Show: 12
Title: Backlash
Category: Comedy
By: Mainly Me Productions
Written by: Josh Carson
Location: Theatre in the Round
Summary: A high school drama teacher by day and comedian by night becomes jealous when a student gets famous from a YouTube video of and gets an audition for SNL.
Highlights: Josh Carson wrote, directs, and stars in this story of a frustrated comedian named Bill who partners with a student and sometimes neglects his wife Allie (Sara Marsh) in the pursuit of comedy. When young Blair (Tucker Garborg) lands on The Today Show thanks to his video of Law and Order with farts, the three embark on a road trip to NYC to audition for Saturday Night Live. Along the way they meet a quirky young writer (Sulia Altenberg) and SNL's newest star who wants off the show (Andy Kraft). Rounding out the cast is Nels Lennes as the narrator and others, and they all work and play together well. Backlash is funny, a little bit ridiculous (they break into the set of SNL), topical, very fringey, and also has some real moments in the relationship of the couple. The road trip story is kind of silly, but it allows for some funny and real moments, and the closer "Not Gonna Phone It In Tonight" with a guest star from the audience is a winner.