news, show listings, contests, ticket give-aways and slander about Nashville's comedy community
Sunday, March 22nd at 7:30pm Lahna Turner hosts a night of funny people who have music in their comedy acts, including Rik Roberts, Sean Parrott, Wynn Reichert, Bucky Habanero and Shantel Adams. Tickets are just $10, so buy them in advance before they sell out!
Zanies
2025 8th Avenue South
Nashville, TN
615-269-0221
www.zaniesnash.com
First, my huge thanks to the many fresh faces that just completed the writing class. The experience was an all around great time. Nineteen are now embarking on the next phase … Performance! Stay tuned for a graduation show announcement so you can come out and support these comedy warriors.
Improv 101 Classes are scheduled for Mondays, April 6, 13, 20 & 27 from 5:30-7:30pm at Zanies. Registration for the Improv class is still a bit away. I will start taking pre-registration on March 16th. I thought I’d up date everyone so you can make some tentative plans. Class fee is $200.
Due to the overwhelming response, I’ve added one more Performance Class session. This session will meet Mondays, April 6, 13, 20 & 27 from 8:00-9:30pm (after the Improv class). If you are interested in this session I have 5 spots left. $200 covers the 4 sessions in the above classes.
Stand-UP Writing Class is tentatively scheduled for Mondays May 4, 11, 18, 25, from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Class fee is $200.
The Bu$ine$$ of Comedy class is getting closer to a confirmation date in May. Thanks for your patience. This will be a one day seminar, cost is $75.
All of the classes listed above will meet at Zanies Comedy Showplace in Nashville, TN.
Click http://www.schooloflaughs.com for class descriptions.
SPECIAL EDITION CLASSES:
Toastmaster Classes
If you are a Toastmaster, please e-mail me for a special announcement!!! I have a two class session designed just for you in April!
Christian Comedy Association
I am proud to announce I will be teaching a course at the upcoming CCA Conference May 31-June 2 in Murfreesboro, TN. This one hour session will focus on “Perfecting Your Performance.” Visit www.christiancomedyassociation.com for more information.
DID YOU KNOW …
If you take the writing and performing classes you are granted a spot on a graduation show at Zanies?
Students who successfully navigate the two courses will be invited to perform a set onstage at Zanies. This is the absolute fastest way to get on their stage. You are not REQUIRED to perform in any way. But most students are pretty fired up and ready to get under the spotlight.
That graduation set is recorded to a DVD for you to have forever and share with friends or even online.
Stage time for former students at ZANIES!
Zanies has asked if I would run an open mike twice a month on TUESDAYS specifically designed to get my graduates more stage time. THIS IS AWESOME NEWS FOR YOU!
Set lengths will vary from 3-5-7 minutes and there will be opportunities to emcee the shows as well. These shows are a direct result of all the quality new faces who have taken the classes and taken it to the next level.
The still has a few limited slots available on the “off” nights as it always has. But, your odds of getting stage time has increased radically with this development.
I will be hosting the OPEN MIKES on March 10, 23 and April 7th. Show starts at 7:30pm.
Extra Stage Time
School of Laughs graduate Brian E. Kiley is booking a room in White Bluff, TN. If you are interested in getting stage time please contact him directly at bekiley@yahoo.com.
nashvilleStandUp.com has a complete list of all the open mikes in the Nashville area.
ALSO … If you have any news you’d like to share with the rest of the School of Laughs please send it on to me and I will put it in the next newsletter.
Gift Certificates
Don’t want to spend the money on yourself for classes? Have someone else do it! You can let people know you want to take these classes and have them pay your tuition with a gift certificate. Just have them e-mail me and I will guide them through it. The gift certificate is available for any of the 4 week courses for $200, and for the Business Class for $75. All pre-paid certificate are fully refundable if you decide not to take the class.
And now, a news update from native Nashvillian (now New Yorker), the very funny.. Keith Alberstadt:
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah…and any other special greeting that helps you forget about the jackhole who took the parking space that you were patiently waiting for at the mall. I hope this season is a great one for you! I wanted to keep you updated on the latest news in my world before things get too hectic in your world.
And if you’re looking for the perfect gift or stocking stuffer, keep reading for info on getting my CD for FREE!
The Bob and Tom Show has been great to me over the years, and they’ve asked me to join them again in the studio.. this Tuesday, Dec. 16. Make sure to listen. Visit bobandtom.com for affiliate lists and how to listen online. They also broadcast morning shows later on WGN-TV.. so you can watch the highlights on TV too.
You should read my special holiday column that I just wrote titled “A Keith Christmas”.. especially if you’re still struggling with what kind of gifts to get this year and what to stay away from. Hint: Naming a star after someone is one of the worst gift ideas that doesn’t involve the word “Chia”. Read why here.
And there’s still plenty of news to joke about. Read my latest December topicals here and listen to my weekly podcast over at http://keithcomedy.comedypodcast.com/ (also on iTunes).
It’s been busy lately, with great shows in Syracuse, Chattanooga, Louisville, and a really cool corporate party in Sacramento. Make sure to catch me on the road coming up.
I’m performing at:
Comedy Off Broadway in Lexington, KY Dec. 17-20
Zanies in Nashville Dec. 31 and Jan. 2-4
The Improv in Washington DC Jan. 27-31
For my full schedule, visit KeithComedy.com
If you order before December 24, 2008 you can get one of my CDs for FREE with the purchase of one at regular price. Many of you have already taken advantage of this offer, and thanks for that. The rest of you…what are you waiting for? Click here to order.
..and now an update from Nashville-based comic Rik Roberts:
GRADUATION SHOW
First off PLEASE come out and support the latest graduating class from the School of Laughs at ZANIES in Nashville on Wednesday, November 19th. The show starts at 7:30p.m., doors open at 6:45. Call Zanies box office (615) 269-0221 to purchase tickets. If you ask for the “friend/family of a performer” discount the price will be $6. The special rate is not available for online purchases. Tickets at the door are $10 if there are any left.
Attending this show will give you a chance to meet students and pick their brain about the classes. It will also give them a full house to perform in front of which will really give them great energy.
2009 CLASS DATES
Many of you have asked when the next round of classes will at Zanies. Although I don’t have dates set in stone yet, here is what I am shooting for:
Stand – UP Writing Class
Mondays, February 2, 9, 16 & 23 5:30-7:30p.m.
Stand – UP Performance Class
Mondays, March 2, 9, 16 & 23 5:30 – 7:30p.m.
Business of Comedy Class
Monday, March 30 5:30-8:30 p.m.
If there is enough interest, I will have an IMPROV class in APRIL. Class descriptions online at www.schooloflaughs.com.
As soon as dates get locked in for any class I will send out an announcement.
GIFT CERTIFICATES
Don’t want to spend the money on yourself for classes? Have someone else do it! You can let people know you want to take these classes and have them pay your tuition with a gift certificate. Just have them e-mail me and I will guide them through it. The gift certificate is available for any of the 4 week courses for $200, and for the Business Class for $75. All pre-paid certificate are fully refundable if you decide not to take the class.
SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION
I will be appearing on “The 20 Greatest Redneck Moments Part 2” on CMT Fri. Nov. 14th – 11:15AM, Tues. Nov. 18th – 10:00PM, Wed. Nov. 19th – 3:00PM & Fri. Dec. 5th – 10:30 PM CST.
If you have a DVR.. I will be appearing on “Bananas” in national syndication through Sony Studios on January 24th & August 1st. Each market has different channels and air times, but those are the dates I’ll be on. So, search it out on your DVR and watch!
Bill Burr will return to Nashville to do shows this week that you do NOT want to miss. (I know I’ve said that more than a few times in the last year, but look at Zanies schedule and tell me I’m wrong.) Bill first gained notoriety for his reoccurring role on the second season of Chappelle’s Show, and has since gone on to become a regular performer on the Late Show with David Letterman and to have his very own HBO Half Hour Special. Bill’s most recent project was an hour-long Comedy Central special entitled: “Why Do I Do This?”
When in New York, Burr always performs on the Opie and Anthony Radio Show and eats at Ray’s Famous Pizza. Bill also co-hosts his own XM radio show, “Uninformed”, with fellow comedian Joe DeRosa (who will be at Zanies with Bill and headlining himself on Sunday November 16th).
Speaking of Opie and Anthony, comedy nerds know Bill Burr as the guy who ripped Philadelphia a new ass hole. Here’s part of the story from Bill’s blog about the night:
Couple more comics went out, did their thing and had good sets. But even they were coming backstage going, “There’s some people up on the grass that are booing. Just ignore them and plow through your shit.” It all had a very Platoon like vibe. “CHARLIE AIN’T STOPPIN’ FOR NOTHIN’ MAN!”
So I’m back stage waiting and waiting and waiting, while the crowd was drinking and drinking and drinking. I was hoping they were going to get tired and with any luck pass out. That never happened. They just got louder and angrier. Which to be honest with you, was starting to make me angry.
I was thinking, “What the fuck is wrong with these people? We came down here to give them a show and they’re treating everyone like shit. What a bunch.. Oh wait that’s right. We’re in Philly.”
..
I heard my name called, I walked out and I just felt the whole crowd at my throat. I can’t even describe the energy of this crowd. It seemed to be from another era. I felt like there should have looked out into the crowd and seen fuckin’ horses and little fires burning. The only thing missing was Genghis Khan riding up one of the aisles.
So Bill unleashed his fury and tore their city apart. Here’s a clip of the show as recorded by someone in the crowd:
Bill’s new special “Why Do I Do This?” is very funny and is available on dvd and whatnot now. Here’s a review of the show by our good friends over at Dead-Frog.com.
If you need any further proof of how funny Bill is, listen to his weekly podcast. In the most recent installment, he talks about coming back to Nashville and specifically asks us to take him skeet shooting. So, get your tickets to the show at Zanies (Nov. 13-15), and after the show make arrangements to shoot guns with one of the best comics you’ll ever get a chance to see live.
BillBurr.com
MySpace.com/billburr
Facebook Group: Bill Burr is funny as hell!!
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