Bert gives you the BACKGROUND INFO on the Comics Anonymous Troupe

Broward's leading (and sometimes only) comedy improvisation theater company was organized in August of 1990 when they were first sponsored by Governors's Comedy Shop in Ft. Lauderdale . They were simultaneously playing at a small playhouse in Hollywood Fla, but when both suddenly closed (one by flood the other by fire marshal) (we were implicated in neither) They then moved to The Cinema 'n' Drafthouse of Lauderhill (a small city just west of Ft. Lauderdale) in March of '91 and played there an amazing 104 weeks! During this time they also played out at a few one-nighters around Dade & Broward counties including a run at the Coconuts Comedy Club in North Miami which did fine until C.A. left and the club went out of business a month later. In Feb of '93 they left the C'n'D which went out of business in March. (Still no connection.)

Immediately after that they played limited engagements in Coral Springs and then again in Hollywood, but these were both playhouses again, with no tables, or drinks. It simply wasn't relaxed enough so they left, and each of those went out of business. In the summer of '94 they played at the COCONUT CREEK Cinema & Drafthouse then Jan's Rooftop Cabaret in the summer of '95 and then back to Coconut Creek that fall. They finished their contract in Dec. and took two months off which was just enough time for that C'n'D to go out of business too.

In Sept. of '96 they returned to Jan McArt's and played a record 145 weeks, out living her Cabaret room before moving downstairs to the Main Stage for another 25 weeks before leaving in Nov of 99 to take the holidays off before settling in for an eight week run at Bocanuts.

In the last 9 years Comics Anonymous has been through fights, floods, fire marshals, 3 counties, 8 cities, & dozens of one night stands. Material has been stolen, spotlights have exploded, and microphones have passed on silently into the night, and, yet through all this the show has gone on. The show is hot and the cast is tighter than ever. In this time other groups have come and gone, but Florida audiences still demand COMICS ANONYMOUS!.

The CA pedigree is long and distinguished and many people have been in and out the "program" over the years. Most of our alumni have moved on to bigger and better things and have become "not so anonymous" since starting with the troupe. You might be surprised just who got their start here in Broward. The time off allows the current members to perform in plays, movies, stand up clubs, and recording projects and radio shows and a lot of Shakespeare. Even though you won't hear their last names here, you are certain to recognize a few faces. "When we're doing CA - It's the group that matters" is resoundingly stated by all the members. Any one who can't handle that doesn't last long with us.

When in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/Palm Beach area, hear C.A.'s music on the "Pandemonium Midnight Uprising" show on 91.3 WLRN-FM Wednesdays at midnight.

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Frank Edwards (He thinks he's in charge) is the last surviving person from the original 12 members. He's performed as a stand-up all over the east coast, comedy central, and was a finalist on America's Funniest People. As an actor he's appeared on TV, Film, and in dozens of stage plays. His fondest memory is of actually being paid to pinch Gloria Estefan's butt 17 times (for some reason it took 17 takes) when he starred in The Miami Sound Machine's "Bad Boys" video - version 1 (the one without all the dam cats). Frank actually pays his bills doing nothing but theatre, and designing lights for rock concerts. He's worked with The Drifters, The Coasters, The Marveletts, The beach Boys, BTO, Eartha Kitt, Merv Griffen and Micheal Andrews of Swinggerhead. He has newspaper clippings documenting that he once opend for Robin Williams and on a fluke, improviseded at a CA show with Robert Deniro. You can check out the web site for the play he co-wrote "Do Vegetarians Eat Animal Crackers?". Or you can e-mail Frank by clicking here. His newest project is involves the City Of Boca Raton asking him to create for them and after school program based on his teen improv troupe, The FCC - Full Contact Comedy

Laura Russell (she's not a lesbian - just a cop) has been with us since Nov of '95 and occasionally performs stand-up under the name "Pat Garret". Last year she released a parody of Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer called Johnny Got Arrested by the Police which got some nice air play on the radio. After performing it on stage with C.A. she had 75 copies made for sale and if you want one we still have 73 left. Laura has written several screenplays and TV pilots all involving a lady cop who is a stand-up at night. Right now she's working on a totally new script about a lady cop who is an improvist at night. Hmmmmm. Sometimes she can be heard on the COPNET radio show which airs weekly in Miami on Sundays from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on WAXY 790-AM and overnight on WLYF 101.5 FM.

 

Simon Mirsky has no formal training in theater, but learned his craft here at Comics Anonymous. (although he was voted "Funniest Senior" in high school, acted in a Radio Shack training video, is employed as an instructor at one of those Improv Comedy Traffic Schools, and did a brief stint with a cable-access cooking show as co-host). In addition to improv, he also writes & performs sketches for the troupe. When not performing at the theater, he fancies himself a sculptor, writer, blues harmonica-ist and roller-hockey enthusiast. You can e-mail Simon here.

 

Shelley Goldman (the blond) is a school teacher by day and by night she's trying to start training ground and theatre for young performers. Shelly's initial performance experiences were as a child herself in NY with the Paper Moon Children's Theatre were she performed with two other little girls nobody had ever heard of, Debbie Gibson & Ricki Lake. Shelly's been with us since September of '96 and moved from training to a lead position on stage faster than anyone else in the history of the group (and they said blondes were slow.) Occasionally she takes time off to direct or star in area theatre productions but Shelly always comes home to us. She's been featured in productions of Dracula - A Musical? , Hello Dolly, 42nd Street, Pal Joey, Meet Me in St. Louis and Mack & Mable to name just a few.

 

Cara Hollich (the tiny dancer) is a dancer by trade and she's had some singing experience so of course we thought she'd be funny. When she's not explaining what an occupational therapist does for a living, she's usually a girl in the chorus, however Cara is now branching out into stage acting were she WAS THE second act of Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers. Lately she's done a lot of work with the Pompano Players including the hit shows Pal Joey, Girl Crazy, Finnian's Rainbow and Pippin. and played Miss Boop Upa-doop in Dracula - A Musical? She belly danced in the Stone Soup Production of King Sololmon and his 700 Wives - A Love Story and has appered at Jan McArt's Royal Palm Dinner Theatre in Gypsy and Little Me. Curently she's taking time off to act as a producer, along with he co-produced husband Phill. You see, the coupple is expecting thier first child. Best of luck guys! You can e-mail Cara by clicking here.

 

Gary Wayne (the music man) has been featured in many a musical and has had more than a few bands over the years, one of which - Ruse - played the Astrodome when they toured with Areosmith. Curently he does a lot of studio work and plays out with Paul Castonovo and the Mars All Stars. Gary helped create the teen improv troupe Rebels Without Applause which later gave birth to the Mixed Nuts troupe. He brings to our stage, both live music he plays on piano & guitar, and fully sequenced tracks he records in his home studio. He was one of the driving forces behind The Little Palm Family Theatre - Boca's #1 children's theatre group. (Rumor has it that he slept with the boss to get the job) He can be heard as a variety of voices on Kids Radio Classics and Kids Radio Theatre on WXEL 90.7 FM Sundays at 6pm. He also helped Frank to creat the original Full Contact Comedy teen improv troupe. By clicking here you can e-mail Gary at The Little Palm office but you need to be certain that you put his name on it.

 

Pamela Ross (the skinny chick) trained at the Lee Strassberg Theatre Institutes in both New York and Los Angeles
and has appeared in the films Miami Rhapsody, A Night in Heaven, Moon Over Miami and the TV series Grapevine.
Not to mention a but-load of commercials for Phillips Electronics, Adidas, and Clairol. She comes to us via having spent some time with the "Laughing Gas" troupe in Miami.
You can't e-mail Pam by clicking here.

Arthur Yantz (the guy who's seen too many cartoons) has in just over a year risen up through the ranks to become the #2 man in charge of C.A. He's our stage manager, propmaster, and one of the few people who gets to tell Frank what to do. He is a master impressionist, a fantastic character actor and an avid fan of cartoon deaths. The only mistake he's ever made is that when he's playing Keanu Reeves, he's too good an actor to be a believable Keanu. You can e-mail Arthur by clicking here.

 

 

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Past performing members include

Jason Nelson - Kira Sonin - Jeph Allen - Robbie Dreimeyer - Liz Klein - Abigail Paul -
Bob"o" Martin - Cara Starr - Frankie Varnettie - Paul Waxman - Lori Dolan - Dickson Bueno -
Rich Garand - Daniellehas no formal training in theater, but learned his craft here at Comics Anonymous Jaques - Kevin Johnson - Matt Kearney - Gaspare Marturano -
Christy Murphy - Jon Stahl - Jackie Swirsky - R.J. Walker - Cliff Williams - Dail Edwards -
Jennifer Marie - Terry Page - Sean Posey - Jonathan Wright - - Nicole Simpkiss -
Greg Vacirrillo - Jay Conventy - Susan "Spike Lynn" Kane - Michelle Verhunce -
Rob Askantovich - Chris "Boo" Conant - Chris "Yogi" Winland - Chris "Chris" Whittaker -
John Bradbury - Victor Panserav - Bobbie MacDugal - Butch Ellerie
- Richard Bird - Evan Mahn - J. Jason Winfield - Simon Mirsky - Jason Specland -
Glenn Whelan - Duncan Pflaster

And all our past & present tech crews

Josh Henson - Johnny Symons - Jim Henningson - Don Pflaster - Kerri Bennet - Rachel Greshes
- Kevin Dean - Kelly Neil - Chris Nelson - Jordan Sokol - Lisa Vancil - Chandra Frank
- Paula Villar - Robbie Matrone - Carol "don't ask" Donath - Hellen "ready, willing, and" Abel - and Lynn Briance