PEACH WEEKENDER

Tour brings 4 comedians to the Ritz Theatre

1/22/2014

Liz Miele

The Ritz Theatre is bringing some of the rising stars of comedy to Tiffin when it presents the Nobodies of Comedy Tour, Winter edition, on Saturday.

The show, touring since 2002, is produced by Michael Mills of Mills Entertainment. This year’s stars include:

● Kevin McCaffrey: The comic with a storytelling style made his network TV debut on The Late Show with David Letterman in November. Based in New York, he has appeared on truTV Presents: World’s Dumbest. He also has appeared on History’s I Love the 1880s, a program that looked back at history through the eyes of some of today’s comedians. He has appeared at the Great American Comedy Festival, Bridgetown Comedy Festival in Portland, Boston Comedy Festival, the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival in Austin, and others. He has also written for VH1, MTV, and Fuse TV. Information: kevin-mccaffrey.com.

● Jason Kanter: Sarcasm and sharp wit are his trademarks, although Kanter softens it with an attitude that makes even the darkest material fun, according to press materials. He has been featured on the Jim Breuer Show on Sirius Satellite Radio, on Red Eye on Fox News, and in U.S. comedy clubs including Stand-up New York and Comic Strip Live in New York City, Funny Bone in Reno, and several Ohio venues. Information: drunkandfunny.com.

● Liz Miele: At age 18 she was featured in a 2004 article in a humor issue of the New Yorker magazine. And now, at 28, she is a regular at popular clubs in New York City, including Carolines, Gotham, and Stand-up New York. She has been featured on Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham. She also created and writes an animated Web series, Damaged, about broken robots adopted by humans. Information: lizmiele.com.

● Dan Shaki: Now a stand-up comedian living in New York, he has been featured on XM radio’s New Rascal’s Comedy Hour, was the runner-up in Carolines’ World Series of Stand-up, was a finalist in the Gilda’s Club Laugh Off, quarterfinalist in the Page International Screenwriting Awards, and performs regularly in New York City. He also is co-host of the podcast In The Tank. Information: danshaki.com

The Nobodies of Comedy Tour will be presented Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Ritz Theatre, 30 S. Washington St., Tiffin. Tickets are $25-$10 from the box office at 419-448-8544 or ritztheatre.org

 

‘Lear’ in Monroe

The Monroe Community Players are reaching for dramatic heights with their upcoming production of Shakespeare’s King Lear.

The play tells the story of tragedy that envelops the family of the aging Lear, who is planning to leave the throne and divide his kingdom among his daughters, Regan, Goneril, and Cordelia. He tests them by asking how much they love him. Only Cordelia answers from the heart, but he does not realize it and casts her out. Lear is ultimately betrayed by his remaining children, and descends into madness.

How did the Monroe theater group decide to stage King Lear? “As a group we try to perform a Shakespeare show once every two or three years,” Lear director David P. Wahr said in an email. “In the past we’ve had good audiences and there seems to be a strong desire in the community to see Shakespeare. Originally we were looking to produce A Midsummer Night’s Dream and I was set to direct. But, when I learned that William McCloskey, whose acting I admire very much, was interested in doing Lear, our plans changed quickly.”

He expects theater-goers will appreciate the passion the cast brings to the Monroe Players’ production. “Bill McCloskey (a professor of English at Monroe County Community College with a doctorate in Renaissance literature) has been teaching King Lear for nearly 30 years and knows the character and play very well,” Wahr said, and has been a great resource to the rest of the cast, which includes seasoned Players’ veterans and newcomers. The cast includes McCloskey as King Lear, Carolyn Sohoza as Goneril, Ashley Powers as Regan, and Hope Laurain as Cordelia.

Monroe Community Players will present “King Lear” tomorrow and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.; the script has been edited for time considerations. Shows are at the Meyer Theater in the La-Z-Boy Center on the campus of Monroe Community College, 1555 S. Raisinville Rd. in Monroe. Tickets are $20 and $15, and are available at the box office or at monroecommunityplayers.org.

Send theater items at least two weeks in advance of the event to Sue Brickey at sbrickey@theblade.com.