April 19
...serving up your daily dish.
If you go to Tierney's upstairs room this weekend, the guy in biker regalia sitting next to you could be cathar ... or it could be an actor. "All the bar's a stage" in a brand new form of theater being brought to Montclair the next two weekends by part-time impressario Dave Hoffman. Don't expect long rows of seats, ushers or a curtain. The audience and the actors are all mixed together, the action shifts from one part of the room to another when scenes change, and you can drink a beer or order food while watching the show.
Hoffman, a math teacher by day, calls this art form Cafe Theatre, and his run at Tierney's will feature eight original mini-plays all relating to the theme "Close Shave" and the subject matter ranges from a disappointed Yankees fan to a groom left at the altar.
Tickets are just $10 for students and $15 for everyone else, but one lucky Baristanet reader will get to go for free -- and bring three friends. Just be the first to answer the following trivia question:
Cafe Theatre's show CLOSE SHAVE gets its name from the SHAVING CREAM song made famous by Dr. Demento's radio show in the 1970's.
"I have a sad story to tell you,
It may hurt your feelings a bit.
Last night when I walked into my bathroom,
I stepped in a big pile of -
Shaving cream-
Be nice and clean-
Shave everyday and you always look clean....."This novelty song along with a hundred others such as "Everybody Loves My Fanny" and "Without Pants" was written by a then famous Vaudeville composer and lyricist. What was his name?
Ohmigod! A relative from Texas sent me a cassette tape years ago of that song, "Everybody Wants My Fanny" and I laughed so hard I almost had a coronary!
And who can forget Dr. D!!!!
Thanks for the memories..now I have to find that tape!@
Posted by: Miss Martta | Apr 19, 2006 5:01:38 PM
Um, there is a man who has been doing this type of theatre as a means of encouraging social, political, and cultural discussion for years. His name is Augusto Boal, the theatre is called "Invisible Theatre", and Boal is the whole reason I went to grad school.
Posted by: Dog Mom | Apr 19, 2006 5:54:09 PM
Benny Bell is correct, and his grandson, Joel Samberg, will be appearing in the show too. Max, write to us at tips to give us your full name, so we can leave it at the door for your free tickets!
Posted by: The Barista | Apr 19, 2006 7:07:06 PM
The old 12 Miles West Theatre Company had a series they called "Theatre Café" and David Hoffman performed in many of these events.
I am looking forward to these events, I know the work of many of these performers and it is sure to be a terrific performance.
But it is not a new idea.
Posted by: Kevin Lee Allen | Apr 19, 2006 7:46:33 PM
Isn't this kind of what the old Living Theater did during its 60's heyday? (There's a tie to the Baristaville present here in that the Living Theater's co-founder, Judith Malina, just played Paulie Walnuts' real birth mother on "The Sopranos.")
Posted by: cathar | Apr 19, 2006 10:35:47 PM
cathar,
do you still have your biker regalia? i may have some in my attic for you.
Posted by: pissant | Apr 20, 2006 3:58:22 AM
Bars have always been stages, in my experience.
And yes, Cathar - can you imagine the impression that a black leather motorcycle jacket embroidered "HELLS ANGELS -- UPPRR MONTCLRRR CHAPTER" would make. Especially on real Hell's Angels...:)
Posted by: Conan the Grammarian | Apr 20, 2006 6:40:23 AM
Conan, 2 weeks ago at Clifton Commons I saw someone wearing an Angels t-shirt only a fully made "brother" or a very well-regarded "associate" could wear (because it had the logo, unlike "support" t-shirts).
And on the web site of another chapter are party photos of brothers with bottom rockers on their colors clearly reading "New Jersey." So hey're here already. And they'd probably love to chat, p'ant. You really shouldn't view this development as merely an oportunity for your feeble attempt at taunting.
Posted by: cathar | Apr 20, 2006 9:04:07 AM
Hi everyone, we can only use two of our 4 tickets for Saturday night.
If someone wants the other two tickets please let me know, or maybe better yet, write a funny song lyric (just a chorus) and we'll vote on who should get the tickets based on that.
Posted by: Max | Apr 20, 2006 11:15:10 AM
Sorry, nothing can beat, "Everybody Wants My Fanny."
Posted by: Miss Martta | Apr 20, 2006 11:23:26 AM
Baked Fresh Daily is playing upstairs this Friday at Tierney's. Check them out their really good. R&B,old school rock and some originals, it's worth your five bucks.
Posted by: sabu | Apr 20, 2006 5:01:23 PM
cathar,
i wasn't taunting. i do have regalia and it says New Jersey on it.
i do think that real angels would giggle at the sight of an angels jacket that said "HELLS ANGELS -- UPPRR MONTCLRRR CHAPTER"
Posted by: pissant | Apr 20, 2006 5:47:21 PM
P'antie, I don't think Angels ever "giggle." It's probably forbidden by their constitution. But if you have "regalia" to wear (like Vito Spatafore did?), then by all means wear it as you please and where you please. I recommend at Red Cheetah next Saturday night.
Posted by: cathar | Apr 20, 2006 6:00:11 PM
no thanks cathar. i don't fit into it anymore and it doesn't suit me anymore.
yes I have heard angels giggle, laugh guffaw and even titter. it's not prohibited.
Posted by: pissant | Apr 20, 2006 11:39:28 PM
