasing. In the end, Chris is saying to you: Hey, I just tried 
to rape someone on stage. What's your reaction, you de-/over-
sensititized piece of shit?  

That's my review. You (No Shame-goer, writer, peformer) should 
write one, too.  This message board is rapidly turning into a 
graveyard and you'd be wise to sneak in, kick over some 
tombstones, and have sex with your high school sweetheart inside 
it.

Time: Mon, 08-Apr-2002 01:51:40 GMT     IP: 128.255.173.70

I didn't get in to last weeks show.  I am wondering why you used 
room 172 and not Mabie Theatre.  Mabie isn't big enough for 
everybody, but has a somewhat better compacity than room 172, 
and I've heard it even has a stage!

Time: Mon, 08-Apr-2002 02:39:56 GMT     IP: 128.255.52.148

Mabie Theatre has approximately twice the audience capacity we 
need for a typical non-best-of Friday, but on this particular 
Friday it was being used by some music people who didn't trust us 
to perform on the same stage as their precious equipment.  No 
Shame was not made aware of this until some time after 9pm.  
Sorry you didn't get in.  It caught us by surprise also.

Aaron

Time: Mon, 08-Apr-2002 03:54:48 GMT     IP: 206.72.33.253

No Shame Theatre
4-5-2002
Theatre Building, Room 172
"It The Small Things In Life That Make No Shame Worth Having" 

1. "Danny and the Space Dinosaur; for Jason Nebergall" by Nick 
Clark
Really thought this WAS a Jason piece until I saw that Jason did 
another piece.  You tricked me.  Good job. 

1.5 "Parity in Essence and Understanding" by James Horak
Rohypnol, ketamine, GHB, or roofies.  Which of these three would 
have led to the best punchline?  They're all pretty much 
synonyms, and I would have used roofies.  Would have had a much 
better payoff.  I'm prolly sounding harsh, but I think 
using "GHB" ruined the skit.

2. "COW'S' TORY" by al angel
Ditto what James "The Mexican" Erwin said.  Also, I've worked 
much w/ kids, and every time I see these pieces, I can just 
imagine smiling, giggling little gas-factories enjoying them.
 
3. "'Our Founding Fathers'? HA! More Like, 'Our Founding Lezbo 
Porno Pervos'! -or- Pretend I'm a Guy So This Piece Will Work" by 
Danielle Santagelo Kovalick
I gotta say: she nailed me.  I felt so dirty about my love of 
lesbian sex after seeing this that I actually DIDN'T masturbate 
when I got home later.  OK, so that's a lie, but I wasn't 
thinking about lesbians if that's any consolation. 

3.5 "Great Moments in Fuck" by Pookman
Thank you, Stangl.  For all you regulars: this is actually how I 
feel.  I know my pieces are shit, but I really don't care this 
semester as the whole point of Rainbow Project is doing different 
things.  Also, I think I could've left off part 3 in favor for a 
trilogy.  That one wasn't that funny, anyhoos.  

4. "The Power to Keep You Going" by Emeril Lagasse
Quote: I just write the pieces for me.  Damned, I wish I had that 
much whatever it is that makes him so whatever he is. 

5. "No Rain" by Matthew Hart
HAD NO IDEA IT WAS A MATTHEW HART PIECE.  I am impressed.  I am 
not easily impressed.  Sometimes I hate things just because it 
makes me happy.  But this impressed me and I liked it.  Good show.
 
6. "The Hilarious Mexico Sketch" by James Erwin
Despite my inability to write "intelligent funny", it is still my 
favorite type of funny.  Much better than "crass funny" and "dumb 
funny".  This is easily one of the most intelligently funny 
pieces I've seen this semester.
 
6.5. "Great Moments in Fuck Part II" by Pookman
That's right; I have a small penis.  Who'd a guessed that? 

7. "Introducing Scott Erwin" by Scott Erwin
Ditto of piece #6.  Little Erwin is almost as funny as Big 
Erwin.  Good introduction piece.

8. "I Love Almost Everybody... IN MY PANTS!" by Michael Tabor
Beat...joke...into...ground.  Doesn't always work, but in this case it 
worked spectacularly.   A good and solid Machael Tabor piece (if 
you like that sort of thing*).
 
TO BE CONTINUED..........

Time: Mon, 08-Apr-2002 03:55:36 GMT     IP: 206.72.33.253

9. "YOU ARE DEAD" by Areli River, Performed by Furious Skinny
I don't really get Furious Skinny; it must be above me. 

9.5. "Great Moments in Fuck Part III" by Pookman
Could've neglected this one.  Didn't really need the four.  But 
thanks, Aprille; you's one fine lady. 

10. "Sea Badge" by Paul Rust
Beautifully acted.  I almost wanted to think Aprille was using 
Paul in the end because that would've made it easier on my 
heartstrings.  Paul, you took a piece that needed to be acted 
well for it to work and nailed it.  Had this piece come off as 
disingenuous, it would have easily been one of my least favorite 
pieces thus far.  But, no.  It was acted with as much skill as 
I've seen yet from Paul (and Aprille, you were pretty damned 
good, too), and because of this it is now one of my favorites. 

11. "Go Dog Go! A Tri-alogue" by Jason Nebergall
Really good dialogue (but not really dialogue, which is 
impressive in and of it) mixed together with some decent jokes.  
A well-rounded sketch without being anything extraordinary.  This 
is in no mans an insult.  Doing a skit with no perceivable lulls 
is probably one of the hardest skills to master.  FAVORITE JOKE 
OF NIGHT: Steve's "sex is like a trip back to Grandma's house" 
joke. 

12. "Hot and Heavy" by Chris Okiishi
The guy on the table was awesome.  I don't often congratulate 
performers after a show, but I saw this guy at the Village Inn, I 
couldn't stop myself.   

12.5 "Great Moments in Fuck Part IV" by Pookman
I don't know what "recites free-verse memorized poem" means.  
There probably is no such thing as free-verse poetry; I don't 
know.  I don't care.  That's just what I called it.  Also, I had 
no time to memorize it.  All this being said: This was my 
favorite "Fuck!" piece.  I also think it made the best closer.  
That's why it was last.

13. "I Loves Me Some Add Sheet People" by Jamie Margolin
OK, this is the one thing I know about.  Jamie's got skills, but 
his confidence on stage this night wasn't there.  One thing you 
absolutely need (even more than timing, I feel) in stand-up is 
confidence.  If there had been a drunk in the crowd, then I don't 
think he would have made through.  As it was, when a joke died he 
lost concentration and what confidence he showed.  Also, the fact 
that Jamie didn't have this piece memorized forwards and back was 
an absolute bad move.  You CANNOT perform stand-up unrehearsed.  
You need to be able to move around jokes in the order to 
accommodate the audience's reactions, and along the same time if 
a bit isn't working you need to be able to skit to the end of it 
and go to the next part.  And if the audience isn't with you, you 
have to bend them to your will, because as a stand-up you can't 
bend to them or you lose your (perceived) respectability as a 
performer due to your pandering.  In addition, the first third of 
this piece was extremely inaudible.  Several people behind me 
said "what?" and even I had a hard time hearing what he said (and 
I knew what he was saying having read the piece prior).  You 
can't expect to get laughs if the audience doesn't hear the 
joke.  I'd hate to think what would have happened if the same 
thing happened in Mabie.  All-in-all, I was severely unimpressed 
by this stand-up, but I'm gonna be a harsher judge than most (and 
Jamie gave me reign to be).  That being said, Jamie shows amazing 
promise.  I have no problem saying that I would GUARANTEE Jamie's 
next stand-up will hit right on if he (1) memorizes the piece,  
(2) collects a little more confidence (to a further extent: learn 
to read the audience), and (3) talks up.

14. "Garden Party Part V (The Harvest)" by Ron Wright
I am happy to see these come to an end.  This was a good way to 
end it, even thought the dialogue was obviously overshadowed by 
the throwing of the vegetables. 

15. "The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True; Part VII: Louise" by 
Aprille Clarke
Very Aprille.  Very good.  I never have much to say on your/her 
pieces because they have a consistence about them that always at 
or around the same level.  A good level, mind you; but that 
doesn't allow me to say much beside they're good (it's late; I 
hope that made sense). 

16. "The Big Rape" by Chris Stangl
The rape scene was too uncommitted.  That was one of the 2-3 main 
selling points of the piece, and thus it made it a huge drawback 
for me and left an empty taste in my mouth.  The joke at the end 
of the [attempted] raping helped save it, however, as did the 
ending of the skit.  I'm not advocating rape nor am I huge rape 
fan**, but I do think if you're gonna do it, you need to go all 
out, and I didn't expect these two performers to hold back so 
much.

*=I like that sort of thing.
**=I'm not a fan at all, actually.  Just was too lazy hit the 
backspace.

Time: Mon, 08-Apr-2002 04:02:16 GMT     IP: 128.255.173.70

The title of my thread says it all!

Time: Mon, 08-Apr-2002 05:00:54 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.194

1. "Danny and the Space Dinosaur; for Jason Nebergall" by Nick 
Clark
I loved this.  I loved doing it.  Thank you, Nick.  

1.5 "Parity in Essence and Understanding" by James Horak
I leaned to my girlfriend and asked her what GHB was.  She told 
me.  I laughed.  I'm glad it wasn't explained in the piece, 
though.  For those who don't know, it apparently is the 'date-
rape drug.'

2. "COW'S' TORY" by al angel
I liked this piece a lot because it allowed for interesting 
blocking and movement.  The evolution of Al's children's pieces 
is really interesting for me, because they started out really 
good, and haven't slipped at all in their consistent improvement.

3. "'Our Founding Fathers'? HA! More Like, 'Our Founding Lezbo 
Porno Pervos'! -or- Pretend I'm a Guy So This Piece Will Work" by 
Danielle Santagelo Kovalick
This didn't need the intro.  The piece made sense on its own, and 
at that, was a good piece.  However, a very fine debut.  

3.5 "Great Moments in Fuck" by Pookman
These sketches were pretty good for what they were, but were a 
lame joke, that once repeated, becomes good.  Sorta like the 
classic "Jurassic Pork" trilogy, but without the naked-dancing-
pig-man weirdness.  Not my favorite, but okay.

4. "The Power to Keep You Going" by Emeril Lagasse
I am very fond of non-sequitur sketches.  This was a good one.  I 
wish I had watched more TV in the 80s.

5. "No Rain" by Matthew Hart
When Matt showed this to me, I was surprised by how 
uncharacteristic it was.  Kudos to Matt.  Not too long, and told 
its story well.  A very good piece.

6. "The Hilarious Mexico Sketch" by James Erwin
This was consistently inventive.  The piece kept topping itself 
without breaking the rules of the piece, which was enjoyable to 
watch.  It was well structured in that the audience knew Erwin 
was going to say something big, but what it would prove to be was 
a surprise.

6.5. "Great Moments in Fuck Part II" by Pookman

7. "Introducing Scott Erwin" by Scott Erwin
The turnaround from being about James to being about Scott was 
really well done.  And wrestling is always fun to watch.  An 
auspicious debut from Erwin II.

8. "I Love Almost Everybody... IN MY PANTS!" by Michael Tabor
I love sketches that are repetitive in a good way.  This was one 
of them.

Time: Mon, 08-Apr-2002 05:01:31 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.194

9. "YOU ARE DEAD" by Areli River, Performed by Furious Skinny
Furious Skinny is an awesome band.  The music is rockin', but the 
masks and t-shirts are what keep the love alive.

9.5. "Great Moments in Fuck Part III" by Pookman

10. "Sea Badge" by Paul Rust
Paul has been experimenting with his style recently, and this was 
the first time that the new serio-comic Paul stuff has really 
clicked for me.  The balance was kept perfectly, and I was 
consistently absorbed.

11. "Go Dog Go! A Tri-alogue" by Jason Nebergall

12. "Hot and Heavy" by Chris Okiishi
I loved this.  My favorite Okiishi piece of all time.

12.5 "Great Moments in Fuck Part IV" by Pookman

13. "I Loves Me Some Add Sheet People" by Jamie Margolin
While I usually hate standup, this was an interesting change of 
pace from sketches and monologues.  Still, it didn't really have 
me laughing, and seemed under-confident.  Pookman's the major 
expert on standup, so I defer to his review.

14. "Garden Party Part V (The Harvest)" by Ron Wright
I cringed when the veggies started flying, but it added an 
interesting visual to the repetitive nature of Wright's series.  
However, I can't tell you a damn thing that was said, because I 
kept watching the vegetables fly and the board members cringe.

15. "The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True; Part VII: Louise" by 
Aprille Clarke
Clarke's series has been improving a lot.  It's becoming a lot 
more cohesive and that makes it a lot more enjoyable.  The 
specifics of the story are becoming more and more defined without 
losing the intriguing non-linearity of the series.

16. "The Big Rape" by Chris Stangl
I love pieces that make you laugh, and then question what you are 
laughing at.  I had high hopes for this, and they were met.  I 
have no problems with the fact that fun was had during the "rape 
attempt."  The mere suggestion of rape was enough to set me on 
edge, and the final lines did get me thinking.  This was a 
laudable end to a fine night.  

Time: Mon, 08-Apr-2002 08:04:02 GMT     IP: 128.255.193.252

Damn, that was a very long post that I just accidently erased...

To summarize:

The reason that No Shame wasn't allowed to use Mabie the other 
night wasn't (directly) due to the equipment.  Don Buchla 
(inventor of the Buchla synthesizer, noted eccentric) was giving 
a performance with his group Fried Suck for the SEAMUS national 
convention.  As expected, the concert ran well past 11:00pm.  In 
addition, the entire stage would have been covered with 
synthesizers, speaker equipment, microphone stands, an old 
fashioned baby carriage, and miscellaneous other crap.  Combined 
with the mixing board in the middle of the room, the 16 speakers 
around the aisles, and enough wiring to encircle insert obese 
celebrity reference approximately 62.7 times, it would have made 
for a very... interesting situation.  As it was, it took a group 
of us over 5 hours to take down all of the equipment on Saturday.

As one of the directors of the conference (who just happens to be 
a regular No Shame audience member), I apologize for the 
confusion.  The theatre department had known for many months that 
Mabie Theatre would be occupied from April 4th-6th; I'm not sure 
why they chose not to pass that information along to the No Shame 
Executive Board before 9pm on Friday night.  I wish I could say 
that there was more we could have done, but once we booked the 
theatre, the situation left our hands.  Apologies anyway.

- M. Grusha

Time: Mon, 08-Apr-2002 16:58:15 GMT     IP: 128.255.45.7

I suppose it was foolish of me to assume that blame should be 
cast on the music group occupying the space.  I was contacted by 
the department this morning with apologies for not telling SEAMUS 
that No Shame had priority to use the space after 10:30.  I was 
also assured that new measures would be taken to prevent this 
from happening again.

Aaron

Time: Mon, 08-Apr-2002 18:11:47 GMT     IP: 128.255.163.35

Dear friends,

Last Friday, Chris Stangl informed me that he now has a 
computer.  Due to this fact, he will be taking over posting the 
orders.  Actually, he and I have not discussed this, but all 
signs seem to point to it.

This is fine with me, considering the fact that posting the 
expanded order every Friday night often kept me up until 3 
a.m., which, coupled with my inability to sleep past 8 on 
Saturdays, has led to some unpleasant weekends.

"Well," you say, "you didn't have to stay up on Fridays to post 
them."  That's true, I didn't, and Chris doesn't either.  I just 
felt/feel that the sooner the order is posted, the better the 
level and content of disussion in the forum.  This is just my 
opinion, though, and the matter is now out of my hands.  I 
mean this as no insult whatsoever to Chris or his posting 
style/timing.  I just want to make people aware of the shift.

I would encourage people to continue doing what happened 
this week--if the order doesn't get posted right away, try to 
reconstruct it the best you can, because having the details 
in front of the readers' faces stimulates discussion.

Why do my pretzels smell like shrimp?

Thanks.

AC

Time: Mon, 08-Apr-2002 21:25:14 GMT     IP: 128.255.208.70

Yes, it was an all-around unfortunate situation.  Their 
response to you is a bit puzzling however.  SEAMUS had 
Mabie Theatre for the dates frm April 4th-6th exclusively 
booked before the academic year even started.  Even if there 
wouldn't have been a concert in Mabie during that time, and if 
the venue hadn't been booked months in advance, it still 
would have required a six hour strike and another six hour 
setup, all between the times of 10:30pm on Friday and the 
7am rehearsals on Saturday.   Most of the people working 
the concert were being paid by the hour, so a two hour long 
No Shame would have cost us hundreds of dollars, twelve 
extra hours of labor, and would have ripped some sort of 
hole in the space-time continuum.  Hopefully by "new 
measures", they mean planning ahead when they book their 
venues.   Again though, hindsight is 20/20...

- M. Grusha

Time: Mon, 08-Apr-2002 23:15:25 GMT     IP: 128.255.193.252

Too bad I didn't see this sooner.  We could have avoided the 
entire debacle.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem-&-item=1528048825

- M. Grusha

Time: Tue, 09-Apr-2002 02:10:41 GMT     IP: 63.228.160.67

We're over it Grusha. It's cool. Calm down.

Time: Tue, 09-Apr-2002 02:49:02 GMT     IP: 134.161.71.239

Just curious, will there be a Best of No Shame Theatre this 
semester and if so, when?

Eric

Time: Tue, 09-Apr-2002 03:08:05 GMT     IP: 128.255.187.193

I'm confused.

Why are we neglecting our beloved little B?  We were all so 
happy there...

Time: Tue, 09-Apr-2002 04:10:26 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.172

Currently, Theatre B is being used for "Wonderchild," a UI 
Mainstage production. As a result, No Shame has been using Mabie 
instead.

Time: Tue, 09-Apr-2002 04:25:23 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.172

Yes, there will be a Best of No Shame this semester. It will 
probably happen on Friday, May 10th.  
Rumor has it that the release of "Star Wars - Episode II: Attack 
of the Clones" was held back one week, so it would not have to 
compete with Best of.
Director George Lucas remarked, "All the wookies in the world 
can't stop folks from seeing Jason Nebergall do that funny voice 
of his."

Time: Tue, 09-Apr-2002 22:05:28 GMT     IP: 128.255.88.131

Will said No Shame be featuring anything besides Pookman's 
various pieces?  I know he's good and extremely gifted and better 
than everyone else at No Shame, but I do think you let somebody 
else in the show besides him.

But if you don't nominate the "Fuck!" pieces, I'll begin killing 
squirrels at the rate of 3.2 an hour until the world is made 
right again.

Time: Wed, 10-Apr-2002 05:23:03 GMT     IP: 12.217.248.128

I just re-read the previous posts from Stubble et al, and I'm not 
really sure where any slander would have occured.  All presented 
the information as they had been told, with a fair amount of 
regard for all concerned, to my read.  It sould be remembered 
that No Shame PAYS to use a theater in the theater building, and 
has, in the past, gone to great lengths to accomodate other 
productions and events, when such accomdations were foreseeable.  
In what way did you find the posts disrespectful of the theater 
department or intentionally misleading so as to cause injury (aka 
slander)?

Time: Wed, 10-Apr-2002 14:51:50 GMT     IP: 67.251.189.49

Dear Weirdos and Retardeds,

  You know that six-foot pile of boxes full of t-shirts in my 
basement? They all say No Shame Theatre on them. Wouldn't they 
look better wrapped around your torso than mounded in my 
personal space? Live the dream for ten dollars. TEN DOLLARS. 
David Lynch is selling "Eraserhead" DVDs for FORTY DOLLARS on-
line if that gives you a gold-standard.
   Electronic-mail me or see me after the No Shame Theatre and 
we'll dyke out!... I mean sell some shirts!

        Keep your eyes on the prize,
                   Rev. Chris Stangl

Time: Thu, 11-Apr-2002 04:08:13 GMT     IP: 12.75.101.165

Does the board know which theater that No Shame will be using on 
Friday?  I know that 'B' is the usual, but I thought that 
the 'Blind Tom' piano performance would be using 'B' from 8p to 
10p.  Just wondering.

Ron

Time: Thu, 11-Apr-2002 15:22:49 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.75

I just think that sounds better than dropping the f-bomb.

Time: Thu, 11-Apr-2002 18:34:50 GMT     IP: 167.83.10.24

Dear Kids,

   This slipped my disc until just now: on April 5 during the 
announcements I yelled "You know Tony Werner? That sumbitch 
piece of shit snuck TWO PIECES into last week's show! He is 
BANNED FOR... LIFE!" This is patently untrue: Tony is NOT 
banned, let alone for life. I was intending to admonish Tony in 
the form of a joke-- escalating cruel and unusual punishments 
climaxing with forced castration-- but was interrupted and never 
finished the thought, instead ending with the phrase: "TONY 
WERNER IS BANNED FOR LIFE!" Which... is not true.
    Why, though, WERE there two scripts with his name on them 
last week? And why didn't I notice this while I was taking 
order? These questions remain unanswered.

       Do you like a,
          Rev. Chris Stangl?

Time: Thu, 11-Apr-2002 21:48:25 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.172

Tony did not write two pieces.  He wrote one ("Blue #3").  As for 
the other piece under his name ("Room Serves and the Galapagos"), 
this was actually written by Spencer Griffin. 
I SUSPECT that after the pieces were handed in, Spencer had his 
name changed to "Tony Werner" on the order. This, plus the fact 
that Tony spoke the majority of the sketch's lines, made it seem 
as if TONY wrote the piece. Why? If you remember, the piece 
included many controversial and off-color remarks about pre-teen 
girls and such. Spencer was trying to pull a joke on Tony and 
make it seem as if Tony was the naughty boy, not himself. Hence, 
two pieces by Tony Werner.
I apologize if by saying this, I've ruined a hoax. I just wanted 
to make sure that Tony would not be seen as a "double piecer" (a 
term coined by Sir Walter Crombit Noshame III in 1874).
By the way, I was not totally aware of this hoax until AFTER the 
show. If I would have known it would have caused such confusion, 
I would have probably suggested the idea be nixed.

Time: Thu, 11-Apr-2002 22:02:06 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.172

What I meant to say (before I accidentally posted early) was...

By the way, I was not totally aware of this hoax until AFTER the 
show. If I would have known that such confusion would have 
resulted, I would have suggested nixing the idea.

Interesting note: When Chris was admonishing Tony during the 
order, I began to speak, so I could clarify the situation. 
However, Chris looked at me with a glance, which I thought 
suggested, "Hey, I know it's a hoax, Paul. I'm just using this as 
a vehicle to be funny." So I shut my mouth and remained quiet. 
How sad. In the pursuit of comedy, a man's life has been ruined. 
For shame. For shame.

You know, this reminds me of a scene that a friend of mine once 
created.  It went like this:

Man #1: You know the Holocaust is all your fault.
Man #2: But I didn't do anything!
Man #1 (in hushed seriousness): That's exactly my point.

Time: Fri, 12-Apr-2002 21:00:59 GMT     IP: 205.188.193.37

I take my life in my own hands by posting here again, but what 
the heck, I got no shame.

Totally awe inspiringly cool.  You guys have enough writers and 
performers you actually have a rule about no more than one piece 
per week which actually has to be enforced with threats of a ban?

While on the one hand I worry about jack booted no shame thugs 
(that would be production assistants to those who are "Masters 
of the Fine Arts) enforcing such rules, I won't get into any 
discussion of what no shame is cause I have barely begun to feel 
like the blisters on my ass are healing from the last 
time....what?  Oh yeah, the other hand, it was rubbing those 
blisters, but on it is this amazing sense of amazement that you 
have that many new pieces every week.

Some of us in the provinces, far from the primordial cess pool 
sometimes have to mount a Friday with only 5 pieces where we 
kick ourselves for not writing more than one piece that week.  
Oh, to live in the land of good 'n plenties.

Please keep up the good work, the bad work and the mediocre 
work, just so long as you keep up the work!

I imagine No Shame Iowa shuts down over the summer, eh?  

Us poor country cousin's in Virginny have a motto that nothing 
pre-empts No Shame, not even No Shame...we still do a regular 
friday show even after our Best Of's which we do quarterly.  
Since we are not an academic institution, we go year round, 
every single friday, so maybe you can forgive a little that we 
don't have quite the volume of work...but I don't forgive us.

I must go out and shanghai some writers.

Anyway, congratulations.  You got something good over 
there...even if it is often pretty heavy on the poop.  But poop 
is good too.  :)

Todd "Who let the smelly old guy in?" Ristau

Time: Fri, 12-Apr-2002 21:07:21 GMT     IP: 205.188.193.37

Ok, the real reason I came here to post--I'm currently working 
on an article about the history of No Shame.  The idea arose out 
of David Gothard's visit to Virginia to see our ten minute play 
festival and most recent Best Of.  In his enthusiasm when he 
discovered we were doing a very careful documentation of our No 
Shame with archives and photos, he encouraged me to start 
collecting a short history of No Shame which might be suitable 
for submissions, either to theatre journals or grant writing.  
I'm not sure how far it will go, but I think if nothing else, 
those of us who were involved would appreciate it finally being 
put together in some form or another.  Sort of like the TDR 
article but nearly two decades later.

Since No Shame isn't any one voice or opinion, I'd like to get 
input from all of you out there.

I know that the Iowa No Shame was important to a lot of people, 
and that the various franchises which have popped up have also 
allowed many to gain some experiential learning and stage 
experience in a low risk environment that they might not have 
gotten anywhere else.

The angle of the article is going to be on how important that 
venue was to people on a personal and professional level. 

It would be a great help to me if you could send your thoughts, 
etc, on what No Shame meant to you, means to you, and so forth.  
Also how, if at all, you feel No Shame helped (or hindered) your 
professional advancement as theatre artists.

If you have a favorite no shame story you'd like to share, that 
would be great too, just send it to me in an email, rather than 
posting it here (though you can do that too, if you like) and 
I'll start compiling.  Also, please forward this to people who 
have a No Shame connection (performers, writers, faculty, 
theatre owners, etc) but who don't check message boards.

If nothing else, I am sure that Jeff and I will find a way to 
feature the final article on the no shame web-hub, and we've got 
a few other ideas that this type of info would be useful for.  
Nothing will be shared or published or submitted or posted 
without passing the material by the contributor first for 
approval, so feel free to say whatever you like.

Some of you Iowa folks are graduating, congrats on that.  In 
addition to any thoughts about how having a place to test stuff 
out without it directly impacting your grade, I'd enjoy hearing 
how you expect having done no shame to help as you make your way 
out into the world--not least of which if you expect that having 
a national network of people who have done no shame over the 
last 17 years or so, to be of any use to you...or is (as has 
been said to me in this forum) no shame something you graduate 
from and just leave behind?

thanks in advance for all your help.  I look forward to seeing 
what you you have to say.

Todd

Time: Fri, 12-Apr-2002 21:22:12 GMT     IP: 205.188.193.37

It occurs to me that since we have this radically different No 
Shame environment over in Virginia where we who have so little 
look to you who have so much--I'm going to do a totally un-no 
shamey thing and suggest a scandalous perversion of "what no 
shame is" and throw this idea out to the wolves....

If any of you have pieces that you think can be done by people 
other than your own selves and would like them performed else 
where, our Virginia No Shame is compiling sort of a Emergency 
First Aid Script Box.

We never want to do a No Shame with fewer than five pieces--
though we did last week with four--and I thought, gosh, all these 
No Shames have these nifty script libraries but there is almost 
no way to contact people to get permission to do them...and since 
we have that "3-5 minute ORIGINAL" rule, is it right to even 
consider doing the pieces of people who are not on the stage or 
watching in the audience?

Well, some of you people who hate history (and old guy stories) 
let me tell you where that original peices rule came from.  We 
didn't want to worry about royalties or getting sued.

No shame started as a forum for performers, not really for 
writers, but writers were a necessary evil since we didn't want 
to have to worry about getting sued or hit with royalties, and 
heck, there were plenty of writers around.

Point two, we've already had some submissions from people like 
Iowa City's Fred Norberg to do his pieces at our No Shame, and 
nobody saw anything wrong with that--there never was to my 
knowledge that the "original" piece's author had to be sitting in 
the theatre, just had to have given his consent for the 
performance.

Even Jeff Goode has had one of his pieces performed (with 
permission) at the Charlotteville NS.

Given that...what the heck is stopping people from No Shames 
across time and space from sending us some pieces that we can 
pull out in time of dire need (only having 4 pieces in the order).

If you send me your scripts with a note giving permission, I will 
print them out and put them in the Emergency Script Box here in 
Charlottesville and will send you an email to let you know when 
your piece patched a hole in our order.

This way we get help from people who actually want to help, and 
we don't have to frantically search through online NS script 
libraries to find a suitable piece and get permission to perform 
it when the people likely to be giving permission are at their 
own no shame.

What do you think?  The crazed idea of a Heretic?

Last act of a desperate man unable to gather sufficient support 
and interest to keep his own no shame alive?

Or a really good idea to increase the viability of a network of 
mutually supportive artists actively engaged in keeping a 
national venue for new work alive?

Todd

Time: Sat, 13-Apr-2002 08:57:47 GMT     IP: 63.228.160.67

Great Show. Want To Review. No Order. Well. Great Show. Awesome.

Time: Sat, 13-Apr-2002 17:53:13 GMT     IP: 67.233.170.28

                  No Shame Theatre
                       4-12-2002
                Happy birthday of Paul Rust!

1. "I Was a Teenage Wearer" by Michael Landon's cold, cold dead 
body, RIP, and Estelle Getty's hot ass, YEOUUCH!
	Deaf boy, legless boy, son of Zeus spar verbally, rap 
about King Tut; comedy sketch.

2. "AGES" by al angel
	Vigor of youth vs. oldness of old men; children's poem

2.5. "In Agreement" by James Horak and Nick Clark
	Nick encourages James to sigh till he passes out; 
comedy sketch

3. "Long Sentence No Suggestions" by Sarah Neilson
	Boy brings love to life of joyless girl; love sketch

4. "Wake Me Up When This Poop is Over; Part I" by James Brown
	Man wrecks sadistic, unlikely havoc on shopping mall, 
whorehouse; comedy monologue

5. "The Man Who Was Must-See Thursday" by Mark J. Hansen
	Accountant resorts to urban espionage to win office 
sitcom pool; comedy monologue

6. "IT RAINS" by Matthew Hart
	Poignant scene degenerates into orgasm puns... PUNisher 
intervenes; comedy sketch

6.5. "Card Shot" by Scott Fiddelke
	Card trick with firearms!; magic

7. "The Lunatic Club" by Arlen Lawson
	Lunatic baking club disassembles bike, builds flying 
car; monologue

8. "Phillip Morris Approved Entertainment" by A. H. Anonymous
	Cowardly author devises elaborate plan for Horak, Hague 
to cop onstage smoke; comedy sketch

9. "Hilariously Retarded Old People (featuring Jamal as a 
Fart)" by Toni Wilson and Michael Tabor
	At Tabor-Wilson family dinner in 60 years, bickering 
disrupted by evil fart; comedy sketch

10. "Bastard, BASTARD HarbourMastah" by Jason Nebergall
	"Actual letters from the Civil War" wrought with 
anachronisms, sex jokes; comedy sketch

11. "Who is Stupider?" by Mean Jamma
	...pretentious, formulaic NST writers? Or stupid 
audience? Answer: both!; comedy sketch

12. "Happy Birthday... to Me?!" by Paul Rust
	Paul encourages audience to sing increasingly degrading 
variations on birthday song; comedy

13. "SUBJECT HEADING: Hey" by Danielle Santangelo Kovalick
	Girl writes wistful please-don't-break-up-with-me e-
mail; dramatic monologue

14. "Fortune Cookie Nights - A Spin-Off; ten 30-second Plays 
about Carl" by Aprille Clarke
	Series of blackout gross-out sketches 
revisiting "DTFCCT" characters; comedy sketch

15. "I Can't Sleep" song Chris Stangl perform Furious Skinny
	Furious Skinny play song on wastebasket, trumpet, 
screaming; music song

Time: Sat, 13-Apr-2002 18:33:52 GMT     IP: 64.6.87.98

And the persons who appeared in those pieces is, as nearly as my 
brain can tell me, these (and apologies in advance for those my 
drug-addled knowledge-sponge left out, or whose names I cannot 
spell and/or pronounce):

1. "I Was a Teenage Wearer" by Michael Landon's cold, cold dead 
body, RIP, and Estelle Getty's hot ass, YEOUUCH! (A Angel, M 
Tabor, S Huertz, J Erwin)
      Deaf boy, legless boy, son of Zeus spar verbally, rap 
about King Tut; comedy sketch.

2. "AGES" by al angel (A Angel, P Rust, J Erwin)
      Vigor of youth vs. oldness of old men; children's poem

2.5. "In Agreement" by James Horak and Nick Clark (J Horak, N 
Clark)
      Nick encourages James to sigh till he passes out; 
comedy sketch

3. "Long Sentence No Suggestions" by Sarah Neilson [M Thompson, 
some other guy (???)]
      Boy brings love to life of joyless girl; love sketch

4. "Wake Me Up When This Poop is Over; Part I" by James Brown (J 
Brown)
      Man wrecks sadistic, unlikely havoc on shopping mall, 
whorehouse; comedy monologue

5. "The Man Who Was Must-See Thursday" by Mark J. Hansen (J Horak)
      Accountant resorts to urban espionage to win office 
sitcom pool; comedy monologue

6. "IT RAINS" by Matthew Hart (A Lawson, M Thompson, P Rust, J 
Nebergall, M Hart)
      Poignant scene degenerates into orgasm puns... PUNisher 
intervenes; comedy sketch

6.5. "Card Shot" by Scott Fiddelke (S Fiddelke, the girl who shot 
M Cassady dead, and some other guy from the audience)
      Card trick with firearms!; magic

7. "The Lunatic Club" by Arlen Lawson (A Lawson)
      Lunatic baking club disassembles bike, builds flying 
car; monologue

8. "Phillip Morris Approved Entertainment" by A. H. Anonymous (J 
Horak, J Hague)
      Cowardly author devises elaborate plan for Horak, Hague 
to cop onstage smoke; comedy sketch

9. "Hilariously Retarded Old People (featuring Jamal as a 
Fart)" by Toni Wilson and Michael Tabor (T Wilson, M Tabor, J 
River, two hep cats I don't know)
      At Tabor-Wilson family dinner in 60 years, bickering 
disrupted by evil fart; comedy sketch

10. "Bastard, BASTARD HarbourMastah" by Jason Nebergall (J 
Nebergall, D Kovelick)
      "Actual letters from the Civil War" wrought with 
anachronisms, sex jokes; comedy sketch

11. "Who is Stupider?" by Mean Jamma (C Stangl, J River, A 
Lawson?, P Rust)
      ...pretentious, formulaic NST writers? Or stupid 
audience? Answer: both!; comedy sketch

12. "Happy Birthday... to Me?!" by Paul Rust (P Rust, audience 
member)
      Paul encourages audience to sing increasingly degrading 
variations on birthday song; comedy

13. "SUBJECT HEADING: Hey" by Danielle Santangelo Kovalick (D 
Kovalick)
      Girl writes wistful please-don't-break-up-with-me e-
mail; dramatic monologue

14. "Fortune Cookie Nights - A Spin-Off; ten 30-second Plays 
about Carl" by Aprille Clarke (A Clarke, J Erwin, S Huertz)
      Series of blackout gross-out sketches 
revisiting "DTFCCT" characters; comedy sketch

15. "I Can't Sleep" song Chris Stangl perform Furious Skinny 
(Furious Skinny)
      Furious Skinny play song on wastebasket, trumpet, 
screaming; music song


i am the god of memory.  worship me.

Time: Sat, 13-Apr-2002 19:05:47 GMT     IP: 12.217.237.60

Review 4/12

1.  "I Was a Teenage Wearer" by Michael Landon's cold, cold 
dead 
body, RIP, and Estelle Getty's hot ass, YEOUUCH!
I liked the King Tut song interspersal.  The image of the little 
person living in our ears was good.  When whoever said 
it--Mark?--started to say it, I thought he was going to say that 
a person lived in his mouth and did his talking for him, but it's 
more interesting if everybody has a person in his/her ears, 
because everyone would hear something different.  Also, 
despite being best known for her roles as Sylvester 
Stallone's mother in "Stop or My Mom Will Shoot" and Sofia 
on The Golden Girls, Estelle Getty is actually only 37. 

2.  "AGES" by al angel
The rhyme and meter flowed really nicely and un-forcedly in 
this.  In some earlier ones it seemed like sacrifices were 
made for the sake of rhyme--not here, though.  I think all the 
practice has really honed Al's skills in the genre.  Content 
aside, this was my favorite of his poems so far on a purely 
auditory level.

2.5. "In Agreement" by James Horak and Nick Clark
It took the joke to its logical conclusion, which was 
funny...when I was watching it, it didn't seem too long, but 
now in my memory it seems like one or two sighs could have 
gotten cut.  Nick seemed so sincere, or at least as sincere 
as a person can be when saying something figurative.

3. "Long Sentence No Suggestions" by Sarah Neilson
Nice first piece.  It did what it did and then it stopped.  I liked 
how  the author didn't feel pressure to kill five minutes or 
make a comedy joke.  Something sweet is best done shortly, 
unless it has some other vehicle it's riding on (like, say, a 
rhyming metered poem or a mo-ped).

4. "Wake Me Up When This Poop is Over; Part I" by James 
Brown
Hm...I laughed quite a few times during this, I think because 
it was funny that James was saying what he was saying with 
such apparent sincerity.  The title (which I didn't remember 
while I watched the piece) leads me to believe the whole 
thing was a dream, which is what I figured during the piece.  
It seems like he should have addressed that, though, 
because it was unclear whether the piece was taking place 
in a real world (where people go to malls) or an absurd world 
(where people eat Country Crock, only to have it really be 
Country Cock).  Unless you reconcile the boundaries of your 
piece, the audience isn't sure whether laughing is a nice 
thing or a mean thing to do.

5. "The Man Who Was Must-See Thursday" by Mark J. 
Hansen
I liked how James Horak kept saying car words.  I also liked 
how it was sharp and tight and language-heavy without being 
tedious.

6. "IT RAINS" by Matthew Hart
My favorite part was when Arlen was desparately trying to 
keep his lines going while the piece disintegrated around 
him.  Just the breakdown of the frame was enough 
(especially when paired with last week's "real" version); I 
didn't need the PUN-isher.  I mean, I know...what's funny 
about puns isn't that they're puns, but rather that you're 
laughing at them, so a certain amount of pun meta-humor is 
cool.  But I already get it.  And I feel bad for Jason's crotch.  
The first 2/3 of the piece was quite strong, though.

6.5. "Card Shot" by Scott Fiddelke
Cool and funny, but waaay too long for a .5.  Hell, it may have 
gone over 5 minutes.  The magician seemed awfully 
gregarious onstage considering how shy and awkward he 
seemed onstage.  Mike Cassady's presence strengthened 
this a lot; by pulling me out of the magic show context, I 
wasn't sure where to file it, so I didn't know what to expect.  
May I would have liked it a little better if it hadn't turned out 
just to be a magic show.  But that's cool.  Magic's cool.  
Maybe he'll do something else later.

7. "The Lunatic Club" by Arlen Lawson
Funny lines, nice juxtaposition of a detail-rich story with a 
form we've seen Arlen work before.  There are so many 
possible adventures a shat-upon child can have!

8. "Phillip Morris Approved Entertainment" by A. H. 
Anonymous
Funniest misspelling of the night:  "stuggle."  Too bad it 
came at a time of mock-seriousness in the piece.  That's 
weird that so many people are addicted to smoking 
cigarettes.  Gross!

9. "Hilariously Retarded Old People (featuring Jamal as a 
Fart)" by Toni Wilson and Michael Tabor
The beginning was really slow, but it sure picked up once 
Jamal got involved.  I'd forgotten his exact role in the piece, 
so I just thought there was some crazy guy following Michael 
around everywhere.  Then when the fart came, it was funny in 
a different way.  Did Alyssa videotape this one?  Jamal's 
facial and hand-wringing expressions were so nice.

10. "Bastard, BASTARD HarbourMastah" by Jason Nebergall
Were they Union or Confederates?  Danielle's accent 
seemed southern, but the context seemed Yankee...I guess 
Minnesota belles don't write as good of letters.  I liked the 
idea of referring to female gentalia as meat.  It's just as 
meaty as a penis, I guess, and in texture, perhaps more.  
The dates on the letters were really close together 
considering the postal service of the day.  I guess they 
emailed the letters.  WTF?

11. "Who is Stupider?" by Mean Jamma
It wasn't as mean as it could have been.  Paul's character 
was really charming.

12. "Happy Birthday... to Me?!" by Paul Rust
Funny, especially considering the information Paul has given 
us previously about his mental health.  I hope he doesn't go 
home and do that stuff, except maybe getting some woman 
pregnant, because you know what that means!  She'd be 
pregnant.  I liked the shift between audience participation 
and not, the flux between Paul actually having human 
relationships and the descent into his own head.

13. "SUBJECT HEADING: Hey" by Danielle Santangelo 
Kovalick
I was disappointed by this considering the strength of last 
week's piece.  I guess there's no reason to assume it's a 
true thing, except that she said it was from "Danielle," which 
is also her name.  Ordinarily I'd say keep away from doing 
true-to-life stuff unless you've added another layer of interest, 
because everyone has the same basic human experience; 
what makes theatre/art/music interesting is the hunt to find 
the commonalities within the larger framework of the art.  The 
writing was detail-rich, which was nice, and probably 
everyone in the audience could relate--but Danielle's piece 
last week let me know that she can write some fiction.  It's 
more engaging to see a piece that works on more levels 
than just relating.

15. "I Can't Sleep" song Chris Stangl perform Furious Skinny
Second funniest spelling error of the night--Jamal's shirt said 
"Furous Skinny."  I knew a girl like that.  This was my favorite 
song I've ever seen/heard that Chris wrote.

Time: Sat, 13-Apr-2002 20:46:21 GMT     IP: 12.217.181.138

Side comment: It was Kovacs doing lights, right? Hot damn, but 
if I'm not mistaken, last night should have featured Kovacs in 
the order. I have never seen the lights performed with such 
deadly precise comedic timing. And in Mabie! A subtle detail 
which I think really added something.

1. "I Was a Teenage Wearer" by Michael Landon's cold, cold dead 
body, RIP, and Estelle Getty's hot ass, YEOUUCH! (A Angel, M 
Tabor, S Huertz, J Erwin)
     Deaf boy, legless boy, son of Zeus spar verbally, rap 
about King Tut; comedy sketch.

Steve! It was funny. I had fun with the table.

2. "AGES" by al angel (A Angel, P Rust, J Erwin)
     Vigor of youth vs. oldness of old men; children's poem

See: Review, #2, previous post. 4/13/02. Clarke, Aprille.

2.5. "In Agreement" by James Horak and Nick Clark (J Horak, N 
Clark)
     Nick encourages James to sigh till he passes out; 
comedy sketch

Nick did that once to me in a conversation. I didn't pass out, 
but I wanted to. But funny! Teehee.

3. "Long Sentence No Suggestions" by Sarah Neilson [M Thompson, 
some other guy (???)]
     Boy brings love to life of joyless girl; love sketch

The writing in this was tidy. Exactly as long as it needed to 
be, and we don't see enough of that.

4. "Wake Me Up When This Poop is Over; Part I" by James Brown (J 
Brown)
     Man wrecks sadistic, unlikely havoc on shopping mall, 
whorehouse; comedy monologue

Maybe he meant to wreak havoc, but he did wreck that havoc. By 
far the most unsettling moments of the evening: Brown flubbing a 
line and then giving us a flash of unmitigated, spooky fury and 
self-loathing. The most effective theater of the evening, 
intentional or not.

5. "The Man Who Was Must-See Thursday" by Mark J. Hansen (J 
Horak)
     Accountant resorts to urban espionage to win office 
sitcom pool; comedy monologue

I was watching this and I was thinking, "Horak, this is damn 
clever. But it sounds like a Hansen piece." It is a Hansen 
piece! Well, I'll be damned. 

6. "IT RAINS" by Matthew Hart (A Lawson, M Thompson, P Rust, J 
Nebergall, M Hart)
     Poignant scene degenerates into orgasm puns... PUNisher 
intervenes; comedy sketch

Heehee! I agree, again, with Aprille on the PUNisher's role. 
Must reiterate: Arlen so great.

6.5. "Card Shot" by Scott Fiddelke (S Fiddelke, the girl who 
shot 
M Cassady dead, and some other guy from the audience)
     Card trick with firearms!; magic

No, not a point five. That does not change the fact that this 
was the "boy o boy! Fun!" est piece since the Jugglies stopped 
coming. There used to be a Chris Mortika who did a lot of magic. 
This is the first magic we've had in yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeears. 
This guy should come back much more, only he should get to the 
lounge earlier so we don't all have to pretend he's got a .5.

7. "The Lunatic Club" by Arlen Lawson (A Lawson)
     Lunatic baking club disassembles bike, builds flying 
car; monologue

"Alright, I built it!" The single most perfect line Arlen has 
ever delivered, goddammit.

8. "Phillip Morris Approved Entertainment" by A. H. Anonymous (J 
Horak, J Hague)
     Cowardly author devises elaborate plan for Horak, Hague 
to cop onstage smoke; comedy sketch

When I saw the "CLASS STUGGLE", I pictured a show where cute 
animated bears ("Stuggles") show people how to be happy and love 
each other by seizing the means of production and abolishing the 
state. Regardless of the piece's intrinsic value, I love it for 
setting off this train of thought. Also, is it just me or did 
the author make the piece longer than it needed to be to get his 
money's worth out of that big pad of paper? 

9. "Hilariously Retarded Old People (featuring Jamal as a 
Fart)" by Toni Wilson and Michael Tabor (T Wilson, M Tabor, J 
River, two hep cats I don't know)
     At Tabor-Wilson family dinner in 60 years, bickering 
disrupted by evil fart; comedy sketch

Jamal stole this piece like Dillinger stole fivers. I was 
gasping for breath so hard I saw spots. First Jamal wrecks my 
voice for weeks and sends me to the doctor, and now he damn near 
drives me unconcious with laughter. He's trying to kill me.

10. "Bastard, BASTARD HarbourMastah" by Jason Nebergall (J 
Nebergall, D Kovelick, J Erwin)
     "Actual letters from the Civil War" wrought with 
anachronisms, sex jokes; comedy sketch

Solid funny. I too liked the feminist-ally detournement of the 
word "meat". (Detournement is a fancy French Situationist word 
for 'reclaiming for a political/ontological purpose'. Like, for 
example, "Take Back the Night" is a detournement of late-night 
bar culture. I'm telling you this cause I spend a lot of money 
on books and it's sad if it's to no purpose.) And kudos for 
referencing public broadcasting... for the FIRST TIME EVER on the 
No Shame stage. Adam? Todd? Jeff? Correct me here if I'm wrong.

11. "Who is Stupider?" by Mean Jamma (C Stangl, J River, A 
Lawson?, P Rust)
     ...pretentious, formulaic NST writers? Or stupid 
audience? Answer: both!; comedy sketch

It's funny cause it's true!

12. "Happy Birthday... to Me?!" by Paul Rust (P Rust, audience 
member, C Stangl)
     Paul encourages audience to sing increasingly degrading 
variations on birthday song; comedy

Paul gets it. Paul makes sure we get it too. 

13. "SUBJECT HEADING: Hey" by Danielle Santangelo Kovalick (D 
Kovalick)
     Girl writes wistful please-don't-break-up-with-me e-
mail; dramatic monologue

Speaking as part of the last generation of Americans never to 
write a please-don't-break-up-with-me e-mail (barring nuclear 
apocalypse or total systemic collapse), I found this neat. 

14. "Fortune Cookie Nights - A Spin-Off; ten 30-second Plays 
about Carl" by Aprille Clarke (A Clarke, J Erwin, S Huertz)
     Series of blackout gross-out sketches 
revisiting "DTFCCT" characters; comedy sketch

As far as I can tell, TDTFCCT has always been partly inspired by 
Aprille's file of neat phrases and jokes that she wanted to 
incorporate into something (and Lord, wouldn't we all love to 
get our grubby hands on THAT). Stripping away the narrative 
veneer and flooding the audience with these vignettes really 
pointed up Aprille's strength as a past master of shock-fun. 
However, I have noticed that as this series progresses further, 
this same strength has become something of an albatross, in that 
the audience is starting to expect at least a nominal fusion of 
the introduced themes. This pitfall is part of why I haven't 
attempted anything on this scale. Also, I have two jobs.

15. "I Can't Sleep" song Chris Stangl perform Furious Skinny 
(Furious Skinny)
     Furious Skinny play song on wastebasket, trumpet, 
screaming; music song

Keen. Accomplished. Furous. I have it from the horse's mouth 
that Stangl will be doing an old-fashioned character monologue 
next week, and that will be quite enough of the Stangl-as-
animal's-mouth metaphor, thank you.

NST Jungian Watch: Misspelling. Also, for me, four or five 
pieces containing elements so strikingly theatrical or shaped 
with such total genius that I will remember them forever to the 
utter exclusion of anything else in those pieces. Also, me 
dropping lines or revising them on the fly because I can't be 
bothered to look down at my script. Agh.

Time: Sat, 13-Apr-2002 20:47:41 GMT     IP: 12.217.181.138

Also, me dropping lines or revising them on the fly cause I can't 
be bothered to look down at my script. D'oh.

Time: Sat, 13-Apr-2002 21:03:45 GMT     IP: 12.217.181.138

Grandmaster T- 

As the oldest regular IC No Shamer, I encourage you to speak as 
much as possible to distract attention from myself. 

I bequeath you my scripts, but I warn you: it has nothing to do 
with passion for the theater. It has everything to do with my big 
fat ego. I expect more than a note, buddy. I want Total Review. 
Also, it's about damn time I got respect from Southerners. 

That said: Do not beat yourself up over a five-performer night. 
IC No Shame was there for a while too, you know. I don't think 
anyone really understands where all these damn writers came from.

James

PS: it occurs to me that Ron Wright is older than me. Apologies, 
Ron. Also, my sympathy.

Time: Sat, 13-Apr-2002 22:15:50 GMT     IP: 64.12.103.169

James,

Thanks!  Are they in the NS archive online or are you going to 
email them to me or photocopy and send them?

I'll review you, ya ruddy right bastard!  :)

I'm not worried about our C-ville no shame, its got real staying 
power.  Last night's show we had our first ever 15 piece night.

I recall lots of less than full houses and less than full nights 
in Iowa, but I'm glad those days seem far behind (or far in the 
future.

todd

Time: Sun, 14-Apr-2002 02:23:19 GMT     IP: 128.255.179.87

No Shame Theatre
                      4-12-2002
               Happy birthday of Paul Rust!

1. "I Was a Teenage Wearer" by Michael Landon's cold, cold dead 
body, RIP, and Estelle Getty's hot ass, YEOUUCH!

I really love Steve's work. I know that it's stream of 
consciousness stuff and that it is just goofy and isn't supposed 
to make sense, but for some reason, it makes sense to me and I 
laugh. A lot. Nice hand in the pants, Michael Tabor.
     
2. "AGES" by al angel

I love these poems. They are the best ever. 

2.5. "In Agreement" by James Horak and Nick Clark

The funniest part was after the show finding out that Horak 
really was getting lightheaded. I knew what was going to happen 
long before it happened, but that didn't stop me from enjoying 
it. 

3. "Long Sentence No Suggestions" by Sarah Neilson

I know Sarah was nervous about this piece, but I think it went 
fine. It was short and sweet, not too long, just long enough. I 
hope Sarah continues to write.

4. "Wake Me Up When This Poop is Over; Part I" by James Brown

Okay. Here's the deal. The way I see it, there are at least two 
end results of stories: a moral or an emotion. Stories can do 
both or they can do one or the other. Some of my most favoritest 
stories ever don't make sense on one level but cut me right to 
the heart. This story didn't seem to have a moral, unless it was 
don't go shopping with the main character or don't replace weapon 
stores with craft stores unless you want havoc to be wreaked. As 
far as emotions go, I am fairly certain the emotion James was 
going for with this wasn't confusion, but that is all I felt 
during this piece. I was confused. I tried to see how this story 
would follow to the end, and I could hardly follow it. And I was 
also unsure of how the themes of shopping and misogyny fit 
together in this piece. And if Aprille's commentary on it 
possibly being a dream is actually what James was going for in 
this piece, then he needed to make it clear what was happening. 
It's one thing to hold back information from the reader in order 
to keep them from guessing exactly what is going on until you 
want them to know, but it is something entirely different to 
never explain yourself. David Lynch can get away with it sure, 
but not everyone can. And this piece needed some explanation. I 
think I have said enough about this piece now, except this: I 
would have to say the five minutes this piece took are definitely 
ones I want back. 

5. "The Man Who Was Must-See Thursday" by Mark J. Hansen
Jesus, I am trying to figure out how I missed this piece. I don't 
even remember it from the description. And I am seriously bummed 
because, well, I LOVE MARK HANSEN'S WORK!!! *Sigh*

6. "IT RAINS" by Matthew Hart

I didn't think this piece would work. And it did. I am glad to 
see the PUNisher again, and I also feel sorry for Jason's crotch. 
I also am sorry I laughed so long and loud at Jason after the 
piece was over and he was crying out in pain. Sorry Jason.

6.5. "Card Shot" by Scott Fiddelke

I guess I am not that big on magic. It was cute. Definitely fun. 
I don't know. Again, not a point 5. Exactly how long are they 
supposed to be? I thought 30 seconds, someone else said a minute 
and someone else said 2. Help!

Time: Sun, 14-Apr-2002 02:24:54 GMT     IP: 128.255.179.87


7. "The Lunatic Club" by Arlen Lawson

Again, another fine piece from Arlen. I like Arlen's stuff 
because the writing is very very tight.

8. "Phillip Morris Approved Entertainment" by A. H. Anonymous

I am sad to say that I have NO IDEA what happened in this piece. 
I couldn't see the flip pad from where I was seated. Everyone 
seemed to enjoy it though.

9. "Hilariously Retarded Old People (featuring Jamal as a 
Fart)" by Toni Wilson and Michael Tabor

And Jamal was the best evil fart ever. Jamal rocks. I love Jamal. 
I would have him be a fart in any of my pieces, any time any 
where. 

10. "Bastard, BASTARD HarbourMastah" by Jason Nebergall

I must say, this piece worked so so well. I wasn't sure about it 
when I saw it before the show, but I think that it worked better 
in execution than on paper.

11. "Who is Stupider?" by Mean Jamma

Paul should wear that hat more often.

12. "Happy Birthday... to Me?!" by Paul Rust

There were points in this piece I was genuinely amusing and then 
there were points in this piece where I was certain Paul was 
going to have a break-down right in the middle of it. That kept 
me on edge with this piece and I think it definitely added to my 
interest in the piece. I hope Paul had a good birthday.

13. "SUBJECT HEADING: Hey" by Danielle Santangelo Kovalick

Yeah, I agree with Aprille completely on this piece. It 
definitely wasn't up to the quality of Danielle's first piece. I 
do think that this was decent writing though, but I think that if 
it would have been presented in a different way or perhaps 
written as a part of something else, it would have been better. 

14. "Fortune Cookie Nights - A Spin-Off; ten 30-second Plays 
about Carl" by Aprille Clarke

I loved this one so much. This one was the best one since the one 
where Mark Hansen uttered the infamous "Ow, that's my doing stuff 
arm" line. Brilliant.

15. "I Can't Sleep" song Chris Stangl perform Furious Skinny

I love Furious Skinny so much I could die. Really. I almost love 
Furious Skinny more than King Toad. Almost.

Time: Sun, 14-Apr-2002 02:52:53 GMT     IP: 128.255.192.14

hey, here's my uneducated opinion for those who really care...

1. "I Was a Teenage Wearer" by Michael Landon's cold, cold dead 
body, RIP, and Estelle Getty's hot ass, YEOUUCH! (A Angel, M 
Tabor, S Huertz, J Erwin)
    Deaf boy, legless boy, son of Zeus spar verbally, rap 
about King Tut; comedy sketch.

I enjoyed this a lot - when Erwin (apologies in advance for not 
knowing all of your first names) did that hilarious Hercules bit 
with the table, it put me in a mood to laugh for the rest of the 
night.

2. "AGES" by al angel (A Angel, P Rust, J Erwin)
    Vigor of youth vs. oldness of old men; children's poem

These seem to be getting better and better.  Angel really ought 
to take this skill he has farther than No Shame.  No foolin'.

2.5. "In Agreement" by James Horak and Nick Clark (J Horak, N 
Clark)
    Nick encourages James to sigh till he passes out; 
comedy sketch

The quintessential .5.  They didn't belabor the joke, and thus 
it worked very well.

3. "Long Sentence No Suggestions" by Sarah Neilson [M Thompson, 
some other guy (???)]
    Boy brings love to life of joyless girl; love sketch

I must admit, I personally couldn't hear what was being said too 
well.  But my friend who was sitting next to me, a first-time NS-
goer, seemed really pleased by it.

4. "Wake Me Up When This Poop is Over; Part I" by James Brown (J 
Brown)
    Man wrecks sadistic, unlikely havoc on shopping mall, 
whorehouse; comedy monologue

This made me uncomfortable, and probably not for the reasons 
that it was supposed to.  The guy really seemed nervous up 
there, and (i assume this is his first NS piece) that's 
understandable and all.  The trouble was, the script wasn't 
quite good enough to simply stand on its own - it needed a 
better delivery, so the audience could understand the purpose of 
the piece.

5. "The Man Who Was Must-See Thursday" by Mark J. Hansen (J 
Horak)
    Accountant resorts to urban espionage to win office 
sitcom pool; comedy monologue

A bit awkward at times, but certainly funny and enjoyable.

6. "IT RAINS" by Matthew Hart (A Lawson, M Thompson, P Rust, J 
Nebergall, M Hart)
    Poignant scene degenerates into orgasm puns... PUNisher 
intervenes; comedy sketch

I thought this was EXCELLENT.  I'm a big Arlen fan anyway, so 
perhaps my opinions are a bit colored.  But the fact that he (or 
they?) took something from last week that was poignant and 
turned it inside-out this time around just completely tickled my 
fancy.

6.5. "Card Shot" by Scott Fiddelke (S Fiddelke, the girl who 
shot 
M Cassady dead, and some other guy from the audience)
    Card trick with firearms!; magic

This immediately piqued my interest by being a deviation from 
the No Shame norm.  Scott pulled this off well - a great deal of 
the NS audience regulars who were skeptical were completely into 
this by the end.  Neat-o.

7. "The Lunatic Club" by Arlen Lawson (A Lawson)
    Lunatic baking club disassembles bike, builds flying 
car; monologue

One of my favorite Arlen pieces so far this year.  He somehow 
makes these disturbing, surreal scenarios completely hit you 
emotionally.  On this one, I was struck by how he knew precisely 
how he wanted to say everything for maximum effect.  Probably in 
my top 3 of the night.

8. "Phillip Morris Approved Entertainment" by A. H. Anonymous (J 
Horak, J Hague)
    Cowardly author devises elaborate plan for Horak, Hague 
to cop onstage smoke; comedy sketch

I liked this one - an idea, completely realized, without any 
extraneous crap gumming up the flow.

9. "Hilariously Retarded Old People (featuring Jamal as a 
Fart)" by Toni Wilson and Michael Tabor (T Wilson, M Tabor, J 
River, two hep cats I don't know)
    At Tabor-Wilson family dinner in 60 years, bickering 
disrupted by evil fart; comedy sketch

Jamal = funny.  That's all I can say about that.  I'm laughing 
as I recall this one, even.

10. "Bastard, BASTARD HarbourMastah" by Jason Nebergall (J 
Nebergall, D Kovelick, J Erwin)
    "Actual letters from the Civil War" wrought with 
anachronisms, sex jokes; comedy sketch

This was great.  Danielle told me afterwards that she completely 
had to improvise a Southern accent (as it's not in her arsenal), 
so that makes it even more impressive to me.  Nebergall knows 
how to build steam on a sketch, I must say - the sudden addition 
of chatroom jargon was hilariously unexpected.  I thought 
the "meat" joke was pretty entertaining too, if not a little 
predictable.

11. "Who is Stupider?" by Mean Jamma (C Stangl, J River, A 
Lawson?, P Rust)
    ...pretentious, formulaic NST writers? Or stupid 
audience? Answer: both!; comedy sketch

This was fantastic.  Paul cracks me up.  And when Arlen couldn't 
keep a straight face?  Priceless.  Probably my fave of the night.

12. "Happy Birthday... to Me?!" by Paul Rust (P Rust, audience 
member, C Stangl)
    Paul encourages audience to sing increasingly degrading 
variations on birthday song; comedy

Did I mention Paul cracks me up?  Because he does.  My opinions 
on this might as well be ignored, because so far everything I've 
ever seen him do I've considered to be genius.

13. "SUBJECT HEADING: Hey" by Danielle Santangelo Kovalick (D 
Kovalick)
    Girl writes wistful please-don't-break-up-with-me e-
mail; dramatic monologue

I appreciated the fact that this was a slice out of Danielle's 
own life... an insight into another human being's thoughts in a 
familiar situation.  I'd not have the courage to basically 
recite my post-breakup desperation to an audience.  A great deal 
of the audience, I'd guess, could completely empathize.

14. "Fortune Cookie Nights - A Spin-Off; ten 30-second Plays 
about Carl" by Aprille Clarke (A Clarke, J Erwin, S Huertz)
    Series of blackout gross-out sketches 
revisiting "DTFCCT" characters; comedy sketch

I liked this one a lot.  It lightened the mood a bit.  Nothing 
like bite-size chunks of absurdity after something deeply 
personal, right?

15. "I Can't Sleep" song Chris Stangl perform Furious Skinny 
(Furious Skinny)
    Furious Skinny play song on wastebasket, trumpet, 
screaming; music song

When Furious Skinny first debuted, I found them incredibly 
entertaining - but lately, they don't seem to be as funny to 
me.  The joke feels a bit worn out.  I'd like to see them do 
something drastically different from their normal thing... I 
know, they tried to incorporate a trumpet, but I'm talking 
something bigger.  By the way, does Chris know that he sounds 
like the singer from Modest Mouse?

that's it, folks.  do with it what you please.

Time: Sun, 14-Apr-2002 16:19:15 GMT     IP: 64.6.87.79

Again I'm intentionally not reading other people's reviews 
first.  If I repeat stuff or contradict, bite me.

1. "I Was a Teenage Wearer" by [etc]
Very cute disaster stuff.  Reminds me of a piece I wrote once.  
That was called "Arlen Lawson Plays Horp inThis Sketch".  
Disability as bitter surrealist humor is automatically a Beckett 
parody.  And Beckett referrences are difficult to make 
unfunny.

2. "AGES" by al angel
Al's talent at writing these poems is really striking to me.  
Slap a few illustrations on those suckas and publish them 
and become rich easy, Al.

2.5. "In Agreement" by James Horak and Nick Clark
My printer broke and I wound up doing this since I couldn't 
print out my real piece.  I'm glad I did.  

3. "Long Sentence No Suggestions" by Sarah Neilson
Was this the one where the guy talks about the girl of his 
dreams and her imperfect appearance?  It was pretty, and 
kooky, and that I was happy to see that new guy on stage 
saying this kinda stuff.  I don't think this is a very helpful 
review.  I apologize.

4. "Wake Me Up When This Poop is Over; Part I" by James 
Brown
James Brown was clearly very nervous as he recited this, 
and looking back, I can remember being really shaky during 
my first few NS performances.  I realized that I was looking at 
the ceiling at one point and thought back to the whole 
discussion of eye-rolling as being an inappropriate 
expression and somewhat hostile attitude to take toward 
newer performers.  I kept this in mind and realized that I 
looked at the cieling during several pieces that evening.  I am 
hostile to all performers equally!  But especially I noticed the 
reaction during moments when repetition or uneconomical 
language seemed to be slowing the piece down.  The latter 
was the case here.  Perhaps if the piece would have flowed 
more quickly it would have maintained my interest better.  
The concept seemed more like one that could have been 
best spat out and then blacked out - "SURREAL DAY AT THE 
MALL!!!!!!"   could take about a minute, maybe a minute thirty, 
and get accross enough action and detail to be funny and 
interesting without bogging down the rythm of the thing.  The 
piece lacked dynamism to some degree because of it's 
subjectivity; I got no idea of the other characters, so perhaps 
the long version might have worked better as dialogue.  
Ultimately the piece's intent was lost on me.  While there 
were some funny parts, it was clearly not primarily a comedy 
monologue.  While there were some jokes, the piece wasn't 
about jokes, or filled with them a-la Hansen.   The jokes in it 
were too silly to mistake it for a tragic piece, and the main 
character was not developed enough to make him 
sympathetic even as an anti hero.  I don't mean to hold 
anyone to the phallocentric narrative model of rising action 
and climax, but I do feel that there ought to be more of a 
sense of payoff - by the end I'd like to feel... something.

5. "The Man Who Was Must-See Thursday" by Mark J. 
Hansen
Very cute, consistent wordplay throughout.  The main 
character was a bit of a tough nut to crack and seemed to 
lack much development aside from the jingoism which 
emerged at the end.  Nonetheless, Rocky was aGREAT 
choice to play him.  The ending was slightly dissapointing in 
its predictability and straightforwardness.

6. "IT RAINS" by Matthew Hart
The degeneration of the scene was very clever and  
amusing, and the interruption by Jason was welcome, but 
the PUNisher seemed out of place, and the final joke was 
hackneyed yet difficult to grasp.  

6.5. "Card Shot" by Scott Fiddelke
Not a point five.  My main gripe with this one was it's length.  
Very cute execution....  OF MIKE!!!  but really, the piece was 
very cutely executed, but it really seemed to drag, and while I 
understand the lengthy setup of the thing was the joke, I think 
it could have gone more quickly.  I'd like to see magic guy 
come back.  That's about all I have to say.

7. "The Lunatic Club" by Arlen Lawson
This was funny, horrific, and Arleny in an Arleny way I had 
almost forgotten was Arleny.  The car?  That was a beautiful 
thing - the uncertainty, and the inescapable horror of any of 
the possible outcomes.  Very memorable.

8. "Phillip Morris Approved Entertainment" by A. H. 
Anonymous
So I made an audio tape of the show to help me go over the 
pieces before I wrote my review...   The clevernes of this 
piece was not the visual aspect, but the aural one; the 
audience was left with a silence which they felt obligated to 
fill.  And why not fill it with larfs.  So okay, they did.  They 
laughed, and the piece went over well.  And that's okay.  Now 
imagine the same piece with loud, but relatively unobtrusive 
music - is that as funny?  Didn't think so.  I once heard the 
elements of theatre described as being perfect silence and 
perfect spatial emptiness.  And in everything you write, 
consider the wisdom of intruding upon that perfection.  This 
piece looked at it and decided not to.  It was a sage decision.

9. "Hilariously Retarded Old People (featuring Jamal as a 
Fart)" by Toni Wilson and Michael Tabor
Somehow, Michael going "Rawr" wasn't as amusing as I had 
anticipated.  I wish I hadn't overheard T -&- M talking about this 
piece earlier.  My favorite detail was that after Toni told her 
children that they'd never make anything of themselves, one 
was a doctor, one was a movie star, and the other one didn't 
say anything.  Jamal's face was turning red as he drifted 
behind Michael.  He was really in character.  That's exactly 
what a fart would do in real life.

10. "Bastard, BASTARD HarbourMastah" by Jason Nebergall
Aw shucks, this was cute.  I wished that it had been written by 
James or someone with more historical knowledge so that 
the anachronisms and historical misrepresentations could 
have gotten more specific.  Ashokan  Farewell - I played this 
in Jr. High Honor Band.  I remember it well.  I used to play the 
trombone.  Then one quarter, the band teacher didn't 
schedule me for any lessons.  I asked him about it and he 
got angry.  I got a C in the class for never coming to my 
lesson.  I never played the trombone again after that year.  I 
got a bit sidetracked there.  This piece was really cute, in a 
way that I should have been able to discern was Nebergall's 
but didn't.  I had assumed it was Danielle's.

11. "Who is Stupider?" by Mean Jamma
Both are stupider.  Reminds me of Mose's work from the 
semester when Mose really hated my work.  I miss stuff like 
Mose used to do.  If anyone could rikindle such a spirit at the 
No Shame, it would be the Jamal, who is clever.

12. "Happy Birthday... to Me?!" by Paul Rust
This seems like an idea which was concieved very quickly "I'll 
lead the audience in singing Happy Birthiday to me, then just 
keep escalating it".  The only thing that made that single idea 
stand up as long as it did was Paul's manic investment of 
energy to the performance.  I dunno.  The desperation of 
crying while masturbating in this context - I mean, that was 
really what he needed to do at that point to maintain the 
audience's interest, and it is kinda fascinating that a piece 
can be simply an exercise in escalating desperate 
exhibitionism as a way to maintain interest.  Although by the 
end you're left with nothing - your interst has been held with 
nothing, and that's what you got.  It's like one of those soap 
bubbles that doesn't pop satisfyingly but just sort of 
disintegrates unnoticed.

13. "SUBJECT HEADING: Hey" by Danielle Santangelo 
Kovalick
There's a really really delicate line between the kind of writing 
that's so painfully personal that doing it in public has the kind 
of terrifying spiritual nudity that sets my heart right on edge 
where it needs to be, and the kind of stuff that's just a little too 
personal in terms of details and specifics to resonate, or 
seem universal.  This was just a touch too far on the latter 
side of that line to hurt me like it should have.

14. "Fortune Cooki

Time: Sun, 14-Apr-2002 16:30:05 GMT     IP: 64.6.87.79


12. "Happy Birthday... to Me?!" by Paul Rust
This seems like an idea which was concieved very quickly "I'll 
lead the audience in singing Happy Birthiday to me, then just 
keep escalating it".  The only thing that made that single idea 
stand up as long as it did was Paul's manic investment of 
energy to the performance.  I dunno.  The desperation of 
crying while masturbating in this context - I mean, that was 
really what he needed to do at that point to maintain the 
audience's interest, and it is kinda fascinating that a piece 
can be simply an exercise in escalating desperate 
exhibitionism as a way to maintain interest.  Although by the 
end you're left with nothing - your interst has been held with 
nothing, and that's what you got.  It's like one of those soap 
bubbles that doesn't pop satisfyingly but just sort of 
disintegrates unnoticed.

13. "SUBJECT HEADING: Hey" by Danielle Santangelo 
Kovalick
There's a really really delicate line between the kind of writing 
that's so painfully personal that doing it in public has the kind 
of terrifying spiritual nudity that sets my heart right on edge 
where it needs to be, and the kind of stuff that's just a little too 
personal in terms of details and specifics to resonate, or 
seem universal.  This was just a touch too far on the latter 
side of that line to hurt me like it should have.

14. "Fortune Cookie Nights - A Spin-Off; ten 30-second Plays 
about Carl" by Aprille Clarke
I really really like Aprille's writing in small chunks like this.  It's 
cool to get a sampling of all the different directions her brains 
can go.  Especially nifty are the rare moments when a mini 
piece can travel its length without doing sex or gross-out and 
yet maintain its essential Aprilleness.  Not tyhat there's 
anything wrong with a sex or gross-out Aprille piece, it's just 
kinda rare to get one that's not.

15. "I Can't Sleep" song Chris Stangl perform Furious Skinny
I'd like to see these guys play someplace other than No 
Shame, but I can't figure out where.  I don't think they could do 
a long set.  Possibly if they just started performing in some 
unusual place downtown, like the corner of Burlington and 
Clinton.  Or in the cemetary.  Or on top of a parking ramp.  Or 
inside of a car.  Wait, that sounds like a list of places to make 
out.  That means Furious Skinny is officially Makeout Music.  
What would be especially neat is if they terrorized 
businesses [restaurants, hair stylists, pornography stores] 
and college classes by interrupting, doing a song and then 
leaving.

Read em and weep
-nick

Time: Sun, 14-Apr-2002 19:59:03 GMT     IP: 128.255.174.15

9. "Hilariously Retarded Old People (featuring Jamal as a 
Fart)" by Toni Wilson and Michael Tabor (T Wilson, M Tabor, J 
River, two hep cats I don't know)
     At Tabor-Wilson family dinner in 60 years, bickering 
disrupted by evil fart; comedy sketch

there were THREE more people in Toni's and my skit. They were: Al 
Angel, Sheree Morris, and Anthony Werner

Time: Sun, 14-Apr-2002 23:13:21 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.75

No Shame Theatre
4-12-2002
Happy birthday of Paul Rust!

An audience member wrote a review. This makes me happy. More 
audience members need to do this.

1. "I Was a Teenage Wearer" by Michael Landon's cold, cold dead 
body, RIP, and Estelle Getty's hot ass, YEOUUCH!

This felt like the first piece where Steve's various 
non-sequitors actually seemed to be linked thematically (i.e. the 
body, handicaps, etc.) rather than just being a funny crapshoot. 
I hope he continues this thematically-similar, but-still-absurd 
writing style.


2. "AGES" by al angel

Nice revision on the ol' "youth and elders" conflict.  
Revisionist in the sense that most NS pieces end with the kid 
kicking the shit out of the oldie. By having the older man get 
the last word, he was allowed to be more than a vicious 
punch(literally -ha!)line.

2.5. "In Agreement" by James Horak and Nick Clark

Funny because a person's sigh isn't actually a WORD or a 
STATEMENT that can be "said again." I think if a specific line 
was requested for repeating, this would have become more of a 
piece about testing the audience's patience. By repating a sigh 
instead, it was more playful and more ".5"-ish. 


3. "Long Sentence No Suggestions" by Sarah Neilson

Mabie's acoustics unfortunately pooped on this piece.  It wasn't 
entirely the actor's fault.  I think his choice of delivering the 
words quietly was effective for the material. Unforunately, not 
the best choice for Space Station Mabie.  Despite its quietness, 
however, the delivery and writing were quite nice. I hope Chris 
Lavoie (the actor) and Sarah Neilson (the writer) continue 
performing and writing at No Shame.


4. "Wake Me Up When This Poop is Over; Part I" by James Brown

This would have been more effective if James had functioned as a 
semi-narrator with mini-scenes dramatizing the events.


5. "The Man Who Was Must-See Thursday" by Mark J. Hansen

Maybe I'm a sucker for ensemble pieces or something, but I think 
I would have enjoyed this more if the character was explored in 
his interactions with other folks.  Witty, clever writing seems 
more energized when its being tossed around between multiple 
actors.  Instead, it seemed like the words were stuck in the 
character's mind and lost their cleverness b/c it seemed 
thought-over. I dunno. I think this is a poor criticism on my 
part.
   
6. "IT RAINS" by Matthew Hart

I was really reluctant about this piece at first. Mostly because 
I liked last week's version a lot and I didn't want something 
silly to spoil it. In the end though, I appreciated the fact that 
Matthew Hart doesn't take himself too seriously and could parody 
his own work. Remember Marlon Brando in "The Freshman?"  Genius!
 

6.5. "Card Shot" by Scott Fiddelke

I like magic.  Magic's cool.  But in my typical 
"love/hate/fuck/fight" relationship with classic entertainment, I 
wanted this piece to be anti-magic - a big set-up with no payoff. 
Still, a fun piece, but it didn't provide me with the type of 
kick that an alternative format like No Shame can provide.


7. "The Lunatic Club" by Arlen Lawson

The line about "not understanding how a mind couldn't break in 
this modern world" (paraphrasing) was the best of the night. So 
great I couldn't remember it word-for-word and had to paraphrase, 
right?


8. "Phillip Morris Approved Entertainment" by A. H. Anonymous

I wish this piece would have followed through on the "this is 
supposed to look deep, but it isn't" concept.  That was the best 
idea of the piece, but it didn't get the necessary reinforcement  
at the end.

       
9. "Hilariously Retarded Old People (featuring Jamal as a 
       Fart)" by Toni Wilson and Michael Tabor

Wouldn't of this been funnier if the stereotype of "the nagging 
wife" had been revised somehow?  It's comparable to Roger Ebert's 
assesment of Hightower in "Police Academy." He looks big and mean 
and happens to be... big and mean!  It'd be more interesting if 
Hightower was big and mean-looking and was... incredibly gay!  
Ha! Ha! You know it'd be hilarious. Therefore, my critique is 
that Toni's wife character should have been less big and 
scary-looking and more gay. Gay. Gay. Gay. Yes, that's it 
exactly. 


10. "Bastard, BASTARD HarbourMastah" by Jason Nebergall

I missed half of this piece b/c the need to pee was too great and 
I knew I had to go onstage for the next two pieces.  This is 
unfortunate considering what I saw looked pretty funny.  The 
musical cues were great and the "messin' with history" vibe was 
welcommed. I apologize to Jason for missing some of it. That's 
rude of me.


11. "Who is Stupider?" by Mean Jamma

It's good that Jamal didn't give either the NS audience or NS 
performers an even break.  As much as there was venom towards the 
audience, it was equal in spite towards those NS tropes we see 
too often.  In a selfish sort of way, I wish the audience 
wouldn't have liked this.


13. "SUBJECT HEADING: Hey" by Danielle Santangelo Kovalick

With "break-up" pieces like these, the writer/performer needs to 
find what makes this situation distinctive from any other version 
done before (whether it be songs, books, theatre).  I think the 
one thing that made this piece different was its' Internet/email 
format.  I wish Danielle would have done more exploring of this 
medium (critically, analytically) within her piece.  Plus... 
isn't it odd that Danielle was in two corresponde pieces (one 
that's completely NOW and the other that's completely NOT NOW). 
Woah!
... And apologies to Danielle for screwing up her name during the 
order.  


14. "Fortune Cookie Nights - A Spin-Off; ten 30-second Plays 
about Carl" by Aprille Clarke

I liked this piece's suggestion that life is a series of episodic 
blackouts rather than a strict narrative, which has a definite 
Point A and Point B.  By using this "30-second 10 play" format, 
Aprille was able to reproduce the same type of cruel spontaniety 
as life. Oh, how nihilist of me! 


15. "I Can't Sleep" song Chris Stangl perform Furious Skinny

With all due respect to Ryan Lovedall (after all, you're an 
audience member who wrote a review, which is way neat-o), I don't 
think Furious Skinny was ever meant to be funny.  In my opinion, 
they were meant to write spook-beautiful songs. And they have. 
Goddamn, father, they have.


People who need to write reviews:
1. Everyone who went to the show on Friday
2. And Chris Stangl (remember those days of yore when he wrote 
those great reviews? he's got a computer again. where are the 
reviews now? where are the reviews NOW?)

Time: Mon, 15-Apr-2002 03:57:01 GMT     IP: 128.255.175.158

don't forget to come to no shame this wednesday night in currier! 
 please please come! i have heard word that only 3/4 people will 
perform there.  you all know how much that would suck.  also, 
there is a possiblity that i may be late, and if there were a 
bunch of people there, then it would flow more easily.  please, 
please respond to this post if you are coming.  
thanks! erin

ps. we also need an audience!

Time: Mon, 15-Apr-2002 03:59:04 GMT     IP: 128.255.175.158

oh yeah, it is at 9 pm this wednesday in Currier, just ask 
directions at the front desk.. be there by 8:15-30 if you are 
planning on performing so that we can make up an order. thanks

Time: Mon, 15-Apr-2002 12:35:20 GMT     IP: 128.255.179.87

People who talked to me at No Shame on Friday:

Mark Hansen and Ron Wright. Erin, I will give you their numbers 
and email adresses when I see you next. Also, I know Nick Clark 
wants to do something too.

I am still going to try and make it, but you know how it goes.

Erin King rocks my world.

Toni

Time: Mon, 15-Apr-2002 21:12:46 GMT     IP: 167.83.10.24

Labies and Genitals:

   The piece "Card Shot" aka 6.5 aka the card trick guy from 4-
12-2002: no, not a "point five."  This is entirely my fault. 
When I reached the predestined 15-"full-length" piece limit, I 
yelled "Order full, now accepting Point Fives." I was 
handed "Card Shot" by a man who very likely has no idea 
what "point five" means to the rest of us. I glanced at 
the "script," which reads something like "Get volunteer. Shoot 
deck. Kill guy in wing of theatre. Shoot again. Get card."  
Looked like a Point Five to me, son. I should have both 
explained the Point Five and asked if "Card Shot" qualified. 
That is how history is made.
   The "original" nature of "Card Shot" may be a more fruitful 
direction in which to aim the urine-stream of complaint.

       -Rev. Chris Stangl

Time: Tue, 16-Apr-2002 00:44:23 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.75

Man, I just got of the phone with someone at Campus Theaters 
who told me that Jason X will not be playing in Iowa City for a 
few weeks.  That's bunk.  Then the at Wynnsong in Cedar Rapids 
said they might get it.  That's bunk too.  So perhaps I will be 
making a trip to Davenport that weekend...

Time: Wed, 17-Apr-2002 01:06:04 GMT     IP: 128.255.174.15

I don't know how I didn't remember until just now, but Jason 
Nebergall was also in our skit! Sorry, Jason.

Time: Thu, 18-Apr-2002 03:29:25 GMT     IP: 63.15.137.197

Is he Always That Mean Or Just on Stage?: Review, No Shame 
Theatre 4-12-2002
By Darth Stangl

	I feel weird, because I like to review using people's 
last names-- like we were talking about real artists!-- but how 
can I pretend I'm not writing about my friends? And that they 
aren't reading it? I don't call Paul Rust "Rust" when I see 
him! Weird!

1. Huertz- "I Was a Teenage Wearer"
	My favorite thing in Huertz pieces is the feeling of 
the audience collectively thinking they "get it," sometimes 
that they "get it and just don't think it's funny."  This is 
achieved by throwing them partial bones, chunks they recognize, 
chunks lowbrow enough to laugh at, chunks so low they CAN'T 
laugh. I guess this is called making the audience confused on 
purpose. This is much tougher than it sounds, young writers, 
because if they sense it, they'll resist it. Huertz is usually 
irresistible.

2. Angel- "AGES"
	When I was a kid I liked "A Light In the Attic," so I 
looked for other funny-poems-for-little-readers books, and the 
school librarian gave me Jack Prelutsky. Prelutsky wrote "New 
Kid on the Block," and more. More than Shel Silverstein. When I 
Prelutsky, I got a feeling I got in 4th grade when I'd 
read "Cracked" magazine: "I'm only settling for this third tier 
crap because I already read this month's 'MAD'."
	Al is a better, smarter writer than Jack Prelutsky, and 
I think children would appreciate him more. I certainly do.  
But when I read the Silverstein books now, I'm shocked: The 
type is huge and the poems are so succinct. Prelutsky's problem 
(besides utter lack of wit and constant forced rhyme) is 
also "Ages"': Pare the damn thing down. MORE.  Silverstein 
would've done it in two four-line stanzas.

2.5. Horak/Clark- "In Agreement"
	The joke is fine sure, but Nick was so goddamn weird in 
this!

3. Neilson- "Long Sentence No Suggestions"
	Check it: why are boys so confused about how to impress 
girls? If you pay attention, they TELL YOU all the TIME.
	I am WAY into the first line of this "I want a girl, 
face like the moon... full of craters," which makes good on its 
promise: disgust with hackneyed poetry. That's not enough, 
though, see? You gotta actually throw down the gauntlet. And 
she does.  I'm not just talking about the girl-description 
which is above par urban poetry, but the backwards-loop build 
of the scene. Were you paying attention? You get how the faux-
pretty end is negated by what seemed like a lame-pretty intro? 
No? "Not another play about a pretty girl," see? Then: "I'm 
writing a play about beauty."  I'm a sucker for the moment when 
things Click into Place.

4.Brown- "Wake Me Up When This Poop is Over"... and on The 
Violent Character Monologue
	Why did Brown write this? Under what rules does the 
reality of this piece operate? Who IS this character?  
Consciously or unconsciously every writer must answer these 
questions: nothing about this monologue suggests a burning 
desire to share this story or this character with an audience.
	This was riddled with problems, the worst of which is 
the performance: Brown never IS the character for a moment. 
When a performer's physical type is so unlike his character, he 
needs to overcome that - I don't mean makeup and costume, but 
with those elements free to all stage artists: writing, 
performing. Neil Campbell is not (currently) 5, not 75. Dan 
Brooks was not Mexican, not black. But you BELIEVE them.  
Brown's telling us that he beats women for fun... but he's 
shaking like a $3 vibrator. Likewise, nothing physical happens. 
The character is supposedly vicious, hyperactive... and sits 
motionless (save for shaking) in a chair. It's okay to sit in a 
chair sometimes -- excellent chair monos: Mose 
Hayward: "Unicorn"; Spalding Grey; Brooks' "Rum Diaries": 
they're telling STORIES. But where is the reason for this 
character to be telling us this? Indeed the character's written 
AS friendless and antisocial.
	Bluntly: I love violence, I love absurdism, I love to 
be disoriented by art. A writer needs sure hands for those 
things. Using wanton violence for laughs is NOT a cheap device: 
it's hard to do. It is especially hard to do in a character 
monologue.  Here there is neither anything artful in the 
staging as either blunt horror or pretty black-lace comedy, an 
it's too genuinely awkward to be ironic: the lazy prose is full 
of bits like "I kindly obliged as I gave her the small plastic 
bin," which manages to say the same thing three times.
	Mose Hayward says likewise when you "recognize" a 
character you are looking at a stereotype. I say in addition 
though we may not "relate to," "like" or "care about" a 
character, if you don't understand what's motivating the 
character you've lost your audience. From sheer disinterest. 
It's magic to see a new species of character on stage, even one 
with no real-world correspondent, but there must be an 
invisible engine to run him.  Nothing that happens here is of 
any consequence to the character, or HAS any consequence in his 
world. Why do we care? We're left with a list of antisocial 
behavior we don't believe.  That list wants to be funny, but 
doesn't know a secret: you need either real grace or real 
cruelty.

5.Hansen- "The Man Who Was Must-See Thursday"
	I'm always getting confused in Mark's monologues.  My 
problems are with Mark's storytelling: if you give me the plot 
in the form of puns, I'm not sure which parts are silly 
wordplay and which I'm supposed to hold onto as concrete events 
and the result is I'm awash with puns and my back teeth are 
floating, good as the puns may be.

6. Hart- "IT RAINS"
	A) I am unmoved by parody, esp. superhero parody. I am 
unmoved by recurring comedy-skit characters, as pretending the 
same joke is new doesn't fool me, and repeating catchphrases is 
not inherently funny to me.
	B) Pun in question ("she comes"/ "cums") did not really 
register with me, as it made no sense.  I "get" that 
she "arrives"/ "orgasms," but the "pun" is simply a homonym, 
not a play on words, not even really a double entendre, since 
in context it doesn't work.
	C) Adding A+B, the meta-ending young writers seem 
obligated to use at least once: write badly, then faux-
apologize for it, usually having a character declare "what a 
bad writer, his work has this and this flaw." Ha ha the author 
is self-aware/ deprecating. Tee hee it's STILL bad writing 
(ending now clichˇd to boot). If you are conscientious enough 
to know the flaws in your work, why not fix them instead of 
maintaining them?

6.5. Fiddelke- "Card Shot"
	Straight comedy magic is just one of those things like 
impressionists, twenty-something sitcoms, talk shows, sitcom 
comic strips, greeting cards... they're so antithetical to 
everything I enjoy, that while I am clearly not intended 
audience... so?  The performance is smooth and Fiddelke has 
confidence and a regular-guy stage charm which may make comedy-
club money some day.  So? Will you remember this forever?

7. Lawson- "The Lunatic Club"
	You are watching Lawson unable to stop picking at any 
number of his favorite tropes: broken family, Dumbo, verbally 
and psychologically abused children, cut knee, technophobia, 
siblings in pain, did I mention orphans?, worrying oneself into 
mental degeneration, and others, sometimes reaching new 
revelations, sometimes not.  You are watching and wondering 
(maybe knowing) which parts are Autobiographical, which are 
mirrors or twists on Real Life. You are watching for the end 
where the character will drop out of view so Arlen Lawson can 
say something to scoop the loose dirt into a mound, something 
too poetic for the damaged character to ever have said ("but," 
you whisper to... yourself?... "that is what this character wanted- 
or tried- to say"). You are watching-- all these things may 
sound like totally off-putting devices-- but watch them put you 
off into a place where you are stuck for a long, uncomfortable 
time.
	My childhood identification isn't with "Dumbo," 
but "Willy Wonka and the

Time: Thu, 18-Apr-2002 03:31:24 GMT     IP: 63.15.137.197

7. Lawson- "The Lunatic Club"
	You are watching Lawson unable to stop picking at any 
number of his favorite tropes: broken family, Dumbo, verbally 
and psychologically abused children, cut knee, technophobia, 
siblings in pain, did I mention orphans?, worrying oneself into 
mental degeneration, and others, sometimes reaching new 
revelations, sometimes not.  You are watching and wondering 
(maybe knowing) which parts are Autobiographical, which are 
mirrors or twists on Real Life. You are watching for the end 
where the character will drop out of view so Arlen Lawson can 
say something to scoop the loose dirt into a mound, something 
too poetic for the damaged character to ever have said ("but," 
you whisper to... yourself?... "that is what this character wanted- 
or tried- to say"). You are watching-- all these things may 
sound like totally off-putting devices-- but watch them put you 
off into a place where you are stuck for a long, uncomfortable 
time.
	My childhood identification isn't with "Dumbo," 
but "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." No matter how 
beautiful or fantastic things get, you can see the ugly brick 
walls in the background, and the security glass and you're 
locked in there with a manic depressive. This is where Lawson 
often puts us. You can't wear a black shirt with a brown suit. 
Arlen likes it. This is what I'm getting at. It doesn't look 
good on him anymore than anyone else. But it puts you on his 
terms.

8.Anonymous- "Phillip Morris Approved Entertainment"
	Denis Leary, stand-up comic (shudder), is really being 
ripped off, not Mike Cassady.  Why has this joke- a guy 
desperately, violently sucking at a cigarette- always irritated 
me? In THEORY I should love it: it's juvenile, antisocial, it's 
about joie de verve and the pain of addiction... But it's NOT. 
It's coy and cloying and bratty, like flipping the bird at cop 
cars from the school bus. Frankly, it looks like you think you 
can impress people with how grown-up and bad-ass you are by 
smoking a cigarette... you know... like a seventh grader.

9. Wilson/Tabor "Hilariously Retarded Old People"
	Sadly not retarded enough in the Old Person department 
after page two.

10. Nebergall- "Bastard, BASTARD HarbourMastah"
	Somehow the same flaw as Jason's first piece!: three 
letters too many.  This READS perfect: every epistle is only 2-3 
lines long, crisp, all funny, no fat.  On stage... we hear the 
dates and names 13 times and what read tight has already been 
established with voices and bodies: the extra tools have weighed 
it down.  Don't force us to dig through the vanilla ice cream to 
get to the perfect chunks of skin at the bottom.

11. River- "Who is Stupider?"
	Obviously superb, but let's talk about that ending! Yes 
moronic ass-joke non sequitur is automatically cool BUT since 
the skit had previously made normal-sense all the way through 
there was that split disorienting second where "WHAT?" "There's 
sweat in my crack and I ... WHAT?" Remember that moment?

12. Rust "Happy Birthday... to Me?!"
	NST cripples itself constantly by a long tradition of 
actors holding scripts. Could we tell occasionally that Paul is 
improvising around a framework? Yes. That's an insignificant 
sacrifice for the energy and immediacy the piece needed.  My 
favorite thing is art stuffs that dump complicated feelings on 
you and don't presume to tell you how you "should" feel.  It is 
the Hardest Thing. It is harder than making a crowd love you. It 
is harder than intentionally antagonizing them. Paul is doing 
this more, and more successfully all the time. How does that 
make you feel?
	The special case here is the piece works once, and only 
if you were there, and only for Paul. Is that good or bad? How 
does that make you feel?
	You heard me: "CRIPPLES."

13. Kovalick- "SUBJECT HEADING: Hey"
	"True" or no shouldn't matter re: quality of writing. I 
don't know if this is autobiographical or not... and I don't care, 
and that's the problem. To make people who are not part of a 
love affair care about that love affair, you have to make it 
unique and epic and grand. The reality may be that all lovers 
have more or less similar experiences, but if you don't let us 
into the inside jokes, don't let us smell the body fluids... 
romances are like your dreams: they're interesting only to you, 
and no one wants to hear about them but your very close friends, 
unless you know how to turn them into... stories. Understand that 
boy/ girl meet, split up is not good enough. Don't LET it be 
good enough for you.  Look hard for where/ how you can find a 
unique story IN the Abandoned Love genre. You can't dump a bunch 
of tommyguns and Italians in front of a camera and expect a good 
gangster movie to happen. Even in autobiography: locate a 
narrative. A list of events, objects: not a story- or a Great 
Love.

14. Clarke- "Fortune Cookie Nights"
	These are the best, most heartless jokes Aprille has 
written, because (apart from tangential connection to larger 
work) no syrupy character junk to give them Soul.
	I could not follow "Fortune Cookies."  I could not 
follow the "plot" as it were, but more frustratingly, I could 
not follow individual chapters.  I want to discuss this at 
length some other time, but HERE I want to say this spoke with 
clarity I've missed in Clarke lately, and for me, this cuts 
deeper because it's not lost in overgrown narrative vines. It's 
the heart of the novel, cut out. I make a cut-out heart at you 
Aprille.

Time: Thu, 18-Apr-2002 03:47:28 GMT     IP: 128.255.175.158

thank you a thousand billion zillion times to everyone who came, 
saw, performed, cheered, laughed, participated in the wednesday 
night no shame.  it went over wonderfully!  there were many 
newcomers in the audience and one of them told me he really liked 
the show.  i told him to come on friday.  he said okay. :)
thanks again. i can't tell all of you how happy i am that 
everything turned out so great (except for my occasional light 
spoofs and running into alfred hitchcock)  you are all awesome!
~erin

Time: Thu, 18-Apr-2002 04:06:25 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.194

Special Wednesday "Taste of No Shame" in Currier Hall.

Order/Rules: Tabor and King

1. "Island of the Alive" by Larry Cohen-- E King, J Erwin.  [Two 
people discuss, old west style, the splitting of a town; comedy 
sketch]

2. "The Future Time-Travels in Back" by Jason Nebergall-- J 
Nebergall, M Tabor, S Heurtz, E King.  [Future and past collide 
in a mix of anachronisms and scatological humor; comedy sketch]

3. "I Love Almost Everybody... Except Joseph Campbell" by 
Michael Tabor--M Tabor, E King.  [A man confesses he is not his 
son, and that his wife in fact ate the son.  Love ensues; comedy 
sketch]

4. "Monkeys Ate Dallas, Cool McAwesome" by Magnetic--Brad 
Harris, Steve Dillon.  [Juggling to "Rock the Casbah" by the 
Clash; juggling performance]

5. "Matt -&- Doug" by Pookman--Pookman, J Nebergall, M Tabor, J 
Erwin.  [A week of breakfast table conversations at the Pookman 
residence; comedy sketch]

6. "Sweeney Todd Bass: The Willie Barbour of Chew Street" by 
Mark J. Hansen--M Hansen.  [The absurd and sad tale of a 
misunderstood military genius; comic monologue]

7. "Chemistry Sucks" by Erin King--E King, M Tabor, J Erwin, S 
Heurtz, Pookman.  [Anthropomorphized atom described by E. comedy 
sketch]

8. "I Love Almost Everybody...Except Sisyphus" by Michael Tabor--
M Tabor, M Hansen.  [A prisoner schemes his way out of a surreal 
prison through deceit; comedy sketch]

8.5. "Deutschesangstlied" by James Erwin-- J Erwin.  [J shouts a 
poem angrily in German; Teutonic poetry performance]

9. "Bicycle Song" by Nozebone the Band--N Clark, M Hansen, M 
Tabor.  [Nozebone, plus M on drums, play an amplified song; 
music performance]

10. "Homeless" by Ron Wright--R Wright.  [An audience 
participation song about R's experiences living in the woods; 
audience participation song performance]

11. "Jason X" by Fred MacMurray--S Heurtz.  {Newsflash 2455!!!  
Jason X is coming!!!  Run to Rigel VII!!!; informative comedy 
sketch]

12. "Words or Meaning or How's That Again?" by Ron Wright--R 
Wright, E King. [R and E talk about peas and hominy... or is 
that peace and harmony?; poignant comedy sketch]

13. "Robot Love" by Jason Nebergall--J Nebergall, J Erwin.  [J 
finds love... with a robot... from hell; comedy sketch]

14. "James Lin Erwin" by The Beckett Parody--J Erwin, M Hansen.  
[Theatre of the absurd with J's leg under a table; comedy sketch]

Time: Thu, 18-Apr-2002 04:49:44 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.194

1. "I Was a Teenage Wearer" by Michael Landon's cold, cold dead 
body, RIP, and Estelle Getty's hot ass, EOUUCH! 
It was interesting to start off the show with this.  It served to 
plunge the audience deep into nonsense quickly, and I was really 
fond of that.  It also served to start off with a really good 
piece.  This was my favorite of his pieces, since it was very 
absurd.  The strength of his pieces lies in that the references 
are either understood and funny, or tantalizingly 
incomprehensible, and therefore funny.

2. "AGES" by al angel
The evolution of Al's children's poetry pieces has been very 
intriguing for me.  My enjoyment of them keeps growing, as does 
the quality.  I enjoyed the narrative, the rhyme scheme, and the 
acting.  It was lengthy, but I was never bored.

2.5. "In Agreement" by James Horak and Nick Clark
I was wondering how long this would run.  It went for just long 
enough without anything happening to make me shift in my seat, 
and then that paid off well.

3. "Long Sentence No Suggestions" by Sarah Neilson
I really liked this.   It could have been really corny, but it 
wasn't.  I found it to be rather touching.  The writing was 
excellent, and it was delivered very well.  It is a fine example 
of the growing cuteness that is becoming a major factor in the 
NoShame theatre.  However, it was unique in undercutting the 
cuteness in the description of the girl.  The character is still 
cute, but not conventionally.  The description was vivid and not 
clichˇd, which is difficult to pull off in this type of writing.

4. "Wake Me Up When This Poop is Over; Part I" by James Brown
I found this to be long, formless, and pointless.  The ideology 
of the piece was troubling.  All the women in the piece are 
either whores or scared little girls running craft stores.  Any 
antagonist in the piece is female.  There is no sign that the 
author knew this, or even cared.  Additionally, there is no logic 
to the extent the narrator got angry about the craft store, and 
there was no reason to believe this lack of logic is the point of 
the piece.  It was just an excuse to say allegedly shocking 
things.  It seemed that a lot of the time the piece was 
struggling to be a stereotypical NoShame piece, an example being 
the very awkward "Country Cock" gag.  I felt no connection to any 
sort of character, did not laugh at any of the jokes, and by the 
end, was more annoyed than anything.  The piece strove to be 
vulgar and failed.

5. "The Man Who Was Must-See Thursday" by Mark J. Hansen
I really liked this.  The wordplay and use of car names was very 
effective in the creation of the character.  It's nice to see a 
well-realized character on the NoShame stage, since so many 
pieces are plot-driven.  I found the piece more of a mood piece 
than a story of any sort, which I have no problem with.

6. "IT RAINS" by Matthew Hart
When Matt showed me this one, I informed him that I didn't know 
if it would work or not.  I'm still not sure.  I think it 
accomplished what he wanted it to, but I found it awkward and 
annoying, since I do enjoy the wistful poetry that composed the 
first half of this and all of the week prior.  I got the 
sensation that the author was ashamed of the sensitivity 
displayed, and sought to cover it up with irony, which I see as 
cheating.  Had the PUNisher had something meaningful to say, I 
would have gone for this, but since it was simply a rehash of the 
previous pieces in the series, I found this lacking.

6.5. "Card Shot" by Scott Fiddelke 
This certainly was not a .5, but it was nice to see a magic show 
at NoShame.  It was a very clichˇd magic act, but did add the 
same sort of variety that the juggling does to NoShame.  The 
audience knows what to expect, but that's part of it.  For what 
it was, it was good.

Time: Thu, 18-Apr-2002 04:50:45 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.194

7. "The Lunatic Club" by Arlen Lawson
I missed Arlen's pieces.  It's been more than a month since the 
last one.  This was one of my favorites, mixing a well-written 
script with various props, including the script itself.  The 
shifting narrative worked for me, which is hard to pull off.  
This piece was different than those he had done prior, but his 
voice is very strong in any piece he does that there is a 
perceived continuity, which is also supported by his continuing 
themes.  I cite Chris's review for those themes.  I cite James's 
review regarding the most perfect Arlen line.  

8. "Phillip Morris Approved Entertainment" by A. H. Anonymous
I was unable to see the papers from my seat.  Once I craned my 
neck, I could sorta read them, but the page looked like a UPC 
symbol.  From what I could gather, the piece was based on the gag 
of an audience member making others do a piece because s/he is 
too shy.  If that is the gag, why use the paper?  Why have them 
smoke?  There seems no reason for the piece to go on as long as 
it did.

9. "Hilariously Retarded Old People (featuring Jamal as a Fart)" 
by Toni Wilson and Michael Tabor
This piece worked in mysterious ways.  None of the jokes would 
have worked for me had Jamal not been involved.  The absurdity of 
the human fart character allowed otherwise lackluster gags to be 
funny, since the audience was already primed to laugh by this guy 
roaming around Tabor's ass.  

10. "Bastard, BASTARD HarbourMastah" by Jason Nebergall

11. "Who is Stupider?" by Mean Jamma
The joke of the random person from the audience was something 
that I'd been thinking about, but to actually see pulled off was 
neat.  The silliness of this piece was enhanced greatly by the 
acting, and added up into a strange, confusing, and overall swell 
piece.

12. "Happy Birthday... to Me?!" by Paul Rust
I had no idea where this was going.  It succeeded in making me 
very nervous, especially due to the use of my name.  But it was 
an effective piece for its intent, and the ending was unexpected, 
yet not cheating.  Paul is really talented at creating comedy out 
of desperation, which is a mighty hard task.  

13. "SUBJECT HEADING: Hey" by Danielle Santangelo Kovalick
I liked this idea.  I don't know whether to judge this by 
accuracy of what a person in a post-breakup situation would say, 
or by quality of writing.  It only worked for me on the level of 
accuracy, which doesn't really make for good theatre.  It was 
interesting on a voyeuristic level, a peak into the remnants of a 
failed relationship, and it does seem very accurate as that, but 
as a theatrical monologue, I found it lacking

14. "Fortune Cookie Nights - A Spin-Off; ten 30-second Plays 
about Carl" by Aprille Clarke
I gather from the title that this is not an official entry in 
the "Fortune Cookie" series.  However, when put in that 
continuum, my enjoyment of the series grows, and this was 
therefore my favorite.  It took me a while to get into it and 
realize who were the characters I should follow, and accept the 
fact that the plot was either nonexistent or so complex that I 
couldn't follow it.  Also, I feel the pieces are starting to 
figure out what they want to be, and therefore have become a lot 
more enjoyable.

15. "I Can't Sleep" song Chris Stangl perform Furious Skinny 
This song was the most structurally complex FS song, I believe, 
and thus very interesting to watch, especially Jamal's switching 
between trumpet and backing vocals.  Chris's use of his bracelet 
as a percussion instrument at the end was very interesting, both 
visually and sound-wise.

Time: Thu, 18-Apr-2002 16:48:53 GMT     IP: 64.6.87.240

I heard that there is No Shame on Wednesdays. Is that true? 
Somebody please let me know! I love you guys! You are the only 
reason I exist.
Karlee Beth

Time: Thu, 18-Apr-2002 17:52:21 GMT     IP: 167.83.10.24


  There is not No Shame Theatre on Wednesday nights. On 4-17-02 
there was a "special" or "fake" or "unauthorized" (depending on 
one's "slant") "No Shame" "thing," not in the theatre, which I 
may assume you missed. Don't bother showing up next week, though.

     -Rev. Chris Stangl

Time: Sun, 21-Apr-2002 01:58:20 GMT     IP: 64.6.84.14

Given the fact that both performers and audience members 
are now getting turned away regularly, the idea of having 
more than one No Shame per week almost seems 
reasonable, appropriate, or imminent.  Also, it scares me, 
'cause I know I'd try to make all those with a piece, and wind 
up committing even more half-assed art to the stage than I 
do already.

nick 'whole-ass' clark

Time: Sun, 21-Apr-2002 14:51:09 GMT     IP: 128.255.189.101

Hey, everyone -
Don't forget to post your suggestions for Best of No Shame.  The 
board meets on Wednesday night, so make sure you post them soon. 
Thanks.
-Paul

Time: Sun, 21-Apr-2002 15:49:20 GMT     IP: 216.248.99.3

I'm going through all the orders, and not neccessarily picking 
15, but listing the pieces that I loved and want to see again. 
This is the lazy way to nominate. I'll try and stay away from 
multiple nominations for one author. Also, I missed about 2 
Shame's near the end of the year, so these nominations are 
based on what I did see.


December 7th, 2001 {Dead Week}

2. Jamal River --&-- Neil "Balls" Campbell - Get This Crap Out of 
Me
(N"B" Campbell, AJM River.)
[N"B" hears dead ghosts speaking from AJM's butthole; comedy 
sketch]


February 1st, 2002 

4. Paul Rust - No Stale Juh
(P Rust, M Cassady, C Stangl)
[P narrates while M and C play several characters, each of whom 
longs for an earlier time, except the earliest ones who ponder 
2/1/02; comedy sketch]

7. Arlen Lawson - Shoestring Hangman's Noose
(A Lawson)
[Two boys deal with harrowing events in their lives-the death 
of their father, the maliciousness of their mother, the neglect 
and skepticism of their babysitter-through escapism and 
potentially dangerous knot-tying; monologue]

7.5 Alyssa Bowman - [Title unavailable]
(AJM River, M Cassady, A Lawson, J Erwin, C Stangl)
[Overheard in a restaurant, M spouts nonsequiturs about 
computer-building in Russia, love for Italian mothers, naan, 
and TV sound censorship, among other things; comedy lines.]

12. Jeff Kite - Reservoir Frogs
(S Heuertz, M Thompson, S Griffin, P Rust, A Lawson, A Angel, J 
Kite, B Libigs, Juggly Brad, Juggly Steve)
[Mob family is dysfunctional; all die but Mama Arlen, who 
shoves the author into a happy ending; comedy sketch]


February 8th, 2002 

2. Al Angel - Andrew McDougal McAgen McDuff
(A Angel, A Clarke, J Erwin, M Hansen, P Rust)
[Al recites a rhyming, metered poem about a boy who loves to 
fly and finds comfort in others of his kind; poetry performance]

9. Mike Cassady - Allow me to Clarify This
(M Cassady)
[M recounts the tale of a man who maintains his dreams of 
whaling through the trials of a nine-base sexual scale and an 
unfaithful, wolf-raised lover; monologue]

11. J River - The Erwin
(AJM River, J Erwin)
[AJM serenades J with a song that came to him in a dream; 
musical performance]

14. Aprille Clarke - The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True Part 
II: Dave
(J Erwin, M Cassady, A Clarke, M Hansen)
[A rodent-loving man seeks the secrets that will help him in 
the new world order; comedy sketch]

15. Chris Stangl - Let's Get Dead a love poem
(C Stangl)
[C recites a poem he wrote about him and his girlfriend killing 
each other; poetry performance]


February 22nd, 2002 

3. Aaron Galbraith and James Horak - Chess Masters
(A Galbraith, J Horak)
[two chess players compete... through trickery!; silent comedy 
sketch]

6. Pookman - Dan
(A Juhl (P Ookman), M Hart, M Tambor, J Nebergall, T Wilson, P 
Rust, C Stangl)
[vampire hunters confront female vampire and Count Dracula; 
comedy dedication sketch]

9. Mark J. Hansen - White Meat Like Pork Or Breast Chicken
(J River, T Wilson, S Heuertz, S Brenneman, A Galbraith)
[Chinese bank offers various non-sequitor services; comedy 
sketch]


Friday, March 29th, 2002 

1. Furious Skinny {Either song from this night}

12. Jason Nebergall - Oh No. People Should Really Not Keep 
Lizards Confined Like That. They Need Their Freedom
(M Thompson, C Stangl, J Nebergall, S Heuertz, A Bowman.)
[A roaming lizard causes problems for people sitting at a 
table; comedy sketch]



Yikes, this is my quick version. There are a few I skimmed over 
and missed, therefore it's the rest of the board's duty to 
nominate them.

Bill

Time: Sun, 21-Apr-2002 15:55:37 GMT     IP: 216.248.99.3

Missed this one, because of Steve's pseudonyms.

6. Ray Parker, Jr. - I Stole Your Song
(S Heuertz, M Tabor, P Rust, A Angel.)
[In three very different styles, three superstars talk about 
things, sometimes interacting and sometimes not; comedy sketch]

Time: Sun, 21-Apr-2002 16:32:37 GMT     IP: 63.25.167.137

                              No Shame Theatre
                              4 - 19 - 2002

(due to buffoonery, some pieces were presented out of 'order': 
they are listed here in performance order)

1. "The ASPCA Likes Dogs" by Meryll Streep's Ghost
	Three at table spout non sequitur jokes re: David 
Arquette, Merle Haggard, poop; comedy sketch.

2. "Sun Shine" by al angel
	Trumpet, drums, accompany Al on trombone, story of sun 
escaping our world; poem, music.

3. "Forever in Blue Jeans - Yeah!" by Michelle Thompson
	Michelle creates a psuedo-Bill McKenna with excavated 
semen; comedy monologue, mime.

3.5 "'Stand By Me' as I Worship a Four-Eyed Pile of Shit" by 
Danielle Santangelo Kovalick
	Girl with crush on Corey Feldman attacked by anti-
Feldman forces; comedy sketch.

4. "DJ Qualls Burned My House Down" by Don Deeley
	Negative internet review leads author into combat with 
movie star; comic monologue.

4.5 "Sylvan Learning Center: My Homework's Already Done, Mom!" 
by Seth Brenneman and Bill McKenna
	Who can lift a two-ton weight? Seth!; comedy sketch

5. "There Will Be No Burning" by Sarah Neilson
	Voyeur educates sunbather in the joys of moonlight; 
poetic monologue.

6. "Ripped From Yesterday's Headlines, OR- Not Another 
Vegetable Sketch!" by Ron Wright
	Middle Eastern war examined via headline clippings, 
vegetable jokes; political comedy monologue. 

7. "Here Comes the Bride!" by Toni Wilson
	Bride left at alter... for a year!; comedy sketch

7.5. "What the DI Didn't Cover" by Tom Kovacs
	U of I power outage leads to on-stage mass-mooning; 
comedy sketch.

8. "Almost Like Being in Love" a rap song by Nick Lucre with 
additional lyrics by Lerner and Lowe
	Erwin provides live "samples" from Nat King Cole, Clark 
raps, guitars; song.

9. "I'm not Here Tonight" by Michael Tabor
	Tabor, stood-up, has Stangl read planned mono bout 
Michael's "cool date."; comic monologue.

9.5 "Governor's Ball" by Paul Rust
	Upper-crust party disrupted by humping-antics of Fart-
Crap... or is it?; comedy sketch.

10. "Onstar* Assistance" by Jamie Margolin
	Telephone robot helps couples have sex; comedy sketch.

10.5. "Two Rickets to Vincent Price" by Jake Livermore and Bob 
Sondag
	What is the purpose of the "soft yell"? Learn!; comedy 
sketch

11. "Hilarious Boarding School Antics" by Jason Nebergall
	British boarding school pranks, all involving violent 
homosexual sexual assault; comedy sketch.
12. "Man Out of the" write by Jamal River, sung of Furious 
Skinny
	Two Furious Skinny, one little cymbals, one biscuit 
pan; song.

13. "The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True; The Final Chapter: 
Carl's Redemption" by Aprille Clarke
	Carl and his Mexican mom are cruel to and mutilate one 
another; comedy sketch.

14. "Star Scrambled Love" by Matthew S. Wiegand
	Rock star break up in battle of the sex wits; comedy 
sketch.

15. "Inferno" by Chris Stangl
	Ritual hook-thru-skin suspension goes (intentionally) 
awry. It's gross.; comic monologue.

Time: Sun, 21-Apr-2002 18:27:42 GMT     IP: 12.217.233.170

Was here all weeks less one, so I just went through the orders 
picking the best ones from those weeks, if I liked a second 
piece buy the same author, the bets of the two was kept.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Al Angel - Andrew McDougal McAgen McDuff [Al recites a rhyming, 
metered poem about a boy who loves to fly and finds comfort in 
others of his kind; poetry performance]

Seth Brenneman - Surf Ninjas: A Road to Excellence [Seth chases 
Boylyssa around a table; Seth is thwarted; comedy sketch]

Mike Cassady - Allow me to Clarify This [M recounts the tale of 
a man who maintains his dreams of whaling through the trials of 
a nine-base sexual scale and an unfaithful, wolf-raised lover; 
monologue]

Nick Clark - The Argyle Tremens [A man played by A composes a 
letter to his girlfriend, Brandy; monologue]

Aprille Clarke - The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True; Part 
VII: Louise [Carl's child neglect/ alien Jesus capturing 
punished thanks to vigilant, eavesdropping telephone operator 
Louise; comedy sketch.]

James Erwin - The Hilarious Mexico Sketch [At "Mexicology" 
conference, in passionate, extended metaphor fashion, prof. 
makes love to the woman who "is" Mexico; comedy monologue 
triptych.]

Aaron Galbraith and James Horak - Chess Masters [two chess 
players compete... through trickery!; silent comedy sketch]

Mark J. Hansen - If It's Gotta be Clean... [Four people write 
letters to Tide With Bleach for different reasons, ranging from 
benign fandom to unrequited love to fascism to self hatred; 
comedy mini-monologues.]

Matthew Hart - No Rain [Boy meets, loses girl, set to 
monosyllabic poem; dramatized poetry.]

James Horak - Why I Will Never Have a Real Job [J finds lots of 
great things to do with his broom, including killing the man who 
wishes him to do only mundane broom things; comedy sketch]

Jeffrey Kite - Barbers Barbaric [M's father drops her off at the 
barber shop never to return, forcing her to endure talk of pube 
grooming; comedy sketch]

Danielle Santagelo Kovalick - 'Our Founding Fathers'? HA! More 
Like, 'Our Founding Lezbo Porno Pervos'! or Pretend I'm a Guy So 
This Piece Will Work [Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson demand "eat 
her chach!"; comedy sketch.]

Arlen Lawson - Old Man Tears With Genghis and Hopey [A, as an 
old folks' home nurse, tells the story of a fistfight between 
two residents and the relative pain of youth and age; monologue]

Brett Libigs - Life's Lessons [B reminisces about what he has 
learned throughout his life after having been in Top Gun; 
monologue]

Jamie Margolin - Trojan Man Was a Pheta Beta Tri Delt [Trojan 
Man appears mid-makeout; fraternity/sorority jokes abound; juicy 
condom is spilled; comedy sketch]

Jason Nebergall - Go Dog Go! A Tri-alogue [3 characters on the 
transcendent goodness of sex; poetical comedic 'tri-alogue.']

Chris Okiishi - Hot and Heavy [Two lovers entwine/ literary 
critic laments utter lack of quality gay erotica; romantic 
comedy sketch.]

Areli River - OGRE [AJM and others read a transcript of a 
childhood story AJM told; wrestling mounts in the background; 
comedy performance]

Paul Rust - Sea Badge [Nerd smashed by car rejects sexual 
favors, takes refuge in inept screenplay writing; seriocomic 
scene.]

Chris Stangl - Live Burial!: An Oscar Wilde Adventure for Young 
Boys [Oscar Wilde-style, C recounts adventures of exploitation 
all within the bounds of dignity; also rubs crotch in J 
Nebergall's face; monologue]

Naked Michael Tabor - I Love Almost Everybody...Except Sisyphus 
[MT, held prisoner by MH, is required to pass various tests in 
order to win his freedom; comedy sketch]

Time: Sun, 21-Apr-2002 18:35:08 GMT     IP: 12.217.233.170

I frogot last firday's roder!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There Will Be No Burning" by Sarah Neilson [Voyeur educates 
sunbather in the joys of moonlight; poetic monologue.]

"Here Comes the Bride!" by Toni Wilson [Bride left at alter... for 
a year!; comedy sketch]

"I'm not Here Tonight" by Michael Tabor [Tabor, stood-up, has 
Stangl read planned mono bout Michael's "cool date."; comic 
monologue.]

Time: Sun, 21-Apr-2002 19:30:44 GMT     IP: 128.255.174.15

Here are just a few pieces I'd like to see again:

(4-19-02) "Sun Shine" by al angel

(4-12-02) Michael Landon's cold, cold dead body, RIP, and 
Estelle Getty's hot ass, YEOUUCH! {Steve Heuertz} - I Was a 
Teenage Wearer

(2-1-02) Paul Rust - No Stale Juh

(12-7-01) Jason Nebergall - I Am Sworn to Valour

(4-5-02) Chris Stangl - The Big Rape

(2-8-02) Aprille Clarke - The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True 
Part II: Dave

(2-22-02) Mark J. Hansen - White Meat Like Pork Or Breast Chicken

(3-29-02) Areli River - Furious Skinny

(3-29-02) Seth Brenneman - Surf Ninjas: A Road to Excellence

(4-12-02) Arlen Lawson - The Lunatic Club

(4-5-02) James Erwin - The Hilarious Mexico Sketch

Time: Sun, 21-Apr-2002 19:31:47 GMT     IP: 128.255.179.87

Here's a few. I am going to go back and look and see if I can 
find some more.

Chris Stangl - Let's Get Dead a love poem
(C Stangl)
[C recites a poem he wrote about him and his girlfriend killing 
each other; poetry performance]

the best Mina - My Butt is Pretty a sweet poem
(C Stangl, J River)
[company's collection of butts and poop; comedic performance]

Erin King - Ask your doctor about Zolax today! (because Mike 
Rocks!)
(E King, A Clarke, C Okiishi, S Heuertz, P Rust.)
[Characters promote the drug Zolax, the sure-fire cure for life; 
comedy performance]

Nick Clark - Danny and the Space Dinosaur; for Jason Nebergall
(J Nebergall, M Tabor)
[Jason enjoys tumultuous friendship with bat; parody sketch.]

Michael Landon's cold, cold dead body, RIP, and Estelle Getty's 
hot ass, YEOUUCH! {Steve Heuertz} - I Was a Teenage Wearer
(A Angel, M Tabor, S Heuertz, J Erwin)
[Deaf boy, legless boy, son of Zeus spar verbally, rap about 
King Tut; comedy sketch.]

Naked Michael Tabor - I Love Almost Everybody...Except Roy 
Orbitson or Michael's Done it Again: Death Count: 38
(M Tabor, T Wilson, A Clarke, P Rust, A Angel, A Galbraith, J 
Nebergall.)
[Excerpts from a website devoted to Roy Orbison-just how blind 
is he?; comedy sketch]

Time: Sun, 21-Apr-2002 20:13:07 GMT     IP: 66.65.101.238

Is this dead week coming up? I'm so there, man!! Will I have 
a sketch idea?? Will Mike Cassady be there?? He makes 
things funny!! My spleen aches for him!!

It is so rad to see the Rev. CM Strangle is now online, 
asphyxiating crummy writing in his sweaty grip of critique. 
That review goes in the category of I'm Printing That Out To 
Put Somewhere So I Can Remember That I Think It's 
Important Five Years From Now When I Find Where I Put It.

Are fart jokes still "cool" at No Shame, or has the pendulum 
swung back to absurdist, dry, I-wish-Beckett-hadn't-already-
thought-of-this Art? I'm hoping the pendulum is all sticky 
and gummed up because I'm more in the mood for dumb 
gags. Like gags about a guy getting his foot caught in a 
ferris wheel and then the motor sticking and him getting 
whizzed around and around and flinged into the side of one 
of those buildings where they sell fluffy sugar wads and his 
face part being the first to smack into the siding and his face 
making a rather dreadful expression just before it hits. I 
would love it if someone writes a gag like that.

See y'all Friday then.

Time: Sun, 21-Apr-2002 20:40:12 GMT     IP: 128.255.192.90

I've only been performing for a few weeks, but I still have a 
say in what pieces I'd like to see performed again, right? 
Right, of course...nevermind...disregard the above...but take in 
the below.

Mark J. Hansen - Underwater Sunset
(M Thompson.)
[M's character remembers the time she saw a sunset while nearly 
drowning and her subsequent blindness; monologue]

Mark J. Hansen - If its gotta be clean...
(A Clarke, A Angel, J Nebergall, M Thompson)
[Four people write letters to Tide With Bleach for different 
reasons, ranging from benign fandom to unrequited love to 
fascism to self hatred; comedy mini-monologues.]

Arlen Lawson - Shoestring Hangman's Noose
(A Lawson)
[Two boys deal with harrowing events in their lives-the death of 
their father, the maliciousness of their mother, the neglect and 
skepticism of their babysitter-through escapism and potentially 
dangerous knot-tying; monologue]

Alyssa Bowman - [Title unavailable]
(AJM River, M Cassady, A Lawson, J Erwin, C Stangl)
[Overheard in a restaurant, M spouts nonsequiturs about computer-
building in Russia, love for Italian mothers, naan, and TV sound 
censorship, among other things; comedy lines.]

Paul Rust - Worlds of Fun and Regret
(P Rust.)
[P portrays a melancholy caricature artist who had dreamed of 
something better and expresses himself through self-portraits; 
monologue]

Paul Rust - Sea Badge
(P Rust, A Clarke)
[Nerd smashed by car rejects sexual favors, takes refuge in 
inept screenplay writing; seriocomic scene.]

Matthew Hart - No Rain
(A Lawson, A Galbraith, M Thompson)
[Boy meets, loses girl, set to monosyllabic poem; dramatized 
poetry.]

James Erwin - The Hilarious Mexico Sketch
(J Erwin, C Stangl, C Okiishi)
[At "Mexicology" conference, in passionate, extended metaphor 
fashion, prof. makes love to the woman who "is" Mexico; comedy 
monologue triptych.]

Chris Stangl - The Big Rape
(C Stangl, A Angel, T Wilson, ?)
[World's Horrors: Al on schoolyard bullies, revenge murder, Toni 
on Carson Daley, Chris on rape, dinner parties, Arlen on 
9/11/01; live attempted rape, comedy sketch.]

Jason Nebergall - Go Dog Go! A Tri-alogue
(J Nebergall, M Thompson, S Heuertz)
[3 characters on the transcendent goodness of sex; poetical 
comedic 'tri-alogue.']

Aprille Clarke - Fortune Cookie Nights - A Spin-Off; ten 30-
second Plays about Carl
(A Clarke, J Erwin, S Heuertz)
[Series of blackout gross-out sketches revisiting "DTFCCT" 
characters; comedy sketch]

Al Angel- Sun Shine
Trumpet, drums, accompany Al on trombone, story of sun escaping 
our world; poem, music.

Toni Wilson- Here Comes the Bride!
Bride left at alter... for a year!; comedy sketch

Are people going to start reviewing the 4/19 show? I don't have 
enough guts yet to do that but...Chris Stangl, thank you for 
allowing me to put my piece in this past Friday, and if you ever 
want a fresh glass of iced tea, I'll brew one for you. Or I'll 
get my rommate to do it if I'm too busy.

~Danielle San-tan-jel-lo Kovalick~

Time: Sun, 21-Apr-2002 22:54:50 GMT     IP: 128.255.174.15

I didn't have a lot to say. For some I had so little to say I 
didn't say anything.  It doesn't mean I didn't like or didn't 
hate the piece.  It just means that I could not offer anything 
besides "I liked it." or "I didn't like."  This is my first 
attempt at a review ...ever!

1. "The ASPCA Likes Dogs" by Meryll Streep's Ghost
      Three at table spout non sequitur jokes re: David 
Arquette, Merle Haggard, poop; comedy sketch.

I love Steve's pieces, but this wasn't one of my favorites of 
his.  It didn't seem up to par with Steve's ability.  It was 
still funny, though.  I liked the pun of Merle Haggard's name.

2. "Sun Shine" by al angel
      Trumpet, drums, accompany Al on trombone, story of sun 
escaping our world; poem, music.

This was AWESOME!  I really like Al's incorporation of music 
into his poetry.  Very cool.

4.5 "Sylvan Learning Center: My Homework's Already Done, Mom!" 
by Seth Brenneman and Bill McKenna
      Who can lift a two-ton weight? Seth!; comedy sketch

This was great.  I think if the "1 Ton" labels should've been 
seen easier it would have been even better.  I caught a glimpse 
of the writing during the setup, but during the actual skit the 
balloons rolled so that it could not be seen.  So basically it 
just looked like a giant Q-Tip.

5. "There Will Be No Burning" by Sarah Neilson
      Voyeur educates sunbather in the joys of moonlight; 
poetic monologue.

I'm rapidly becoming a Sarah Neilson fan.  I think I may have 
liked this better than the last.  Her last one was also great.  
Keep it up, Sarah.

7. "Here Comes the Bride!" by Toni Wilson
      Bride left at alter... for a year!; comedy sketch

Hilarious!  Go, Toni!

7.5. "What the DI Didn't Cover" by Tom Kovacs
      U of I power outage leads to on-stage mass-mooning; 
comedy sketch.

So many asses.  And I didn't like the mooning, either.

9. "I'm not Here Tonight" by Michael Tabor
      Tabor, stood-up, has Stangl read planned mono bout 
Michael's "cool date."; comic monologue.

I wrote this.  After I did such I thought to myself "Who would 
do good reading this monologue?"  The answer of course was 
Stangl.  And I wasn't disappointed.  He did a super job.  Thanks 
to Chris for being in it and doing it even better than I 
imagined.

9.5 "Governor's Ball" by Paul Rust
      Upper-crust party disrupted by humping-antics of Fart-
Crap... or is it?; comedy sketch.

I thought this was really funny.  Why did we all laugh so long 
at the end?  I don't know.  We laughed so much.

10. "Onstar* Assistance" by Jamie Margolin
      Telephone robot helps couples have sex; comedy sketch.

This was actually number 11 and Jason's was number 10.  They got 
switched.

11. "Hilarious Boarding School Antics" by Jason Nebergall
      British boarding school pranks, all involving violent 
homosexual sexual assault; comedy sketch.

This was after Paul's piece: 10 not 11.  It was odd how both 
Paul's piece and Jason's piece had accents in it and they both 
ended in laughing.  And they were BACK to BACK!  This piece was 
hilarious.  I was in it and I was worried about my british 
accent.  I was right to be worried.  I slipped into a southern 
accent for a minute and the thought entered my mind to just do 
that accent the whole time, but that's not what Jason wanted.  
Something happened with this skit that made it not work, 
though.  It should have went a lot better than it did.  I wish I 
could have performed it better than I did so I could have done 
justice to Jason's writing.

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 02:17:44 GMT     IP: 64.6.83.123

nominations for BONS.  I am an asshole.  Why would I 
nominate stuff from wed 17th when no board member was 
there (cept Rust at th end)?  Why would I nominate stuff from 
the Wednesday thing that actually 'premiered' during other 
semesters?  Why would I nominate both a song and a piece 
by practically everyone who's done both?  Why would I not 
nominate something by Chris Stangl?  Why would I 
nominate 27 pieces?

1arlen - lunatic club
2furious skinny 
3tabor - orbitson
3alyssa - [tu]
4aprille - forshin cooker nights
5J River - Gene Will Mix Prefer Nice Can Con Pen
6Maria Hill!! - President Bush's Speech
7al angel - bedtime 4 brit
8Anthony Weaver - My Vagina Monologue
9Mark J. Hansen - White Meat Like Pork Or Breast Chicken
10Paul Rust - Empty
11Erin King - Ask your doctor about Zolax today! (because 
Mike Rocks!)
12River J - Spleknld (Frank Burns)
13Seth Brenneman - Surf Ninjas: A Road to Excellence
14Count Crotchula {Matthew Hart} - Count Crotchula
15Scott Erwin - Introducing Scott Erwin
16Paul Rust - Sea Badge
17Michael Landon's cold, cold dead body, RIP, and Estelle 
18Getty's hot ass, YEOUUCH! {Steve Heuertz} - I Was a 
Teenage Wearer
19Mean Jamma (Jamal River} - Who is Stupider?
20Jason Nebergall - The Future Time-Travels in Back
21Magnetic - Monkeys Ate Dallas, Cool McAwesome
22Mark J. Hansen - Sweeney Todd Bass: The Willie 
Barbour of Chew Street
23Nozebone the Band - Bicycle Song
24Ron Wright - Homeless
25Forever in Blue Jeans - Yeah!" by Michelle Thompson
26"Sylvan Learning Center: My Homework's Already Done, 
Mom!" 
by Seth Brenneman and Bill McKenna

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 02:37:25 GMT     IP: 128.255.192.14

oh my, i've returned.  how can this be?

1. "The ASPCA Likes Dogs" by Meryll Streep's Ghost

Not one that particularly hit me as memorable (I was supposed to 
borrow a mini-tape recorder from someone, but that didn't work 
out and thus I may not remember some of these), but I DO recall 
laughing.  Non-sequiturs are hit or miss, and I recall a lot of 
hits, so "good show."

2. "Sun Shine" by al angel

I thought this was really keen.  First of all, most of them 
seemed to have a working grasp of their instrument, which is 
something that tends to lack in musical acts at NS, and second, 
I liked the steady rhythm.  The only complaint I have is that I 
missed a lot of the poetry because of the instrumental 
distraction, cool as all that was.  That could've been just me, 
though.

3. "Forever in Blue Jeans - Yeah!" by Michelle Thompson

I loved it.  When McKenna came out and started miming, it was 
like "ROFLMAO!"

3.5 "'Stand By Me' as I Worship a Four-Eyed Pile of Shit" by 
Danielle Santangelo Kovalick

The way I see it, Danielle's NS career seems to follow the curve 
of Weezer's music career.  Her first sketch was a classic - it 
appealed to the LCD but also was witty/insightful in a way.  
Then came her second, which was deeply personal for her and was 
appreciated by a much smaller group of people.  And here is 
her "return" to former glory... except this kicks the Green 
Album's ASS.  I loved the poem, I loved Tony, I loved the eating 
of the photograph, I loved the "Stand By Me" reference.  
Excellent.

4. "DJ Qualls Burned My House Down" by Don Deeley

Is this Deeley's first NS piece?  If so, kudos to him.  He built 
up the story really, really well and kept me laughing 
throughout.  The only weak point for me was the ending... but 
hey, for a first piece, this was damn solid.

4.5 "Sylvan Learning Center: My Homework's Already Done, Mom!" 
by Seth Brenneman and Bill McKenna

Short and sweet, making it a splendid .5.

5. "There Will Be No Burning" by Sarah Neilson

This was wonderful!  It really appealled to the hopeless 
romantic in me.  I wish I had been able to tape it so this 
commentary could be more constructive! :(

6. "Ripped From Yesterday's Headlines, OR- Not Another 
Vegetable Sketch!" by Ron Wright

Not bad.  I appreciate his dedication to the subject matter - 
his pieces often come back to me when I'm reading the latest 
news about the debacle in the Middle East.  He's definitely 
carved out a niche in this year's NS.

7. "Here Comes the Bride!" by Toni Wilson

I completely thought this was going to be way lame until the 
ending, which was of course brilliant.

7.5. "What the DI Didn't Cover" by Tom Kovacs

Classic NS.  Not much more to say.

8. "Almost Like Being in Love" a rap song by Nick Lucre with 
additional lyrics by Lerner and Lowe

This was an interesting idea, but I think that it needed to be 
practiced a bit more beforehand... Clark lost the rhythm when he 
was rapping and that, combined with the fact that we couldn't 
hear him anyway, definitely hurt the song.  Also, I know Erwin 
was supposed to be samples, but he seemed so disinterested that 
it made me lose interest.

9. "I'm not Here Tonight" by Michael Tabor

This is my favorite Tabor-written sketch thus far.  Stangl's 
performance was brilliant.  Creative joke, excellent execution - 
solid.

9.5 "Governor's Ball" by Paul Rust

Again, as I said in my last review, Rust can do no wrong in my 
eyes.  Not his best piece, but definitely some great comedy.  
Only real complaint - the ending was dragged out a bit too long.

10. "Onstar* Assistance" by Jamie Margolin

Again, I say "interesting."  This certainly wasn't amazing, but 
I did like the use of a computerized voice... very creative.  I 
think it would worked better if the execution had been a little 
less clumsy.  Infomercial parodies aren't uncommon, so 
extraordinary performance is really key in elevating such a 
piece from okay to great.

10.5. "Two Rickets to Vincent Price" by Jake Livermore and Bob 
Sondag

Ha ha ha.  Excellent.  One of the better .5s I've seen recently.

11. "Hilarious Boarding School Antics" by Jason Nebergall

This was okay, but something about it wasn't doing it for me.  
It might have been the presence of stuffy British accents 
earlier in the night, or it might have been that making British 
folks seem effeminate and kinky is a pretty bland idea.  But 
yeah, this skit seemed a little too obvious for my liking.

12. "Man Out of the" write by Jamal River, sung of Furious 
Skinny

Probably my favorite Furious Skinny song to date.  It worked 
admirably well.  It seemed... I don't know... tighter than 
usual?  I think that's what made it work for me.

13. "The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True; The Final Chapter: 
Carl's Redemption" by Aprille Clarke

Pretty nifty, but I must admit that I'm glad this "Fortune 
Cookies" saga is at an end.  It seems a bit too indulgent.  For 
a first-time NS attendee, this stuff could be shocking or gross, 
but for a regular, it's sort of vanilla.

14. "Star Scrambled Love" by Matthew S. Wiegand

Interesting and all, but very loose as far as execution was 
concerned.  I think the ending (the "who what where?" thing) was 
supposed to be because he was a heroin addict, but I'm not 
sure... he didn't emphasize that well enough for me to know for 
certain.  The characters seemed a bit stereotypical, the jokes a 
bit old... but I think that Wiegand has promise.  He just needs 
to inject a little more creativity into his writing.

15. "Inferno" by Chris Stangl

This was pretty damn disturbing, but I'd expect nothing less 
from Stangl.  The man has a way with imagery.  I must admit, 
leaving with this particular image in my head was pretty 
uncomfortable, but I suppose that's just a testament to the 
power of the writing.  Impressive.

there ya go.

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 02:52:46 GMT     IP: 128.255.192.14

Mark J. Hansen - Underwater Sunset
(M Thompson.)
[M's character remembers the time she saw a sunset while nearly 
drowning and her subsequent blindness; monologue]

Paul Rust - Sea Badge
(P Rust, A Clarke)
[Nerd smashed by car rejects sexual favors, takes refuge in 
inept screenplay writing; seriocomic scene.]

Matthew Hart - No Rain
(A Lawson, A Galbraith, M Thompson)
[Boy meets, loses girl, set to monosyllabic poem; dramatized 
poetry.]

James Erwin - The Hilarious Mexico Sketch
(J Erwin, C Stangl, C Okiishi)
[At "Mexicology" conference, in passionate, extended metaphor 
fashion, prof. makes love to the woman who "is" Mexico; comedy 
monologue triptych.]

Chris Stangl - The Big Rape
(C Stangl, A Angel, T Wilson, ?)
[World's Horrors: Al on schoolyard bullies, revenge murder, Toni 
on Carson Daly, Chris on rape, dinner parties, Arlen on 
9/11/01; live attempted rape, comedy sketch.]

Aprille Clarke - Fortune Cookie Nights - A Spin-Off; ten 30-
second Plays about Carl
(A Clarke, J Erwin, S Heuertz)
[Series of blackout gross-out sketches revisiting "DTFCCT" 
characters; comedy sketch]

Arlen Lawson - The Lunatic Club
(A Lawson)
[Lunatic baking club disassembles bike, builds flying 
car; monologue]

(i am all too aware that these are predominantly from the last 2 
or 3 No Shames.... my memory seems to be failing me)

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 03:13:42 GMT     IP: 128.255.192.14

okay... a few more i really loved:

Seth Brenneman - Surf Ninjas: A Road to Excellence
[Seth chases Boylyssa around a table; Seth is thwarted; comedy 
sketch]

Danielle Santagelo Kovalick - 'Our Founding Fathers'? HA! More 
Like, 'Our Founding Lezbo Porno Pervos'! or Pretend I'm a Guy So 
This Piece Will Work
[Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson demand "eat her chach!"; comedy 
sketch.]

Chris Stangl - Live Burial!: An Oscar Wilde Adventure for Young 
Boys
[Oscar Wilde-style, C recounts adventures of exploitation all 
within the bounds of dignity; also rubs crotch in J Nebergall's 
face; monologue]

Sarah Neilson - There Will Be No Burning
[Voyeur educates sunbather in the joys of moonlight; poetic 
monologue.]

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 04:14:57 GMT     IP: 64.6.87.26

:1. "The ASPCA Likes Dogs" by Meryll Streep's Ghost
I like it how I like Steve's stuff, which is to say, I never think it's 
good, but  think it's hilarious anyhow.

2. "Sun Shine" by Al angel
Sounded pretty to me.  I was really intrigued by how Al was 
able to make what was essentially a jazz song out of 
elements which have nothing to do with the production of 
jazz.  That is, no one rehearsed or was very familiar with 
either the instrument or the music, and the text was the 
central thing.

3. "Forever in Blue Jeans - Yeah!" by Michelle Thompson
I am  glad to see that someone other than Bill McKenna has 
found a way to make the most of Bill McKenna's irresistable 
charm onstage.  It's like the rest of the people who do NS are 
all hitting theirselfs in the heads saying " _Bill_!  Of course."

3.5 "'Stand By Me' as I Worship a Four-Eyed Pile of Shit" by 
Danielle Santangelo Kovalick
Took a long time to set up the joke.  Could've been more 
interesting with more obscure, obsessive information about 
Feldman, a-la Stangl's mono on Winona Ryder.

4. "DJ Qualls Burned My House Down" by Don Deeley
I remember being at KRUI once when Don Deeley was trying 
to convince the radio audience that through a bizarre series 
of coincidences, the FBI had decided to break into his house.  
This was more or less the same tack.  Create enough of a 
back story to make an outrageous personal fate almost 
believable.  I was not convinced either time, but both times I 
had to ponder how much truth there was to the story.  Well, 
http://www.closetelvis.com/Features/Review/922001.htm
At least this much.  I like this approach, and while I know the 
world will never see another piece as wonderful as the 
timeless "Cookie", I continue to dream, and come away from 
new Deeley pieces disappointed.

4.5 "Sylvan Learning Center: My Homework's Already Done, 
Mom!" 
I was hoping to one week write a tribute piece to Seth and 
Bill.  It seemed so easy - take a piece of standard cartoon 
humor and recontextualize it by making it into a seconds long 
stage play - it is not easy.  I have racked my brains for 
something with this elegance and hilarity for a couple weeks.  
The only reasonable conclusion: these young men are 
geniuses.

5. "There Will Be No Burning" by Sarah Neilson
It was very pretty.  Very interesting, and somehow the 
voyeurism was not at all creepy.  I was amazed at the 
aptness of the choices Chris made in performing it.

6. "Ripped From Yesterday's Headlines, OR- Not Another 
Vegetable Sketch!" by Ron Wright
I don't know if I like Wright's pieces or not, but I certainly do 
admire them.  He consistently brings such a cute, perceptive 
take on his subject.  The thing is, the guy deals with real 
issues, and I don't mean headlines -  I mean issues of war 
and peace, life and death: big stuff.  And he makes it all so 
easy and nice.

7. "Here Comes the Bride!" by Toni Wilson
I was in this.  I don't think Toni intended it to be a comedy 
piece, though I'm not certain.  I offered her criticism on an 
earlier draft, and that one was not a comedy piece.  Oddly, it 
really seemed to work as a comedy piece.  Really.

7.5. "What the DI Didn't Cover" by Tom Kovacs
Yeah.  This was okay.  It was very interesting to see James in 
the aisle illuminated only by a lighter which got too hot for 
him to hold.  I liked that.  The mooning was a surprise, but 
the non-mooning by Jamal was my favorite part of all.

8. "Almost Like Being in Love" a rap song by Nick Lucre with 
additional lyrics by Lerner and Lowe
Doing a lousy job of playing this song made me very sad for 
the rest of the night and much of Saturday.

9. "I'm not Here Tonight" by Michael Tabor
Word has it that this piece was actually written to be actually 
performed while Michael was actually on a date.  The piece 
would be funny if Michael was on a date, and it would be 
funny if he wasn't on a date because he got stood up.  Would 
it be funny otherwise?  Isn't it interesting how in No Shame 
more than just about any other performance art forum the 
reality of the performer's personal life dictates the viability of 
the piece?  Would it be interesting if you found out that Chris  
ate 2 bottles of tic-tacs labeled Kava Kava?  Or that Paul had 
rubbed himself with extremely low quality chocolate?  Or that 
these 200 eggs had been blown out by sweatshop kids?  
Well okay.  

9.5 "Governor's Ball" by Paul Rust
I liked to be in this, but I think the fact that we kept laughing 
and having Paul come back out was detrimental to the final 
joke "I've got a knife!"  But end a piece with applause, and it 
sort of... happens.  I had fun.  How was it from the audeince?

10. "Onstar* Assistance" by Jamie Margolin
The only thing that really kept me interested in the piece was 
Aprille's ostensibly uncomfortable, eye-rolling, uncontrollable 
-laughing face.  The joke seemed strangely simultaneously 
obvious, easy and instantly doomed.

10.5. "Two Rickets to Vincent Price" by Jake Livermore and 
Bob Sondag
Cute!  Unexpected!  Clever!  Make me a baby!

11. "Hilarious Boarding School Antics" by Jason Nebergall
Well this was funny mostly because of the interplay between 
the many voices, but I think it might have been funnier had 
the interplay been more rapid.  Also, I remember the crumpet 
joke form an episode of Black Adder.

12. "Man Out of the" write by Jamal River, sung of Furious 
Skinny
I missed the presence of a thing that plays notes.  Two stuffs 
to bang is okay, but I miss a note maker.

13. "The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True; The Final 
Chapter: 
Carl's Redemption" by Aprille Clarke
Depressing.  What did I expect?  Good question.  Carl is an 
interesting character, though he's not really developed as 
one specific character, but more as a generic comic 
container for bizarre personality traits.  He winds up a sort of 
tragic anti-hero.

14. "Star Scrambled Love" by Matthew S. Wiegand
Thanks to Matt for letting me borrow his cord.  The glam gear 
was impressive.  The set up was a little too intense for a no 
shame bit.  We don't need to see a couch, we can imagine it.  
The guitar was not elemental to the piece either.  Perhaps 
the idea of guitar was, but the actual object's presence 
onstage wasn't justified given the brevity of NS stuffs.  The 
writing was very refined.  The characters were identifiable, 
their boundaries clear.  The piece's narrative was oddly 
unsatisfying in a way I enjoyed. 

15. "Inferno" by Chris Stangl
Hooking through the spinal column did not make a great 
deal of sense, but who cares?  How is it that Stangl's ultra 
gross-out things never really come off as puerile, even when 
logic is stretched simply in service of a greater gross out?  It 
comes down to character and motivation.  The narrator tells 
us that he doesn't want this to work.  That little detail is 
enough to make something eerily real and identifiable and 
human out of this barbaric narrative.  The fact that the gross 
out becomes in effect an illustration of the deep, strange 
personal hangups you didn't even realize lurked within you is 
what makes the whole thing work.  Contrast this to James 
Brown's "Wake Me...".  When gross-out happens, it can only 
be interesting if the gross out services something 
identifiable.  Identify with the character and you're a step 
closer to being in the position of putting the match to that 
man's back.  Feeling yourself become violent, needless to 
say, is much more terrifying and affecting than watching a 
man being antisocial and violent from an inaccessible 
distance.

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 04:17:42 GMT     IP: 64.6.87.26


15. "Inferno" by Chris Stangl
Hooking through the spinal column did not make a great 
deal of sense, but who cares?  How is it that Stangl's ultra 
gross-out things never really come off as puerile, even when 
logic is stretched simply in service of a greater gross out?  It 
comes down to character and motivation.  The narrator tells 
us that he doesn't want this to work.  That little detail is 
enough to make something eerily real and identifiable and 
human out of this barbaric narrative.  The fact that the gross 
out becomes in effect an illustration of the deep, strange 
personal hangups you didn't even realize lurked within you is 
what makes the whole thing work.  Contrast this to James 
Brown's "Wake Me...".  When gross-out happens, it can only 
be interesting if the gross out services something 
identifiable.  Identify with the character and you're a step 
closer to being in the position of putting the match to that 
man's back.  Feeling yourself become violent, needless to 
say, is much more terrifying and affecting than watching a 
man being antisocial and violent from an inaccessible 
distance.

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 04:35:26 GMT     IP: 128.255.187.193

Oh, how I would LOVE to see these again:

Worlds of Fun and Regret by Paul Rust
YOU ARE DEAD by Furious Skinny
Hot and Heavy by Chris Okiishi
The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True Part IV: Cherise by 
Aprille Clarke
Andrew by Pookman
Let's Get Dead by Chris Stangl

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 04:46:00 GMT     IP: 128.255.187.193

The Hilarious Mexico Sketch!  By James Erwin.  of COURSE I vote 
for that, because, well....it was.  Not to mention the kick-ass 
sensory poetry.  Encore!

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 04:51:34 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.172


I am in a band. This band is called "My Business Failed in Three 
Weeks." We rock harder than any band you've ever heard.  

We got a lot of shows coming up.  Law requires you to attend... 
ALL OF THEM!

Tuesday, April 23rd
Gabe's Oasis 
w/ Taskmaster, Sah, Lady Bulldogs, and The Tractor Kings
8pm

Saturday, April 27th
Quadrangle Hall Block Party
w/ various bands and food and such
3:30pm 

Friday, May 3rd
Gabe's Oasis
w/ The Eggnogs and The Frogs
9pm
(And yes, Terence Stamp, I'll be done in time to attend Best of 
No Shame)

Sunday, May 5th
Gabe's Oasis
KRUI Spring Show 
time: TBA 


Hope you come! We'll meet you at the water-front after the 
social!

-My Business Failed in Three Weeks
 (Jake, DJ, Paul)

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 11:08:32 GMT     IP: 64.6.86.199

Pieces I'd like to see in No Shame (best of)
-&- Why 
(I missed a few this semester, even though I fully intended to 
go to them all, so there are without a doubt some other works I 
need to see.  Please make sure I do)
- - -

4. Paul "Sack" Rust --&-- Neil "Balls" Campbell - Two Guys Are 
Trying to Go to Sleep but Stuff Keeps Waking Them Up

(P Rust, N"B" Campbell, M Thompson, A Clarke.)
[See title. Stuff includes music, masturbation, bikini girls, 
audience; comedy sketch]
In my opinion, the most funnest piece from the dead week.  
Thoroughly engaged the audience, even in mabie (it's a) theater 
(or a cavern...?).  Can balls come back for a weekend?
---------
7. Arlen Lawson - Shoestring Hangman's Noose

(A Lawson)
[Two boys deal with harrowing events in their lives-the death of 
their father, the maliciousness of their mother, the neglect and 
skepticism of their babysitter-through escapism and potentially 
dangerous knot-tying; monologue]
Arlen has developed a very distinctive voice in his writing.  He 
manages to impart a beautiful nostalgic quality upon macabre, 
dyfunctional themes.  I believe that this piece, of all his 
pieces I saw this semester, best illustrates his voice.
---------

6. Jeffrey Kite - Barbers Barbaric (the first one)

(J Kite, M Cassady, M Thompson, P Rust, Brett)
[M's father drops her off at the barber shop never to return, 
forcing her to endure talk of pube grooming; comedy sketch]
I remember this sketch because it made me laugh very very hard.  
Not a particularly profound sketch, but in my opinion one of the 
most entertaining of the semester.
---------
2. Al Angel - A Flute for Kelli

(A Angel, J River, M Thompson, T Wilson, J Erwin, P Rust, J 
Nebergall)
[girl disliked for her fluting skills finds friend and fellow 
musician in drummer boy; poetry performance]
Al's poetry pieces are all wonderful; however, I believe this 
one translated to the stage better than the rest I witnessed, 
because Ms. Thompson was such a convincing Kelli, and she seemed 
to be really part of the narrative, not just an accessory to it.
------------------
9. Mark J. Hansen - White Meat Like Pork Or Breast Chicken

(J River, T Wilson, S Heuertz, S Brenneman, A Galbraith)
[Chinese bank offers various non-sequitor services; comedy 
sketch]
One of the best Hansen bits I can ever remember.  Knock-hockey 
full of yummy non-sequiturs.  Put it in.
--------------
10. King Toad - Run

(J River, A Lawson, C Stangl)
[River performs with voice and rhythmic swatter; musical 
performance]
This semester seemed a bit light on the muzak for some reason, 
so not much to choose from.  This song gets in because its 
presentation foreshadowed the arrival of Furious Skinny.  
Nozebone the band + rust?  Maybe it is also in.
--------------
6. James Erwin - The Hilarious Mexico Sketch

(J Erwin, C Stangl, C Okiishi)
[At "Mexicology" conference, in passionate, extended metaphor 
fashion, prof. makes love to the woman who "is" Mexico; comedy 
monologue triptych.]
It was funny.  Yes.  James Erwin, you make me laugh.
-------------
12. Chris Okiishi - Hot and Heavy

(E A Burton, C Okiishi, ?)
[Two lovers entwine/ literary critic laments utter lack of 
quality gay erotica; romantic comedy sketch.]
Dammit, Okiishi, why didn't you write more this semester?  
Absolutely hilarious.  I loved the staging, and the new guy 
(According to the order, "?" was his name) was a riot.
---------
10. Paul Rust - Sea Badge

(P Rust, A Clarke)
[Nerd smashed by car rejects sexual favors, takes refuge in 
inept screenplay writing; seriocomic scene.]
One of the better No Shame pieces I've ever seen.  Paul fleshed 
out the tragic, naive persona he often assumes onstage and in 
his writing - this is a glorious realization of the potential 
that archetype has as a storytelling vehicle, as well as a 
wonderful peek at Paul's incredible writing ability.
-----------
1. Michael Landon's cold, cold dead body, RIP, and Estelle 
Getty's hot ass, YEOUUCH! {Steve Heuertz} - I Was a Teenage 
Wearer

(A Angel, M Tabor, S Heuertz, J Erwin)
[Deaf boy, legless boy, son of Zeus spar verbally, rap about 
King Tut; comedy sketch.]
Inane and silly, yet has a hint of despair.  Creative images.  
Mssr. Heuertz'ses writing is becoming more cohesive.  Worth a 
second go.
-----
15. Chris Stangl - Sweethearts on a Harlem Table

(C Stangl)
[In tour-guide style, C intersperses the reading and eating of 
candy conversation hearts with stories of sordid 1920's Harlem, 
stars, and mixed metaphors; monologue]
This monologue cut me deeper than many of Stangl's previous 
efforts.  I hated myself for having enjoyed this one.  I want to 
be reminded why.  Everyone else should be too.
------
One of Nick Clark's tribute pieces needs to be in.  I liked 
the "for Jason Nebergall" one myself.


And then, I also thought maybe it'd be cool to have the jugglies 
(magnetic they're called nows) entertaining the people in the 
line.  And/or maybe have Furors Skinnys out there, perhaps in 
the coat check, popping up and putting on a punch and judy show 
except instead of bopping each other over the head they hit 
sounding objects and punch and judy are in hell, and 
sing/speaking, anyway. And it'd be like a surreal circus 
sideshow in the lobby and set a neat tone for the night.  My 
$.02 (canadian) (so with mooses or beavers or the queen or 
whatever they put on canuck pennies these days instead of honest 
abe and his monument, plus worth a bit less)

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 11:18:42 GMT     IP: 64.6.86.199

And also, I forgot, the Aprille Clarke Fortune Cookies, the one 
with the mouses and other world powers.  Secrets, mouse goddess, 
Part II i believe it was.

And also the Tabor and Wilson Egypt paint peeling sex one, where 
erwin wears a god beard and stares at the wall.

Ooh, ooh, and the Jason Nebergall's Go Dog Go sex-is-good one.  

Maybe Pookman's .5 where all the "fuck" is about penis size in 
the public restroom and Michael Tabor has the smallest...

Yes, I believe that is it.  That it is.  Is it?

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 15:44:04 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.75

Danielle's post about having performed a few times, so now she 
can suggest BONS pieces made me suspect a possible 
misunderstanding.  Audience members, not just 
performers/writers, can make BONS suggestions.  In fact, 
audience members are encouraged to do so.  For instance, Ryan 
Lovedoll suggested pieces and he's an audience member. So, if 
you're an audience member, feel free to suggest pieces. Ciao! 

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 17:44:41 GMT     IP: 216.243.220.117

James Erwin's American Top 20. 

A few I really liked, most notably Galbraith/Horak's Chess 
Masters, I omitted from this list due to them probably 
crash/burning in Mabie. One I really liked I omitted from this 
list due to me writing it. 

1. A Bowman's found-art monologue piece from 2-1-02. 
2. Arlen Lawson "Shoestring Hangman's Noose"
3. Mark Hansen "If It's Gotta Be Clean"
4. M Cassady "Allow Me to Clarify This"
5. Aprille Clarke "TDTFCCT Pt II"
6. C Stangl "Live Burial"
7. AJ River "Furious Skinny"
8. N Clark "Danny and the Space Dinosaur"
9. A River/F Skinny "You Are Dead"
10. P Rust "Sea Badge"
11. J Nebergall "Go Dog Go"
12. C Okiishi "Hot and Heavy"
13. A Lawson "The Lunatic Club"
14. J Nebergall "Robot Love"
15. S Neilson "There Will Be No Burning"
16. T Wilson "Here Comes the Bride"
17. M Tabor "I'm Not Here Tonight"
18. P Rust "Governor's Ball" 
19. C Stangl "Inferno"
20. __________________- That's for YOUR favorite piece. Which 
you should tell everybody about tout suite, sister.

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 17:45:46 GMT     IP: 128.255.110.159

I understand that it is now our duty as fans of No Shame to give 
suggestions on what to perform at Best Of.  I have taken the 
liberty of going over EVERY piece that I saw to come up with 
this list.  Below you will find...Oh God!  56 suggestions!  
Shit!  Well, I hope at least some of these are presented anyway.

1.One! Two! Buckle My Eight.  Five! Nine! Masturbate! By: Elliot 
Stapleton, Seth Brennerman -&- Bill McKenna
2.I Am Sworn to Valour By: Jason Nebergall
3.A Fond Farewell from One Dandy to Another By: Audrey 
Plumshower III
4.All Pogs Go to Heaven By: Seth "To the Izzo" Brenneman
5.Senior Prom at Boner High By: Michael Tabor and Jason Nebergall
6.If It's Gotta be Clean By: Mark J. Hansen
7.Reservoir Frogs By: Jeff Kite
8.President Bush's Speech By: Maria Hill!
9.That's How the Coiokie Crumbled By: Bill McKenna
10.Barber Barbaric By: Jeffrey Kite. I'm refering to the 
original Feb. 8th version.
11.Tooth Against Brushism By: Mark J. Hensen
12.Martha's Vineyard: Real Life Eden, Or Fantasy Island By: John 
F. Kennedy, Jr.
13.I Love Almost Everybody...Except Deadheads By: Michael Tabor
14.Let's Get Dead By: Chris Stangl
15.Matt and Doug By: Pookman
16.How I Learned to Stop Loving and Break UP with Myself By: Tom 
Kovacs
17.Valentine's Day Is Over, But I Wrote a Thing About It By: 
Jason Nebergall
18.Sixty Lines By: J Lin Erwin
19.Emma, An Apology By: Toni Wilson
20.Chess Masters By: Aaron Galbraith and James Horak
21.My Vagina Monolouge By: Anthony Weaver
22.Dan By: Pookman
23.Mrs. Brown, You've got a Lovely Dauber By: Paul Rust
24.White Meat Like Pork or Breast Chicken By: Mark J. Hansen
25.Whale Tale By: Al Angel
26.Ask your doctor aboiut Zolax today!(because Mike Rocks!) By: 
Erin King
27.I Love Almost Everybody...Except Roy Orbitson or Michael's 
Done it Again: Death Count: 38 By Naked Michael Tabor
28.Revelation at Malone's By: Jamie Margolin
29.A Birthday Present Featuring Mike Lee By: Brian Spagnolo
30.Driving Lessons, the Hard Way By: Bret Libigs
31.Trojan Man Was a Pheta Deta Tri Delt By: Jamie Margolin
32.The Story of the Cow Presented By: Al Angel
33.Blue #3 By: Anthony Werner
34.Life's Lesson By: Tom Skerrit
35.Today Good Friday By: Bride of Strom-Thurmondstein
36.Room Serves--&- The Galapagos By: "Tony Werner" (Spencer 
Griffin)
37.Greatest Moments in World History: Columbus Discovers America 
By: Toni Wilson
38.The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True, Part VI: Jackson By: 
Aprille Clarke
39.I Was a Teenage Wearer By: Michael Landon's cold, cold dead 
body, RIP, and Estelle Getty's hot ass, YEOUUCH! (Steve Heuertz)
40.AGES By: al angel
41.Hilariously Retarded Old People (featuring Jamal as a Fart) 
By: Toni Wilson and Michael Tabor
42.Bastard, BASTARD Habour Mastah By: Jason Nebergall
43.Who is Stupider? By: Mean Jamma (Jamal River)
44.SUBJECT HEADING: Hey By: Daniell Santangelo Kovalick
45.Fortune Cookie Nights-A Spin Off; ten 30-second Plays about 
Carl By: April Clarke
46.Island of the Alive By: Larry Cohen
47.Sweeney Todd Bass: The Willie Barbour of Chew Street By: Mark 
J. Hansen
48.Jason X By: Fred Mac Murray (Steve Heuertz)
49."Stand By Me" as I Worship a Four-Eyed Pile of Shit By: 
Danielle Santangelo Kovalick
50.DJ Qualls Burned My House Down By: Don Deeley
51.There Will Be No Burning By: Sarah Neilson
52.Here Comes the Bride! By: Toni Wilson
53.Onstar* Assistance By: Jamie Margolin
54.Hilarious Boarding School Antics By: Jason Nebergall
55.Star Scrambled Love By: Matthew S. Wiegand
56.Any song by Furious Skinny

If we just do the math for a second, this list equals the number 
of pieces it would take to do almost 4 No Shames in a row.  Yeah 
I didn't need to say that, but I did.  My point is, I hope the 
No Shame Board, or who ever is deciding BONS, takes all of these 
pieces seriously, yes even the stupid ones.  Happy Hunting.

James Brown

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 18:04:52 GMT     IP: 128.255.179.87

Okay, here's the rest of the BONS suggestions I have. Oh, and I 
think the one Fortune Cookies piece that Aprille did that had 
Mark Hansen saying "Ow, that's my doing stuff arm" should 
definitely go in, but I forgot which one it was. Sorry Aprille.


Arlen Lawson - Shoestring Hangman's Noose
Alyssa Bowman - [Title unavailable] (restaurant one!)
Mark J. Hansen - Tooth Against Brushism (yes, I know I was in it-
but I loved it all the same!)
Mike Cassady - Allow me to Clarify This
J River - The Erwin
Areli River - Furious Skinny
James Erwin - The Hilarious Mexico Sketch
Michael Tabor - I Love Almost Everybody... IN MY PANTS!
Chris Okiishi - Hot and Heavy
"Sun Shine" by al angel

Cool? Rocking.

Toni

Time: Mon, 22-Apr-2002 18:44:15 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.75

Well, it's that time of year again.  Time to clean out the 
whiskey brewin' in the bathtub and clean yourselves up to see 
Eric Roberts' live show at the Mill.  And for Best Of No 
Shame.  I think this is officially the longest post I've ever 
written, and it's gonna be even longer.  So here, in no 
particular order, are the things that I want to see again.  And 
no, Welcome Back Kotter is not among them.

"Life's Lessons," by Tom Skerrit-B Libigs.
   Anyone and anything associated with Tom Skerrit gets my vote.

"I Love Almost Everybody...Except Bob Kane," by Michael Tabor
   Batman is good, and the future line is the tops!

"'Our Founding Fathers'? HA! More Like, 'Our Founding Lezbo 
Porno Pervos'! -or- Pretend I'm a Guy So This Piece Will Work" 
by Danielle Santagelo Kovalick
   I'm starting to like her work, but this is still her best.  

"The Hilarious Mexico Sketch" by James Erwin
   Fucking shit.  This was funny.  'Nuff said.

"Sun Shine" by al angel
   I really liked this.  The music worked really well with the
   poetry.

"There Will Be No Burning" by Sarah Neilson
   Her writing is really entrancing.  I like where she's goin!

"Two Rickets to Vincent Price" by Jake Livermore and Bob 
Sondag
   This was funny.  Period.  Period motherfucker.

"Inferno" by Chris Stangl
   The imagery in this piece was tight!  I liked it greatly.

"Lou Diamond Philips Plays The Skin Flute" by Bret Libigs
   Again, Lou Diamond Philips is a funny mofo!

"Why I Will Never Have A Real Job" by James Horak
   Seeing James use his imagination at work was awesome.

"That's How The Cookie Crumbled" by Bill McKenna
   Cookies + milk = funny funny!

"Reservoir Frogs" by Jeff Kite
   I like Jeff's writing.  It's very detailed and fun to watch.

"If It's Gotta Be Clean" by Mark J. Hansen
   It was goood!!!!

"Shoestring Hangman's Noose" by Arlen Lawson
   I love stories like this.  They are great to put images in 
   your head.

Well, that's about it.  Just because I didn't suggest someone, 
doesn't mean that I didn't like your skit.  Unless it was that 
one about the scientist who developed a plague.  That was bad.  
He should never go to No Shame again.  Seriously.

Time: Tue, 23-Apr-2002 15:55:24 GMT     IP: 128.255.109.7

this is what i liked.  nothing else.  i hated everything else, 
goddamnit. you suck.  unless you are here on what i wrote.  
really.  christ, i hated almost everything but these things i 
list.  these are things i would like to see again, at BONS. 
thank you, goodbye.

Mark J. Hansen - If It's Gotta be Clean...
or (i can't decide between the two)
Mark J. Hansen - Underwater Sunset

Maria Hill!! - President Bush's Speech
Jeffrey Kite - Barbers Barbaric
King Toad - Run
Seth Brenneman - Surf Ninjas: A Road to Excellence
Tom Skerrit - Life's Lessons
Nick Clark - Danny and the Space Dinosaur; for Jason Nebergall
Matthew Hart - No Rain
Paul Rust - Sea Badge
Chris Okiishi - Hot and Heavy
Michelle Thompson - Forever in Blue Jeans - Yeah!
Sarah Neilson - There Will Be No Burning
Chris Stangl - Sweethearts on a Harlem Table

ok, so i really did have to think about some of these 
things 'cause i really did like a lot of a lot this semester.  i 
like you! really!

Time: Tue, 23-Apr-2002 16:31:40 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.75

I wrote that scientist piece and I loved it.  Who are you to 
tell me what is good or not.  Man, I'm gonna get you!

Time: Wed, 24-Apr-2002 00:54:18 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.75

I call em like I see em.  And I called you and your writing 
ass.  Too bad sucka!

Time: Wed, 24-Apr-2002 04:20:25 GMT     IP: 208.129.184.56

that fucking rocks that BONS backwards is SNOB

Arlen Lawson - Shoestring Hangman's Noose
Mark J. Hansen - Tooth Against Brushism
Arlen Lawson - Breathing Games a song
Jason Nebergall - Valentine's Day Is Over, But I Wrote a Thing 
About It
Areli River - OGRE
Michele Thompson - Waiting for a Bus
Pookman - Richard
Jason Nebergall - Oh No. People Should Really Not Keep Lizards 
Confined Like That. They Need Their Freedom
Nick Clark - The Sad Sad Tale of Levvie; pt. One-Jackie. For 
Aprille Clarke
Chris Stangl - Loud in My House
Ron Wright - Garden Party Part V (The Harvest)
Chris Stangl - The Big Rape
al angel - AGES
Michael Tabor - I'm not Here Tonight
Paul Rust - Governor's Ball
Aprille Clarke - The Day the Fortune Cookies Came True; The 
Final Chapter: Carl's Redemption

my foot has fallen asleep...and the snoring is wakeing up the 
neighbors!!!...so I am going now.

Time: Wed, 24-Apr-2002 17:17:31 GMT     IP: 167.83.10.24


    You feel as if you are bound with clothesline and suspended 
over a giant flapjack griddle! Feel the popping fat spraying 
your skin with tiny circular burns! Will your awful 
little "piece" make it into "Best of No Shame"? Shall the board 
abuse their power... again? Will your friend's skit make it, but 
not yours? Will you be able to look him in the eye again without 
feeling the lemony sting of envy and, indeed, shame? Will 
brother be pitted against brother!? Jew against Gentile? No! 
Jews are not allowed to participate in No Shame Theatre.

          BEST OF WISHES,
            CHRIS STANGL: I know something. You don't know.

Time: Wed, 24-Apr-2002 18:24:51 GMT     IP: 128.255.107.56

I liked the one with pookman, michael Tabor, and Jason Nebergall 
sitting around the table and james Erwin is announcing the days of 
the week.

I also liked the one where Jeff kite, paul Rust, mike cassidy, 
Michelle, and others are sitting around in a barber shop, and mike 
cassidy is all like, "what! you dont have money!?" and Michelle 
says, "no" -then it goes black. i liked that one.

and then I liked the one where bret and that outrageous accented 
guy are going through a driving lesson and the driving instructor 
(bret) is making the other guy take off his pants. I thought that 
was well done -except they walked through the car in the 
performance. Besides that... I liked it, and I laughed.

And I liked Andrew's stand up performance where he's talking about 
how those crazy hunters were going to shoot a crocodile. I liked 
that because pookman seems like such a nice innocent guy with his 
shaved head, glasses, and hoody, then he comes at you using big 
words and screaming "fuck" and "shit" and "crocodile" -I liked 
that. It's funny when he gets all excited over nothing. I laughed

I liked the one where those two guys rubbed their pog container 
and a genie came out. fu-nee

I know that my opinion may be coming a bit late but I just wanted 
you all to know what I like. I also like listening to walkmans and 
eating celery.

Time: Wed, 24-Apr-2002 19:18:22 GMT     IP: 216.243.220.117

You're the meanest fucking Reverend ever. 

Time: Wed, 24-Apr-2002 20:20:51 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.75

What about the Reverend in the film adaptation of my 
book, "Cycle of the Werewolf."  In it, Corey Haim is in a 
wheelchair, and Gary Busey is his uncle.  The movie was 
called "Silver Bullet."  And so as not to ruin the ending for 
you, let's just say that the man who was the werewolf was the 
Reverend.

Time: Thu, 25-Apr-2002 03:51:40 GMT     IP: 12.217.181.138

Steve-

Honey, that was a make-believe Reverend. And there is no Santa 
Claus. Also, you're adopted. And I killed your mom. In Reno. Just 
to watch her die. And the real reason you retired from publishing 
is that people don't care about you anymore and your wife threw a 
big hissyfit about you making a fool out of yourself and her and 
then she ripped up the dreamcatcher hanging from her rear-view 
mirror and threw it at you and you just stared out the window, 
watching the coast roll by, and you weren't even man enough to 
acknowledge her anger, and she drove and she sobbed and you were 
too wrapped up in your self-pity to even look at her, right or 
wrong, it didn't matter, nothing mattered except your wounded 
pride, and the winter surf crept feebly in and that was a winter 
in Maine, the last winter and you are leaving for a new place, a 
new Maine, you are finally breathing the air and looking at the 
moon and feeling where you are instead of endlessly picking apart 
your past and she is still sobbing and just maybe you look around 
and just maybe you put your hand on her shoulder and just maybe 
you finally stop living in your head and for once you just live, 
just live. And maybe that's all she'll need. 

We love you, Stephen King.

Time: Thu, 25-Apr-2002 04:50:41 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.75

Erwin-

Thank you for your brutal honesty.  There is only one way to 
respond to that.

I love Jerry Mathers.

Goodbye cruel, cruel world, where Jerry gets no jobs except for 
child star The Weakest Link!  I'll always remember your funny 
anecdotes on life, the quarrels with Wally, and yes, the 
glorious times I spent with you on the beach of Santa Carla.

Time: Fri, 26-Apr-2002 09:20:04 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.75

Hello, anyone who performed in my piece "Governor's Ball" last 
weekend -
If anybody still has a copy of this script, could you bring it 
to me tonight at No Shame? Thanks.
-Paul

Time: Fri, 26-Apr-2002 16:42:08 GMT     IP: 167.83.10.24


 THIS ITEM OPEN TO SERIOUS BIDDERS ONLY

  I am in possession of one rare (mint) ORIGINAL ISSUE Paul Rust 
script, "Governor's Ball." This is an ACTUAL PERFORMANCE SCRIPT, 
you can now own. Excellent conversation piece. Suitable for 
framing. Bidding starts at $20.

     -Rev. Chris Stangl

Time: Fri, 26-Apr-2002 18:05:28 GMT     IP: 128.255.174.15

I've got one. I'll let it go for $10.

Time: Fri, 26-Apr-2002 18:28:26 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.194

Dammit!  My copy is no longer in mint condition.  It has green 
highlights all over it.  5 bucks or best offer.

Time: Fri, 26-Apr-2002 18:41:22 GMT     IP: 128.255.174.15

Mine was written on by Paul Rust himself.  Certificate of 
Authenticity is included.

Time: Fri, 26-Apr-2002 19:19:38 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.75

I have 2 legs.  And 2 arms.  And 2 heads.

Time: Fri, 26-Apr-2002 21:05:12 GMT     IP: 63.228.161.162

All for $10.00 US.

1 RARE Genuine Imitation "Governor's Ball" Script.

FREE with purchase: 1 MINT IN BOX Jango Fett Action Figure 
('02/#13).

Time: Sat, 27-Apr-2002 20:02:27 GMT     IP: 128.255.173.90

"He should never go to No Shame again.  Seriously."

I should be whooping for joy at the line above, but I'm not.  

I didn't like the plague sketch and I disliked some/most/all of 
Steve's pieces, but all of his pieces except for one fit the 
three rules.

-Must be five minutes or less
-Must be original
-Must not damage the stage or its occupants 

The whole purpose of No Shame is to allow anyone to perform 
anything, if people could be banned for poorly written or 
offensive sketches I wouldn't be writing anymore.  Oops, I 
haven't written anything this semester, but I'll have some stuff 
ready for next semester.  In theory, Steve has just as much right 
to perform as Aprille, Jason, or Paul.  

This forum is good.  It lets people can give/receive 
constructive/destructive critiscism in a semi-private location 
rather than in packed auditorium.

Time: Sat, 27-Apr-2002 21:46:05 GMT     IP: 12.217.248.144

I missed the show yesterday. Who is in Best of No Shame?

Time: Sun, 28-Apr-2002 07:15:21 GMT     IP: 64.12.104.183

No! Jews are not allowed to participate in No Shame Theatre.

Bah. We who own everything need nothing from your puny No Shame.

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to loofa with 100 dollar bills.

Time: Mon, 29-Apr-2002 04:00:39 GMT     IP: 134.161.104.72

I recently found out that this message board was incorrect in 
saying that BONS was to be held on May 10 (as opposed to May 3). 
I had planned on attending May 10 one, since I am unavailable to 
go on the 3rd. Is there any chance there *might* be a No Shame 
on the 10th, anyway, even though BONS is on the 3rd? Or could 
one be set up?

It's going to be a LONG summer without No Shame!! :-(

Time: Mon, 29-Apr-2002 12:47:20 GMT     IP: 128.255.179.87

Yeah, I think the 3rd is the last one of the semester. I think 
the reason why is that the New Play Festival is going to be going 
on all over the theatre building, including B and Mabee. Someone 
correct me if I am wrong.

I was just actually thinking of summer, are there going to be any 
summer No Shames? I would be willing to drive up for them!

Time: Mon, 29-Apr-2002 18:00:17 GMT     IP: 167.83.10.24

Ha ha. On you! You did that thing where someone made a joke about 
themselves, at their own expense, and then you "corrected" them!

      -Chris Stangl

Time: Mon, 29-Apr-2002 18:17:53 GMT     IP: 167.83.10.24


The Best Of No Shame Theatre
Spring 2002: 5-03-2002

1. "This is a Comedy Piece, so You Will Ideally Laugh," by Jason 
Nebergall

2. "Whale Tale" by al angel

3. "Safe Passage" by Christopher Okiishi

3.5. "Garden Party IV" by Ron Wright

4. "Emma: an Apology" by Toni Wilson

5. "Teabags are about 100% THC" by Alyssa Bowman

6. "White Meat Like Pork or Breast Chicken" by Mark J. Hansen

7. "The Hilarious Mexico Sketch" by James Erwin

7.5. "Surf Ninjas: a Road to Excellence" by Seth Brennemann

8. "I Love Almost Everybody... Except Roy Orbitson, or, 
Michael's Done it Again: Death Count: 38" by Naked Michael Tabor

9. "Philmont Chronicles: Volume Two, Don't You Dare Give ME the 
Bird" by Kurt Meyermann

9.5. "My Butt is Pretty" by Maria Hill

10. "Old Man Tears with Genghis and Hopey" by Arlen Lawson

11. a song?!?! by FURIOUS SKINNY

12. "Sea Badge" by Paul Rust

13. "Who is Stupider?" by Jamal River

14. "Fortune Cookie Nights- a spinn-off; 10 30-second plays 
about Carl" by Aprille Clarke

15. "The Lady Grew So Fast" by Chris Stangl


 The NST board reminds and pleads with all writers: DO NOT 
FORGET to bring new copies of scripts for both LIGHT BOOTH AND 
PERFORMERS.

You wanna make something out of it?

Time: Mon, 29-Apr-2002 19:59:20 GMT     IP: 204.128.192.72

Can anyone tell me where last week's (4/19) No Shame was 
staged?  Or this week's (4/26) for that matter?


Your ever-lovin' web-storian.

...Jeff

Time: Mon, 29-Apr-2002 20:06:14 GMT     IP: 128.255.202.75

Well, if memory serves me correctly, I think that we were in 
Theatre B both weeks.  I could be wrong about the 19th, cause 
that was a long time ago, but I'm sure we were there this week.

Time: Tue, 30-Apr-2002 01:36:47 GMT     IP: 63.25.167.33

No Shame Theatre
4-26-2002 DEAD WEEK
Theatre B, UI Theatres

Order read by special guest Mose Hayward... who pronounced 
Jason's name "Nigger-ball."

1. "YOU are the Laugh Track" by Michael Tabor
[Hansen, Rust, Erwin, Thompson, Wilson, Angel, more?]
	Misfit Rumpy gets in boxing duel with school bully 
Butch; comedy sketch.

2. "I Feel a Breezy Peepee" written and peeped by maria hill
[Clarke, Thompson, Cassady, River, Stangl]
	Liquid the Peepee peepees in Corn Weasel's butt; comedy 
sketch.

2.57. "a thing for rumpy, or You better have written this whole 
damn title down, Stangl, you twerp.  Yeah, I'm talking to you.  
Wanna make something of it? Yeah? Bring it! Oh, is that 
supposed to hurt? Stop tickling me.  Okay, okay, okay, uncle.  
I said uncle! Ow! Leggo! Goddammit! UNCLE!!! OOOOOOWWWWCH!!! 
Ha, just kidding! Wuss. So seriously, let me go now. No, 
seriously. Dude, let me go. Seriously. Don't make me head-butt 
you. Yeah, that's right, and don't ever let me catch you doing 
it again.  What? My mom doesn't do that.  Does she? When? Yeah, 
like you've ever seen a goat and two midgets at a roller rink.  
What? No, I... Dude, put that thing down. Seriously. Put it 
down.  You're scaring me, put it down. No, Chris, no, don't do 
it! What?... *I* love you. No, I do. No, I'm not just saying that 
because you have a howitzer with 22 lbs. Of buckshot in the 
barrel pointed at your head.  I really do. Seriously. Come 
here. Gimme a big hug. Yeah, it's gonna be alright. 
Everything's going to be alright. (muffled sound of cannon 
blast followed by the rhythmic, wet plop of raining meat and 
gore... what happens next? That's for YOU to decide!! (if you 
reload the howitzer with a frozen turkey and a fistful of 
revenge, turn to page 22. If you zap the martians with your 
disintegrato-ray, turn to page 14. If they both die, your 
adventure is over. Go buy another book, dumbass!))"
[Horak, Clark, Erwin]
	Martian Erwin clone plans world dominance, starting 
with NST; comedy sketch.

3. "Wake Me Up When This Poop is Over With, Part 3: Sorry, Part 
2 Wasn't Worth It" by James Brown
[Brown]
	Man antagonizes cabbie, "b-ball coach," waiter... or was 
it a dream!? It was.; comic monologue.

4. "The Killer's Waltz" by Areli River, performed by Furious 
Skinny
	Singing, trumpet, guitar, kicking cookie sheet. Music.

5. "Rumpy's Good Day" by Pookman
[Pookman, Clarke]
	Fat lady nearly ruins Hobo Days, but Rumpy finds love; 
comic monologue.

5.5. "The Creative Mimes" by Diane Murphy
[Murphy, ?]
	Pants-less mimes... are they "art" or "bunk"?; comedy 
sketch.

6. "Rumpy Invents Diocletian" by Jason-X Nebergall
[Nebergall]
	Evil little Rumpy creates vile offspring of dead 
senator Kefauver and shark; comic monologue.

7. "Beach Bum, Motherfucker, Friend," by Arlen Lawson
[Lawson]
	Homeless Jello-eater befriended, de-fingered by 
dolphin; comic monologue.

8. "Way Sports" by Mose Hayward
[Cassady]
	Not-retarded jr. high substitute center front tackle 
finds strength in being himself; comic monologue.

8.9. "Connubial Fusion" by Mark J. Hansen
[Hansen, Erwin, Wilson?]
	Rumpy auditions for school play; comedy sketch

9. "The No Shame Show" by Paul Rust
[Rust, Cassady, Galbraith, Nebergall, Stangl, Lawson, Brown]
	TV docu. history of NS comedy show's invention of 
Cassady, Rust, etc!; comedy sketch

9.5. "I'm Gonna Clean up this Town. Good!" by Michelle Thompson
[Thompson; ?; Hueretz]
	Uptight! Outtashight! OH YEAH!; comedy sketch.

10. "Drops of Spanish Rose" by Sarah Neilson
[Stangl]
Inhuman blood-collection center inverted by natural forces, 
blood sports ensue; Poetic erotica monologue.

11. "The Singing Piece! (based on actual events!)" by Toni 
Wilson
[Tabor, Hansen, Wilson, Lane, ?]
	Inept falsetto serenade fails to win woman's heart; 
comedy sketch.

12. "The No Rumpy Club" by Jamie Margolin with help from Pookman
[Hansen, Margolin, Pookman]
Andy and Jamie's treehouse is a Rumpy-free zone. Rumpy doesn't 
like that; comedy sketch.

12.5. "24 Hrs." by Chris Stangl; Furious Skinny
	Song on yelling, trashcan, shovel. Music.

13. "How to Make Someone Love You: an Informative Play" by 
Aprille Clarke
[Clarke, Nebergall]
Aprille's insecurity trigger's dual monologues about hippie 
corrupted by plastic surgeon husband; comedy- monologues-sketch

14. "Big Stupid Goes to the Fair" by Chris Stangl
[Stangl]
	Big Stupid wrecks skylift, blue-ribbon pumpkin, puts 
turkey leg in crack; his jr. high compatriots ponder the nature 
of death-by-falling-from-skylift; comic monologue.

15. "THE END; 'Bedtime for Britt' Revisited; for Britt Hill" by 
al angel
[Angel]
	Al tucks in his beloved with rhyming lullaby ; love 
poem.

Time: Tue, 30-Apr-2002 12:17:47 GMT     IP: 64.6.85.239

Yes! Summer No Shame! Now THAT'S a good idea.

Time: Tue, 30-Apr-2002 17:50:44 GMT     IP: 128.255.173.90

Serves me right, I forgot that much of what Steve does is self 
deprecating.  I'll never show him an ounce of respect again!

Time: Tue, 30-Apr-2002 18:27:18 GMT     IP: 128.255.189.57

i think i would be quite interested in this summer shame thing, 
i hear some kids talking about.  maybe it could be something we 
don't do every week...more like...every other week.  and maybe 
it could be in my bedroom, and i'm the only performer, and i 
just go to jason nebergall's webpage,  and pull up the picture 
he took of the no shame audience, and i have my computer face 
me, but i put something over the picture of me also being in the 
audience, so that i forget i'm there and it would really be like 
being on stage, and when i thought i was being funny i would 
shake my head back in forth, so the audience looked like it was 
moving, like how people move around sometimes when they laugh,  
and then maybe i would be in my room doing this so long that i 
would forget to eat, i would just stay there, and when people 
came and found my little body, they would say..."why didn't we 
just do summer shame?"  and then there would be lots of crying, 
and while you all were crying you would look across my room and 
notice that not only did i starve myself, but i was too caught 
up in this whirlwind of pseudo-no shame fun to feed my mice (and 
they're all dead too, except for one who is eating his siblings 
and then he looks up at you with a bloody mouth and another 
mouse head hanging from it, so he looks like a two headed mouse 
and just as you get excited at his scientific breakthrough, the 
second head falls off and he chews on it some), and then you 
would stop being sad and start being sick, cause you wouldn't 
like the kind of person i had become because of my selfish 
audience needs, and you would all be kind of glad you didn't do 
summer no shame, cause you would decide you're better off not 
knowing someone like me. then i would be in heaven watching you 
guys and  crying for a little bit...but then i would say "wait a 
minute" to myself and i would go get Jesus, Albert Einstein, Jim 
Henson, and Billy Barty and i would show them what No Shame is 
and then every friday night in heaven i would get together with 
my REAL friends and laugh a lot. 

Time: Tue, 30-Apr-2002 21:03:33 GMT     IP: 167.83.10.24



    How do you feel about "Summer No Shame"? Does the prospect 
excite you? Would you attend every week? If it doesn't happen 
will you bang your wrists against the sides of your hospital bed 
so hard they have to strap your arms with medical tape?
    My feeling on Summer No Shame is usually "no," or "maybe 
one.":
 1) Yes, admission REALLY DOES pay rent on the theatre space. If 
we didn't sell out, we'd have not a non-profit show, but an anti-
profit show.

 3) Constant, ceaseless NST is "fun" for regulars and townies, 
but also burns out writers, performers and (see #1) AUDIENCES.

 4) While NST is not a University Function, it's silly to 
pretend the audience and indeed assembled writers are not 
primarily UI students, hoardes of whom go "home" during summer.

 5) It is my firm personal belief that NST writers need the 
break. Erwin, Clarke, Jamal-- anyone who's seen not just 
multiple seasons but YEARS of NST can tell you-- the season 
generally starts looser, weirder and more fun, and both writing 
and fun fall into sad, soggy ruts by the end. Like an old man. 
With a soggy rut.

 6) No Shame is just an idea: writers will have short works 
performed NOW. You CAN do that yourself... just call it 
something besides "No Shame Theatre," or we'll slap you with a 
fist so hard it'll make your lawsuit spin.

     -Rev. C. Stangl. Part 2 wasn't worth it!

Time: Tue, 30-Apr-2002 21:50:47 GMT     IP: 128.255.179.87

I think that Summer No Shame is a great idea if we don't do it 
every week. I think that what Chris is saying about burn-out and 
such is true. I think that the writers and performers do need a 
break, but if we did No Shame twice or three times during the 
summer, it would be fun. But then we would have to try and figure 
out where to have the damn thing.

Or, instead, we could all just have a big drunken party we refer 
to as "No Shame: Summer Session". Or something to the effect.

Time: Wed, 01-May-2002 00:05:45 GMT     IP: 128.255.187.193

     I agree with all the points being made about the inevitable 
burn-outs and the fact that it's not physically or desirably 
possible to have a No Shame every week in the summer.  But, like 
Toni said, maybe we could just do a few shows.  It could be 
totally informal, we could even call it something else...and as 
for where to have it...would the Ped Mall work?  or some grassy 
area?  I don't know if you need any kind of permit/licence to 
perform in that kind of a place, but theoretically the weather 
would be nice....and No Shame-esque antics would be fun to 
experience outside.  I'm sure a lot of us are going to write 
some things this summer, and if any of those things turned out 
to be brief theatricals, it would be liberating to know that we 
don't have to wait 3 or 4 months to see them get performed.  It 
seems like a lot of people are pro-finding-a-way-to-work-this-
out, so maybe we will.  that'd be AWESOME.

Time: Wed, 01-May-2002 01:58:55 GMT     IP: 64.6.85.63

During my latest upgrade attempt, I compromised my computer pretty 
severely.  Since this is the most effective way I now to reach my 
computer nerdy friends, I shall post this here.  If you need to 
reach me, the email address above is for my cel phone.  Just keep 
your messages extremely brief.  Or else use a telephone to speak 
out loud to me.  At least until I get ths thing apart again and my 
old motherboard back in place.
love 
Nick

Time: Wed, 01-May-2002 03:27:08 GMT     IP: 64.6.85.137

I really like the idea of 2-3 summer shows, outside. That would 
be really really cool. If such a thing were to happen, I, Danny 
Bissell, long time audience member, would likely try my hand at 
writing/performing, instead of freeloading off the regulars like 
I have for so long. This is worth thinking about.