Piccolo: Day Nine

Volume 7: Thursday, June 9th 9:30

1. Todd Ristau, Green Man, performed by Todd Ristau
2. Adam Hahn, According to David Harman, This Monologue is All About Sex, performed by Adam Hahn
3. John Shirley, Like an Animal, performed by John Shirley, Adam Hahn and Amy Alls
4. Lee Moyer, An Experiment in Reportage, Todd Ristau and audience volunteers
5. Trent Westbrook, Golf Club, performed by Trent Westbrook
6. Howard Zimmerle, The Speech, Lindsey Webb, Amy Alls, Adam Hahn, and Robb Rouse
7. Clinton Johnston, Two Black Girls, One of them White, performed by Clinton Johnston, Lindsey Webb, and Amy Alls
8. Sean Nitchmann, Herb and His Hog, performed by Robb Rouse and Todd Ristau
9. Joshua James, Pauline on the Plane, performed by John Shirley and Amy Alls
10. Eric Johnson and Doug Steckel, Sanford Meisner and Son, performed by Todd Ristau and Clinton Johnston
11. Adam Burton, Wake Up!, performed by Adam Hahn
12. Brian E. Rochlin, All By Myself, Robb Rouse
13. Clinton Johnston, Taking Sides, performed by Lindsey Webb
14. Nelson Oliver, Manifestation, performed by Nelson Oliver
15. Amy Alls, Discarded, Amy Alls

Host/Producer: Todd Ristau
Board Op: Brandon

No Shame in the Park...with George?

We were asked (and contractually obligated) to perform a half hour sampler No Shame in the park today at 1:30, right after Miss Teen South Carolina sang a half hour of songs...but the cops must have tipped her I was coming because she was loooonnnnng gone by the time I showed up.

At any rate, here is the order for the "mini-Shame"

1. Clinton Johnston, Last Five Dollars, performed by Clinton Johnston
2. Jeff Goode, Facial Bases for the Alligators, performed by Todd Ristau and John Shirley
3. Nelson Oliver, Disappearing Bandana, performed by Nelson Oliver
4. Todd Ristau, Lou, performed by Todd Ristau
5. Amy Alls, Maybe Someday, performed by Amy Alls

Host: Todd Ristau

The Buzz-O-Meter

Theatre
National Best of No Shame • Piccolo Spoleto

$12 evening, $10 matinees
June 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12 at 9:30 p.m.
June 4, 5, 11, 12 at 3:30 p.m.
(1 hr. 30 min.)
Theatre 220
Simons Center for the Arts
54 St. Philip St.
554-6060

What is it? Unlike last year’s incarnation — essentially an open-mic night for local actors and writers interspersed with some pieces from the No Shame’s considerable vaults — this year’s programming will rely much more heavily on the strongest pieces performed in the past at No Shame chapters from around the country. Instead of relying on whatever performers just happened to be sitting around, a majority of the work this year will be performed by actors coming down from Virginia.

Why see it? This is the same theatre movement that launched the careers of such notables as Camryn Manheim of The Practice, John Leguizamo (Freak, Ice Age), and Toby Huss (Carnivale).

Who should go? People wanting their theatre a little ragged with a side of tension.

—Bill Davis

* (1 star)

Buzz: Tough one to call, since it can either soar or suck hardcore. Usually the easiest ticket in the festival, it's a great way to wind down after a day of “serious” art.

"No Shame is Awful...Can I do it, too?"

And now, we reprint without permission the review from Bill Davis of the Charleston City Paper:

Theatre
Piccolo Spoleto
The Best of National No Shame Theatre
June 3-5, 9-12 at 9:30 p.m.
June 4, 5, 11, 12 at 3:30 p.m.
$12 evenings, $10 matinees
Theatre 220
54 St. Philip St.
554-6060

Frivolous shoes mar the performance of No Shame Theatre


Shoes are important.

Many of the performers in Thursday night’s performance of The Best of National No Shame didn’t wear shoes. They wore flip-flops, sandals, or Tevas.

Sandals, like gum, need to be left backstage. Onstage, they bespeak of a lack of seriousness, and a bounty of unprofessionalism.

Many of the scenes in Thursday night’s show were performed by people wearing frivolous shoes.

Sure, there were a couple of winners, especially a show-ending song about a woman being left to walk a lonesome highway of love on her own. And there was a really fun bluesy tune about a man dying to spend his last five dollars — performed by a man wearing socks and sandals.

At least they were black socks.

“Goth illusionist” Nelson Oliver returned and presented a really cool trick where he swallowed a long, inflated clown’s balloon and shat out a purple balloon poodle. And he did so without a prompt sheet or exposed toes. Huzzah!

Otherwise, most of the pieces were masturbatory — and not in the good way.

No Shame founder Todd Ristau hosted the evening in a garish red suit, purposely worse than the one he wore last year. He began the night on a darkened stage illuminated with only a hand-held flashlight, performing a solo piece about masturbation that he presented throughout last year’s festival.

Despite having written the piece nearly 20 years ago, Ristau read many of his lines off a sheet of paper. He should have no excuse for not having memorized his own writing, especially since he’s a drama professor at a Virginia college who’s had a play produced in London’s West End theatre district.

When asked after the show why he still wasn’t off-book, Ristau offered the following excuse:

“I could be if I wanted to, but when I wrote it I was trying to see how it would look on stage to shine a flashlight off a sheet of paper. A lot of stuff you see here isn’t writers trying to turn out great pieces of dramatic literature, but actors posing challenges to themselves and writing for it.”

Whatever.

I like Ristau and will likely perform some of my own misbegotten pieces later in the festival (or not, depending on how he reacts to this pan).

Many of the other pieces performed were repeats from last year’s “not best of” offerings, including a spirited love poem by Robb Rouse, who took to the black box’s stage ... in Tevas ... with a copy of the poem in hand.

This is definitely a show for actors and not for audience members. There’s got to be more “best” to their best of show to warrant attending.

Ristau, who hands out free tickets to future No Shame showings, says that ticket sales aren’t such a big deal this year because the group had such success fund-raising before they came.

So go in with lowered expectations — no, lower; remember they aren’t worried about ticket sales — and you won’t be disappointed.
Or maybe you’ll be amazed, as each night they’ll be performing a brand new slew of five-minute scenes.

And then it happened...

Mars Attacked No Shame!

Why do they hate us so?

These martians...these damned martians....

Review in The State

Got a nice review in The State today, the paper from Columbia. Crazy to see David Cheresnowsky's face staring out of a TV and also out of a newspaper box all over town.

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/11824648.htm

Thanks to Tracy for the great press!

Piccolo: Day Four, Part Two

Volume 6: Sunday, June 5th 9:30

1. Clinton Johnston, One Spy in the Field is Worth Two in the Bush, performed by Clinton Johnston
2. Todd Ristau, Happy Valentine's Day, performed by Todd Ristau
3. Jeff Goode, The Nude Monologue, performed by Adam Hahn
4. Pookman, Andrew, performed by Trent Westbrook
5. Eric Johnson, Loud in Head, performed by Todd Ristau, Adam Hahn, and John Shirley
6.Mike Rothschild, The Angry Scotsman, performed by Robb Rouse and Clinton Johnston
7. Aaron Galbraith, A Metaphor is Like a Simile, performed by Clinton Johnston and Trent Westbrook
8. Jeff Goode and Nelson Oliver, Card Trick, performed by Todd Ristau, Nelson Oliver, and an audience participant
9. John Shirley, Worn Out Chicken Blues, performed by John Shirley, Amy Alls
10. Robb Rouse, Bathroom Resignation, performed by Robb Rouse and Adam Hahn
11. Johnston, Everything You Feel is Wrong, performed by Todd Ristau, Clinton Johnston, Adam Hahn and Rachel
12. Jeff Goode, Facial Bases for the Alligators, performed by Todd Ristau and John Shirley
13. Amy Alls, This Crazy Girl, performed by Amy Alls
14. Adam Hahn, Egg, performed by Adam Hahn

(There would have been 15 pieces if Thundercat had arrived with his script, but, alas, it was not to be.)

Host/Producer: Todd Ristau
Board Op: Brandon

Piccolo: Day Four, Part One

Volume 5: Sunday, June 5th 3:30

1. Sean Nitchman, The Lights Came Up, performed by Todd Ristau
2. Jan Gilbert, Samantha, performed by Jan Gilbert
3. James Linn Erwin, I Love My Mom, performed by Simon Adkins
4. Brooks Peck, The Super Villain's Institute, performed by Todd Ristau
5. Trent Westbrook, Poem for Anne, performed by Trent Westbrook and audience participant
6. Simon Adkins, Travelling Plans, performed by Simon Adkins, Robb Rouse, Amy Alls and Jan Gilbert
7. Nelson Oliver, Tribute to Harry Houdini, performed by Nelson Oliver and two audience participants
8. Mike Wells, Bob the Plant, performed by John Shirley
9. Sean Nitchmann, The Voice of Authority, Part II, Simon Adkins
10. Tamathy Christensen, Like a Musical, performed by Tamathy Christensen
11. Mike Rothschild, Blind Lemon Jefferson, performed by Clinton Johnston, Adam Hahn
12. Mike Rothschild, Seperate the Man from his Head, performed by Robb Rouse
13. Clinton Johnston, The Poem, performed by Clinton Johnston
14. Todd Ristau, Firebug, performed by Todd Ristau
15. Adam Hahn, The First Chapter of My Novel, performed by Adam Hahn
16. Amy Alls, Maybe Someday, performed by Amy Alls

Host/Producer: Todd Ristau
Board Op: Brandon

Piccolo: Day Three, Part Two

Volume 4: Saturday, June 4th 9:30

1. Simon Adkins, Scenes with Christine Part One, performed by Simon Adkins and Libby Skala
2. Clinton Johnston, Four Jokes, performed by Clinton Johnston 3. Simon Adkins, Scenes with Christine Part Two, performed by Simon Adkins and Libby Skala
4. Robb Rouse, We Are Poets, performed by Robb Rouse
5. Adam Hahn, Gunfighter, performed by Adam Hahn
6. Simon Adkins, Scenes with Christine Part Three, performed by Simon Adkins and Libby Skala
7. Trent Westbrook, Time Served, performed by Trent Westbrook and audience member Nicole
8. Chad Snyder, Lot Lizard, performed by Chad Snyder
9. Simon Adkins, Scenes with Christine Part Four, performed by Simon Adkins and Libby Skala
10. Nelson Oliver, Needle Through Arm Illusion, performed by Nelson Oliver
11. Tamathy Christensen, Poor People Don't Want Them, Tamathy Christensen
12. Libby Skala, Cutting from Lilia, performed by Libby Skala
13. Todd Ristau, Chicken Sunday, performed by Todd Ristau
14. Simon Adkins, Scenes with Christine Part Five, performed by Simon Adkins and Libby Skala
15. Luke Pingel, Stay and Listen, performed by John Shirley
16. Amy Alls, Done and Outta Here, performed by Amy Alls

Host/Producer: Todd Ristau
Board Op: Brandon

Piccolo: Day 3 Part One

Volume 3: Saturday, June 4th 3:30

1. Amy Alls, A Little More of Me, performed by Amy Alls
2. David Cheresnowsky, Painting with Words, performed by David Cheresnowksy
3. John Shirley, One of Those Days, performed by John Shirley
4. Adam Burton, What I Like, performed by Trent Westbrook
5. Sean Nitchmann, The Voice of Authority, Part I, performed by Robb Rouse
6. Simon Adkins, I was a Teenage Darth Vader, performed by Simon Adkins, John Shirley, Amy Alls, Todd Ristau
7. Todd Ristau, Lou, Todd Ristau
8. Nelson Oliver, Disappearing Bandana Illusion, performed by Nelson Oliver
9. Clinton Johnston, Ezra Jack Keats, performed by Clinton Johnston
10. Chad Snyder, Night of the Coffin, performed by Chad Snyder
11. Adam Hahn, The Fart Machine, performed by Adam Hahn
12. Todd Ristau, I Feel Fine, performed by David Cheresnowsky
13. Robb Rouse, Back in My Day, performed by Robb Rouse
14. Jeff Goode, Muse, performed by John Shirley, Thundercat, and Rachel
15. Clinton Johnston, Ride Rag, performed by Clinton Johnston

Host/Producer: Todd Ristau
Board Op: Brandon

Piccolo: Day Two

Volume 2 Friday June 3rd 9:30 Order Title Author Cast
1. David Cheresnowsky, Us Poets, Performed by David Cheresnowsky
2. Amy Alls, I Don't Care, performed by Amy Alls
3. Robb Rouse, The Job Application, performed by Robb Rouse
4. Simon Adkins, Harold Ashby Sells Smells, performed by Simon Adkins, Chad Snyder
5. Adam Hahn, Business Casual, performed by Adam Hahn
6. Dan Gurler, Candle, performed by Trent Westbrook and Amy Alls
7. Nelson Oliver, VoodDoo Child, performed by Nelson Oliver
8. Clinton Johnston, The Steely Dan Piece, performed by Clinton Johnston
9. Lee Moyer, Home Truths, performed by John Shirley
10. Hilary Chaplain, Cinderella Story, performed by Hillary Chaplain
11. Dwayne Yancey, The Shooting At Ray's Quik Mart, performed by Todd McNerney and David Cheresnowsky
12. Todd Ristau, Listening to the Voices #2, performed bt Todd Ristauand Adam Hahn
13. Jeff Goode, Serious Mental Problems, performed by Clinton Johnston, Adam Hahn
14. Gregory Hays, The Acceptance Speech, performed by Todd Ristau
15. Jeff Goode and Jonathan Price, Haiku Song, performed by Trent Westbrook

Host/Producer: Todd Ristau
Board Op: Brandon

Piccolo--Day One

1 Todd Ristau, $80 a Week , performed by Todd Ristau
2 Sean Nitchman Everybody Stay Calm, performed by Chad Snyder, John Shirley, Amy Alls, Clinton Johnston, and Adam Hahn
3 Robb Rouse Idiosyncratic Love , performed by Robb Rouse
4 Simon Adkins, How Not to Make French Bread , performed by Simon Adkins
5 Adam Hahn, Driving , performed by Adam Hahn
6 Trent Westbrook, Lightning , performed by Trent Westbrook and Laura
7 Nelson Oliver, I Hate Balloon Animals, performed by Nelson Oliver
8 Clinton Johnston, Last Five Dollars, performed by Clinton Johnston
9 N. David Phillips, My First Time?, performed by John Shirley
10 David Cheresnowsky, TV Poem, performed by David Cheresnowsky
11 Sean Nitchmann, Dave the Angry Suburban Poet: My Lawn, performed by Todd Ristau
12 John Smick, Fruitcake, performed by Clinton Johnston
13 Greg Armkneckt, Pants, performed by Adam Hahn
14 James Parr, The Envelope, Robb Rouse, Simon Adkins, David Cheresnowsky, and Chad Snyder
15 Amy Alls, I've Been Walking Down That Road, Amy Alls

Host, Producer: Todd Ristau
Board OP: Brandon