Twenty 10, Two Thousand AND 10. Whatever year it is, last week was awesome. On stage on Thursday, Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton declared February 2010 DSI Comedy Arts Month (and then Mayor Chilton added, “Be it further resolved that Friday February 5, 2010 be recognized as Zach Ward Day in the Town of Carrboro” What? I was floored!) I haven’t called my Mom yet. I should do that.
Anyway, the shows were awesome. I was pumped for our local audiences to see some really great sketch comedy last weekend and I’m always excited to see Acts inspired by each other at festivals. We had Sold Out shows EVERY NIGHT, despite rain on Friday and snow on Saturday. And a fantastic day of workshops on Saturday with Second City Chicago’s Anthony LeBlanc, SAINTS FTW!
Last year when I was producing the Toronto Improv Festival I wanted to blog about what was happening in REAL TIME, problems, solutions, Festival details. I was pretty overwhelmed and out of the country so it didn’t happen, but maybe that can change for #NCCAF. You should keep me honest.
Let me know your questions OR any feedback you have.
Biggest issue so far. Last week I tweeted that we were experiencing a 2007 Horatio Level Event. Short backstory – In 2007, Horatio Sanz agreed to do the festival but he went into surgery on Tuesday before his Friday show. My friend Anthony calls me on Thursday to let me know Horatio won’t be coming. I scramble for 24-hours and Louis CK saves comedy. That was awesome. But… what could equal that?
HLE PROBLEM: Last week a venue we contracted for NCCAF 2010 Standup Week picked up the phone, only to let me know they were closed until further notice because of flooding and electrical problems. WTF? Especially 7 days out. ZW SOLUTION: I need a place that has a similar vibe, not a performing arts space that seems too sterile for standup and not just a bar because we need to charge admission, and preferably ONE VENUE for all three nights (7 total shows). The next morning I meet with Tyler’s Taproom owner and manager and we confirm a new venue. Speakeasy, 100 E Main St Carrboro. It’s actually two blocks CLOSER than the other venue. Two drawbacks, No raised stage. And it seats 65 instead of 100. But the venue is excited to host and most of the comics are also playing DSI so I think we did okay.
So a fat guy, two priests, Burt Reynolds’ moustache, a racial stereotype, TWO racial stereotypes, OK — a lot of racial stereotypes and a LOT of 80’s cleavage walk into a bar… Taproom? JUST KIDDING! But it’s starting. Our 10th Annual NC Comedy Arts Festival hits Carrboro 3 days from now.
And this year, at least for me, my local company and staff, it might feel like the CANNONBALL RUN. We kick off the largest comedy party in the Southeast on Thursday February 4th, presenting over 60 shows at DSI Comedy Theater, The ArtsCenter, Hamilton Hall (UNC Campus), Local 506, Mansion 462 and Cat’s Cradle, with our last film screening at the Varsity Theatre on Saturday Feb 27th.
I’m super excited — I mean, the adrenaline has already started pumping. Did I mention that DSI COMEDY won Business of the Year last week? We did. And I found out on Friday (thanks to @mollybuckley) that our own Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton AND Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt both issued proclamations resolving that February 2010 be recognized as DSI Comedy Arts Month. I know, right? AWESOME.
I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.
— Thomas Jefferson
Yeah, I agree. I actually can’t deal with most people who are “unlucky” — I am more sympathetic for people out there hustling, working harder, looking FOR luck, trying to set themselves up to succeed so that when luck decides to shine down on them they are prepared and ready to capitalize on the brief moment of pause, the split second sometimes, that chance gives us to respond. If you’re not ready when chance comes knocking, luck keeps moving, and effortlessly skips out of our reach to check on the next person.
I am still VERY lucky to have a comedy festival celebrating its 10th Anniversary next month.
But the luck which allowed us to grow the NC Comedy Arts Festival beyond my wildest dreams only heightened the REAL effort and hard work of a dedicated and super-supportive staff and company.
