Who Stole My Dead Husband?

[ozron]

Beginning next weekend, I'll joining the cast of "Who Stole My Dead Husband?" on a more-or-less permanent basis. I've been subbing on and off for about a year and a half, but now I'll be there regularly, at least for the next two months or so, and probably longer.

What is "Who Stole My Dead Husband?" you ask? WSMDH is interactive dinner theatre by Portland actor/writer Lou Palotta. The action happens in the Spumoni Gardens, an Italian restaurant run by Luigi Fishetti. Luigi's brother Carmine has died, and rather than cancel the evening's festivities the family gathers at the restaurant before going to the wake. The fun starts when Carmine's casket turns up at the "wrong place".

I owe the family money, and I'm working it off in the kitchen. But Luigi fired the cook and his Mama is helping out, and she's insane! I just can't work with this woman!

Okay, you can check www.whostolemydeadhusband.com (http://www.whostolemydeadhusband.com) for more information.

If you have half as much fun as we do, it's money well spent!

ron

[Alex]

Is this an experience like Tony & Tina's Wedding (though obvious not so much a wedding)?

[ozron]

Yeah, we definitely owe a lot to "Tony & Tina". It's the same type of deal: you're here for dinner, but you will be pulled into the action. The fourth wall simply doesn't exist!

[blueerica]

Looks like fun!

[Alex]

Good to know. I've gone to dinner theater a few times and enjoyed myself but Tony & Tina's wedding was the only truly bad show I've ever gone to in Vegas (even regular bad ones seem to have some Vegas-y vibe to redeem them).

As I said afterword: They worked hard to recreate the experience of attending the wedding of a person you barely know and completely succeeded. Unfortunately, the experience of attending the wedding of a person you barely know isn't much fun.

On the other hand, attending funerals for people you don't really know is (more) fun. So maybe that is an important difference.

[ozron]

Bear in mind that it's less a funeral and more a wake.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Congratulations! :)

[ozron]

There was no one to sub for me tonight, so five days after surgery, I went ahead and did the show.

What the hell, I've been going stir crazy sitting at home anyway. I didn't take a Vicodin all day - so that I could drink at the show - and I felt fine.

Everything went well. I had to sit down for a bit a few times - and I NEVER sit down! Got home after and I'm a bit swollen and sore, but otherwise fine. I'll lay on the couch with some frozen corn and I'll be fine.

We'll see what tomorrow brings....

ron

[blueerica]

Yipes! Glad you survived - and good show (even though i didn't see it)!

[Kevy Baby]

I really wish there were a way for me to come up and see this show. Not only would I like to meet ozron IRL, the name of the show just tickles me and I want to see it based on the title alone (I am reminded of this every time I see the thread title).

Glad to hear it went well Ron!

[Jughead P. Jones]

When I saw the title, I felt compelled to respond. :)

I'm glad the show was a success!

[ozron]

Okay, last night we did a special show for a software company holding an international conference in Portland. Now, we've done corporate parties vefore, and they're always a tough crowd. You have a room full of people who are there not because they chose to be, but because some event planner in the company did. Many would never come to a show like this on their own. Add to that the fact that they are there not with friends and/or significant others, but with colleagues. This changes the whole dynamic of the room.

Last night's particular challenges: At least half the room were from outside the U.S., rendering cultural references and often the English language virtually meaningless. And in a room of about eighty people, only 16 were women. Part of my job is encouraging the audience to dance during my set. This was virtually impossible with this crowd!

I don't think we've ever been quite so happy to reach the curtain call. The odd thing is, they all left saying how much fun they'd had! It was just a lot harder for us with less feedback from the audience.

The good news is that after two weeks of subs for major roles (due to actors being involved with other shows) the entire core cast of the show is back! And - after a year-and-a-half of on-and-off subbing, I am now part of the core cast! I'll let you know when my bio appears on the website.

ron

[Kevy Baby]

Cool Ron (on the permanency part - not the sucky show part).

[cirquelover]

It sounds like a lot of a fun! Please take it easy and don't hurt yourself.

If I make it to Portland in the next little bit I may have to check this out. Is it kid(10yr old boy) friendly and should I find a sitter?

[ozron]

Let's see....

Full bar, a character who's a pole dance artist, phallic references, full bar, a horny grandma, ten actors doing improv and wine at the same time, the occasional bachelorette party, full bar, and whatever the audience brings to the show....

Find a sitter. Bring a date.

ron

[ozron]

Just a bump and a plug...

Any of you in the Portland area who are curious enough about the show to watch early morning TV, KPTV Channel 12 will be featuring us throughout the morning tomorrow. You'll see the restaurant, meet the cast and characters, and at some point, I'll be singing.

Singing...sometime between 6:00 and 9:00 in the morning.

I make no guarantees.

ron

[Ghoulish Delight]

Will someone be recording and YouTubing said airing?

[blueerica]

OIC... Now I gets it.

[Tref]

Is it anything like the film, One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing?

[ozron]

Will someone be recording and YouTubing said airing?

Not if I have to do it.

What can I say, I'm working with mid-nineties technology here.

ron

[sleepyjeff]

Singing...sometime between 6:00 and 9:00 in the morning.

ron


8:45 to be more precise.

You guys were great.....Hey Mambo is going to be stuck in my head all day now:D

[cirquelover]

I was coming here to ask if you were with the crew on channel 12 this morning! I missed the singing but I caught the earlier clips! Your getting to be a regular tv personality Ron :cool:

[Kevy Baby]

Just like Paris Hilton!

[ozron]

Well, I was there and on camera. I didn't actually get to sing - we were showing more of the high energy, fun side of the show, whereas I'm more of the smooth, romantic side.

I croon. They dance.

[ozron]

The show's website just got two important updates.

Click on multimedia and you can see the two fifteen-second bookend commercial spots we're now airing in the Portland area. They give a feel for the show, and you can hear me sing for a few seconds.

And my picture and short bio are now on the cast page.

All available below.

Ciao

ron

[ozron]

Who Stole My Dead Husband is in it's sixteenth month and still selling out almost weekly! Anticipating a post-holiday slump, we're down to one show a week most weeks. The slump doesn't seem to have materialized.

For those of you in the Portland area, KATU's AM Northwest will be broadcasting live from our venue tomorrow morning (Jan 17) between 9:00 and 10:00 AM.

Once again, I may or may not be singing.

[GusGus]

I really wish there were a way for me to come up and see this show. Not only would I like to meet ozron IRL, the name of the show just tickles me and I want to see it based on the title alone (I am reminded of this every time I see the thread title).


we're going to Oregon in April

[cirquelover]

I just set my dvr so I won't miss it.

I still plan on making it up to see it, one of these days!

[Kevy Baby]

we're going to Oregon in AprilOh yeah.

Do I need to get some off?

[ozron]

we're going to Oregon in April

Cool!

The show is on the road the first weekend of April, playing at Skamania Lodge in the Gorge. Then, of course, we're back home.

One way or the other, an April swanking is in order!

[Kevy Baby]

If I recall correctly, the wedding we are going up for is April 26.

[cirquelover]

Looking good Ron! Why didn't you stick around for the end of the show? I'm going to go to the KATU website and check out the great deal on tickets!

[ozron]

Our stage manager told me we were done after the second third spot, so I was changing and talking business with her when they decided to do the final bit. We walked back into the room just in time to see it.

[GusGus]

If I recall correctly, the wedding we are going up for is April 26.

It is, but apparently there are a few issues (in-laws, not couple). I'll let you know as soon as I hear.

[ozron]

We're taking the show on the road! Well, sort of...

On April 4th and 5th we'll be spending the weekend at Skamania Lodge in the Columbia Gorge. A weekend in relaxing, beautiful surroundings with my show family, two shows and a per diem. What could be better?

The lodge is gorgeous - we're already planning post-show hot tubbing and sticking around for their legendary Sunday brunch!

I've been waiting to post this until Skamania got us up on thier website. Check out the whole package at www.skamania.com

[Not Afraid]

The lodge looks beautiful!


I can't believe you've been doing this show since April of last year! That's fantastic!

[MouseWife]

I know I've been to this Lodge....just not sure if it is the one I had a spa treatment at....I think so.

Wow, I think I'll send this link to my bro in law who lives in Underwood.

Ha, cheeky me, sending someone who lives thisclose to the place info on events. :D

:cheers: On the long run of the show!!!

[I Heart Disneyland]

Ooooh, it's in Oregon! I can totally go there. Looks fabulous. We need a full report from anyone whose been there.

[ozron]

Well, we have a closing date. April 11 will be the last show of the regular run of "Who Stole My Dead Husband?" in Portland. The regular cast is committed for the rest of the run, and we're currently selling out two weeks ahead. We've added Friday night shows for the last three weekends.

We've been running since September of 2007. We've seen a lot of birthdays, anniversaries, pregnancies, bachelorette parties, family reunions, office parties, even a few proposals. Next month a couple who came to the show for their first date is getting married in the theatre, heading next door for their reception while the room is reset, then the whole wedding party is coming back for the show!

We will still do some remote shows, the Rose Garden is interested in hosting us. There is talk of franchising - our producer is in talks with a Vegas venue. And Luigi is working on a sequel.

This group is family. You don't do a show like this for this long and still have fun every night if you don't really love the people you're working with. It's going to be a rough close!

At least I have "Evita" to look forward to!

[ozron]

Six shows to go. We're now selling out every show more than a week in advance and the phone won't stop ringing! There is talk of extending, or maybe coming back after a haitus. It's hard to turn people away.

Last Saturday we had two large groups who took up four tables each. One was a Christmas party that had been postponed because of the snow in December. The other was a jazz choir from a high school near Seattle.

Guess which group was the rude, immature bunch that the producer had to talk to repeatedly?

[ozron]

Tonight is our last show. (For now) Yes, we've announced cosing dates before, but demand for tickets has stretched our run from a February close to an April close, and now we're in "encore performances". But after tonight the kitsch comes down and the costumes go home. We're done.

After almost three years, it's going to be a little hard to adjust. It's a family. A family of comedians. Tonight is going to be interesting...

[lashbear]

:( Have a great after-show party !!

[ozron]

WE'RE BACK! We open tonight on board the Portland Spirit for a run through the end of March. The boat leaves the dock at 7:00and gets back at 9:30, so we have a time constaint we've never had before. We've made a few cuts and written one character out of the show (the kid just had to go to frickin' Maryland for college!) so we should be fine.

It's exciting to be back with the family again! I'll post some links tonight when I get back to a real computer.