[vimeo width=”600″ height=”400″]http://www.vimeo.com/24562202[/vimeo]
After a sold-out first show at the Elmdale Tavern in February, Ottawa Sketch is bringing back their Live Show — a mix of scenes, videos, and puppets — to entertain Ottawa this week. The nine-person show has gotten bigger, with a three-night run and a larger venue: The Mayfair Theatre.
“We liked the Elmdale because we liked the coziness of it, but we did have some problems with people not being able to see…” said group member Rachelle Casseus. “And we wanted that sort of red carpet movie theatre event feel, which the Mayfair definitely has.”
The movie theatre venue also suits Ottawa Sketch’s mix of pre-recorded pieces and live scenes. Clips will include spoof commercials for invented products, as well as an episode from the group’s new web series, Locker Lives. The show, which launches Friday, is the behind-the-scenes story of a teen drama like Saved By The Bell or 90210.
“The real drama, the real show is about the actors on this TV show,” explained Casseus. “The actors are playing 16-year-olds but they’re actually 30-year-olds, 40-year-olds who are sort of washed up and can’t get any other jobs. They’re stuck on this show.”
Live Show poster from Ottawa Sketch
The usual high school archetypes come out as characters have affairs, obsess over their appearances, and attempt to launch side-careers. The actors drew on their own experiences in theatre and film to write the Locker Lives story. Casseus drew inspiration from her time on MTV’s Undressed, another teen drama set in high school.
“It’s sort of a behind-the-scenes look at the Canadian Hollywood, because it’s set in Vancouver,” said Casseus.
When the troupe was founded in October 2010, the web series was their main plan, but they fell in love with their Live Shows.
“In the process the live element kind of took over and though we have been filming and shooting the web series, we wanted to bring it to audiences…” said Casseus, “There’s something about performing live, it’s like an immediate gratification, a vibe you feel from the audience.”
In the Live Show this week, audience favourite Chuck Chandler, a hapless radio host character, will return. There are new stories as well, featuring a crazy couple of realtors and another about the culture clash between French and English Canada called “French Ladies”.
Ottawa Sketch, won’t be resting once they finish their Mayfair run. The group has a packed summer planned, including taking their live show on the road across Ontario. They’ll also continue shooting season one of Locker Lives while writing sketches for a new live show due in Ottawa this fall.
Ottawa Sketch performs Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30pm 7pm and Thursday night at 9:30pm at The Mayfair Theatre in Old Ottawa South. Tickets are available through their blog, ottawasketchcomedy.blogspot.com for $15 or at the Mayfair the night of the show for $20.
To see Locker Lives when it launches on Friday, go to www.ottawasketchcomedy.com.
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