Interview with Tony Mendoza

So dccomedyfest blog reader, you think we have forgotten the sketch fan do you? We haven't. In fact we have a rare treat for you this year. We are proud to bring you the Annoyance Theater's Showstravaganza PRESIDENT BUSH IS A GREAT MAN!

That's right! SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2006 @ 8:30PM at the Warehouse Mainstage be sure to catch this amazing show brought to us by Chicago's famed Annoyance Theater. Students of Improv and Sketch Comedy are sure to recognize that this is a rare treat that usually requires you go to Chicago for a chance to see the Annoyance Theater folks in action. So if you're quick you can beat the die hard fans to the good seats for this cannot be missed opportunity.

Tony Mendoza, a performer and faculty member at Chicago's Annoyance Theater, took some time to answer a few questions we had about this sure to please offering at the fest. Tony is a multi-talented preformer and playwrite who has held some interesting jobs over the years. We'll let him tell you about them...

dccf) Thanks for taking time to answer a few questions for the dccomedyfest blog readers. Let's start right off with an important question, tell us a little bit about the show PRESIDENT BUSH IS A GREAT MAN!

Tony) It's a silly, smart, stupid, gross, weird, angry, songy sketch comedy about the currently great president.

dccf) What is the best part of being involved in PRESIDENT BUSH IS A GREAT MAN!

Tony) The cast and director have been family to me for awhile. The kind of family you choose to be around. So I liked working with them.

dccf) How did you get involved with PRESIDENT BUSH IS A GREAT MAN! and Annoyance Theater?

Tony) I took classes at Annoyance in 1997 and hung around. I wasn't a crazy weirdo and so they asked me to do shows and eventually teach.

dccf) We understand that you are also involved with Second City, what's it like to be a drummer for Second City Shows?

Tony) Those are fun gigs. It's good to not have to be the funny one and watch your friends struggle to make people laugh. And the musicians get paid more.

dccf) We would love to hear about your play 58, a play about bike messengering. What drove you to write a play about bike messengers?

Tony) For the last 6 years I've supplemented my meager improv earnings by bike messengering. It seemed like each week at the bar, I'd have a new work story to tell...often involving some sort of dumb altercation, or accident, or humiliation. And because people asked me about my job all the time, there appeared to be an interest in the subject. I kept a blog about it: http://home.earthlink.net/~tonymendoza/mess We did a one-man-show-with-people called 58 (which is my messenger number) which was written by me and the city of Chicago.

dccf) How has your play been received?

Tony) It won Best Musical at the 2006 NY Fringe Festival. People have said it has changed the way they drive or perceive messengers. I'm proud of it I suppose.

dccf) What is the strangest, yet still positive, compliment you have received after a performance?

Tony) In reference to my band Let's Get Out of This Terrible Sandwich Shop someone recently said "You guys are the like the Shags! I love you guys!" The Shags didn't know how to play their instruments.

dccf) Relatives often say the strangest things about what people are doing for a living. What has been the best or strangest review you have received from a family member?

Tony) I don't let my family see anything I do. They are very supportive and we have an understanding.

dccf) Is there anything you want to make sure dccomedyfest audiences know before coming to see you and PRESIDENT BUSH IS A GREAT MAN! at the fest?

Tony) Bring your silly frown and let's have fun about it.

Hope this teaser interview has provided you with some answers to questions you might have asked. If you take nothing else away from this blog... GO SEE TONY AND PRESIDENT BUSH IS A GREAT MAN! You won't regret the effort put into checking out this fan favorite show!

For more details about this and all the dccomedyfest shows, check out our show and ticketing web pages.