Farce Side Comedy Hour
Encyclopedia
Farce Side Comedy Hour is a sketch comedy
show that performs weekly at Arizona State University
in Tempe, Arizona
.
Created in 1985, the group celebrated its 20th Anniversary on October 24, 2005 with a reunion show, in which current cast members and alumni alike shared the stage. Former cast members have gone on to post-university success in writing, performing, and production work for movies, the stage, syndicated comics, and television. Troupe alumni have been nominated multiple times for Emmy awards and have won at least one.
The group performs every Friday at 12:40 on the Union Stage in ASU's Memorial Union Programming Lounge.
student and former U of A Comedy Corner
member Michael Sterner moved to Tempe and started a weekly sketch comedy show at ASU. This new troupe also called itself Comedy Corner, and it performed to passing students in a Memorial Union study lounge each Friday. The show consisted of one half hour of original sketch comedy (much of it written by Sterner during his stint at U of A) followed by a half hour of stand-up comedy
, performed by local or touring comics (such as David Spade
), or most often by Sterner himself. The stand-up gig paid $50.
Although the show had a small and loyal following, the uncensored content was offensive to some students, and MUAB (Memorial Union Activities Board) ordered the group to move its show from the large public area to smaller meeting rooms or be shut down. Audience attendance dropped below 10 for many shows. MUAB, in early 1986, allowed the show to move to the Union Cinema, where it had access to a makeshift stage, a sound system, and dedicated audience seating.
Also around this time, the group voted to change the show's name to a more collegiate-sounding Comedy 101, which also distanced it from the U of A show. The troupe advertised the show heavily and it increased in popularity significantly throughout the year, ending with a "Best Of" performance for an audience of about 150.
Not realizing that ads for Comedy 101 referred to a show, some students requested ASU for the line number to register for the "course". During a brainstorm session in early 1987, the group unanimously approved the name Farce Side, suggested by member Jeff Smallidge. MUAB then created a fully budgeted Comedy Committee to fund and oversee the troupe and other comedy projects.
ASU built the current home of the Farce Side Comedy Hour, Union Stage, in 1991. The show continued to grow in popularity until weekly audiences of 200-250 were common, and "Best Of" shows at the end of each semester would tally crowds of 400 or more.
By fall of 1993, the show would often drop the stand-up segment and perform an entire hour of sketch comedy. The group began using the title "Farce Side Comedy Hour". Occasionally some improvisation was scheduled into the show, which was originally substituted for a missing standup performer. The show moved to an all-sketch format in the 1994 fall semester, when it also spun off the Barren Mind improvisational comedy troupe. Barren Mind received and still holds its own performance slot on Thursdays. Members commonly belong to both casts.
Due to ASU student programming changes, Farce Side and Barren Mind lost their funding at the end of the spring 2000 semester. Since then, the troupes have carried on as sponsored student clubs, retaining the privilege of playing at the Memorial Union Programming Lounge.
A handful of events throughout the history of the troupes have threatened ASU's tolerance of them. Incidents involving profanity, smoking, alcohol use, illegal stunts, and nudity have resulted in corrective actions, suspensions of shows, and a required posted public warning regarding the shows' content.
The Farce Side Comedy Hour holds auditions at the beginning of each semester, is open to all active Arizona State University Students. The show draws weekly audiences of over 200 fans.
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...
show that performs weekly at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
in Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
.
Created in 1985, the group celebrated its 20th Anniversary on October 24, 2005 with a reunion show, in which current cast members and alumni alike shared the stage. Former cast members have gone on to post-university success in writing, performing, and production work for movies, the stage, syndicated comics, and television. Troupe alumni have been nominated multiple times for Emmy awards and have won at least one.
The group performs every Friday at 12:40 on the Union Stage in ASU's Memorial Union Programming Lounge.
History
In 1985, University of ArizonaUniversity of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
student and former U of A Comedy Corner
Comedy Corner
Comedy Corner is a weekly student-run comedy troupe at the University of Arizona in Tucson with roots going back to 1979. The core group consists of about ten regular writers and performers. Comedy Corner claims to be the nation's oldest weekly college sketch, standup, and improv comedy group....
member Michael Sterner moved to Tempe and started a weekly sketch comedy show at ASU. This new troupe also called itself Comedy Corner, and it performed to passing students in a Memorial Union study lounge each Friday. The show consisted of one half hour of original sketch comedy (much of it written by Sterner during his stint at U of A) followed by a half hour of stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
, performed by local or touring comics (such as David Spade
David Spade
David Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
), or most often by Sterner himself. The stand-up gig paid $50.
Although the show had a small and loyal following, the uncensored content was offensive to some students, and MUAB (Memorial Union Activities Board) ordered the group to move its show from the large public area to smaller meeting rooms or be shut down. Audience attendance dropped below 10 for many shows. MUAB, in early 1986, allowed the show to move to the Union Cinema, where it had access to a makeshift stage, a sound system, and dedicated audience seating.
Also around this time, the group voted to change the show's name to a more collegiate-sounding Comedy 101, which also distanced it from the U of A show. The troupe advertised the show heavily and it increased in popularity significantly throughout the year, ending with a "Best Of" performance for an audience of about 150.
Not realizing that ads for Comedy 101 referred to a show, some students requested ASU for the line number to register for the "course". During a brainstorm session in early 1987, the group unanimously approved the name Farce Side, suggested by member Jeff Smallidge. MUAB then created a fully budgeted Comedy Committee to fund and oversee the troupe and other comedy projects.
ASU built the current home of the Farce Side Comedy Hour, Union Stage, in 1991. The show continued to grow in popularity until weekly audiences of 200-250 were common, and "Best Of" shows at the end of each semester would tally crowds of 400 or more.
By fall of 1993, the show would often drop the stand-up segment and perform an entire hour of sketch comedy. The group began using the title "Farce Side Comedy Hour". Occasionally some improvisation was scheduled into the show, which was originally substituted for a missing standup performer. The show moved to an all-sketch format in the 1994 fall semester, when it also spun off the Barren Mind improvisational comedy troupe. Barren Mind received and still holds its own performance slot on Thursdays. Members commonly belong to both casts.
Due to ASU student programming changes, Farce Side and Barren Mind lost their funding at the end of the spring 2000 semester. Since then, the troupes have carried on as sponsored student clubs, retaining the privilege of playing at the Memorial Union Programming Lounge.
A handful of events throughout the history of the troupes have threatened ASU's tolerance of them. Incidents involving profanity, smoking, alcohol use, illegal stunts, and nudity have resulted in corrective actions, suspensions of shows, and a required posted public warning regarding the shows' content.
The Farce Side Comedy Hour holds auditions at the beginning of each semester, is open to all active Arizona State University Students. The show draws weekly audiences of over 200 fans.
Notable alumni
Alphabetical, by first name:- Bob Kubota — Comedian, magician, actor.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1886408/
- Brian Ulinger — Screenwriter, film and video game producer.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1646409/
- Brianna Quijada - American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
Season 8American Idol (season 8)The eighth season of American Idol premiered on January 13, 2009, and concluded on May 20, 2009. Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson continued to judge the show's contestants, along with Ryan Seacrest as host. The season introduced Kara DioGuardi as the fourth judge on the Idol...
contestant who achieved "Hollywood Hopeful" status.http://www.americanidol.com/photos/season_8/hollywood_week/hollywood_hopefuls/39773/ - C.J. Fletcher - Screenwriter, Actor, Improvisor.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1261974/
- Frank Mulligan - Candidate for the Arizona House of Representatives, 2010.
- Jessica MakinsonJessica MakinsonJessica Makinson is an American actress, comedienne, and improviser known as a series regular for several Comedy Central programs, voice over work for animation, and as a sketch player for late night talk shows.-Early life and career:...
— Actor (Trigger Happy TVTrigger Happy TVTrigger Happy TV was a hidden camera/practical joke reality television program. The original British edition of the show, produced by Absolutely Productions, starred Dom Joly and ran for two series on the British television channel Channel 4 from 2000 until 2002...
, Joe Schmo 2, Halfway HomeHalfway Home (TV series)Halfway Home is an American comedy series that aired on Comedy Central in Spring 2007.On its official website, Halfway Home is described as an "improvised half-hour show featuring the daily exploits of five ex-cons living together in a residential rehab facility" .After airing 10 episodes, on June...
, South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
).http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1361758/ - Jimmy Dean Carlson — TV & Film actor.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2397456/
- Joey Scazzola — Comedian, Writer.
- Jonathan KimmelJonathan KimmelJonathan Kimmel is a writer, producer, actor, composer for television and film. He is the younger brother of Jimmy Kimmel...
— Producer (Crank YankersCrank YankersCrank Yankers is an American TV show produced by Adam Carolla, Jimmy Kimmel and Daniel Kellison that featured actual prank calls made by show regulars and celebrity guests, and re-enacted onscreen by puppets for a visual aid to show the viewer what is happening in the call...
, The Andy Milonakis ShowThe Andy Milonakis ShowThe Andy Milonakis Show is an American sketch comedy television show starring Andy Milonakis, which aired on MTV2, the first season having aired on MTV...
), Writer (South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
), Actor, Composer.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453996/ - Rick Roman — Improvisor to whom Charna HalpernCharna HalpernCharna Halpern is a co-founder of the ImprovOlympic, now known as The iO. She was born and raised on the North Side of Chicago. In 1984, with partner Del Close, she began teaching The Harold to many students in the Chicago theatre community. She and Close co-authored the book Truth in Comedy: The...
dedicated the book Truth in Comedy: A Manual for Improvisation. - Scott Fellows — TV writer and producer. Nominated for an Emmy.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0271527/awards
- Scott Gray — TV, film and comics writer, TV and film director and producer. Nominated twice for an Emmy, won once.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1414808/awards
External links
- ASU Comedy
- YouTube clips featuring ASU Comedy troupes
- School for Scandal: Student Comedy Group Examines the Farce Side of Life (Phoenix New TimesPhoenix New TimesThe Phoenix New Times is a free, weekly Phoenix, Arizona newspaper, put out every Thursday. It is the founding publication of the New Times Media , but The Village Voice is now the flagship publication of that company....
article) - History of Farce Side (From ASU Memorial Union website)
- The Joey Scazzola Blog