Late Night Time Machine
| Late Night Time Machine | |
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| Theater | The Institution Theater |
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| Initial Run | Sep 2014 |
| Subsequent Run(s) | Apr-May 2015 |
Late Night Time Machine is an improvised historical talk show at The Institution Theater.
Summary
Late Night Time Machine with Teddy Hancox is an entirely written and entirely improvised live comedy show created by Tess Hermes, James C. Leary, and Mason Pitluk. The show features Teddy Hancox (James C. Leary), a talk-show host from 1968 (aka "the golden era of late-night"). Each show features new guest improvisors who arrive in character as historical figures or celebrities from past, present, and future. Sydney Huddleston co-stars as Matilda "Tildy" Weatherspoon, the show's intern/PA turned producer, and Mike Carreon as Teddy's sidekick, Bud Grouper.
The show includes on-air interviews, off-air interactions both on-set, in the green room, and behind the scenes, and commercial sketches typical of 1968.
Origins
Late Night Time Machine with Teddy Hancox was conceived by Tess Hermes, James C. Leary, and Mason Pitluk in the Summer of 2014. The show was pitched to the Institution Theater with Clifton Highfield signed on to direct, Sydney Huddleston signed on to play second lead Matilda Weatherspoon, Ceej Allen signed on as a performer, and Mark Shoemaker signed on as Technical Director. Hermes and Pitluk would write and produce while Leary would play host Teddy Hancox. Hermes, Leary, and Pitluk pitched the show after an unconventional presentation; rather than just talk about the concept, they presented a three minute glimpse into an episode featuring a David Lynch guest interview, a off-air Tildy-Teddy interaction, and a Lucky Strike Cigarettes commercial.
Season 1
Season 1 was directed by Clifton Highfield, written and produced by Tess Hermes, Mason Pitluk, and Highfield, and featured the technical direction of Mark Shoemaker.
Episode 1
- Marlon Brando (Mike Kinald)
- David Lynch (Ceej Allen)
- Julia Child (Topping Haggerty)
- Justin Bieber (backstage) (Andrew Maniaci)
Episode 2
- Anne Frank (Alex Ayala)
- Socrates (Luke Wallens)
- Bindi Irwin (Ann Flynn Terrell)
- Beethoven (Ceej Allen)
Episode 3
- Sigmund Freud (Andrew Schwartz)
- Shirley Temple (Alli Huston))
- Paula Deen (Rebecca Marsh)
- Bindi Irwin (backstage) (Ann Flynn Terrell)
- Marlon Brando (backstage) (Mike Kinald)
Episode 4
- Charles Manson (Tom Booker)
- Annie Oakley (Heidi Rogers)
- Justin Bieber (Andrew Maniaci)
- Anne Frank (Alex Ayala)
- Marlon Brando (backstage) (Mike Kinald)
- Fatally Wounded Audience Member (Luke Wallens)
Christmas Special Spectacular
- Martha Stewart (Callie Sharon)
- Paula Deen (Rebecca Marsh)
- Anne Frank (Alex Ayala)
- David Lynch (Ceej Allen)
- Jesus of Nazareth (Justin Davidson)
Season 2
Season 2 was directed by Mason Pitluk, written and produced by Tess Hermes and Pitluk, and featured the technical direction of Mark Shoemaker. Ceej Allen and Alex Ayala assisted Hermes and Pitluk with the conception and writing of the season. Along with Hermes and Pitluk, Allen deserves writing credit for episode 1 and Ayala deserves credit for episode 4, arguably two of the finest nights of live comedy in the history of mankind.
Season 2 primarily focused on:
- Teddy's growth as an individual, especially in regards to his treatment of Tildy and Bud
- Tildy's growth as an individual as she figured out how to be a powerful female leader in 1968
- Teddy and Tildy's quest to make "good television," motivated primarily by Teddy's desire to keep his show and place in the public's eye after being cancelled, and Tildy's knowledge of the sad future state of the entertainment industry after spending time executive producing The Ellen Show in 2016.
April 3rd - Episode 1 - Back From the Future
- Bjork (Sarah Marie Curry)
- Conan O'Brien (Ryan Hill)
- Emily Dickinson (Hanna AbuZayed)
- Vincent van Gogh (Ceej Allen)
- fictional YouTube sensation Stacy Stacy (Tess Hermes)
- Ellen DeGeneres (Mason Pitluk)
- special appearance by David Lynch (Ceej Allen)
April 10th
- Alexander the Great (Kevin Miller)
- Genghis Khan (Brad Hawkins)
- Amy Winehouse (Kristen Kurtis)
- stand up from Baby Don Rickles (John Buseman)
April 17th - Episode 3 - Party Time (or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Manuel Noriega)
- Manuel Noriega (Donnie Loa)
- Bill Clinton (Asaf Ronen)
- Stevie Nicks (Donna Rice)
- Joan Jett (Jayme Ramsey)
- stand up from James Cagney (Lashonda Lester)
April 24th - Episode 4 -
- Charlie Chaplin (Alex Ayala)
- Hillary Clintronic 3000 (Amy Averett)
- Groucho Marx (Robert Slack)
- Ronald McDonald (Luke Wallens)
- stand up from Salem Witches (Tess Hermes and Melanie Dyer)
May 1st - Episode 5 - Teddy Saves America
- Catherine the Great (Jessica Arjet)
- Albert Einstein (Michael Ferstenfeld)
- Werher von Braun (Andreas Fabis)
- Benjamin Franklin (Marcus Hysmith)
- stand up from Teddy Roosevelt (Will Cleveland)
May 8th - Episode 6 -
- Orson Welles (Jordan Maxwell)
- Salvador Dali (as a guest and stand up) (Brently Heilbron)
- Stanley Kubrick (Kenny Madison)
- Eve (Heidi Rogers)
- special appearance by David Lynch (Ceej Allen)
Media
Photos
- Photoset by Michael Yew of a show.
- Photoset by Steve Rogers of the 9/5/14 show.
More Information
- The season-one casting announcement on the Austin Improv Forums.
- The season-two show announcement, on the Institution Theater facebook page.
