Or should I say the Aggro and the Ecstasy? Because there is ecstasy involved when things you've imagined in your head draw together from small particles of energy and solidify before your eyes. Bitchcraft!, my first live comedy show since October of 2007 has come and gone. And it has evolved. Not yet perfectly formed but definitely took some big steps forward toward becoming my imagining.
(l to r: M. Edwards, M. Bolstad, M. Douglas, H. Popp)I always envisioned a show that mixed mediums and media. Comedy, music, dancing, art, film. On Saturday night I opened the show with the video you can watch below if you're inclined in any way. The concept began with a spoof song title. The Commodores "Brick House" became "She's a Bitch, Now!" The song was recorded and then I came up with a concept for the video. The video was shot over a weekend and then it took me four weeks to edit four minutes worth of video! We are talking a steep, steep learning curve. Now I had my video to open my show with. I'm working with a zero budget at the moment and through the kindness of friends was able to secure a theater with a projection system. Unfortunately, I didn't find out until we finally had access to the stage that the projection screen would not lower and raise electronically but rather with a hand crank...so my vision of striding unto the stage, riding the wave of applause after the video were somewhat crushed during the much too long interval of completely blacked out hand cranking, interspersed with audience tittering and coughing...sigh.
(taking a look at Maureen's camera work)But nonetheless, I grew the show exponentially. I added guest performers, who also appear in the video with me. I also wrote material for myself for the first time. Normally I do what I like to call Improv Stand Up. Meaning, I quip my way through audience suggested topics on the spot. This is still a big part of the show and was ultimately born out of my never having had time to write myself comedy material. It seems hair raising to most but for me that is fun! Delivering written material is what's scares the crap out of me! So, as a result of spending much too much time editing the video that would amount to four minutes of the show, I short changed myself on the honing of my material. And I was beating myself but good over it.
Between producing every element to hand holding my guest performers to stressing over the hand crank, I had beaten every last bit of fun out of it for me. I was sitting in the dressing room 30 minutes before show time and was just pissed off. Then, my inner voice just said "fuck it!" and I made the decision to go out there and just be real about it. For $5 our audience was getting free liquor, donut holes and a pretty damn entertaining show. And the experience of being a part of something that is still forming, still growing, still evolving. They got to be a part of the birthing process. And I give big, huge, donkey dick gratitude to each and every person who came and paid and enjoyed (many for the 2nd or 3rd time). Because they are encouraging me to keep the baby alive! It may not be fully formed yet. It may have a harelip but it's still a living part of me and someday, in the non too distant future, we'll raise enough money to get that baby's harelip fixed and I hope that everyone who has helped nurture and raise it, will be there to see it's perfect smile!
Click here to watch "She's A Bitch, Now!"
