'Strange Dreamz with Kevin J. Thornton'

2012 Show debuts at ComedySportz Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (April 2012) – Kevin J. Thornton, musician, storyteller and stand-up comic returns to his home state with a one-night only show 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 11 at ComedySportz Indianapolis, 721 Massachusetts Avenue.  “Strange Dreamz with Kevin J. Thornton” takes you on a high energy ride with music, comedy and stories about love, sex and the meaning of life from a gay man in the 21st century.

Image credit: Zoia Wiseman

Tickets cost $15.00 online at www.indycomedysportz.com or at the door. For information about ComedySportz call 317-951-8499.

Kevin J Thornton is a road warrior and Fringe festival veteran who appeared in 10 festivals nationwide in 2011 including the IndyFringe Festival. Thornton will miss IndyFringe 2012 as he journeys to Canada this August for his debut in Edmonton, Alberta. In 2011 Thornton won the "Audience Choice Award for Favorite Show" at the Orlando International Fringe Festival and "Best Writing & Performance" at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

“Strange Dreamz” is also the title of the podcast the self-proclaimed “gay male Oprah with a potty mouth” produces weekly. Most Sundays Thornton and the occasional guest discuss touring adventures, current events, music, issues affecting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community and the meaning of life. Thornton’s podcast is the highest rated program on the LGBT related online radio station “Click Click Expose” based in Miami, Florida and an incubator for his live show.

The 90 minute live show also features short stories from Thornton’s 2012 paperback book “The Universe Sock Puppet” available on Amazon.com and retailers worldwide.

The Evansville, Ind. native is a Los Angeles Times "Best Bet," has been featured on NPR's All Things Considered and is a “New Faces Winner” at The Comedy Store in Hollywood. In 2011 Thornton was a guest lecturer at University of California, Berkeley where he spoke about his successful use of his podcast and social media in connection with his national touring act.

Thornton’s social networking, podcast and one-person shows, including his 2009 hit debut “Sex, Dreams & Self Control,” and 2010’s “I Love You (We’re Fucked)” have garnered him a loyal following in Indianapolis and across the country. Thornton’s 2012 show will include brand new stories and humor but unlike the songwriter’s previous year’s shows he will cover songs like Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream" and his hilarious rendition of TLC’s “No Scrubs.”

Awards received on Thornton’s 2011 15-city tour include the Audience Choice Award for Favorite Show and the Fringe Crush Award in Orlando as well as the League of Cincinnati Theatre Award for Best Writing and Performance. Matthew J. Palm, theater critic for the Orlando Sentinel, called Thornton “an enthusiastic musician, a quick-witted comic and a really funny storyteller” and Cincinnati’s CityBeat said “he kept the audience in the palm of his hand during the sold out performance... he’s a fast-talking, high-energy powerhouse of a performer.”

Approx. Running Time: 90 minutes

Other Resources
http://www.facebook.com/kevinjthornton
http://twitter.com/thekevthornton
http://www.youtube.com/kevinjthornton

Nationally Touring Storyteller Paul Strickland Performs His New One-person Show Add Songs, Stir at the IndyFringe Theater

Nationally Touring Storyteller and IndyFringe Favorite Paul Strickland performs his new one-person show “Add Songs, Stir” at the IndyFringe Theater.

Creator of Fringe Hits “A Brighter Shade of Blue” and “Any Title That Works,” Strickland returns to Indianapolis with a brand new show sure to defy all expectations.  Weaving 5 songs with plenty of his unique stories (including the legend of the “City Under The Lake” and a touching tale about a woman who falls in love with a windowpane) Paul will play his guitar, sing his songs and tell his stories, stirring the combination into a collage-like performance that will live in your imagination long after the final note has been played. 

Performance times:  March 2^nd @ 8pm, March 3^rd @ 8pm.  Ticket price $10.

For more information and to purchase tickets please visit www.indyfringe.org.

Phil van Hest Talks About Cats, Homegrown Veggies and his New Show

This month, Wit's End sat down with one of Indiana's rising stars of stand-up comedy Phil van Hest, whose monthly show - 'Funny About That' - premieres at the IndyFringe Building Wednesday. Here's how it all went down. 

IT: How are you doing, Phil?

PHIL: I have never been busier or happier in my life.  A speech for Public Social University through the IMA, a speech on sustainability for Butler's first annual Green Summit, a grant to inspire high school kids in Indiana to fearlessly pursue "gender non-traditional careers," And I just got a third cat that doesn't get along with the other two cats.  It's like having a baby with teeth that fights your other babies at night, very loudly.

IT: Welcome again to Indiana. You're not from around here are you?

PHIL: Nah brah, Cali.  My laugh line is "I moved from Los Angeles to Indianapolis (expertly timed comedic pause) to pursue a career in show 
business (bask in laugh-glory).

IT: The world premiere of your new monthly show - 'Funny About That' - takes place at the IndyFringe Building on October 12. Give us the low down!

PHIL: This is my attempt at self-sustainability. I want this show to become my full time job.  It is the reason I am here, and I am anxiously anticipating not screwing it up this Wednesday. If I do, the blow will be cushioned by free beer.  The beer will be free for all comers to the October/November shows. After that, to prevent my print advertising from becoming a lie, I will provide a free beer to at least one audience member. I will decide who based on a complex set of random values I arbitrarily invent each night after again spending all month forgetting to devise a system.

IT: How else can we sample Phil Van Hest (I'm thinking online media)?

PHIL: I work hard to concentrate all things Phil into my site, FunnyAboutThat.com. If it's about me and it's not there, it's probably a shitty review.

IT: What's the second greatest thing that has ever happened to you?

PHIL: Battlecat Tonic Water Forte, of the Broken Whiskers.

IT: I understand you have a thing for cats? 

PHIL: Why, did I just imply something like that?

IT: And what's all this about homegrown vegetables?

PHIL: They taste better, render you more independent, and subvert the concept of mandatory consumer spending.

IT: So, how can people keep abreast (hehe) of all your upcoming events? 

PHIL: I have a delightful semi-quarterly newsletter, and people are free to sign up for it at FunnyAboutThat.com!  Or send me an email! philvanhest@gmail.com.

IT: Do you have any questions for us?

PHIL: Will I see you at the world premiere of my new monthly show, "FREE BEER with Phil van Hest?"

IT: Well, unfortunately we will be busy launching some shitty website that evening, but we will certainly make it to the November, December and January gigs. Anyway, you are now free to leave.

PHIL: Great, because I am busy as fuck.

Funny About That with Phil van Hest -- AND YOU! 

Wednesday, October 12th @ 8PM

IndyFringe Building,
719 E St Clair St,
Indianapolis, IN 46202


FREE Flat12 draft beer!

Tickets are $10 at the door.

Phil van Hest presents a monthly LIVE talk show featuring Indy personalities, and special guests. He's handing a megaphone and an audience to the community voice.   FUNNY ABOUT THAT will uncover sundry, silly, and direly hilarious news and opinion items that, in van Hest's words, "may have eluded the attention of larger media outlets." 

Image credit: Mike Soultanian