We're Movin' On Up!

I have some fun shows coming up in the next couple weeks and 2012 but I have to say my favorite place to perform is my hometown of Wauconda.  When my friends, Vicki Laureys and Monica Jablonski decided to bring stand up comedy to Lake County (since the closing of Zanies) I never dreamed we'd open such a wonderful room.  When three women open a comedy club it is soooo different than a club run by a man.  Of course, I'm biased but the ambience of the room, the cleanliness of the bathrooms, the big smiles that greet customers when they walk in is something to that deserves recognition.  And we are happy - genuinely happy!  It's all new and we're reinventing ourselves.  Could three business women ask for anything more.

The room is comfy with so many different kinds of chairs that generates eclectic charm.  The comedians are so warmly welcome, they go on stage and immediately feel the supportive vibe.  I personally love the audiences who want to see you succeed.  Do you know what you get when you give positive energy to a comedian - a super show.  We're the little kids who used to spin in circles or do magic tricks or lip-sink songs while the adults egged us on.  The positive nature of the Lake County crowds is instrumental in the great shows that have hit home since the opening on October 8th.

You can have Hollywood, the glitter, the glare, the noise and the traffic.  I'll take Wauconda because comedy, for me, is to make people feel good!  And it happens here.

Growing Up Catholic - Sex Education and the Stick Figure

     I went to an all-girl's Catholic boarding school when I was in high school.  That education served me well as a women in that I had no male competitors for sports, class offices or grades.  As a matter of fact, I had no knowledge of males at all.  What they did and how they acted were a complete mystery.

     To say that I learned about sex from the nuns is a statement of fact.  Our sex class was taught by Sister Lacey in seventh grade and frankly, it was all over my head.  To complicate matters, the man and woman were depicted by stick figures.  The female stick figure had on a triangle skirt to depict her manner of dress.  The male stick figure had on no pants.  (A minor detail that really should have demanded a huge explanation.)

   Both the male and female stick figures had big round heads with no faces.  I thought, "If that is what my dream man is going to look like, there really is no need for this class."  These stick figures had quite a social life.  They went to the movies, read books together, ate pasta, but when it came to sex - No, No, and No Again!  I knew this was because I saw two horizontal lines with bobble heads on the screen with a dark red "X" over them.  It's surprising this universal sign never caught on with the general public.

     I was taught to be very modest and I learned my lesson well.  You can not imagine the trauma I felt when I wore a sleeveless white blouse to school instead of the standard uniform blouse.  I hid it beneath my blue blazer but it was a hot day and I took my jacket off in front of Sister Lacey.  She said, "Put that blazer back on; your blouse is immodest!"  Oddly enough, Sister Lacey didn't say anything about my plaid uniform skirt that was rolled up three times to capture the miniskirt trend.  And how could I be immodest, if the stick figure lady had on no blouse at all?
 
     To explain the level of my socially challenged sexual self is hard to explain adequately in words.  Let me try with a picture.
                                                                         ???
                                                                          O
                                                                         - |-
                                                                           /\

Ballroom Dancing With the Comedian!

           This past weekend I signed up for a private ballroom dance lesson.  Let’s check that right off the bucket list. 

           I’ve always loved to dance and oddly enough the first song I fell in love with was “Let Me Entertain You” from the striptease move “Gypsy” when I was just eight years old.  I sang the heck out of that song and practiced a lot of dance moves with it too.  I wonder how bizarre my family thought it was that I’d fallen in love with such a provocative song.  Of course little “June” in the movie sang it when she was five in a white dress with a petticoat and patent leather shoes.  Wait a minute, who let me watch “Gypsy” anyway?  That wasn’t the all-girl Catholic school way.

          I’ve loved dancing all my life and I’ve taken lessons in tap, jazz, ballet and acrobatics.  The one thing I always pined for was ballroom dancing.  I always wondered where those people learned to dance with one another.  When I was in jazz class, I’d see advanced dancers carrying each other through the air.  I always thought, “I want a little piece of that!”

           Last week, I decided to put my thoughts into action after being inspired by “Dancing With the Stars.”  If this TV show is so popular, they’re must be a way to go after this dream.  I googled my way to ballroom dance instruction that looked reputable and I was on my way.  On Friday, I had my first private ballroom dance lesson.

           I’ve always wanted to learn how to dance with a guy who has exceptional rhythm.  Although my husband is interested in learning ballroom, I wanted to take the first class alone.  My husband’s ability to dance-“not” is well documented in my show.

           To say that I didn’t know how to dress for ballroom dancing instruction is an understatement.  Growing up Catholic makes me always reach for plaid.  Sure enough, I arrived in a plaid shirt, goofy work-out pants and yesterday’s horrible black heels.  My ballroom dance instructor, “Cinnamon” must have taken lessons in poker face because as odd as I looked he kept a straight face.  Not easy to do for a black ultra-cool black dude with shades and bling that looked like he could have graced the cover of Ebony Magazine.  When we met he didn’t crack a smile.  I could read the “Oh my god, is this the best they can give me” look that was written all over his face.  When we turned to look in the mirror, the sight was so bizarre I wanted to make it better by promising to wear a Cat Woman suit the next week.  Poor Cinnamon - I knew I’d make it up to him with my ability to “catch on.”

           Cinnamon asked me what  type of music I liked.  I’m thinking  “oldies”and “ Lady Gaga”.  I refused to let my teeny bopper mentality show and I blurted out  “Usher.”  Ha!  I remember being introduced on stage to an Usher song that really made me want to dance.  That counts!

           The lesson was awesome.  Dancing with a man who has rhythm (a black man who has rhythm – super extra bonus points!) was a dream.  It was everything I could imagine – fun, challenging and yet effortless.  Dancing on a cloud is a just description.  As Cinnamon danced he started to smile and repeatedly said “Thank You” as I picked up his moves after only one demonstration.  And best of all, he gave me the ultimate black dancer’s compliment, “Sally, you’ve a got a little black in you.”  Knock me over with feather!  I’d been working for a compliment like that since Gypsy Rose Lee.

           I left the ballroom lesson feeling a true sense of accomplishment.  But like all dreams, it’s time to wake up.  My next dancing lesson includes a challenging (challenged?) and adorable partner – my husband Bert.  Cinnamon, I bet you thought you’d seen everything when I arrived in my goofy plaid shirt and Capri pajama-like pants.  There’s another half to this cool-bound dance lady.  You better work on that poker face.  You’re gonna need it!

     In mid-July I was desperate to practice a five minute set.  I was preparing for The World Series of Comedy Competition in St. Charles.  The material I chose was very familiar to me but I had not yet put it together to assure myself that it did indeed equal five minutes.  The World Series of Comedy wanted a short and sweet five minutes.

    After scouring the internet, I realize the only "new talent" or "showcase" club feasible for me to practice this five minutes was in Schaumburg at the Laff Out Loud Theater.  I had heard that comedians could do brief sets every other Sunday at this club.  Generally new talents show up and go up.  I had this in mind when I went to the theater's site to find showtimes.  What happened next stunned me and saddened me.

    In order to perform five minutes at The Laff Out Loud Theater, it is necessary to sign up and pay $5.00 by credit card including $1.26 in tax!??!  (Tax?  Taxing what?)  In order to do five minutes of standup comedy after 30 years of stage experience - I had to pay?!  Wow!

    Did I sign up?  Of course I did - out of morbid curiosity.

   Ten days later I drove out to Schaumburg and entered the Laff Out Loud Theater foyer.  I was surrounded by about 15 young comics - the average age was 21.  All I could think was, "Why?"  "Why is this club taking advantage of your drive?  Why don't you know any better?  Why did it come to this again?"

  I performed my short five minute set early in the evening and was out the door by 9:00.  I wanted to leave that environment because it caused my heart to ache for all of those young creative spirits.  If only they could understand how a respectful career in comedy really is supposed to be.

The Comedy Competition - You Gotta Love 'Em

  Last night I performed in a comedy competition - "The World Series of Comedy" - at Zanies in St. Charles, IL.  Sixteen comedians took the stage to win fabulous bookings, including advancement to Las Vegas.  Some comics flew from as far away as Washington (yes - the state!) to perform in this battle of hilarity for the opportunity to simply work more. (Yes - comedians love their craft that much.)  I had a super time.

   My reason for entering the competition was not for an opportunity to win.  Yes.  I said it.  Because I perform a one-person comedy show, I was not trying to win the prize of a middle spot at various comedy clubs.  And, based on my history of my competition abilities I was not worried about winning the grand prize.  (Some thrive on the competition aspect.  I generally avoid competitive comedy.)  I entered the competition because I wanted a personal challenge.  I wanted to stay "fresh" over the summer months when my bookings ebb with the school year calendar.

  To prepare for the competition, I performed a five minute set one week ago on the St. Charles comedy stage.  This guest set was to get the wheels back in motion.  My daughter said, "Yes Mom.  I could see you thinking."  Mission accomplished.

  Four days later, I went to "Laff Out Loud" in Schaumburg for another five minute "practice" set.  I was surrounded primarily by new talents.  The energy of these brand new comedians was amazing.  Most went on stage "raw" with new jokes that screamed "This is what I think is funny."  The laughs were minimal and most of the material was blue (i.e. dirty).  However, the energy among the comedians was new and hopeful.  It gave me a great push to polish my set.

  And this brings us to Wednesday night's competition.  With two sets of preparation, I was back on my game.  The audience was fantastic.  I reached my goal of making a great stride forward as I prepare for my corporate bookings which seem to wake from a deep slumber in the fall.  I won a personal prize of accomplishment and that, to me, is the greatest win of all!

Join Sally Edwards at The World Series of Comedy!

Comedian Sally Edwards at Zanies Comedy Club

The World Series of Comedy
Zanies, Pheasant Run, St. Charles, IL

Join Sally Edwards and 39 Professional Comics as they Compete To Win A Trip To The Main Event in Las Vegas! Special room rates available at the Pheasant Run Resort!

Wildcard Wednesday:
Round 1 comics will perform 5 minutes.
Three round 1 comics will advance.
One Wildcard winner will perform in each of Thursday & Friday shows.


Thursday:
Each comic in round 2 will perform 7 minutes.
Six round 2 comics will advance to Saturday's first show.

Friday and Saturday: Comics Line-Up Coming Soon

First Place:
Direct Entry & Free Registration into the Main Event in Las Vegas
$200 Airfare Voucher for Trip to Las Vegas
Hotel Room for 5 Nights in Las Vegas
Paid Work from Zanies Comedy Club
Come out and be heard!