Press Photos for Attack at Bikini Werewolf Beach: Part 2

Below are the press photos for the show and a demo of one of our original songs, My Bikini Beach Werewolf.

Our heroine Sandy (Hailey Fyfe) wards off an attack from a beachcombing Werewolf (Blake Mikol) in Attack at Bikini Werewolf Beach: Part 2.

The Beach Kids get a surprise in Attack at Bikini Werewolf Beach: Part 2.  (From left to right: Hailey Fyfe, Adam Ston, Ben Cook, Taylor Barton, Mo McKibbin, and Blake Mikol.)

The Bikini Werewolf Beach Babes ham it up with the Werewolf in Attack at Bikini Werewolf Beach: Part 2.  (From left to right: Blake Mikol, Taylor Barton, Mo McKibbin, and Hailey Fyfe.)

Surf-migos Doof (Ben Cook) and Tommy (Adam Ston) get ready to catch some waves with the Werewolf (Blake Mikol) in Attack at Bikini Werewolf Beach: Part 2.

Beach Kids Sandy (Hailey Fyfe), Tommy (Adam Ston), Doof (Ben Cook), Marty (Taylor Barton), and Fringie (Mo McKibbin) hit the beach in Attack at Bikini Werewolf Beach: Part 2.

Here is a demo for one of the original songs from the show, My Bikini Beach Werewolf (performed by Musical Director Greg Szydlowski):

Come Check Out Our Next Show!

Hey look!  Press release for our new show opening on May 2nd!  Get your tickets now!!

For Immediate Release

Press Contact: Chris Othic/ Robot vs. Dinosaur / Cell Phone: 773-314-3582 /

Press Contact Email:  crothic@yahoo.com
Audience Contact: Chris Othic, Box Office Manager / Phone: 773-360-7330

Robot vs. Dinosaur Presents:

Attack at Bikini Werewolf: Beach Part 2

Opening:                     Friday, May 2, 2014

Closing:                       Sunday, May 25, 2014

Days and Times:          Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m.

Location:                     The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave, 2nd Floor

                                      Chicago, IL 60622

Ticket Price:                $15

On the web at:  Attack at Bikini Werewolf Beach: Part 2

Box Office:  773-360-7330

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – (MARCH 25, 2014) - Chicago sketch-comedy group Robot vs. Dinosaur is proud to announce their first full-length musical, Attack at Bikini Werewolf Beach: Part 2.*  The fun-filled comedy is a mash-up of the popular 1950's beach party flicks and classic werewolf movies. The show will have its sun-stoked, moon-cursed premiere at the Den Theatre in Wicker Park, opening May 2^nd and will run for four weeks on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 7:30 p.m.  Nat Topping directs the show with musical direction by Greg Szydlowski. 

The cast features a host of Chicago talent, including: Taylor Barton, Ben Cook, Geoff Crump, Emily Diego, David Dritsas, Hailey Fyfe, Rob Grabowski, Stephanie Jones, Jessica Maciejewski, Mo McKibbin, Blake Mikol, Rinska Prestinary, Pat Rourke, Adam Ston, and Tristan Tebeau.

Attack at Bikini Werewolf Beach tells the story of heroine Sandy and her beach buddies as they get more than a tan when they spend summer vacation at the shore. Like in the classic beach party movies, you can expect an out-of-touch industrialist to wreck havoc with the beach kid’s party plans, a cameo by a “famous” British pop star, and a beat poetry performance by the leader of a biker gang. The danger of a werewolf attack is always at hand as the kids try to save the beach and their friendship—somehow through surfing. All this is accompanied by original surf songs such as “Werewolf Rampage,” “Surf Infection,” and  “Beach Beach Beach (Yeah, Go to the Beach).”

Winter-weary Chicagoans with a taste for warm weather will love this campy comedy that takes them out of the wind chill and into the thrill of summer vacation. Put all your friends in the fun buggy, grab your silver bullets, and come twist and howl with the cast of Attack at Bikini Werewolf Beach. 

*P.S. there was no part 1.

More About Robot vs. Dinosaur: For over seven years, Robot vs. Dinosaur has written and produced such shows as "Are You There God? It’s Me, Satan" (Gorilla Tango), "Wait, Wait… Don’t Kill Me!" (Donny’s Skybox), "The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent" (Neo-Futurists, Stage 773), “The Gods Must Be Swayze” (Public House Theatre) and their latest "Attack at Bikini Werewolf Beach: Part 2."  The group has been a mainstay at the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival since 2008 and continues to delight audiences with creative, intelligent, and thematic sketch shows. Robot vs. Dinosaur is Rammel Chan, Susie Gutowski, Joe Janes, Rebecca Levine, Chris Othic, Paul Reidy, Nat Topping and Greg Wendling.  You can find out more about them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @RVDChicago.

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Another Pretty Special Video

Look out, Rick Astley! RvD's new favorite song is "Stick 'em Up (Your Love Hands Up) from Pretty Special Records. Here's the video. Greg Szydlowski wrote a song for us for our "12 Angry Sketches" revue. Now he blows our minds again.

Look - It's a New Show!

For Immediate Release

Press Contact: Nat Topping, Robot vs. Dinosaur @ 734-657-8582, nat.topping@gmail.com

Box Office Contact: Donny’s Skybox @ (312) 337-3992 or Second City Website

Robot vs. Dinosaur Presents:

Wait Wait…Don’t Kill Me!

Opening: July 27th
Closing: August 24th
Days and Times: Fridays, 9 p.m.
Location: Donny’s Skybox
4th Floor, Piper’s Alley
1616 N. Well Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614

Ticket Price: $13 general admission ($10 students)

A Comedy Revue That Kills. On Stage and Off.

Robot vs. Dinosaur’s spooky sketch show guarantees you’ll die laughing.

CHICAGO, IL – (July 2, 2012) Autumn has long been the king when it comes to spooky sketch shows, but this summer Robot vs. Dinosaur unhinges October’s monopoly with the opening of a new horror-themed show, Wait Wait…Don’t Kill Me! Directed by RvD ensemble member Susie Gutowski, the show is haunted by those things that go bump in the night: witches, ghosts, and West Coast rappers.

The show steers clear of many of the tropes of Halloween-themed sketch shows. Gutowski says, “Werewolves and vampires have been exhausted by pop culture. Our scenes take a broader look at what’s scary. A train that steals babies and turns them into adults. A first date at a couple’s cooking class for witches. A stalker who finally traps the heart of his true love.”

She concedes, “We have one zombie apocalypse scene, but even that has more to do with the rules of Southern hospitality than the un-dead.”

The 45-minute show is hosted by a Vincent Price-type character called Uncle Trevor (Nat Topping) who seems in a constant battle to one-up himself with puns and maniacal laughter. “We loved the campiness of the host in the Tales from the Crypt TV series and wanted to infuse the show with those over-the-top characters,” explains Gutowski.

Wait Wait…Don’t Kill Me! also features the spine-chilling musical composition of guest artist Mike Malarkey, whose professional credits include “Lay You Down” by Tyga featuring Lil Wayne and “This is Like” by Tyga featuring Robin Thicke. Malarkey scores the show’s opening song and a rap that details how R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books are the new aphrodisiac. The hip hop beat has an eerie organ sound overlaid with wolf howl hooks and thunderclap beats.

The show honors its pop-horror roots until the very last minute; the Scooby Doo ending will rejuvenate your love for live theater. Or should we say… DEAD theater?

More about Robot vs. Dinosaur: For 6 years, Robot vs. Dinosaur has assembled such quality shows as “Are You There God? It’s Me, Satan” (Gorilla Tango), “Mrs. Gruber’s Ding Dong School” (Gorilla Tango), and “The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, etc.” (Neo-Futurists, Stage 773). The group has made appearances at Chicago Sketchfest the past 6 years and continues to delight audiences with creative, thematic sketch shows. Robot vs. Dinosaur consists of writers Rammel Chan, Susie Gutowski, Joe Janes, Rebecca Levine, Chris Othic, Nat Topping and Greg Wendling. Visit http://www.rvdchicago.blogspot.com/ for more information, or find them on Facebook.

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St. Drunken's Day is Almost Here!

Robot vs. Dinosaur presents...

The 2nd Annual St. Drunken’s Day!
A Holiday for the Drunken Masses 

The 2012 celebration features: 

* St. Drunken’s Day pageant with songs and miracles 

* Drinking games such as beer pong & beer plinko 

* A silent auction with one-of-a-kind St. Drunken’s Day artwork 

* Raffle with prizes you'd actually want 

* Get your photo on St. Drunken's lap 

* Excessive amounts of beer 

The Details: 

What: St. Drunken’s Day! 

When: Saturday, April 21, 2012 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. 

Where: 3036 North Lincoln Avenue, #2 

Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door (leave a comment or see any member of RvD) 

** Doors open at 7. The St. Drunken's pageant with sketches and songs starts at 8 p.m.** 

About St. Drunken: St. Drunken is the world’s mostly forgotten patron saint of drunks, inebriates, drinkers, imbibers and people who like to have fun. He is responsible for finding arbitrary reasons for people to get together, enjoy each other’s company, shake off the weight of the world, and drink alcohol (usually to excess). 

All proceeds will go to help fund future RvD shows, not to buy beer for RvD. 

Please be merry and gay with us, Robot vs. Dinosaur
(Rammel, Becca, Susie, Joe, Greg, Geoff, Nat, and Chris) 

 **(You must be 21 to attend St. Drunken’s Day.)**

New Show: Pretty From A Distance

RvD has a new show coming up very soon! It opens on Friday, March 21st! See below for more information!

(And mark your calendars for our annual St. Drunken's Day pageant and fundraiser on April 21, 2012. More info on that soon!)

Look, pretty picture and press release! (This post has been flagged for excessive use of exclamation points!!!)



For Immediate Release

Press Contact: Nat Topping, Robot vs. Dinosaur @ 734-657-8582, nat.topping@gmail.com
Audience Contact: Luna Central @ 773-819-5862, info@teatroluna.org

Robot vs. Dinosaur Presents:

PRETTY FROM A DISTANCE

Opening: March 23rd
Closing: April 7th
Days and Times: Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30pm
Location: Luna Central
3914 N Clark St
Chicago, IL

Ticket Price: $15

Contact the Luna Central box office at 773-819-5862 or at teatroluna.org

CHICAGO, IL – (March 5, 2012) Like the Horsehead Nebula poised over Orion’s nether-regions, Robot vs. Dinosaur’s latest sketch show, Pretty from a Distance, is a beacon to souls lost in the universe. Directed by RvD veteran Chris Othic, the show addresses big questions about our place in the universe and the rituals of life. The subject matter may be heavy, but non-stop laughs inspire guests to leave the theater chanting "Not insignificant, but insignif-I-CAN!"

Whether gazing at the stars or rooting through the garbage, Pretty from a Distance explores all the things that make us who we are: our hopes, our fears, the things that make us laugh and the things we’ve learned to love. It’s chock full of absurdity and hilarious one-liners, but it’s got more heart than your average sketch show.

Othic explains, “We’re a writer-centric sketch group, meaning unlike the Second City style, we start with a script instead of improvisation. In the end, it yields more play-like scenes. The words are more intentional, the relationships are deeper and the laughs have a bigger pay off.”

“There aren’t any Whoopie cushions or MAGNUM condoms on our prop list. The show has a lot of heart. It’s sweet and, at times, nostalgic. But mostly it’s downright absurd.” Perhaps he’s referring to a scene in which a woman attempts to be the most “green” by trading in her dust-buster for a howler monkey.

A forty-five minute “teaser” of the show premiered in front of a packed house at the 2012 Chicago Sketchfest at Stage 773. Now expanded to a full 75-minute show, Pretty from a Distance serves as a treat to viewers who love sketch and grounded scene work, a rare occurrence in Chicago’s standard sketch scene. Catch a shooting star Fridays and Saturdays, March 23 – April 7 at 7:30pm. Luna Central is located at 3914 N Clark St (just south of Irving Park). Tickets are $15.

More about Robot vs. Dinosaur: For 6 years, Robot vs Dinosaur has assembled such quality shows as “Are You There God? It’s Me, Satan” (Gorilla Tango), “Mrs. Gruber’s Ding Dong School” (Gorilla Tango), and “The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, etc.” (Neo-Futurists, Stage 773). The group has made appearances at Chicago Sketchfest the past 6 years and continues to delight audiences with creative, thematic sketch shows. Robot vs. Dinosaur consists of writers Rammel Chan, Susie Gutowski, Joe Janes, Rebecca Levine, Chris Othic, Nat Topping and Greg Wendling. Visit www.rvdchicago.blogspot.com for more information, or find them on Facebook.

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Natural Gas Company Propoganda is BULLS*!T!

Julianna Forlano is funny. And smart. And ironic. And here is her latest, and most maddening, Ironic News Report yet.

It's Funny

It's funny that I am the first person to post a blog since April. You probably don't know why it's funny, but I do. That is why inside jokes work very well in sketch and improv comedy. Here is a photo that came up when I typed "water bomb mallery" into google:



Feel free to make up a story as to why those words and that picture are connected as you drift off to sleep tonight.

St Drunken, Debriefed!

Well, St. Drunken's Day was last Saturday and we're just now getting over the hangover.  Personally, I couldn't remember completely what all happened.  Luckily, Greg's friend Laura Shin had a camera and took pictures!  So let's take a look through here and see if we can remember what the hell happened:

Yeah, this was the pageant.  I remember that happening at some point.  I think we were all only three beers or so down by that point.  This is either a picture of St. Drunken praying to the Lord for guidance, or else Greg is about to put some sort of crazy flying wrestling move on Geoff, with the help of Susie and Joe.  It's probably a wrestling move.

It's okay, though, because Greg and Geoff obviously made up.

LADIES!

Here's us playing the St. Drunken's Day traditional song.  Note the excessive amount of guitars on stage.  And yes, that would be Chris holding the lyrics for Greg.  Because we are professionals, damn it.  Also, please note in the background that Joe is playing the 'stairs.'  This is considered a legitimate instrument during St. Drunken's Day festivities.

Here's Chris teaching everybody how to read.  It was the educational portion of the show, and I think everybody was touched.  Meaning, of course, that Chris made it a point to physically touch everyone.  This would be a great group photo if I was in this, but I'm not.  And where was I?

Hanging out with my doppelganger, that's where.  It's not often that you go through your wardrobe specifically to find the weirdest shirt you own, only to find someone else wearing the exact same shirt.  Once I got over the inexplicable shame and embarassment of that, I went over and introduced myself.  His name's Jeremy and he's awesome.  Look!  We're buddies.

So what the hell else happened?

Beer Pong, apparently.  Susie was so zoned in that she became blurry.

Foosball.

Beer drinking (That's the photographer taking a break).  OH!  And this guy!

That guy parked himself by the Plinko board that I made for the party and basically ran the damn thing for an hour and a half.  It was like having Bob Barker show up to your event and just start running your drinking games.  It was great.  No idea who this guy was, but hats off to you!

All in all, it was a successful night and a hell of a lot of fun.  Thanks to the guys at the loft for all of their help with putting everything on; thanks to Laura for showing up with a camera and documenting everything for us; and most of all, thanks to everyone who showed up to celebrate this little holiday with us.

Look at you guys.  You're beautiful.

RvD Fundraiser - It's St. Drunken's Day!

Robot vs. Dinosaur invites you to attend a fundraiser celebrating: St. Drunken’s Day! A Holiday for the Drunken Masses

The event will feature the first-ever St. Drunken’s Day pageant, drinking games, drinking songs, a raffle for fun drinking (and non-drinking) related prizes, a silent auction of one-of-a-kind St. Drunken’s Day artwork and a host of other fun activities including a goodly amount of a certain beverage made from hops and barley.

The Details:

What: St. Drunken’s Day Celebration When: Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Where: 3036 North Lincoln Avenue, #2 Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door (this event is capped so purchase your tickets early--don’t get left out of the celebration!)

To purchase tickets see any member of RvD.

You must be 21 to attend St. Drunken’s Day.

About St. Drunken: St. Drunken is the world’s mostly forgotten patron saint of drunks, inebriates, drinkers, imbibers and people who like to have fun. He is responsible for finding arbitrary reasons for people to get together, enjoy each other’s company, shake off the weight of the world, and drink alcohol (usually to excess).

All proceeds will go to help fund future RvD shows, not to buy beer for RvD. Mostly.

Muffin Tops

Did you know that "Muffin Top" was recently added to the Oxford English Dictionary? Well, it was.

"2. a protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers."

And while it may have taken Oxford University until 2011 to appreciate the phenomenon, our friends at Creepy Hug have been celebrating Muffin Tops for years. This video is from Chicago Sketchfest 2009, and it also reveals Creepy Hug took notice of Charlie Sheen long before his recent press. They were about 25 years late on Rainbow Bright, however. Enjoy.

Happy Pulaski Day!

Our friends at *Creepy Hug, and the Peanuts gang, help explain what this holiday is all about.

SHOW TOMORROW

Swiped and reposted for maximum laziness:

WBEZ Dueling Critics Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Arbarbanel will take the audience through memorable moments in Chicago’s rich theater history along with a panel of experts. Stitching the evening together, five local theater companies will perform a few of these moments with tongues firmly in cheeks.


To attend you must purchase tickets at wbez.org/events.

On stage:

...- Kelly Kleiman is a freelance writer on the arts, feminism, travel and social justice.
- Jonathan Abarbanel is theater critic for WBEZ and the weekly Windy City Times newspaper.

Also:

Critic Albert Williams, Broadway actor Kate Buddeke, and Victory Gardens' founder Dennis Zacek

With:

Sketch comedy group Robot vs. Dinosaur, spoken word troupe BoyGirlBoyGirl, fringe theater companies The Plagiarists and RoShamBo Theater, and southside educational theater company Tofu Chitlin' Circuit

Tickets

$15/general admission
$12/WBEZ members
$10/students (with valid ID)

More information: http://chicagopublicradio.org/Event_Detail.aspx?eventID=2099

Just Need Some Space...?

This is awkward. I got this e-mail this morning.

Hey Joe,

We've missed you at Myspace lately. Plain and simple, we think you should come back. And here's why.

The new Myspace provides the best social entertainment experience on Earth.

You can now follow your favorite topics in music, movies, celebs, and TV and get instant updates from around the web.

The new Myspace gives you custom recommendations so you can discover more of what you love and connect with new like-minded friends.

MySpace

I have been working on my response.

Hey, MySpace,

Good to hear from you. Sounds like you are doing well, which is great. Very happy to hear that. Sorry I haven't seen you in so long. Seems like years! Where does the time go? Thanks for the link. I actually lost your url. Got a new computer, didn't have my old bookmarks or passwords, etc, you know how it goes.

I appreciate the invite to come back, but I have to be honest here. The reason I haven't been visiting you is because I have been seeing someone else. For a few years now. And, yes, if you do the math, I was seeing them while still seeing you. I feel like a real heel and I never meant to hurt you. They were just very persistent and eventually won me over. What can I say? Social media can be so fickle, right?

Well, I wouldn't be surprised if you never wanted to hear or see from me, again. But, if you're up for it, I wouldn't mind getting together for coffee and chatting about old times. When you're ready. Tell Tom I said hello. I always thought he was nice.

- Joe

P.S. Oh, hey. Have you ever heard of Friendster? You two should meet and hang out. I think you have a lot to talk about.