Here’s where you can reserve your seats for any of our 7 shows at Studio5 in Evanston: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/studio5performingartscenter/790733/
Shows are December 29, 30 & 31 — and January 4, 5, 6 & 7.
Tag Archives: Dana Olsen
Tickets Now on Sale for “Vic & Paul & Dana’s Post Pandemic Revue.”
Filed under Art, Comedy, Improvisation, Music, Politics
A Practical Homecoming
Vic & Paul are back in Evanston — and ready to join with our friends Dana Olsen, Steve Rashid and the Studio5 All-Stars for “Vic & Paul & Dana’s Post-Pandemic Revue.”
If the name sounds familiar, it’s because we were in Evanston last year to do this show — but the Omicron variant ran rampant while we were in rehearsals, making our show anything but “Post-Pandemic”. In fact, we had to cancel the show before it opened — on the same day that the Goodman Theatre and North Light were closing up shop.
Since then, Victoria and I have moved back to Evanston (for good!) and we’re back in rehearsals, polishing up an even better version of the show — with some new comic twists!
The Practical Theatre is back in operation on Chicago’s North Shore. And this time, we’re sticking around to keep the laughs coming on a regular basis.
But first — get your tickets for “Vic & Paul & Dana’s Post Pandemic Revue.”
Tickets go on sale Friday, October 28th.
For tickets go to: https://www.studio5.dance/calendar
“Vic & Paul & Dana’s Post-Pandemic Revue” is a smart comedy cocktail, mixing music, variety, and vaudeville — stirring in everything from marriage to cancel culture, whoopie cushions, conspiracy theories, Greek gods, William Shakespeare and more. An intoxicating comic combination!
There’s no better place to enjoy a comedy revue with your favorite friends than Evanston’s own Studio5 Cabaret, which has comfortable seating, state of the art sound and lights, and acres of free parking!
Operated by Bea and Steve Rashid, Studio5 is located at 1934 Dempster Street in Evanston. (It’s on the southwest corner of Dempster and Dodge, adjacent to Dance Center Evanston.)
Filed under Art, Beauty, Comedy, Improvisation
3 Days Until “Vic & Paul & Dana’s Post-Pandemic Revue!”
Go to http://www.studio5.dance to procure your tickets to the funniest year-end party of this malevolent, maddening year. We’ll be having great fun for 5 nights in Evanston — and we hope you’ll join us! The cast is Covid-free, socially-distanced — and ready to entertain as if they wanted to erase all the bulls*it of the past 20-something months! (And they certainly do!)
See you all at Studio5. It’s going to be an event to remember.
Filed under Art, Beauty, Comedy, Improvisation, Music, Politics, rock & roll, Truth
Join the Practical Theatre Fun at Studio5 in Evanston!
Opening night is just 32 days away. Tickets on sale now!
The Practical Theatre Company Part 5: Brigadoon Returns!
When I first wrote the history of The Practical Theatre for this blog, I finished by saying, “The Practical Theatre in Chicago in the 1980’s — that was Brigadoon: a magical place that existed for a brief time and vanished. And I got the girl.”
That was true. I did get the girl. And because I emerged from that life-changing experience with Victoria Zielinski as my wife and collaborator, the Practical Theatre was ultimately due for a renaissance.
Alas, the PTC revival would take more than two decades.
The PTC had to wait as Vic and I raised our three wonderful daughters: Maura, Emilia and Eva. But by 2010, the year of our 20th wedding anniversary, with our girls old enough to spare their parents for a few hours a day — Vic and I began to consider whether we were still comedians who had something to say.
We decided it was time to bring the Practical Theatre back. Thus was born “The Vic & Paul Show.”
Inspired by the classic work of Mike Nichols and Elaine May, Vic and I began improvising extended comic scenes in our kitchen, including…
- A dull, dispirited married couple that die in a car wreck and wind up stranded in Limbo.
- A sad sack single guy from Cleveland trying to pick up a Chicago cougar in a hotel lounge.
- A frontier bartender serving a whiskey tasting to a dusty California cowpoke.
There were times when our improvisations were so lively, so passionate, and so LOUD – that our girls would rush downstairs to see if we were okay. Were we really fighting? Arguing? Drunk?
They’d never seen us performing comedy sketches.
We polished our routines, edited our scripts, and wrote some songs. A Practical Theatre revue had to include music. That meant involving our long-time music director, Steve Rashid. We booked a series of shows in a tiny local bar called Push Lounge in Woodland Hills, California.
That leap of faith launched a tour that took “The Vic & Paul Show” to Chicago’s Prop Theatre and Mayne Stage in Rogers Park, to Cleveland’s 14thStreet Theatre — and iO West in Hollywood.
After that, we renewed a collaboration with our fellow Northwestern graduate and Mee-Ow Show alum, Dana Olsen, starting with Mr. Olsen’s Neighborhood at The Wilmette Theatre in 2012 — followed by “Mr. Olsen’s New Year’s Rockin’ Neighborhood” at 27 Live in 2013.
Then, Vic and Dana and I spent a solid year writing new material for “The Vic & Paul & Dana Show.” We were delighted that Steve Rashid and Rockin’ Ronny Crawford joined us for a Hollywood run at iO West in November 2015.
That show in LA revived a PTC comedy tradition that launched North Shore runs of “Mr. Olsen’s Holiday Party” in 2016, “Mr. Olsen’s Champagne Celebration” the following year and “PTC Radio Theatre On The Air” in 2018 – all staged at Bea and Steve Rashid’s fabulous Studio5 theatre in Evanston.
The Practical Theatre is alive and well at Studio5.
The PTC’s “Big Holiday Bag O’ Fun!” is the latest comedic chapter in a very funny history.
“Big Holiday Bag O’ Fun!” is a compendium of The Practical Theatre’s funniest sketches, dating from our “Mee-Ow Show” days at Northwestern University to “Bag O’ Fun” – our first improvisational comedy revue staged in the summer of 1980 at Evanston’s Noyes Cultural Arts Center – through “The Vic & Paul & Dana Show”.
Plus a few new bits written right up to opening night.
Brigadoon is back.
See you at Studio5!
Filed under Art, Comedy, History, Improvisation, Music, Politics, Uncategorized
Two Weeks from a Big Bag O’ Fun in Chicago (or Evanston, to be exact.)
If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet for The Practical Theatre Company’s Big Holiday Bag O’ Fun at Studio5 in Evanston, Illinois — now’s the time!
Tickets are going fast — so don’t delay.
It’s going to be the best party of the year. After an arduous political and social slog like we’ve all experienced in the past 12 months — we can all use a big, blow-out party with great music, free-spirited laughs, and a great big, bag o’ fun!
Get your tickets now at: http://www.studio5dance/calendar
Filed under Art, Comedy, History, Improvisation, Music, Politics, Truth, Uncategorized
Holiday Fun Comes to Evanston: Practical Radio Theatre On The Air!
The Practical Theatre is coming back to Chicago’s North Shore with a classic radio show featuring grown-up comedy and great live music! Plus adult beverages! Join the fun as the PTC records two shows at Studio5 Performing Arts Center in Evanston for later broadcast on Chicago’s premier jazz station WDCB 90.9 FM.
Following their smash holiday engagements the past two years at Studio5, writer-performers Victoria Zielinski, Paul Barrosse and Dana Olsen return with Practical Radio Theatre on the Air, featuring music by Steve Rashid and his Studio5 All-Stars, with special appearances by Giggle Break’s Daniel Rashid and recording artist Eva B. Ross.
Eva B. Ross
Practical Radio Theatre on the Air is a classic radio show format filled with high spirits, satire and song.Join the live audience and be an integral part of the show, sipping a smart cocktail in the comfort of the North Shore’s most intimate performance venue. Studio5 Performing Arts Center, located at Dempster and Dodge in Evanston, features comfy seating, great sight lines, state of the art sound and lights — and acres of free parking!
Daniel Rashid
It’s another holiday happening to remember!
There are just 2 shows: Friday December 28 and Saturday the 29th. Tickets are on sale at Brown Paper Tickets.
There will be a cash bar for both shows. Doors open for cocktails at 7:30. Showtime is 8:00.
Each night’s performance begins with an opening set of songs by Eva B. Ross before the radio show gets underway — but the fun begins as soon as you get there!
Your hosts at Studio5: Impresarios Bea & Steve Rashid
Filed under Art, Comedy, Improvisation, Music, Uncategorized
A Comic Celebration to Remember!
For two frigid but otherwise fun and fulfilling weeks on Chicago’s North Shore, the cast and crew of “Mr. Olsen’s Champagne Celebration” staged a series of shows that rang in the New Year with satire, song and classic comic shtick. The three packed performances proved once again that The Practical Theatre Company and its motto “Art is Good” are alive and well in the Windy City.
The Practical Theatre is like “Brigadoon” these days: a magical, fleeting moment of entertainment that vanishes as suddenly as it appears. For those of you who were not able to be among the receptive crowds that gathered at Studio5 in Evanston to witness this rare theatrical event – please enjoy the following photos, taken by former Chicago Tribune photographer Chuck Osgood at final dress rehearsal.
The Opening Number: “It’s been a year to remember — to forget!”
“Ed & Ellen & Ned” — Ed (Paul Barrosse) & Ellen (Victoria Zielinski) and Ned (Dana Olsen) share a moment in an airport bar with a young man (Daniel Rashid) who digs older women.
Eva B Ross sings “Thou Swell” backed by Steve Rashid (keys) & The Studio5 All Stars: Rockin’ Ronny Crawford (drums), Joe Policastro (bass), Don Stille (accordion) and Don Stiernberg (guitar)
“Limbo” — A bickering couple (Vic & Dana) find themselves in a state of suspended afterlife.
“Parents” — Dana and Shelly Goldstein play parents with a lot of good (and not so good) advice for their high school graduate, bound for Northwestern University.
“Please Come to Starbucks” — Paul is a forlorn, lovesick guy from Cleveland who lost his girl (Vic) to the Southern California dream. He seeks her out in a mournful musical complaint.
“Stop Talking About Him” — A young couple (Daniel Rashid & Emilia Barrosse) struggle with the nagging, negative, inescapable influence of Donald Trump on their relationship.
“Cut In Line” — This is the moment that an unlucky guy (Paul) discovers that the guy to whom he just gave his place in line (Dana) is the 1,000,000th customer and winner of a million dollars!
The Mr. Olsen’ Dancers perform “We’re In The Money”
Dana & Eva perform a multi-lingual duet of “Let it Snow” — just before it goes way off the rails.
With sexual harassment dominating the news, the dancers make a statement.
Don Stille burns up his accordion solo in “The Possible Side Effects Polka”
The Mr. Olsen Dancers step lively in “The Possible Side Effects Polka”
Emilia Barrosse opens the second act with an original stand-up comedy set.
“Ed & Elena” — Ed (Paul) is about to get a big surprise from buxom blonde Elena (Vic).
Steve Rashid performs a nostalgic musical tribute to George W. Bush — with beautiful, inspirational music by Steve and indescribable words by Dubya himself.
The Mr. Olsen Dancers kick up a wild western rumpus.
“Whisky Tasting” — Miss Vicky’s hootch has finally gotten the best of Paul’s boozing cowpoke.
Groovy Shelly sings “The Middle Aging of The Age of Aquarius”
“Meet the Robot” — Guess who’s coming to dinner? Your daughter’s synthetic human boyfriend, that’s who.
A proper 19th Century minuet gets a bit topsy-turvy.
Roland Masterton (Paul) and Elizabeth Cuddleton (Vic) share a long, long, long developing romance a’la Jane Austen — through correspondence, shipwreck, and a mortal duel .
Donald J. Trump meets “Hamilton” in a rap production number. “How does a bastard, orange, TV show host with a toupe’, dropped in the middle of a polarized time in our America — with hands so freaking teeny — rise up to be the Mango Mussolini?”
“What’s you name, man?” “Inmate number 45!”
The Closing: “Resist! Resist! — and keep your sanity. Do your best, it’s a test — of our humanity.”
Filed under Art, Comedy, Improvisation, Music, Politics, Uncategorized
Just Two More Chances to Enjoy “Mr. Olsen’s Champagne Celebration”!
There are only two more opportunities to enjoy the funniest and most fun New Year’s party on Chicago’s North Shore: tonight and New Year’s Eve.
(All photos in this post were taken by Chuck Osgood at the final dress rehearsal)
You still have a chance to reserve your seats for Mr. Olsen’s Champagne Celebration at Studio5 in Evanston.
The Practical Theatre returns with another entertaining comedy and music revue featuring veteran improvisational comedy writer-performers Victoria Zielinski, Paul Barrosse and Dana Olsen. It’s a fun-filled party in the style of The Lawrence Welk Show, filled with laughter, satire and song.
Joining the cast are the PTC’s musical director, Steve Rashid, songbird Eva B. Ross, standup comic Emilia Barrosse, Giggle Break’s own Daniel Rashid, cabaret chanteuse Shelly Goldstein — and the Studio5 All-Star Band, including Rockin’ Ronny Crawford on drums, Don Stille on accordion, bassist Joe Policastro and Don Stiernberg on guitar. Plus percussionist Robert Rashid.
And — The Mr. Olsen Dancers are back – and better than ever!
The show on New Year’s Eve will be followed by live music and a fabulous dance party — as we invite you all to swing into the New Year! (And enjoy tasty food, too!)
Studio5 is Evanston’s hippest, most intimate performing arts venue, with comfortable seats, great sight lines, state of the art sound and lights, and acres of free parking. Tickets are on sale here!
There will be a cash bar for both shows. Doors open for cocktails at 7:30.
Don’t miss your last chance to join the biggest party of the year! 
Filed under Art, Comedy, Improvisation, Music, Uncategorized
Paul's Voyage of Discovery & Etc. 