| StageTimeMag.com | Vol. 2 No. 1 |
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| NEW YORK UNDERGROUND COMEDY FESTIVAL NYC's Biggest Comedy Fest Creates Opportunities For Comics |
FESTIVAL WRAP UP:
| AARON HABER Produces Record Number of Shows at NYUCF |
As for preparation, I tried to get everyone's info to George [Sarris] and Jim [Mendrinos] to
get them up on the website, but this year I wasn't able to get everyone on...we didn't do
anything differently, except bark the festival in Times Sqaure...we always have an
excellent mix of TV credited comedians and awesome up and comers.
What are some of the highlights of the shows?
Well two major highlights come to mind:
1. Rick Overton came in as a guest performer for several shows. He came out to perform
and then invited several of us out to dinner with him, including myself, Alex Grubard and
Ed Murray. Well not only did he buy us dinner (thanks Rick!), but he also talked with us
about what he believed comedy should be and could be.
Rick gave us encouragement and let us know that he went through some of the same
trials and failures that we were going through as relatively new comedians...At the end of
the night when we thanked him, he told us it was our responsibility to do the same thing
years from now to the next generation of comedians. It felt like a torch was being passed.
2. The second most memorable experience was Shannon Sutherland getting interest from
E! Shannon is a very young comedian having been doing this a little over a year, but is
the hardest working woman in show business!
At the time of the festival she was working six nights a week, performing in 14-20 shows a
week, barking for 1.5 hours in Times Square and then standing outside the comedy club
for up to four hours a night hostessing - all in heels! I remember at that time she was
getting a lot of advice to the effect that she was a chump for working that hard - barking,
hostess-ing. People were making fun of her, [saying] it was going to hurt her rep.
Well, because she was hostessing outside the club, she met the rep from E! who thought
she was great. She did a tight industry set; the rep loved her and called her in for an
interview. She now has a contact at E!, which she would have never had if she wasn't doing
all that hard work.
What was your experience participating in the NYUCF?
I really enjoyed working with George and Jim, two very nice, hard working guys. I loved
the guest comedians who came in from all over the country and loved that every single
one of The World comedians got a legit credit from being a part of the NYUCF.
What advice do you have for comics who would like to try their hand at producing shows?
Don't do it! It's a pain in the ass; most people don't appreciate the work that you put in
and you will get emails, phone calls and visits from every comedian in NYC who believes
that you need to book them because they are so amazing. Honestly, I do it for the stage
time because I would never have gotten to perform at a major comedy club this quickly,
if I wasn't booking myself.
What's next for you?
We'll still continue to have 16 shows a week. I'll continue to book the best headliners in
the city as well as give stage time to those up and comers who are serious about working
hard and continue to work on my own act. I'm also going to start producing shows and
comedy for the internet and television. Visit Aaron at www.myspace.com/aaronhaber.
get them up on the website, but this year I wasn't able to get everyone on...we didn't do
anything differently, except bark the festival in Times Sqaure...we always have an
excellent mix of TV credited comedians and awesome up and comers.
What are some of the highlights of the shows?
Well two major highlights come to mind:
1. Rick Overton came in as a guest performer for several shows. He came out to perform
and then invited several of us out to dinner with him, including myself, Alex Grubard and
Ed Murray. Well not only did he buy us dinner (thanks Rick!), but he also talked with us
about what he believed comedy should be and could be.
Rick gave us encouragement and let us know that he went through some of the same
trials and failures that we were going through as relatively new comedians...At the end of
the night when we thanked him, he told us it was our responsibility to do the same thing
years from now to the next generation of comedians. It felt like a torch was being passed.
2. The second most memorable experience was Shannon Sutherland getting interest from
E! Shannon is a very young comedian having been doing this a little over a year, but is
the hardest working woman in show business!
At the time of the festival she was working six nights a week, performing in 14-20 shows a
week, barking for 1.5 hours in Times Square and then standing outside the comedy club
for up to four hours a night hostessing - all in heels! I remember at that time she was
getting a lot of advice to the effect that she was a chump for working that hard - barking,
hostess-ing. People were making fun of her, [saying] it was going to hurt her rep.
Well, because she was hostessing outside the club, she met the rep from E! who thought
she was great. She did a tight industry set; the rep loved her and called her in for an
interview. She now has a contact at E!, which she would have never had if she wasn't doing
all that hard work.
What was your experience participating in the NYUCF?
I really enjoyed working with George and Jim, two very nice, hard working guys. I loved
the guest comedians who came in from all over the country and loved that every single
one of The World comedians got a legit credit from being a part of the NYUCF.
What advice do you have for comics who would like to try their hand at producing shows?
Don't do it! It's a pain in the ass; most people don't appreciate the work that you put in
and you will get emails, phone calls and visits from every comedian in NYC who believes
that you need to book them because they are so amazing. Honestly, I do it for the stage
time because I would never have gotten to perform at a major comedy club this quickly,
if I wasn't booking myself.
What's next for you?
We'll still continue to have 16 shows a week. I'll continue to book the best headliners in
the city as well as give stage time to those up and comers who are serious about working
hard and continue to work on my own act. I'm also going to start producing shows and
comedy for the internet and television. Visit Aaron at www.myspace.com/aaronhaber.
Jessica Kirson's New Talent Show
Continued from Page 3
everyone enjoy her material for its
depth of humor and not the “femality,”
of it. Some of the other comics were
just as exciting to watch: Scott Ryan,
Matt Lipberg, Yohman Grossman, and
Jon Fisch were a pleasure and brought
an array of talent to the stage that
ensured every-one a great night of
comedy.
-Joanna Briley, Associate Editor
Continued from Page 3
everyone enjoy her material for its
depth of humor and not the “femality,”
of it. Some of the other comics were
just as exciting to watch: Scott Ryan,
Matt Lipberg, Yohman Grossman, and
Jon Fisch were a pleasure and brought
an array of talent to the stage that
ensured every-one a great night of
comedy.
-Joanna Briley, Associate Editor
Meet Aaron Haber, comedian and producer
of the comedy company, The World that
hosts shows daily at Broadway Comedy
Cafe. Haber produced 19 shows during the
New York Underground Comedy Festival.
What kind of preparation went into
producing the shows? Did you add any
shows just for the festival?
I actually produce 16 shows a week at The
Broadway Comedy Cafe...so the 19 shows
were the normal amount of shows we had
during the festival.
of the comedy company, The World that
hosts shows daily at Broadway Comedy
Cafe. Haber produced 19 shows during the
New York Underground Comedy Festival.
What kind of preparation went into
producing the shows? Did you add any
shows just for the festival?
I actually produce 16 shows a week at The
Broadway Comedy Cafe...so the 19 shows
were the normal amount of shows we had
during the festival.
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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 |