Something Theater
Encyclopedia
Something Theater is an American
television
show created by Bobby Ciraldo
, David Robbins, and Andrew Swant
. The half-hour program has aired in Southeastern Wisconsin
on The CW
affiliate WVTV
since February of 2009. It is broadcast
from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
on a bi-monthly basis, usually on a Friday night.
Episodes of Something Theater typically have nothing to do with one another, so viewers never know what to expect. Each episode is usually split into short comedic segments that feature animation
, music videos, viral videos, short films, or experimental films.
In December 2009 an episode aired which featured outtakes from the forthcoming feature film Hamlet A.D.D.
.
In May 2010 David Robbins produced an episode entitled "The County Line" which was later shown at The Suburban gallery, curated by Michelle Grabner
, and at the No Soul For Sale art fair at the Tate Modern
in London
.
In July 2010 Something Theater aired an episode that featured a 30-minute version of Gas 'N Fuel, a short film made by the creators of the Found Footage Festival. A 15-minute version of the film had previously screened at the South by Southwest
Film Festival and 12 other film festivals.
In September 2010 an episode of Something Theater screened at the Oriental Landmark Theatre as part of the Milwaukee Film Festival.
In July 2010 an episode entitled "The Title is a Drawing" aired which was made by Los Angeles
-based artist/filmmaker Marc Horowitz
.
Steve Hyden of The Onion
A.V. Club called the series, "All weird, all the time." Mary Louise Schumacher of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
said, "This is not art for artists. Swant, Ciraldo and Robbins obviously love TV themselves and are earnestly trying to create something for a mainstream audience. This is far more rare than you might expect. In fact, I don’t know of any contemporary artists who are trying to make TV shows."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show created by Bobby Ciraldo
Bobby Ciraldo
Bobby Ciraldo is a filmmaker and web-based artist whose works include Hamlet A.D.D., William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet, the production of Frankie Latina's Modus Operandi, and a music video for Leslie and the Ly's called "Zombie Killer"...
, David Robbins, and Andrew Swant
Andrew Swant
Andrew Swant is a writer and filmmaker whose works include Hamlet A.D.D. and William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet, as well as the production of Frankie Latina's Modus Operandi...
. The half-hour program has aired in Southeastern Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
on The CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
affiliate WVTV
WVTV
WVTV is a television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA and serves as Southeast Wisconsin's The CW Television Network affiliate. The station broadcasts from the Milwaukee Public Television tower on Milwaukee's northeast side with WMVS/WMVT, along with WCGV , WVTV's sister station...
since February of 2009. It is broadcast
Broadcast
Broadcast or Broadcasting may refer to:* Broadcasting, the transmission of audio and video signals* Broadcast, an individual television program or radio program* Broadcast , an English electronic music band...
from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
on a bi-monthly basis, usually on a Friday night.
Episodes of Something Theater typically have nothing to do with one another, so viewers never know what to expect. Each episode is usually split into short comedic segments that feature animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
, music videos, viral videos, short films, or experimental films.
In December 2009 an episode aired which featured outtakes from the forthcoming feature film Hamlet A.D.D.
Hamlet A.D.D.
Hamlet A.D.D., directed by Bobby Ciraldo & Andrew Swant and produced by Special Entertainment, is an upcoming independent feature film and web series which re-imagines Shakespeare’s play as a bizarre and comical tour through the ages....
.
In May 2010 David Robbins produced an episode entitled "The County Line" which was later shown at The Suburban gallery, curated by Michelle Grabner
Michelle Grabner
Michelle Grabner is an American artist.-Life:Grabner received a B.F.A. in 1984 and a M.A. in Art History in 1987 from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She received her M.F.A. from Northwestern University, Department of Art Theory and Practice in 1990. At NU she worked with the painters Ed...
, and at the No Soul For Sale art fair at the Tate Modern
Tate Modern
Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London, England. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group . It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In July 2010 Something Theater aired an episode that featured a 30-minute version of Gas 'N Fuel, a short film made by the creators of the Found Footage Festival. A 15-minute version of the film had previously screened at the South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
Film Festival and 12 other film festivals.
In September 2010 an episode of Something Theater screened at the Oriental Landmark Theatre as part of the Milwaukee Film Festival.
In July 2010 an episode entitled "The Title is a Drawing" aired which was made by Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based artist/filmmaker Marc Horowitz
Marc Horowitz
Marc Horowitz is an artist, actor, writer, filmmaker, comic, and internet celebrity based in Los Angeles, California....
.
Steve Hyden of The Onion
The Onion
The Onion is an American news satire organization. It is an entertainment newspaper and a website featuring satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news, in addition to a non-satirical entertainment section known as The A.V. Club...
A.V. Club called the series, "All weird, all the time." Mary Louise Schumacher of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. It is the primary newspaper in Milwaukee, the largest newspaper in Wisconsin and is distributed widely throughout the state...
said, "This is not art for artists. Swant, Ciraldo and Robbins obviously love TV themselves and are earnestly trying to create something for a mainstream audience. This is far more rare than you might expect. In fact, I don’t know of any contemporary artists who are trying to make TV shows."
External links
- Newspaper review of Something Theater
- Article about Something Theater in The Onion A.V. Club