Missy is currently resting her head in Ketchup City, making us a bi-coastal band (namely east coast and third coast) for the immediate future. No worries though, when you divide your forces you conquer the world faster…right? Right! *air high five*
Immediately upon moving back to Pittsburgh Missy was introduced to the amazing folks at the Arcade Comedy Theater. I kid you not. The day she drove from Chicago to Pittsburgh with all her belongings Missy entered the city limits, left her rented SUV in a parking garage and proceeded straight to the theater to rehearse for a show that a friend had cast her in. Missy entered the Arcade’s doors and immediately became embedded in a culture of mutual admiration.
Arcade Comedy Theater opened it’s doors in February of 2013 and has been leveling up ever since. They produce their own works in addition to creating a melting pot of comedy, hosting stand-up comedians, improv acts, sketch comedy groups, variety and cabaret shows, and the list goes on. The theater was started by Randy Kirk, Kristy Nolen, Jethro Nolen, Abby Fudor and Mike Rubino who not only run a sparkly tight ship, but also happen to be funny enough to warrant having their own theater.
My own first trip to the Arcade was not all too dissimilar from Missy’s. I drove eight hours from Chicago to Pittsburgh (BTW, road trips + podcasts = newest best thing ever), parked my own SUV in the same garage Missy had on her first night at the Arcade, and walked in to see a show that Missy was performing in, a benefit for Gilda’s Club with filled with music, sketch, improv and stand-up comedy. Not a bad way to end a day on the road if you ask me.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I also got a pastrami sandwich in between parking and seeing Missy’s show but I left it out so my own journey could more closely mirror hers. I apologize for omitting facts in favor of writing a mildly compelling story. I can do better. I will do better.
I was being hosted by Mike Rubino and Abby Fudor (they’re gettin’ married y’all!!!) while I was in town and I could not have asked for better hosts. They provided the cleanest of sheets, free brunch, great conversations, MacGuyver on DVD and hotel quality water pressure. What more could a boy ask for? Oh yeah, an Arcade Comedy Theater t-shirt. I asked for that. And I got it.
And then there were the shows. Yep…SHOWSSSSS. For the first time in our four year career we did two concerts in one night, back to back, full of sweat and kazoos. We had more sing-alongs per capita than we have ever had and at the end of the night we had played 24 songs plus two opening numbers (so let’s up that to 26 songs). Opening for each show was the Arcade house improv team, Player One, who made some mad funnies. Also, in the five minutes we had between our sound check and first show we did a photo shoot with the aforementioned Mike Rubino who took some AMAZING shots of the two of us (see bottom of post).
Here are the set lists…
Show 1
- Let’s Get Ready to Rumble
- Spaceship Dahntahan
- Fun Times!
- Like OMG
- Mo Money
- Neither Here Nor There
- Commercials
- Not Guilty
- I Don’t Hate You SIIIIIIKE
- The Impeachment of President Bieber
- Smoky Mountain Chanukah
Show 2
- This is the ABCs
- Boys
- Jazz Hands
- Mmmmm…Brains
- Go Away Republicans
- Toasty Marshmallows
- Explore Yourself
- D-I-V-O-R-C-E
- Irregardless
- Oh God, I Dunno
- Large Hadron Collider
- Littered with Love
- ShockJockCrockFlockStockMockapella
Thank you again to everyone at the Arcade Comedy Theater for hosting us and for the insane hospitality. I can’t wait to hear news of your continued success. We’ll be back…well, Missy will stay there for the time being and I’LL BE BACK. Hopefully to do a show, but definitely to play as Mike and Abby walk down the aisle.