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[MAY 15, 2002]  ^"The Comedy Bible: From Stand-Up to Sitcom — The Comedy Writer’s Ultimate How-To Guide." Judy Carter, Fireside Books, 2001, 367 pages.

Has anyone ever said to you, "Hey, you’re funny, you should become a comedian!" If so, then the new book by comedian/writer Judy Carter may be your launching pad for a new career. In "The Comedy Bible" she gives us an insider’s view of the world of comedic writing and performing.

According to Carter, comics can express themselves in many ways: "Many do get onstage, acting and doing stand-up, but others write sitcoms, screenplays, and songs, while others express themselves through cartoons, advertising, and more."

She also points out that many of today’s top comics started out in a completely different field. For example, Jay Leno started as an auto mechanic, while Rodney Dangerfield sold house paint.

What does it take to have a successful career in comedy? Carter believes that making it as a comic or a comedy writer is "a combination of talent and craft." She says, "If you have a gift for comedy, then I can show you how to shape your gift into the sort of ‘funny’ that will get you noticed and paid."

"Warm up – Is there any hope for you?"

In part one Carter helps you determine if comedy is the right move and whether you have what it takes to be a comedian. She differentiates between three avenues of comedy — performing, writing and marketing. There are several tests to help you make that determination; among them are the "yuk factor" test and Judy’s five-step fear management program. This section also contains Carter’s Comedy Bible’s Ten Commandments, such as, "Thou shalt carry around a pad and pen at all times."

"Comedy workshop"

Here Carter gets down to the nuts and bolts of comedy. Included are her lessons for the "26 days to killer comedy material," starting with the five-part joke structure (attitude plus topic plus premise plus act-out plus mix plus act-out). Other lessons include instructions on finding authentic topics, practicing your material, weeding out the bad jokes and evaluating your performance.

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For those who aspire to write rather than perform comedy, check out the "19 days to writing your sitcom spec script." Carter advises you how to pick and dissect a show, understand the sitcom structure, write an outline and draft, and complete a final rewrite. She concludes with some tricks of the trade for those interested in writing for other comics, radio shows, humorous essays, opinion pieces and articles.

"Funny money"

In part three Carter describes the business side of the comedy profession along with her three-step business strategy: Get good (write often, practice, study other comics), get noticed (find your audience, work the media, showcase yourself), and get paid (representing yourself, negotiations, contracts).

Following this section are appendices that contain listings of comedy services, clubs, showcases and the Writers Guild Registration Service.

For those who believe they may have the right stuff to be a comedic performer or writer, "The Comedy Bible" is a primary source of information. In addition to its comprehensive coverage of the subject, the numerous tips and jokes interspersed throughout the text make it a humorous read.

In explaining the importance of the opening line in a joke, Phyllis Diller observes, "The first word, that first sentence, is one of the most important things you’re gonna do. … For example – I had a dress that was, well, it looked like upholstery, and I said something about how I shot my couch. Right away that’s a laugh."

Carter summarizes the essence of her book when she writes, "This version of the bible will show you how to discover your originality, craft it, and turn your sense of humor into a moneymaking comedy career."

This book is recommended for anyone considering a career in comedy and for readers who enjoy quality humor.

[Richard Sumrall, Lincoln Public Library District]

• Lincoln Community Theatre

• Logan County Arts Association

Wicked stepmother, torrential
rains don’t stop Cinderella

[MAY 13, 2002]  At 6:45 p.m. Saturday it looked bleak for the 75 students involved with this year’s musical production of "Cinderella." Heavy rains had caused the LCHS auditorium ceiling to resemble a tropical rain forest, as buckets strategically placed in the seating area played their own musical melody of plop, plop, plop.

School officials concerned for the safety of the public could not allow the play to go on as planned. The leaks from the roof were one thing; the possibility of a section of the heavily plastered ceiling coming down was another.

The students, who had two performances under their belt but were looking forward to the big audiences the weekend shows always bring, could be seen in the halls, their emotions running from disappointment to tears. Residents who had started to show up to choose the best seats mingled in the halls with them, sharing the sadness that hundreds of hours of practice were being washed away by a roof giving in to the elements.

At 7 p.m., director Tom Quinn advised everyone mingling about the halls not to leave. The decision to move the set to the school gymnasium meant that the show would go on.

With that announcement, a mass exodus of students and audience, many carrying something from the stage area over to the gymnasium, began.

[Photos by Bob Frank]
[Though they're in the stands, this is no basketball game.]

There was no question that some of the play would be hampered in this "theater in the round" atmosphere. No pyrotechnics, no exit stage left or right was possible. The light show would be relegated to turning the gym’s big overhead lights on and off to take the place of the auditorium’s spotlights. The evening would show that these problems would be relegated to mere inconveniences by the band, cast and crew giving their all during the performance.

The actors, now only a few feet from the 400 to 500 in attendance, ignored the fact that their markers were now free-throw lines and out-of-bounds lines rather than stage points. The play must go on and it did. Remarkably well, this observer must add.

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Without the stage to hide the activity a set change brings behind a curtain, the audience ended up being privy to all the machinations that make up a multi-set play. The students involved also showed their resourcefulness by not letting the mere inconvenience of becoming a road show in less than an hour deter them from delivering their lines on time with the same skill and determination as they had in the two previous performances in the auditorium.

There were a few non-scripted moments during the play. Since they added to the event by showing the students’ resiliency and effort, they in no way detracted from the performance.

At one point when the fairy godmother is supposed to exit stage left amidst smoke and darkness, she simply walked a few feet past the performance area. When Cinderella asked the fairy godmother’s helper if she always exited that way, he replied: "Many times, but usually more impressive than that." The line broke up the cast as well as audience.

[By Sunday's matinee, the lighting crew had their spotlights in place.  But gym or stage, it never phased Betsy Buttell, LCHS's Cinderella.]

At another point when the transformation of the little mice to horses was supposed to occur amidst darkness, swirling lights and smoke, the gym lights were turned off as stage crew flitted flashlight beams around the area in a brilliant improvisation.

In still another scene, a crew member noticing the lost slipper was not "on stage" slid across the gym floor, planted the slipper and hid behind the prop bridge till the scene was over.

These minor gaffs didn’t detract from the play. Rather they enhanced it as audience and cast alike reveled in the resiliency of the students to pull off a first-class rendition of Rogers and Hammerstein’s play under less-than-perfect circumstances.

The two composers would have liked what they saw that evening. The audience surely did.

[Mike Fak]

LCHS spring musical, ‘Cinderella’

[MAY 9, 2002]  LCHS will present its spring musical, "Cinderella," this weekend. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. on May 9, 10 and 11 and at 2:30 p.m. on May 12. All shows will be in the LCHS auditorium.

This production is directed by Tom Quinn and Kim Peterson Quinn. The pit orchestra is directed by David Swaar. Choreography is by Heather Bean.

The lead role of Cinderella will be played by Betsy Buttell. Eric Agostino will play the prince; Heather Bean will play the fairy godmother; Kerry Dobihal will play the stepmother; Kelly Dowling and Mallory Coons will play Joy and Portia, the stepsisters.

[Photo by Bob Frank]

Movie classics

Logan County Arts Association upcoming films

[MAY 9, 2002]  All upcoming monthly features in the Logan County Arts Association series of classic films will start at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Cinemas, 215 S. Kickapoo.

Thursday, May 9

"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939)

Jimmy Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains

A naive man is appointed to fill a vacancy in the US Senate. His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesn’t back down.

Thursday, June 13

Alfred Hitchcock’s "Rear Window" (1954)

Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, Raymond Burr

A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.

Thursday, July 11

"Top Hat" (1935)

Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers

Showman Jerry Travers is working for producer Horace Hardwick in London. Jerry demonstrates his new dance steps late one night in Horace’s hotel, much to the annoyance of sleeping Dale Tremont below. She goes upstairs to complain, and the two are immediately attracted to each other. Complications arise when Dale mistakes Jerry for Horace.

Thursday, Aug. 8

John Ford’s "Fort Apache" (1948)

John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple, Ward Bond, Victor McLaglen

In John Ford’s somber exploration of "Custer’s last stand" and the mythologizing of American heroes, he slowly reveals the character of Owen Thursday, who sees his new posting to the desolate Fort Apache as a chance to claim the military honor which he believes is rightfully his. Arrogant, obsessed with military form and ultimately self-destructive, Thursday attempts to destroy the Indian warrior Cochise after luring him across the border from Mexico.

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Thursday, Sept. 12

"Breakfast at Tiffany’s" (1961)

Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Buddy Ebsen, Patricia Neal

Based on Truman Capote’s novel, this is the story of a young jet-setting woman in New York City who meets a young man when he moves into her apartment building.

Thursday, Oct. 10

Horror/sci-fi double feature

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1931)

Frederic March, Miriam Hopkins

Based on the story by Robert Louis Stevenson. Dr. Henry Jekyll believes that there are two distinct sides to men: a good and an evil side. He faces horrible consequences when he lets his dark side run wild with a potion that changes him into the animalistic Mr. Hyde.

"The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951)

Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe

An alien (Klaatu) with his mighty robot (Gort) lands their spacecraft on cold-war Earth just after the end of World War II. He tells the people of Earth that we must live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets.

Tickets will be available at Serendipity Stitches, 129 S. Kickapoo; the Lincoln Public Library Annex; at the door; or by calling (217) 732-4298. Ticket prices are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2.50 for children 13 and under. These features are one show only, with limited seating.

[Logan County Arts Association ]

Auditions for summer shows

[APRIL 9, 2002]  Lincoln Community Theatre is looking for local talent to sing, dance and act in its summer 2002 productions. Singing and non-singing roles are available.

If auditioning for a role in one of this summer’s musical productions, individuals should have a song prepared. An accompanist will be available. Individuals should also be prepared to learn a few basic dance steps at the audition.

Those auditioning for non-singing roles will be required to do cold readings from the script. Scripts may be viewed at the Lincoln Public Library two weeks prior to each audition. Library scripts may not be removed from the building.

All auditions will be conducted at St. John Church of Christ, 204 Seventh St. in Lincoln.

Production and audition dates are as follows:

•  "Hello, Dolly!"

Performance dates: June 14-22

Auditions:

•  Friday, April 12, 6 p.m.

•  Saturday, April 13, 10 a.m.

•  Sunday, April 14, 2 p.m., callbacks only

You will be asked to sing a song, your choice or one from "Hello, Dolly." You will also be taught a simple dance (you do not need to prepare one). The director is looking in the age range of 25 to 60, but all are welcome to audition.

•  "Dearly Departed"

Performance dates: July 12-20

Auditions:

•  Friday, May 10, 6:30 p.m.

•  Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m.

The director is looking for actors age 20 and above. There will be four to six men, six to eight women, a trio of singers and a part for one teenage girl. There are lots of parts for older mature actors. People auditioning should plan to be there for entire audition session (1½ to two hours).

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[Judy Rader, LCT publicity chairman]

Lincoln Community Theatre’s website is at www.geocities.com/lincolncommunitytheatre/index.html. Pictures from past productions are included.  The LCT mailing address is Lincoln Community Theatre, P.O. Box 374, Lincoln, IL  62656.  E-mail: lincolncommunitytheatre@yahoo.com.

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