Research and Remembrances

I'm writing again.  I've picked up a long neglected script, dusted off the keyboard and started working.  I've completed a rough draft of the play, and hope to do a revision or two in the next week or so.  The goal is to submit the play for a writing grant from the Maryland Arts Council.  It's been a while since my last production or even since I last really focused on writing that this surge of renewed interest and creativity feels invigorating.

I also realized that I needed to do a little research for this project which deals with an aspiring stand up comic.  So I've been going through how to books, books about comedy in the 70s, and watching a few informative documentaries.  Among my research I came across a film called Why We Laugh: Funny Women.  This documentary talks about the ins and outs of stand up comedy as it relates to being a woman.  There are many insightful interviews and appearances by comediennes such as Joan Rivers, Whoopi Goldberg, Paula Poundstone, Lily Tomlin, Sandra Bernhard and Aisha Tyler - to name a few.

Let me tell you a story about Lily Tomlin.  Now Lily Tomlin is an incredibly creative and funny woman but isn't credited with being a great stand up.  She's a movie star, and her solo performances are wonderful.  When I was twelve years old or so I got the opportunity through a Summer workshop I was doing to see Lily Tomlin Live in her one woman show The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe.  It was amazing.  She transformed from character to character seamlessly.  She was funny!  She was brilliant!  She started coughing... It was bad.  It got so bad that she had to stop the show, get a glass of water and take a break on stage!  She had the audience in the palm of her hand and she slammed on the breaks.  She chit-chatted with the audience as she soothed her sore throat and then after a few minutes finished her drink.  The lights went back down, and she jumped right back into the show!  I was Awestruck!  (I don't think this was a bit.  I think she really needed a glass of water.  To this day I have not read or seen another production of the show because I want to keep the original impression and awe that her performance gave me.)

My Kinda Woman!

Oh, and speaking of funny women Aisha Tyler is so funny in her interviews.  Now my wife would tell you that Aisha Tyler is one of my celebrity crushes... she'd be right!  I loved her on The Soup!  She's so funny on Archer!  She's the only reason to watch the Talk!  She definitely is on my LIST!