A Week of Kindness Blog: News Archives

March 29, 2006

Hey, College Humor and Gorilla Mask Readers!

First, a word from the sponsors:

NEW SHOW! THURSDAY, MARCH 30TH, at 7 PM
AWOK shares the stage with Freedumb At the Gene Frankel Underground (Formerly Juvie Hall) 24 Bond St (Click here for subway directions) $5. (There will be a brand new video debuting. Hot damn.)

Welcome to everyone who’s come here from Collegehumor and Gorillamask. This time, the video is Nature Footage: The Musical. Go ahead and take another look, just to make sure it’s as awesome as you remember it.

Posted by Nate Kushner at 12:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 16, 2006

Welcome College Humor readers again!

Thanks to CollegeHumor for giving the Thumblettes some love.

Written by A Week of Kindness
Directed by Mike Still
Music for theme song composed and performed by Allysha Powanda and Kendrick Strauch
Featuring: Allysha Powanda, Mike Still, Erica Harsch, Dan Hopper, and Nate Kushner
Graphics by Mike Still and Nate Kushner

If you’re new to the AWOK site, check out our other videos. Or check out our latest, The Profane Gourmet right here for a start.

The Profane Gourmet
Featuring Mike Still (with a special appearance by Shayna Ferm)
Written by A Week of Kindness

Posted by Nate Kushner at 07:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 05, 2006

Happy Anniversary, Us!

On this day in 2005, A Week of Kindness performed its very first show at Galapagos Art Space.

The cast:
Erica Harsch
Dan Hopper
Nate Kushner
Devin T. Quin
Mike Still

For academic purposes, the setlist. It’s humbling to see how far we’ve come:
Heartworms Gnawing on the Heartstrings of My Heart, which we have not yet used a second time. (Erica, Devin)
Astronauts, in a draft that is almost unrecognizable to the way we use it now, and was twice as long. (Mike, Erica, Dan)
Late Night With James Joyce, with James Joyce interviewing Parker Posey for the first and only time. (Nate, Mike, Erica)
A Conversation About Differences (Full Cast), which along with various Late Night With James Joyce sketches, has become one of the bits we’ve used most often and most reliably, especially after a substantial trimming and rewrite that we did a month or two later. It has now been upgraded to a closer.
A Stand-Up Set by “Rotten” Jack Cutley (Devin, Dan). It was a good lesson we learned at that first show: The sketches that killed when we were in college will not automatically kill in New York. This one also has yet to be used again, but it’s not impossible.
Fresh Milk (Full Cast). The sketch hasn’t changed that much, other than the performances getting better almost every time we do it. We have continued to use this on occasion, but more often as an opener than a closer.

Notice that there were only 6 scenes in this half-hour set. Compare that to 7 months later, when Barnyard Jamboree had about 13 scenes in about 40 minutes. I would call this sketch show a good one, but only by the standards of what I imagine other sketch groups’ first shows are like. The photos are here.

Anyway, since then, we’ve done many more shows. We’ve just straight up gotten better at most aspects of putting together a sketch show. We’ve added dozens more sketches to our repertoire. We’ve incorporated short film into our arsenal. We’ve made some wonderful friendships, including quite a few with people we’re happy to call our sketch colleagues. We ran a moderately-sized comedy festival that went over pretty nicely. We got caught up in a scandal that unfortunately became quite a bit more famous than anything we’ve ever done on stage. And just this past month, we actually got slightly famous again, this time actually for a sketch that got viewed in the past few weeks by multitudes beyond our wildest dreams. It’s been a good year.

Some stats:

Distinct sketch revues created by AWOK: 4.
Total performances: 24 in 6 different venues.
Blog posts: 88
Visitors to this website: 394884
Membership of AWOK after one year: 4.
Total number of people who were once counted as members of AWOK: 8
Total number of people who ever attended an AWOK rehearsal: 8, but they weren’t the same 8.
Total number of people in AWOK who have had perfect attendance at AWOK shows: 2
Total number of people who have ever performed live in an AWOK show: 7
Total number of people who have ever performed live in an AWOK show without actually being in the group: Kendrick.
Total number of people who have helped out an AWOK sketch or show in some way: Immeasurable.
Average awesomeness of AWOK fans: Superawesome.

Anyway, we love you guys, and we’ll make sure AWOK: Year Two kicks even more butts.

This is also an anniversary of Chris O’Connor (of Fearsome) getting born. He’s one of those superawesome fans we talked about that helps us out a lot, and a great sketch comic in his own right, so a big happy birthday to that guy.

Posted by Nate Kushner at 03:02 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

February 25, 2006

Party Theory

So there’s been this party going on, and you know how dumb you feel when you show up kind of late at a party and the height of its crazytude has long passed?

But also, you know how sometimes you show up kind of late at a party, and it suddenly becomes fun again because you show up?

I guess what we’re trying to say is be our Myspace friend:

www.myspace.com/awokcomedy

Because it’s about to become a party at Myspace again.

Posted by Nate Kushner at 12:08 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

February 21, 2006

Welcome College Humor Readers and SketchfestTV viewers!

Many thanks to Collegehumor.com and SketchfestTV for giving us nice plugs on the same day.

First, cheers to collegehumor for featuring our video “A Week of Kindness and the Last Crusade.” It’s right below here if you want to have another look:

A Week of Kindness and the Last Crusade
Written by A Week of Kindness
Featuring: Mike Still, Cody Lindquist, Phil Lamplugh, Dan Hopper, Erica Harsch, Nate Kushner, and John Constantine.

To download this movie in the format of your choice, including Quicktime and iPod, visit this video’s page at Google Video.

Also many thanks to the people at SketchfestTV for including us in this week’s episode of their podcast. Anybody who cares about comedy ought to subscribe to this thing. It’s a great podcast that contains three sketches every week from some of the best sketch groups from all around the country, downloaded automatically to your computer or iPod for free. This week, they’re using an old classic of ours, “The Thumblettes,” which is as of now available on Google video for faster load times and iPod loadability:

To download this one in other formats, this one also has a Google Video page now.

We also encourage all of you to look around at all the videos that didn’t necessarily get big linkage today. There’s also some fun stuff in the archives of the blog, and on the right side of every page in this site, you’ll see a box where you can get on the mailing list to be notified of our show dates and new videos.

Posted by Nate Kushner at 07:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 10, 2006

This week’s celebrity sighting is Bobby Boriello, who played the young Tony Soprano in a few episodes. He was riding an uptown 2 train, probably on the way to somewhere where they had some cocaine. So, yeah.

Posted by Nate Kushner at 06:05 PM | TrackBack

December 20, 2005

What Christmas song are Williamsburg kids singing now that the transit workers are on strike?

No L. No L. No L. No L.

Thank you, I’ll be here all day. Literally all day.

Posted by Nate Kushner at 12:11 PM | Comments (1)

December 09, 2005

Things that Mike Still, Nate Kushner, and Kasey Soska (you don’t know Kasey, but you’d probably like him) Wrote With Our Fingers On Every Snow-Covered Windshield in Brooklyn Last Saturday While Stumbling Home Drunk From A Party We Were At

Butts
Psychiatry
I Wish I Was A Better Person
Gee Whillikers
Breasts
Tender Friend
Nerd-Car
Bits
Call me Ishmael
Fuck Vandals
Va Va Voom
Vaginaz
Do you like movies?

Kasey? Mike? Please add to this list, because we probably literally did a hundred cars, and I can’t possibly remember everything we wrote on them.

Also, go and see the new goddamn Barnyard Jamboree dates, which are 12/10 and 12/17 at 9:30 at the PIT (154 W. 29th St). $8. Reserve tickets here.

Posted by Nate Kushner at 09:50 PM | Comments (0)

September 28, 2005

I got reviewed in the Village Voice!

As many people know, I participated the other week in The Aristocontest at the PIT, where I and many of AWOK’s friends in sketch told some tellings of that Aristocrats joke. Well, the damn thing got reviewed in the Village Voice by Michael Musto, and I’m in the review! Check it out Here or right below!

SCAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF
Dina’s opener, the female sketch comedy group MEAT, was one of the acts lining up to spew obscenities at the Peoples Improv Theater’s Aristocontest, where the stage figuratively added 80 to 90 pounds of body fluids. The illustrious event had comics telling their versions of the infamous joke where a family farts and fists and felches onstage, then calls itself the Federlines, I mean the Aristocrats. We were treated to every imaginable variation on the joke—including a folk song version—with the scatological references topically spanning Katrina, 9-11, the Bush family, and “shit coming out like a giant Mister Softee machine.” Several comics went on too long, forgetting that less is whore, but all of them were so gamely goofy that by the end there was even some real vomit on the stage. The punchline of the contest? The prize was absolutely nothing. (But here’s a free gift to you: Spies tell me The Aristocrats might be bound for Broadway—you know, the Great Brown Way.)

You know what they say…any publicity is good as long as they spell your name right.

Posted by Nate Kushner at 04:26 PM | Comments (6)

September 14, 2005

Aristocontest!

I think I’m going to be giving this a try. Courtesy of Alex from Elephant Larry. Come hear me talk dirty!

DEAD-FROG.COM AND THE PEOPLES IMPROV THEATER PRESENT
“THE ARISTCONTEST” FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY

For one night only, some of the best comedians in New York City will take the stage at The Peoples Improv Theater to present their version of the filthiest joke ever told: The Aristocrats. The event is co-presented with Dead-Frog.com, home of the Official Aristocrats Joke Database.

Starting with a simple set-up (a man walks into a managers office), and ending with the punchline, “The Aristocrats,” the joke has been made infamous by numerous retellings, and the recent documentary of the same name. At this special showing, Ali Farahnakhian (former writer for Saturday Night Live), Andres du Bouchet (Giant Tuesday Night), Fearsome (2005 ECNY nominees), and many more will present their own unique versions.

In addition to these guests, there will be a chance for audience members to sign up to present their own version of the joke.

Dead-Frog.com is a well respected comedy analysis blog, and the home to the official Aristocrats Database.

The Peoples Improv Theater is home to the Best Comedy Classes in New York City (New York Magazine), and NYC’s Best Improv Group (Big Black Car, 2005 ECNYs). Improv, sketch comedy, stand-up, and comedic theater shows are presented nightly.

For more information on this, and other shows at the theater, please check out thepit-nyc.com.

WHAT: The Aristocontest
WHEN: Saturday, September 17 @ 11:00pm
WHERE: The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 W. 29th St. (btwn. 6th and 7th Aves.)
TICKETS: $8, available at the door

Posted by Nate Kushner at 02:00 AM | Comments (0)

September 13, 2005

The Face of Slickness!

Here’s something fantastically cool…We just sent the following design to the printers so that we could have a whole batch of sweet promo postcards made.

Here is its front:

And here is its back.

Yeah, that’s the stuff.

For those of you who have not attended an AWOK show, the design is in reference to our uniform, which is blue jeans, track jackets (removed when the sketch calls for it), and black T-shirts with the letter “A” on them in electrical tape (style and font left up to the whim of the wearer.)

Anyway, we happen to think that the design is pretty awesome. And if you want a closer look, it may well be littering the table at a twenty-something-frequented coffee establishment near you, long after our own coffee has been quaffed.

Posted by Nate Kushner at 02:51 AM | Comments (6)

September 01, 2005

AWOK has been saddened

Damnit.

Flooding has been a real bastard this last year. I’ve never lived in an area where there was a constant danger of my house being completely swallowed by water. My grandfather lived on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, but his house was on a bluff. When I was 8 I would picture the water coming up, but my parents would assure me that it was impossible for the water to raise 100 feet.

Of course, if you’re sitting in a city that is 5 feet below sea level, the story is different.

Thus, we at AWOK are joining the call to encourage a donation of any size to the American Red Cross. New Orleans needs it, and so do the countless other towns along Gulf Coast. It’s going to take a long time to rebuild, so let’s make sure the effort is strong and successful from the start. I know a lot of our readers are just out of college, but even a small donation is going to make a difference. And goddamnit, the town must be rebuilt so I can have another embarassing night like this there:

I swear that I didn’t once consider punching the donkey in the face. Donate!

Posted by Mike Still at 12:17 AM | Comments (0)

May 10, 2005

Think you can take us?

Hey cats and kittens, new photos from the May 7 Galapagos show, are posted for your viewing pleasure. I snuck in a few of Joe Powers, Devin T. Quin and Fearsome for good measure. Check ‘em.

Posted by Chris Coleman at 07:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 06, 2005

Signs of Life

Hey, true believers, it’s been way too long since we updated, but that’s good, because it means that we’re damn busy with rehearsals for our second all-new show coming up tomorrow.

The wheres and whens and whats and opening acts are up on The Front Page

Mostly, though, this post is a placeholder to proclaim the glorious truth that there will be a new video sketch up by Monday, followed in a little while by another one that we’ve already got in the can.

See you guys on Saturday, I hope.

UPDATE (6:50 PM Monday May 9th): Probably not today, actually, but soon, for the video. We’re having some trouble with our compressing application. When you see the content, you’ll understand why we want to get it so tiny. We’ll make a new blog post in the meantime, though.

Posted by Nate Kushner at 07:24 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

March 09, 2005

Kindness Afoot!

I want to thank everybody who made our first AWOK show the success that it was. You’ll be happy to know that Galapagos liked us enough to invite us back, and that we’re probably going to get an offer to compete in a city-wide sketch group tournament in the next few months.

Also, many thanks to Chris Coleman continuing work on this site. I’m happy to say that even though this is awesome so far, we’re not nearly done designing aweekofkindness.com

In more Kushner-centric news, I’d like to announce performances in the pipeline.

The sketch-writing workshop I attend will be holding its Spring show:
March 17th and 18th,
at 7:30 P.M.
244 W. 54th St. by 8th Avenue, 10th Floor

A couple of AWOK sketches will be in this show, some performed by non-AWOKers. (Say that aloud. “Non-A-Week-Of-Kindness-ers.” That’s my new favorite word.) Also, some stuff that may soon be in AWOK shows, as well as stuff unrelated to AWOK, written by sketch writers I admire. This is free, so enjoy, but come a few minutes early.

Also on March 17 and 18, (and 19 too), for those of you at Penn State, AWOK’s own Nate Kushner and Dan Hopper have contributed sketches to Phroth Phest 2005, the third annual joint sketch show production between PSU’s humor magazine Phroth, and No Refund Theatre. That’s at 8:00, in 111 Forum on the Penn State Campus.

March 30th, I will be doing a stand-up show at The Comedy Social, at the Sin Sin Lounge on the corner of 5th Street and 2nd Avenue. Come at 9 for that. $2 and 2 drinks, which is about as reasonable as it gets for a comedy show with 7 people in it.

That’s the news. Hopefully coming real soon will be a for real announcement about a for-real AWOK show, this time with Allysha Powanda in it! Yay!