I feel lucky that a new chapter has unfolded in my life in the last year and it all started out with an idea and a poster.
Actually these three posters that are now framed (by the amazing people at Technicraft) and hanging in the MBIP World Headquarters office and bedroom.
About twelve years ago my friend Clare told me that I should do a stage show where I tell stories. I told her she was out of her fucking mind, but she kept telling me I should do this. In fact every time I’d see her, she’d say, “So how’s the show coming?”
It really kind of drove me nuts for over a decade and then I finally surrendered to the idea.
It happened when I went to the Apollo Theatre to do a blog on this burlesque show. While waiting for the show to begin, it dawned on me that this would be the perfect place to do a show telling stories and I started thinking about how such a show would happen.
I knew that one of the first things we needed was a logo and art for the show and I contacted Chelsie Tamms from Lettering Works, who I had done a blog on and I really loved her artwork and designs.
We had lunch at Thanh Linh and I told her about my ideas for the show. This was in July of 2018 and I had rented the Apollo Theatre for September 30th.
Chelsie told me she really liked the idea of the show and was excited to do the poster and artwork for it.
Within a few weeks Chelsie had the artwork done for the show and I remember being terrified that this really seemed to be something that was going to happen.
These posters really made it seem like this was going to happen.
I started writing rehearsing the show and my friends Amber and Joe helped me out a lot by listening to early versions of it and giving me notes and ideas on how it should flow.
It seemed like time just sped by and before you knew it was time for the first Marty Monologues show at the Apollo Theatre.
The whole night is just kind of a blurry memory for me because I was simply terrified and I learned later that I did the show while on the verge of what could’ve been a heart attack!
Crazy memories and it all started out with these three posters.
We did a second Marty Monologues show last April in Peoria, Chicago and New York City. Those shows went great and I’m currently working on a new show that will debut on October 20th at the Apollo here in Peoria and then I’ll do it at The Kraine Theater in New York on October 23rd.
This has become a real interesting part of my life and it all started out with an idea from my friend Clare and these three posters that Chelsie drew and designed.
Thanks to both of them for helping me start this new chapter of my life and to everyone else involved with the Marty Monologues shows and all of you who have attended the shows. Hope to see you in October for the next show!
Related Posts: Casual Friday featuring: Sgt. Squeak, Mothers of Invention Poster and A Poem For Me.