| StageTimeMag.com | Vol. 2 No. 1 |
Comedy news, interviews, reviews and essays
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| NEW YORK UNDERGROUND COMEDY FESTIVAL NYC's Biggest Comedy Fest Creates Opportunities For Comics |
FESTIVAL WRAP UP:
Stand-up comedy is not the only
part of the Festival. “We have
sketch,” says Sarris. “One of the
premier shows this year was HotBox.
We’ll experiment. [A section for]
movies never got off the ground.
[We have the] Saturday Night Live
Extras show. We had an industry
seminar this year. That was free.
We opened up the floor. The head
writer, five-time award winner
Janette Barber, will be giving a
writing seminar [at the 2007
NYUCF."]
The NYUCF is not altruistic only with
comics - it also raises money for
worthy causes. “We’re the only
festival that’s raised close to
$100,000 for charity," says Sarris.
Unlike most of the other comedy
festivals, which have layers of
management that keep the organi-
zers away from the talent and fans,
the NYUCF is run with a personal
touch.
“We keep control of everything," he
continues. We want to make sure
that our vision… is our final product.
There are no suits up there over-
riding the calls down on the field.
It’s good there’s no hierarchy.
Hands-on is always the best way to
run everything.”
The 2007 New York Underground
Comedy Festival is scheduled to run
from September 28 - October 7.
“We’re very happy how we’re going
after four years, and this is our fifth
year. “This is the toughest town in
the world. Everybody… is in it for the
love of the game.”
part of the Festival. “We have
sketch,” says Sarris. “One of the
premier shows this year was HotBox.
We’ll experiment. [A section for]
movies never got off the ground.
[We have the] Saturday Night Live
Extras show. We had an industry
seminar this year. That was free.
We opened up the floor. The head
writer, five-time award winner
Janette Barber, will be giving a
writing seminar [at the 2007
NYUCF."]
The NYUCF is not altruistic only with
comics - it also raises money for
worthy causes. “We’re the only
festival that’s raised close to
$100,000 for charity," says Sarris.
Unlike most of the other comedy
festivals, which have layers of
management that keep the organi-
zers away from the talent and fans,
the NYUCF is run with a personal
touch.
“We keep control of everything," he
continues. We want to make sure
that our vision… is our final product.
There are no suits up there over-
riding the calls down on the field.
It’s good there’s no hierarchy.
Hands-on is always the best way to
run everything.”
The 2007 New York Underground
Comedy Festival is scheduled to run
from September 28 - October 7.
“We’re very happy how we’re going
after four years, and this is our fifth
year. “This is the toughest town in
the world. Everybody… is in it for the
love of the game.”
| SHANNON SUTHERLAND New Comic Screen Tests for E! Entertainment Television |
How did you prepare for screen test?
A day before the screen test they emailed me four questions about
celebrities, so I wrote jokes for that, but at the audition they asked me
questions that I hadn't prepared for because they wanted to see what I
could come up with on the spot.
How was your screen test?
I was very nervous because it was my first screen test, but it went really well
and now I have another industry contact.
What did you learn from the experience?
I learned that when industry is in the audience, you should just do what you
normally do onstage, because they're looking for unique comics. I didn't
think I was going to get asked to audition, because out of all the comics on
the show, I had the least experience. They were looking for new
personal-ities that could tell jokes about pop culture, not the most seasoned
comic.
How has performing and being seen at the NYUCF helped your comedy
career?
The NYUCF helped me meet comics that are farther along in their career and
gave me an opportunity to be seen by industry that normally wouldn't see
me. I've only been doing comedy for a year and a half, and I am still at the
stage where I have to bark for stage time, so it's pretty cool that I was able
to be seen by industry this early in my career.
What advice do you have for comics who would like be seen by industry?
Don't have a big ego! I have a lot of comic friends who have only been
doing stand up for a year, but won't bark or intern because they think
they're too good for it, and as a result they don't get as much stage time as
me. I barked for a show at the NYUCF, was seen by industry and then was
offered to do a screen test. Also, when industry is in the audience, just be
yourself and try not to do anything different because industry is looking to
see why you are special.
What's next for you?
I still preform at the Broadway Comedy Cafe five days a week. I have a
fashion blog at shannonspasion.blogspot.com where I talk about news in the
fashion world with a comedic flair.
A day before the screen test they emailed me four questions about
celebrities, so I wrote jokes for that, but at the audition they asked me
questions that I hadn't prepared for because they wanted to see what I
could come up with on the spot.
How was your screen test?
I was very nervous because it was my first screen test, but it went really well
and now I have another industry contact.
What did you learn from the experience?
I learned that when industry is in the audience, you should just do what you
normally do onstage, because they're looking for unique comics. I didn't
think I was going to get asked to audition, because out of all the comics on
the show, I had the least experience. They were looking for new
personal-ities that could tell jokes about pop culture, not the most seasoned
comic.
How has performing and being seen at the NYUCF helped your comedy
career?
The NYUCF helped me meet comics that are farther along in their career and
gave me an opportunity to be seen by industry that normally wouldn't see
me. I've only been doing comedy for a year and a half, and I am still at the
stage where I have to bark for stage time, so it's pretty cool that I was able
to be seen by industry this early in my career.
What advice do you have for comics who would like be seen by industry?
Don't have a big ego! I have a lot of comic friends who have only been
doing stand up for a year, but won't bark or intern because they think
they're too good for it, and as a result they don't get as much stage time as
me. I barked for a show at the NYUCF, was seen by industry and then was
offered to do a screen test. Also, when industry is in the audience, just be
yourself and try not to do anything different because industry is looking to
see why you are special.
What's next for you?
I still preform at the Broadway Comedy Cafe five days a week. I have a
fashion blog at shannonspasion.blogspot.com where I talk about news in the
fashion world with a comedic flair.
Continued from Page 1
How did you catch the attention of the
casting folks from E!?
I was performing at Aaron Haber's "The
World" at the Broadway Comedy Cafe
when the scout from E! Entertainment
was there. I just did my best five-
minute set. Most of my jokes are
about fashion so I think that helped
him notice me.
casting folks from E!?
I was performing at Aaron Haber's "The
World" at the Broadway Comedy Cafe
when the scout from E! Entertainment
was there. I just did my best five-
minute set. Most of my jokes are
about fashion so I think that helped
him notice me.
| Home | News | Features | Interviews | Cover Story | Reviews | Essays | Anatomy of a Joke | New Releases | Archives | Feedback |
INSIDE THIS ISSUE FEATURES Festival Wrap Up: New York Underground Comedy Festival Hustle & Grow: STAGE TIME Celebrates 1st Anniversary Comic Resolutions 2007 Comic's Final Progress Report 2006 INTERVIEWS Brad Stine **NEW** Careers in Comedy: Ryan McCormick PR Manager COVER STORY Shang REVIEWS Angry Bob Comedy Jump Off Doug Powell Eric Schwartz James P. Connolly **NEW** Anatomy of a Joke "Racism Damnit!" Written and Performed by Shang |