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 originating from The Institution Theater.
Summary
Late Night Time Machine with Teddy Hancox is a live comedy show created by Tess Hermes, James C. Leary, and Mason Pitluk. A late night show from 1968 hosted by Teddy Hancox (James C. Leary), LNTM features celebrity guests flown in from all across time. Each live show features new guest improvisors 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 executive producer, and Mike Carreon as Teddy's sidekick, Bud Grouper.
Shows have featured a mixture of improvised on-air interviews and off-air interactions (both on-set and behind the scenes), as well as stand up performances, the occasional musical performance, and written sketch commercials satirizing the culture of the late 60's.
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. The pitch itself was a three minute glimpse into an episode featuring a David Lynch guest interview, an 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 earned writing credit for episode 1 and Ayala earned 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 struggle to earn respect as female executive in 1968
- Teddy and Tildy's quest to make "good television," motivated primarily by Teddy's desire to remain famous and avoid cancellation, and Tildy's knowledge of the decline of television after spending time as the executive producer of 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 - Episode 2 - The Return of Barbara: 2016 Strikes Back
- Alexander the Great (Kevin Miller)
- Genghis Khan (Brad Hawkins)
- Amy Winehouse (Kristen Kurtis)
- stand up from Baby Don Rickles (John Buseman)
- in world character Executive Executive Producer Barbara "Babs" Johnson (Jo Chauvin)
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 - The Silence of Tyranny, An Allegory (Presented by McDonald's)
- 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 - Finale
- stand up and guest appearance from Salvador Dali (Brently Heilbron)
- Orson Welles (Jordan Maxwell)
- 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.
- Photoset by Steve Rogers of the 4/3/15 performance.
- Photoset by Chad Wellington of the 4/17/15 performance.
- Photoset by Michael Yew of the 4/24/15 performance.
- Photoset by Michael Yew of the 5/1/15 performance.
- Photoset by Steve Rogers of the 5/8/15 performance.
More Information
- The season-one casting announcement on the Austin Improv Forums.
- The season-two show announcement, on the Institution Theater facebook page.
