The sixth and final member of our Travelogues cast: Jp Boudwin. While his name is surprisingly easy to mangle, his comedy is hard to forget. Jp stormed onto the scene sometime within the last year and has quickly emerged as one of Philadelphia’s most prolific comedians. He does it all: improv, sketch, stand-up, hosting the weekly Propaganda Party at the Starlight Ballroom (every Thursday night at 8pm- except tonight, of course). He’s also a pretty nice guy. Let’s hear it, folks. THREE CHEERS FOR JP!
Name
Jp Boudwin
Hometown
Upper Darby, PA
Stage Name
It’s currently “LackAdazeicaL”, but I’m changing it to Prince’s symbol.
Winning Sophomore year battle of the bands after being a band for a 2 weeks! Too many comedy related ones.
Any good travel horror stories?
I went to Pittsburgh and everything was closed. Also it sucked.
Why are you doing this show?
I’m an attention whore.
Why do you do comedy?
I’m an attention whore.
This concludes our Travelogues cast interviews. Or does it? In a way, yes. But in another, more accurate way, no. We’ve got some nice lil’ bits from Nathan Edmondson and Matt Holmes of the Rare Bird Show coming up later today. We also sent the questionnaire to Alexis Simpson, but it just came back to us with an O Magazine subscription renewal. What the hell, Alexis? Anyway, see you later tonight?
We sat for a long time thinking about what to write in this introduction. What do you write about Mary Carpenter that reflects both her onstage talent and her offstage grace, without making her uncomfortable with all this internet idolatry? Well, I guess you could pit it this way: when Chicago’s legendary Second City came knocking on Philadelphia’s door this past summer, it surprised no one to discover that they wanted to hire themselves a Carpenter. Name
Mary Carpenter
Hometown
Born in Villanova, currently living in Mt. “Hippie” Airy
Stage Name
Phantom Junior
Credits Include:
ComedySportz Philly, Suburban Love Songs and Disco Descending (1812 Productions), City Of Nutterly Love (Philadelphia Theatre Company) , Co-founder of Freefall Productions, Dazed and Amused: The 24 Hour Improv Marathon.
Favorite onstage moment?
Hitting on the cop who just pulled me over and later meeting in Applebees under the harsh light of reality.
Any good travel horror stories?
Going on a sailing trip with people who “Knew” how to sail, and having to be towed in twice.
This Travelogues cast interview features someone who is best described as a Philadelphia improv powerhouse. We bolded the word powerhouse to hammer home our point. We bolded the word hammer because it makes us think of “acclaimed” rapper MC Hammer, and this improviser is also pretty sick when it comes to rocking a microphone. Also because jokes always come in threes.
If there’s an improvised show in Philadelphia she’s probably had some hand in it, whether via performance or coaching those who perform. At last October’s 5th Annual Philadelphia Improv Festival, she racked up four, count ‘em, FOUR, appearances. So it’s no surprise that she’s a part of PJI’s upcoming The Mike Connor Travelogues.
Our next cast member is not a man to be trifled with. He was Batboy in Batboy: The Musical. . He’s the Philly Phanatics’ right-hand man. He knows several hundred forms of Boring Kung Fu. Who is this modern miracle? Let’s find out.
Last night I played a dead unicorn doing a trapeze act.
Any good travel horror stories?
I was on a national tour, going down a mountain in western Idaho in a TOTAL blizzard, and our driver was very inexperienced. She totally did great, but we were literally barreling down the road passing eighteen-wheelers that were pulled over to the shoulder, and couldn’t hardly see anything. It was hairy.
Why are you doing this show?
To have my name associated with PJI and Mike Connor. And I’m totes free Thursday night.
Why do you do comedy?
It’s better than sitting home watching John Carpenter’s Ghosts of Mars for the seventeenth time.
Hey everyone! It’s Alexis! As you may or may not know, I’m a graduate of the Arden Professional Apprenticeship. In its 17th year, the APA Program is one of the most distinguished theatre training programs in the country. Apprentices spend a 10-month season with the Arden working in every aspect of the company’s fday-to-day operations. Distinguished alum include the Technical Director of the Wilma, the founder of Azuka Theatre Company, and Grammy-award winning artist Jill Scott.
I recently had a chance to sit down with the current class and ask them a few questions about how it’s going so far. I’m told it’s the first episode in a series that will span the entire year. Sure, they look fresh-faced NOW- but just wait until December (two words: Popcorn. Machine.)
If you’re still craving more info about the APA Program, click your linkies here. And be sure to check out www.ardentheatre.org for information on upcoming shows and events.
If we had to judge based on this picture, we’d have to go with … yes. But there’s nothing wrong with being insane- at least not the kind of madness that leads you to do improv, direct Color Guard, and star as Gwen Stefani on an episode of MTV’s Made. That’s the kind of madness we’d happily put into a clean luer-lock syringe and inject directly into our bloodstream. Say no to drugs, kids. And say “YES!” to the delightful psychiatry of the fabulous Kristin Finger.
Lately the PJI offices have been a shitstorm of a flurry of activity. There are only ten days and counting until Opening Night and Also Closing Night of The Mike Connor Travelogues (featuring a set from Philly improv powerhouse Rare Bird Show). This show probably ranks like first or third on the list of The Biggest Events in the Course of Human History, so you can imagine how insane things are here at PJI headquarters.
Pictured: The chaos at PJI Headquarters. PJI is an equal-opportunity employer.
We figured, “Why not frost this chaos cake with some buttercream madness”? So in celebration of the ridiculous arsenal of comedic talent we’ve assembled for the upcoming show, we came up with exactly two brilliant ideas. Idea #1: send the performers a mini-survey and post their brilliant responses here on the PJI blog. Idea #2: build a twenty-foot replica of Mr Peanut out of airline peanuts, and blow it up (sending peanuts peanuts flying as far as the forces of physics will allow). We couldn’t find any good explosioning music, and also we can’t afford the insurance. So you’re gettin’ cast surveys. Deal with it.
CAST INTERVIEW #1
Name
Michael Connor
Hometown
Penndel, Pennsylvania
Stage Name
Michael James Peter Thaddeus Reginald Buckingham Milford Brett-Connor III esq.
I changed a line in a play to include my friend’s name who was in the audience and implied that he was learning disabled. No one else in the audience knew I did it. But I did. And my friend did. And when you watch the footage that was shot from that night’s performance, you can hear him boo as I left the stage. What are friends for if not to imply they’re learning disabled?
Any good travel horror stories (besides the ones you’re telling Nov. 12th, of course)?
In Die Hard with a Vengeance, the bombs are made of these two chemicals. Separately, the chemicals are harmless. However, when you combine them, they become highly explosive. Similarly, my sister can go for a drive and nothing will happen. I can go for a drive and nothing will happen. But when my sister and I go for a drive together, we always have car trouble.
Why are you doing this show?
I took this long trip. I had all these crazy experiences. I want to tell people about ‘em.
Why do you do comedy?
In first grade Mrs. Dougherty gave out awards to each kid at the end of the year: good speller, good builder, good drawer, etc. I got an award for best sense of humor. I knew then that I would grow up to be an unemployed, judgmental goon with no discernible skills other than finding fault in the way other people live their lives. Thanks, Mrs. Dougherty.
