Late Night Time Machine

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Late Night Time Machine

Late Night Time Machine Poster.jpg

Theater The Institution Theater
Directed by
Cast
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

A performance of _Late Night Time Machine_.
Teddy Hancox and Tildy Weatherspoon

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

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Christmas Special Spectacular

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

April 10th

April 17th - Episode 3 - Party Time (or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Manuel Noriega)

April 24th - Episode 4 -

May 1st - Episode 5 - Teddy Saves America

May 8th - Episode 6 -

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