“Don’t
look at me!” actor Ann Breitbach demands as we try to rehearse our scene
without laughing, while standing in front of Jeff Love. Good luck with that. “Okay,” Jeff says as he pulls
up the script to cover his face. It
doesn’t help. They laugh anyway, and it
becomes contagious. Pretty soon we are all laughing. Ann and I are attempting to get through “The Icon Con”, a sketch from THE YEAR END/NEW YEAR HALF OFF
HOLIDAY BLOWOUT SHOWCASE, which opens on January 17.
We can barely make it through a single rehearsal
without cracking up. I
just hope I can keep a straight face on opening night. This is what happens
when you work with some of the most hilarious people doing indie theatre in New
York.
Point of You Productions was founded a decade ago by
Artistic Director Jeff Love and Executive Director Johnny Blaze Leavitt with
the purpose of enlightening and enriching New York theatre audiences through
both classical and original works.
Jeff Love and Johnny Blaze Leavitt make decisions
Kathleen Fletcher and Monica Blaze Leavitt are Desperate Turkey Wives
We are rehearsing one such original work that has
been almost two years in the making. The
laughter began when we met to develop sketch ideas for a show spoofing the winter
holidays. We met in studios, parks, apartments, and at that famous green coffee
house to mold ideas that would eventually become THE YEAR END/NEW YEAR HALF OFF
HOLIDAY BLOWOUT SHOWCASE.
This is the first show of 2013 produced by Point of
You Productions. In true POY style, there are no egos here -- just hard work,
loyalty and dedication. There has been a strong collaborative effort to produce
this show. It’s the type of experience that keeps me involved in New York
independent theatre.
A few minutes later, as I toss aside the imaginary
piece of paper Ann hands me, she breaks into laughter again, and I follow
suit. We just have to get it out of our
system. We are having way too much fun to call this work, but we get the work
done. We are determined to put on a good show, even if we die (laughing) trying.
Actor and Makeup Artist Ann Breitbach with co-star
Poor Dandy Elf! Joe Esbenshade does a "bang up" job
THE YEAR END/NEW YEAR HALF OFF HOLIDAY BLOWOUT SALE SHOWCASE!
The Roy Arias Studios
– Stage II Theatre
300 West 43rd Street
| New York, NY 10036
Performances are at
8pm
Written by: Nicholas Walker Herbert, Cedric Jones, Johnny Blaze Leavitt, Jeff Love, Lee Solomon, Paul Weissman
Directed by: Cedric
Jones, Johnny Blaze Leavitt, Monica Blaze Leavitt and Jeff Love
Featuring: Ann Breitbach, Emily
Dalton, Nick DeMarco , Joe Esbenshade, Kathleen Fletcher, Cedric Jones, Johnny
Blaze Leavitt, Monica Blaze Leavitt, Jeff Love, Miles Neuvirth, Gerard J.
Savoy, Marc Adam Smith, Emily Stokes and Lindsay Kitt Wiebe.
FROM THE PRESS RELEASE:
Desperate
turkeys, drunk elves, the Mob and a very disturbed Who from Whoville…
Point of You
Productions celebrates the end of the winter holiday season with some much
needed therapeutic laughter! Come decompress with us.
THE YEAR END/NEW
YEAR HALF OFF HOLIDAY BLOWOUT SALE SHOWCASE
celebrates the
insanity of the winter holiday season. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s
Day, the
holidays bring us joy… as well as headaches, drama and a sudden urge to live on
a deserted island.
Meet Matt and
Sarah, two little kids who each try to convince the other that they know more
about the real story of the holidays. This leads us to hearing such unknown holiday
classic stories as ‘The Santa Con Bunny,” “Santa’s Misery,” “Birthday Claus”
and “The Oddest Couple,” featuring Jesus and Scrooge.
The winter
holidays are over! You’ve hung on to your sanity for another year! Come
celebrate that with us as we lovingly say goodbye to the most [censored] time
of the year.
Johnny Blaze Leavitt in THE YEAR END/NEW YEAR HALF OFF HOLIDAY BLOWOUT SHOWCASE
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