ACME Comedy Theatre
Encyclopedia
The ACME Comedy Theatre is a sketch comedy
and improvisational theater located near Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
, on La Brea near Wilshire's "Miracle Mile" in the U.S. ACME was started by M.D. Sweeney as "The Two Roads Theater" in Studio City in 1989, with the players known as the Two Roads Players and later the Tujunga Group. Sweeney changed the name to Acme a few years later, a reference to Warner Brothers cartoons (Sweeney assisted with some Tiny Toons scripts to help his writer girlfriend out) around the same time he moved the theater to North Hollywood. Eventually, he brought it to La Brea Boulevard near Los Angeles's "Miracle Mile", where it quickly rose to prominence in the world of sketch comedy. Sweeney was inspired by the Groundlings, and throughout the 1990s, a rivalry developed between ACME and the famous Groundlings, with both theaters vying for the best sketch comedians in Los Angeles. (Sweeney's girlfriend--the mother of his children, Sherri Stoner
--is a former Groundling. The name "Acme" was selected after Stoner's career in animation writing at Warner Brothers had started to take off.)
In 2004, Sweeney decided to retire from directing and sold ACME to Travis Oates
, then a member of ACME’s main sketch company. Oates embarked on a renovation of the theater that made ACME the most technically advanced 99-seat theater in Los Angeles. In the first quarter of 2007 ACME underwent a second major renovation, which saw the installation of broadcast equipment and effectively turned ACME into a television soundstage. ACME is now the only sketch comedy theater to broadcast all its shows live on the internet.
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
and improvisational theater located near Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, on La Brea near Wilshire's "Miracle Mile" in the U.S. ACME was started by M.D. Sweeney as "The Two Roads Theater" in Studio City in 1989, with the players known as the Two Roads Players and later the Tujunga Group. Sweeney changed the name to Acme a few years later, a reference to Warner Brothers cartoons (Sweeney assisted with some Tiny Toons scripts to help his writer girlfriend out) around the same time he moved the theater to North Hollywood. Eventually, he brought it to La Brea Boulevard near Los Angeles's "Miracle Mile", where it quickly rose to prominence in the world of sketch comedy. Sweeney was inspired by the Groundlings, and throughout the 1990s, a rivalry developed between ACME and the famous Groundlings, with both theaters vying for the best sketch comedians in Los Angeles. (Sweeney's girlfriend--the mother of his children, Sherri Stoner
Sherri Stoner
Sherri Stoner is an American actress and writer. She was born July 16, 1965, in Santa Monica, California.She has worked extensively in animation. She was a writer and producer for such 1990s animated shows as Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs. She is probably best known for Animaniacs, for which...
--is a former Groundling. The name "Acme" was selected after Stoner's career in animation writing at Warner Brothers had started to take off.)
In 2004, Sweeney decided to retire from directing and sold ACME to Travis Oates
Travis Oates
Travis Oates is an American actor who is best known for continuing the role of Piglet in My Friends Tigger & Pooh and other Winnie the Pooh-related media since the death of John Fiedler on June 25, 2005. He also voices Piglet in the Winnie the Pooh film...
, then a member of ACME’s main sketch company. Oates embarked on a renovation of the theater that made ACME the most technically advanced 99-seat theater in Los Angeles. In the first quarter of 2007 ACME underwent a second major renovation, which saw the installation of broadcast equipment and effectively turned ACME into a television soundstage. ACME is now the only sketch comedy theater to broadcast all its shows live on the internet.
Notable alumni
- Joel McHaleJoel McHaleJoel Edward McHale is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, television producer, television personality, and voice artist. He is best known for hosting The Soup and for his role as Jeff Winger on Community....
- Alex BorsteinAlex BorsteinAlexandrea "Alex" Borstein is an American actress, singer, voice actress, writer and comedian. She is best known for her long-running role as Lois Griffin on the animated television series Family Guy, and as a cast member on the sketch comedy series MADtv.A native of Highland Park, Illinois,...
- Adam CarollaAdam CarollaAdam Carolla is an American radio personality, television host, comedian, and actor. He currently hosts The Adam Carolla Show, a talk show distributed as a podcast on the ACE Broadcasting Network...
- Fred GossFred GossFred Goss is an American TV actor, director, writer, producer and comedian.-As writer:Goss began writing and staging his own plays in his twenties. He wrote sketch comedy during his thirties, primarily at the Los Angeles based, ACME Comedy Theater. More recently, Fred wrote many of the episodes...
- Jamie KalerJamie KalerJamie Kaler is an American stand-up comedian and actor who has gained fame by portraying the character Mike Callahan on the TBS comedy "My Boys". He has appeared on such talk shows as the Late Late Show as well as having a role on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and had a recurring role on Will...
- Jessica KiperJessica KiperJessica Michele Kiper is an American actress and singer. Kiper was also a runner-up contestant on Survivor: Gabon where she placed third. She was more commonly known to the viewing audience during her run on Survivor as Sugar. She returned to Survivor to compete on the show's 20th season:...
- Cecily AdamsCecily AdamsCecily April Adams was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York, the daughter of comic actor Don Adams and singer Adelaide Efantis, and the sister of actress/TV executive Stacey Adams...
- Jackson DouglasJackson DouglasJackson Douglas is best known for his role as Jackson Belleville in the television series Gilmore Girls, for which he's also directed the Season 5 episode To Live and Let Diorama and Season 6 episode Welcome to the Dollhouse...
- Maz JobraniMaz JobraniMaziar “Maz” Jobrani is an Iranian-born American comedian who is part of the "Axis of Evil" comedy group. The group appeared on a comedy special on Comedy Central. Jobrani has also appeared in numerous films, television shows, including Better Off Ted, on radio and in comedy clubs...
- Lisa Kushell
- Ralph GarmanRalph GarmanRalph Garman is an American actor, comedian, and radio host best known as the host of The Joe Schmo Show, for his voice work in Family Guy, and as the entertainment reporter and impressionist for the Kevin and Bean morning show on Los Angeles radio station, KROQ-FM...
- John P. McCannJohn P. McCannJohn P. McCann is an American-born writer, actor and producer who has mostly focused on writing/producing animation and family-friendly scripts in the past. He is best-known for his work on television cartoons, for which he has received numerous awards, but he has also produced live-action...
- Paul RuggPaul Rugg-Biography:Rugg has worked extensively in the field of animation. His list of credits include writing for, co-producing, and playing the voices of several cartoon characters, first being credited as "Mr. Director" from Animaniacs...
- Jerry LambertJerry Lambert (actor)Jerry Lambert is an American stage, film, and television actor and voiceover artist, best known for his work on the ABC sitcom, Sons and Daughters, as well as commercials for companies including GEICO, Holiday Inn, and playing a fictional Sony executive named Kevin Butler.-Education:Lambert...
- Scott Kreamer