American Comedy Institute News

Thursday, March 26, 2009

ACI NEWS

Stephen Rosenfield was in Oslo, Norway for the final rehearsals and the world premiere of Shabana Rehman's one-person dramatic comedy, For the Kingdom and Fatherland. The play is running at the Central Theatre in Oslo prior to a national tour.

For the Kingdom and Fatherland began its life at the American Comedy Institute. Shabana began writing it as part of her work in ACI's One Year Program. Other one-person plays and shows that began their development at the American Comedy Institute are: Steven Fales' Off-Broadway hit, Confessions of a Mormon Boy, Rock Albers' 4 one-person comedy shows, Alison Larkin's The English American, and Ted Greenberg's the Complete Performer now in its 2nd year at the Soho Playhouse.

American Radical, a new one person play by Stephen Rosenfield and Kate Redway, scheduled to premiere in March 2010 at William Paterson University received its first NY reading at the American Comedy Institute.

Stephen Rosenfield was invited to Olso by Norway's Ministry of Culture to conduct a stand-up comedy workshop for Norwegian performers and writers. He also produced a stand-up show at the Oslo club, Dattera Til Hagen. Stephen has also conducted comedy performing and writing workshops and produced comedy shows in Sweden, Portugal and Canada.

In April of 2010 a documentary film by Martin Gaarder about Shabana Rehman will be aired on the Norwegian Broadcast Corporation which is also the film's co-producer. The film is entitled, Shabana's Choice.

Jahn Gorak Bremdal is the host of a stand-up show at the Dattera Til Hagen Comedy Club in Oslo, Norway.

ACI grad Deborah Laufer's new play, Sirens has been selected to run during the Humana Festival at the Actor's Theatre of Louisville in 2010.

Joe Grossman appears and writes for the David Letterman Show.

Andrew Ginsberg recently headlined at Carolines and has now appeared twice on Saturday Night Live

David Baker is performing on NBC's The Jay Leno Laugh Squad.

Marla Schultz is appearing in an episode of Men of a Certain Age airing the week of January 4th.

Pokerface, a film starring Zinat Pirzadeh was an award winner at the International Film Festival in Murmansk, Russia.

Chuck Marti won the $1,000 grand prize at the Monologue Challenge at the Actor's Project. He used material from his Gotham set from the last workshop.

ACI on Starz Comedy A ten part series on what it takes to make it as a stand-up comedian. Follow six new comics as they go through orientation and workshop classes at the American Comedy Institute, culminating with their graduation - on stage performances at comedy clubs in The Big Apple. If can be funny there, you can be funny anywhere.

The series is hosted by Michael Somerville, recently voted one of New York's "Ten Hot Local Comics" by The Improper magazine and a veteran of the ACI workshop. This series first aired on Starz Comedy in 2007.

Stephen Rosenfield is the director and writing consultant for The Complete Performer starring Emmy Award winner, Ted Greenberg. The show has received rave reviews from The New York Times and the New York Post and is currently in an open-ended run at the Soho Playhouse. Stephen is also the director and co-author of two time Mac award winner Rock Albers' one person shows at the Gotham Comedy Club. Stephen starred in the Starz series "Stand-Up or Shut Up." In addition to serving as Director of the American Comedy Institute, Stephen is Director of the Comed'in Comedy Institute in Portugal and is the Professor of Comedy at William Paterson University.

ACI ALUMNI NEWS

Jim Gaffigan is currently starring My Boys, a sitcom on TBS. He performs stand-up regularly on The David Letterman Show, and headlines at comedy clubs throughout the country, including Carolines. His comedy special "King Baby" aired on Comedy Central and is now available on CD and DVD.

Sunda Croonquist was featured on NBC's Today Show.

Tom Shillue has appeared on Conan O'Brien and the Daily Show as well as hundreds of commercials. He also starred in a half hour special on Comedy Central Presents. His comedy album Overconfident was one of the top ten comedy albums of 2007 according to the Boston Globe.

Michael Somerville is starring in the new reality series Wingman on FLN.

Jessica Kirson has been featured on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Fresh Faces, VH1's Awesomely Bad Shows NBC's Last Comic Standing seasons 2 and 3, and Last Call with Carson Daly.

Alison Larkin wrote a novel that was published by Simon and Schuster entitled The English American. Vogue labeled the book as one of the most powerful books of the season. The English American has been optioned by ABC for a half hour TV series.

Megan McCormick is the co-host of Globe Trekker on PBS

Esther Ku was a finalist on last season's Last Comic Standing and is now performing her stand-up in clubs all over the country.

Carmen Lynch was a finalist on Last Comic Standing on NBC

Ted Greenberg's one man show, The Complete Performer, was the only stand-up show selected for the 2008 NY International Fringe Festival. The show won the Producers Award and received rave reviews in The New York Times and the New York Post. The Complete Performer is currently in an open ended run at the Soho Playhouse.

Wendy Spero has performed on NPR, Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, and the Food Network. Her most recent one woman show. "Who's Your Daddy?" was produced at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Wendy has been featured in the New York Post, New York Magazine, the New Yorker, and the New York Times and she has been named "Best Female Comic of The Year" by TimeOut NY.

Dana Eagle has appeared on Comedy Central's Premium Blend, the Oxygen Network and numerous commercials. She performs in comedy clubs nationally. Dana earned the title of "Best New Comedian" at the Bud Light Ladies of Laughter Competition.

Stephanie Blum won the 2002 Bud Light Ladies of Laughter Competition at Madison Square Garden. She was chosen by HBO's US Arts Festival to be their 2003 "Breakout Performer". She was also a winner of Star Search on CBS-TV. She performs at such venues as the Mohegan Sun Casino, Carolines, The Comic Strip and Stand-Up New York.

Rock Albers is the two-time MAC award winner for best stand-up comedian in New York. His one person shows, directed and co-authored by Stephen Rosenfield, have won rave reviews in the New York Post, Village Voice, and TimeOut NY.

Rose Courtney wrote and starred in the vaudville comedy Cycle which was produced by the NY International Fringe Festival in 2008.

Sean Conroy has performed stand up comedy on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and Comedy Central's Premium Blend . His one-man show TAUGHT was selected for the 2001 HBO Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. He appears regularly at Luna Lounge and Stand Up New York.

Eric Slovin is a staff writer for Saturday Night Live

Michael Rose co-starred in the movie, "Dogs In The Basement" which won the first feature award at The Montreal World Film Festival.