Audition Notice: Fall Videos

Three Legged Race is now seeking actresses for our autumn series of comedy videos for online distribution. We are planning 8 short videos through the end of this year and are casting women for several roles. Time commitment is as low as one evening or afternoon, although interested auditioners will be considered for future projects as well.

Auditions will be Tuesday, November 10, from 8-11 pm at Johnny O’Hagan’s, 3374 N. Clark (Clark and Roscoe). To sign up for an audition slot, e-mail three_legged_race@hotmail.com. Sides will be provided with your specific time slot assignment.  Because auditions are held in a bar, auditioners must be 21.

Three Legged Race has been performing since 2006. We have produced improv showcases at Sheffield’s and Johnny O’Hagan’s, mounted the sketch shows Awkward Turtle and Front for Evil at the Apollo Theater Studio, and produced the National Gelatinous Cube Attack Hotline webseries and other comedy videos. See 3lrcomedy.wordpress.com or youtube.com/threeleggedrace for more details and samples of previous work.

Just Added for Oct. 9 Show

One more update: The Nomad Improv Showcase at Stage Left at 11 pm on Friday, October 9, will also feature improv troupe Name Pending.

So to summarize: Upcoming 3LR Improv shows include

Thursday, October 8, at Hungry Brain (2319 W. Belmont), 8:30 pm, free show. Sunday Meatloaf also performs.

Friday, October 9, at Stage Left (3408 N. Sheffield), 11 pm, $5. Rhythm Method and Name Pending also perform.

Monday, October 19, at Mullen’s (3527 N. Clark), 9 pm, free show. We’re not organizing that one so I’m not sure who else is performing.

Correction and Additional Show!

The last post was wrong in two ways.

First, the 3LR show at Stage Left October 9 is at 11 pm, not 10:30. 10:30 is when we can start setting up, not when the show can start.

Second, 3LR will also be performing in the Monday Night Showcase at Mullen’s (3527 N. Clark) on Monday, October 19 at 9 pm. The show is free and starts at

One Show Per Leg

Haven’t discussed it here yet, but with the closing of Front for Evil, it’s time to alert you to the fact that 3LR has an improv wing as well, and that side of the company has three shows coming up.

The first is tomorrow, September 30, as part of the Artist’s Gumbo show at Black Rock Pub (3614 N. Damen) at 8:00. Admission is free and the show features a variety of acts, including hip-hop, stand-up, and several other entertainments.

Second is the Three Legged Race Nomad Improv Showcase, which will be at the Hungry Brain (2319 W. Belmont) at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 8. Admission is also free and we’ll be hosting improv troupe Sunday Meatloaf.

And third, the Three Legged Race Nomad Improv Showcase travels to Stage Left (3408 N. Sheffield) on Friday, October 9 at 11:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 and also performing will be Rhythm Method.

The Culmination

Tomorrow is the end of six months of work: closing night of Front for Evil. (There’s still time to go! So do!) It’s a bittersweet time; sad to see the end even though I think we’re all ready to do new stuff.

And new stuff we shall do!

After the conclusion of the National Gelatinous Cube Attack Hotline webseries (the penultimate episode was posted tonight) we’ll be working on a new, original play, After, Life, written by Doug Albers and Tim Fyalowski. We’ll be doing a staged reading (a small, private event) in October with the intention of editing based on the reaction and mounting the show next spring.

After that (After After?) we’ve planned an ambitious video-making schedule. So beginning in November, watch for a number of brand-new, hilarious videos.

More Gelatinous Cubes

If it’s Thursday, there’s a new National Gelatinous Cube Attack Hotline video out. At least, for today and three weeks after this.

The caller in this one is a bit more advanced; she’s taking care of her family and her community. She’s got a broadsword.

Coincidentally, tomorrow’s Friday, and if it’s Friday, there’s a performance of Front for Evil at 10:30 at the Apollo Studio Theater, 2540 N. Lincoln. At least, for tomorrow and two weeks after it.

Poster for Front for Evil

Now admittedly, tomorrow (or today, if you’re on the east coast, because I’m getting to this later than I expected) is not the funniest day of the year. But this show is really funny. So you have to come in order to maintain cosmic balance.

New 3LR Videos: Gelatinous Cubes and 7 Stages of Morning

In addition to Front for Evil (just 4 more weeks!), we’ve got a whole bunch of new comedy videos for your viewing pleasure.

First is the 7 Stages of Morning. If comedy equals tragedy plus time, well, this one at least takes the second half of that saying literally.

There’s also five (out of a planned nine) episodes of our webseries, The National Gelatinous Cube Attack Hotline. Episode 5 covers gelatinous cube gifts, and features 3LR’s own Doug Albers and his infamous (and now sadly repainted) Pretty Pretty Princess Room.

See the full series on our Videos (or our YouTube) page.

New Front for Evil Photos

We’ve got a special treat: Photos from the August 21 14 performance of Front for Evil. Such as:

The Horrors of Wrigleyville. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

which depicts the horrors of Wrigleyville. Specifically, the horrors of a friendly jogger, who dares to return an inadvertently dropped wallet. It’s terrifying.

See all 12 new photos on our Pictures page.

Special thanks to Alan Dalinka, who took each of these pictures. For that, Alan is officially Evil (in the good way).

Front for Evil: Week 2…

which is tomorrow, by which, I mean, Friday, August 14. What better way to recover from the bad evils of a week at the office, and the threat of Baby Papa (aka Dick Cheney) promising to write a whiny little screed about how George W. Bush wasn’t sufficiently differential, and the horrors of that creepy new planet that orbits its star the wrong direction, than with the good evil of Front for Evil. We’ve got some drinking, and some after-effects of drinking; a Scottish guy’s new car, and his women from down under; a guy who is so fascinated by breasts that he’ll collect money for them, and, of course, mustaches. It’s about 18 million times better than the only possible alternative, which is Madea Goes To Jail On Demand. So come see Front for Evil instead.

10:30 p.m.

Apollo Theater Studio

2540 N. Lincoln

$12.

(And if, for some evil reason you can’t make it tomorrow, we’ve got six more weeks after that. So see you then!)

Opening Night Tomorrow!

Four months of writing and rehearsing culminates tomorrow at 10:30: Opening night of Front for Evil.

It’s pretty surprising how non-panicky the cast is. We had no last-minute rehearsals or cram sessions. Just our regular Sunday and Tuesday nights, and those were about as low-key as you could imagine for the last week before opening.

Sunday was our tech rehearsal. It was long and dull from an actor’s standpoint, because it isn’t about us. A tech rehearsal exists so that the person running lights and sound can figure out which lights to turn on when and when to press which button on the CD player. The actors mostly stand on stage so the tech person can see what will make them look best. (Or in some of our cases, least ugly!)

Tech rehearsals are often pretty miserable. But this one… not so much. It was well-organized and free of drama, thanks to the efforts of our director Jay and our tech guy Dominick.

Our Tuesday rehearsal was nothing more than a single run-through. We’re in a place where we know the show well but we’re still able to play within the scenes and surprise ourselves and each other. In other words, the sweet spot.

I feel like I’m coming off as artificially positive. But let me assure those of you who don’t know me: Nobody in the history of time has ever, ever, ever accused me of being positive when positivity is unwarranted.

To prove it, I’ll share one late setback. One more scene had to be cut this week. It wasn’t the fault of the scene; it’s a song, and we had to cut it because we weren’t able to get music recorded in time. Which is unfortunate, because we really liked it. But it will, at least, find another home somewhere. You will get to hear “Technically a Condom” at some point, I swear.

Front for Evil T-Shirt

There are a couple of other bits of business to handle. First off: You can officially be indoctrinated into the Front for Evil with some Front for Evil merchandise. Buy the Front for Evil T-Shirt or Front for Evil magnets at our Cafepress store.

Second: 3LR has a new web series running: The National Gelatinous Cube Attack Hotline. Nine episodes in total will be produced, of which the first two are up on our YouTube page. Because, let’s face it, you’re worried about gelatinous cube attacks.

And last: You have taken the Are You Evil Facebook quiz, right? Right? Right! Good.