Stranger Than Fiction

Talking to Strangers: Tara Interviews Zach

jill — Sun, 06 May 2012 23:28:43 +0000

This summer Stranger Than Fiction cast members will interview each other… with silly questions. This week our artistic director Tara McDonough puts fire to the feet of our youngest and newest cast member Zachary Weed. Check back for a new interview each week!

TARA: What did you wish your name was, when you were in elementary school?

ZACH: Billy, the blue Power Ranger. Or Zordon. Or perhaps Lord Zedd. Basically, I was unhappy with the amount of crime I was fighting based on the amount the kids in the TV were.

TARA: What’s an important part of being an adult that you refuse to do? Why?

ZACH: Good God… I’M AN ADULT.

TARA: If you could choose your last meal, what would it be and why?

ZACH: I would order a prime rib with ridiculously specific and challenging instructions. “I’ll take the prime rib, well done on the inside, medium rare on the outside in the shape Prince Edward Island but not in an obvious way with a garnish of the highest, most pinkest, most perfectest flower from atop Mount McKinley.” Then I can just keep sending it back and never die.

TARA: What has been the high point in your life so far?

ZACH: Joining the cast of Stranger then Fiction Improv and Comedy! BAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRFFFF

TARA: f you could have any superpower, what would you choose?

ZACH: I feel as though superpowers should come with some sort of severe side-effect so as to prevent their abuse. For example, you can use mind-control on someone but then every time they pee you have to as well. Or invisibility that causes you to scream uncontrollably. Or teleportation where there’s a 1% chance that your arms and legs will switch places. I’m not happy about it but I guess I’ll take teleportation.

TARA: What is your favorite word?

ZACH: Synecdoche (si-NEK-duh-kee) stands out. In a high school English class, a classmate pronounced the word as ‘Sonic Douche’ which is, to say the least, a truly alarming concept.

TARA: If you had to describe yourself with one word that has the same first letter as your first name, what would that word be?

ZACH: Zany. Or Zordon. Or perhaps Lord Zedd. Basically, I’m unhappy with the amount of fear my actual name strikes into the hearts of my enemies based on the Z named characters in the TV.

TARA: What’s your lucky number?

ZACH: 72. Aren’t I unique?

TARA: Tell us a knock-knock joke.

ZACH: Knock Knock!
Who’s There?
Madame.
Madame who?
Madame foot’s caught in the door!

Now, just think about this for a moment. Consider the pain the knocker must be in having his foot caught in an ostensibly locked door. I think we can forgive the mild cursing. So, this begs the question, how on Earth has the knocker failed to realize another person in excruciating pain stuck in the door? Why would the knocker want to spend any time with this kind of person?? How did the knocker get stuck in the first place– Could it have been the answerer?!? This joke haunts me at night…

TARA: If the world could learn just one thing by your example, what should that be?

ZACH: Felony arson is only funny, like 6% of the time. But those times are magical.

Look forward to more “Talking With Strangers” all summer long!

Talking to Strangers: David Interviews Jon

jill — Wed, 02 May 2012 02:27:58 +0000

This summer Stranger Than Fiction cast members will interview each other… with silly questions. This week David Chevalier and Jon Wellington. Check back for a new interview each week!

DAVID: If you could eliminate one thing, would it be BO, vampire bats, or mustaches?

JON: Vampire BO (bet you saw that one coming). One of the frustrations with vampires lately is that they have become lame. Between Twilight and that Showtime show True Blood, vampires have become these smelly, emotionally unstable soap opera acting idiots. I want Nosferatu 2, where all he does for an hour and a half is beat up the common 21st century vampires who are too busy putting on sun screen and looking for love.

DAVID: What is your favorite kind of pain?

JON: My favorite kind of pain is physical pain. It’s tangible and you can touch it. It always comes from a source and as oppose to emotional, mental or spiritual pain you can usually easily identify that source of your physical pain and rain your own physical pain down upon it.

DAVID: How would it make you feel to find out you were a doppelganger of
the real you?

JON: I was slightly surprised when it DID happen but when I killed the other Jon Wellington (Won Jellington) years ago I felt released –a lot like Jet Li in the movie where he has to kill himself in all alternate universes making himself stronger. The day I destroyed myself and realized I was the evil twin I was hurt, but then I jumped and found that I could go 2 inches higher than I could earlier that day. It made everything worth it.

DAVID: What is the best shark?

JON: I like the tiger shark. It is brutal and smart. I want a tattoo across my entire back of a shark fighting a panda. I feel it symbolizes the raging battle within my soul.

DAVID: Please name three noises that can scare a puma.

JON: In all seriousness, a puma will not attack something unless they have stalked it and assessed that it can be taken without too much of a battle so… the sound of a bigger puma, the sound of man, the sound of a man in puma sneakers.

Have more questions for Jon Wellington? Drop him a comment.

Summer Classes and Workshops!

jill — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:09:07 +0000

Great news-Classes in Foundations of Improv will be running all this summer in both the Seacoast and Greater Manchester area! Whether you endeavor to find yourself onstage, brush up on skills, expand an acting resume, or just feel more comfortable in business situations, we can help!

Open to novices and beginners, Foundations I will give you the tools you need to greet the day (or the stage) with a big ‘ole “Yes, and…” Improv at its core is about listening and reacting. With some guidance and practice, you’ll become a more collaborative and creative person in no time.

Also, this season we begin our “A Very Stranger Summer” Specialty Series, several one-session workshops on various topics. We’re still throwing ideas around, but we’d love to meet your demands.

To register or simply be placed on our “Classes” e-mail list, click here: http://eepurl.com/lsPFH

See, with one simple act, you’ve already begun to say “yes, and….”

Stay posted for dates and details, as we are still in the process of securing dates, spaces, and instructors.

Here’s looking at you, kids.

Are you the NEXT Stranger?

jill — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:21:16 +0000

NH’s own Stranger Than Fiction will be holding open auditions for the troupe as we embark on our 8th annual summer season at the Players’ Ring in Portsmouth, NH. This year’s search for new cast members will take place at the Majestic Theatre in Manchester, NH on Sunday, April 29th at 12:30 PM. Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a headshot/resume if available.

While improv and stage experience is always a bonus, it is hardly necessary. Ultimately, we want to see if you can “bring the funny” and if you can, we’ll work on the rest later. In addition, you should be a living, breathing, emoting humanoid over the age of 21, and reside in some proximity to the NH Seacoast. Seriously, some of our members come from as far away as Portland, Maine. Others have no home at all.

Please RSVP to our director Tara (auditions@strangerthanfiction.us) so we can reserve a slot for you.

The Majestic Theatre is located at 922 Elm Street – Suite 315 , Manchester, NH.

This is the same building as Ted Herbert’s, next to the Mayor’s office. Next to Ted Herbert’s, look for a pink awning. Head through this door to the end of the hall. Come up to the third floor, take a left and we’ll be at the end of the hallway. Just like that scene in The Shining.

Parking is available on the street and in nearby parking garages.

www.majestictheatre.net

Best of luck and Godspeed.

See STF at the Players’ Ring Season Reveal!

jill — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:07:01 +0000

We’ll be performing a few games this Thursday at the Players’ Ring Season Reveal. This event, open to Players’ Ring members only, highlights the best the Ring has to offer during their upcoming summer season. Becoming a member not only means you get the knowing heart pang that comes with supporting this risk-taking Portsmouth theater arts community all year long, but that you receive a discounted rate at all Ring shows, including Tuesday Night Improv with Stranger Than Fiction. So, get your “Member’s Only” jacket on and we’ll see you this Thursday at 8 PM.

For more information on the Players’ Ring, head to www.playersring.org

Meet you at the Ring.

Show with Atlantis Playmakers

jill — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:17:56 +0000

After a short fall hiatus, we are so very excited to be back in action doing a charity show! See Stranger Than Fiction perform a set of their madcap short form improvisational comedy you love so much at the Atlantis Playmakers Theater in Burlington, MA. The bill also features a slew of other mindblowingly awesome New England area comedians and improvisors, such as Made of Plastic, Heard of It (a duo comprised of Harry Gordon and Christine Cuddy), Laura Clark, and David Mogolov. It’s fun, it’s interactive, and it’s made up entirely on the spot based off of YOUR suggestions. Come support this charity night of long form and short form comedy on Saturday, November 5th, at 8 PM.

Tickets are $25 and are available here online and at the door: www.atlantisplaymakers.com

Please come out and laugh at us (for a good cause).

Tuesday Night Improv is Coming!

jill — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:25:23 +0000

June 5th, kids.

Once again this June, we are proud to continue our 9th consecutive season at the Players’ Ring, bringing you only the finest improv NH can offer all summer long!

This means you get to watch your favorite improvisors every Tuesday Night at 8 PM beginning June 5th. Through our own particular brand of long and short form improv, we promise unparalleled hilarity, and some hot summer nights. That’s right. We’re the summer fling you’ve been dying to have since grade school.

Go on…mark your calendars for June 5th, plug it into your iPhones, set an alarm. Tuesday nights with STF are on their merry way.

Animated Stranger Than Fiction

jill — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:51:42 +0000

Check it out- we’re cute…and we’re animated! Thanks to our very own David Chevalier, you can watch us dance for you in cartoon form.

Stranger Than Fiction by 1977chevy

Fire up the Welcome Wagon!

jill — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:02:47 +0000

Thank you to all who auditioned this past March; it was an action packed, fun-filled day for all. This area has such burgeoning talent and, as we see the Portsmouth comedy scene develop and evolve, we couldn’t be happier. Although the decision was ridiculously difficult, we are happy to be adding Jen Whitley to the Stranger than Fiction family.

Hilarious, easy-going, and from Maine, Jen enjoys long walks on the beach, water polo, and you guessed it, horse diving. Actually, we’re not really sure she enjoys any of these things, really. All we know for sure is that she lives in Portland. And that’s in . . . you guessed it, Maine. So, welcome Jen, our newest addition from Maine. Sorry Tara, you’ve just been out-Mained.

Are YOU Stranger Than Fiction? AUDITION!

jill — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 22:06:37 +0000

Please RSVP to our director Tara (auditions@strangerthanfiction.us) so we can reserve a slot for you.

The Majestic Theatre is located at 922 Elm Street – Suite 315 , Manchester, NH.

Parking is available on the street and in nearby parking garages.

www.majestictheatre.net

Best of luck and Godspeed.