BRUCE VILANCH - ALMOST FAMOUS (2000)
Vilanch, the bleach-blond, thick-maned, muppet-like comedy writer who has become a celebrity for his appearances on "The Hollywood Squares" and elsewhere, made his Manhattan theatrical debut April 25 (with previews) and opened May 11 at the Westbeth. The show offers stories of Vilanch's brushes with the rich, famous and infamous of the Hollywood he makes his living in.
THE LOSER¹S LOUNGE - (2000 - 2002)
Off-Broadway
"If there has to be a tribute going on anywhere in the world, we don't want it in anybody's hands but Joe McGinty's. McGinty and his Loser's Lounge have made the musical tribute into an art form ?"- Time Out New York
A truly unique night of musical entertainment, THE LOSER'S LOUNGE made its home at the WestBeth Theatre Center from October 2000 until the theatre's closing in April 2002. In that time, they paid tribute to the Kinks, David Bowie, Neil Diamond, Roxy Music, and Harry Nilsson, garnering rave reviews and a following loyal and enthusiastic fans.
EDDIE IZZARD CIRCLE – (2000)
"The most popular, and exportable, British comedian since the heyday of Monty Python."- New York Times
Following up on the 1998 Emmy Award-winning success of DRESS TO KILL and the nine city sold out CIRCLE tour in 2000, WestBeth produced SEXIE in the fall of 2003, selling out sixteen cities across North America. Eddie's hilarious, insightful and boundary-breaking comedy has made him one of the most sought after performers in the world today.
BBC AMERICA - DEAD FUNNY COMEDY SERIES featuring Bill Bailey and The League of Gentlemen - (2001)
Individually, they are Jeremy Dyson, Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith. Together, they are the hottest comedy troupe to come out of the UK since the Pythons. The League of Gentlemen first brought their unique brand of sketch comedy to this side of the pond in May of 2000.
BILL BAILEY: BEWILDERNESS - 2002
"A treat for the funny-bone, brain and ear!"- NY Times
On the heels of his sold-out, ten-week West End run and his massive sold-out fifty-two date tour of the UK, acclaimed British comedian Bill Bailey brought his hugely popular show, PART TROLL, to UCLA in 2006. A unique blend of off-the-wall comedy and music, PART TROLL was British comedy at its best a brilliant collage of musical parodies, anecdotes and off-the-wall surrealism. WestBeth previously produced Bill's show BEWILDERNESS Off-Broadway in 2002 to critical acclaim.
AMY SEDARIS, STEPHEN COLBERT, PAUL DINELLO – WIGFIELD 2003
WIGFIELD was an hysterically funny, totally twisted piece of theater based on the book of the same title. In a gut-busting night of humor, Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello and Stephen Colbert brought the citizens of WIGFEIELD off the page and onto the stage. Part reading, part ensemble play, the WIGFIELD tour sold out in nine major US markets during the spring/summer of 2003.
KIKI AND HERB: COUP DE THEATRE - 2003
"Slashingly funny!" -The New Yorker
This riotous and poignant musical, which completed an extended engagement at the Cherry Lane Theatre in 2003, featured the fictitious duo, Kiki and Herb, reminiscing over their fifty year career as a politically charged lounge act.
EDDIE IZZARD - SEXIE - 2003
"The most popular, and exportable, British comedian since the heyday of Monty Python."- New York Times
Following up on the 1998 Emmy Award-winning success of DRESS TO KILL and the nine city sold out CIRCLE tour in 2000, WestBeth produced SEXIE in the fall of 2003, selling out sixteen cities across North America. Eddie's hilarious, insightful and boundary-breaking comedy has made him one of the most sought after performers in the world today.
COLIN HAY: MAN AT WORK - 2003
The front man for the 1980?s band Men At Work brought his acclaimed one-man show of story-telling and music to the Village Theatre in May 2004. The show, titled MAN @ WORK, was a hilarious and poignant telling of his rise to fame and subsequent decline
DYLAN MORAN: MONSTER - 2004
"As perfect an evening as I can recall!"- London Times
After taking New York by storm in 2004, the ?Oscar Wilde of stand-up?, made his West Coast debut in 2005 with his audacious, critically-acclaimed show, MONSTER, unleashing his hilariously wicked tongue on drunks, politics and everything in between. The star and driving force behind British TV?s hit show, BLACK BOOKS, Dylan can also be seen in his own one-hour comedy special airing on BBC America and in the hit film SHAUN OF THE DEAD.
TOMMY TIERNAN: CRACKED - 2004
"A terrific storyteller watching a comic like this makes one wish American standups had Tiernan's talent!" Variety
Following the critically-acclaimed, WestBeth-produced, Los Angeles and New York runs, Irish phenomenon Tommy Tiernan made his Chicago debut in 2006 with his stand-up show, LOOSE. Hilarious, wild, fearless, and smart, Tommy's ferocious style of comedy has brought him international acclaim. His previous show, CRACKED, played New York in 2004 to sold-out houses.
DAVE GORMAN¹S GOOGLEWHACK! ADVENTURE - 2004
"Hilarious...in a word, 'Googlewhack!' wins!"- NY POST
Winner of the HBO US Comedy Festival Jury Award, DAVE GORMAN'S GOOGLEWHACK! ADVENTURE took audiences on a riotous journey to the wildest places on the world wide web in 2004-2005. His 2001 docu-comedy, ARE YOU DAVE GORMAN told the story of his search for 52 people also named Dave Gorman.
THE HOLLOW MEN - 2004
Off-Broadway
"The future of sketch comedy!"- Time Out
The natural successors to Monty Python and Kids In The Hall, this hilarious foursome takes sketch comedy to places it?s never dared to go. WestBeth produced their show Off-Broadway in 2004 & 2005
BILLY CONNOLLY TOO OLD TO DIE YOUNG - 2005
The UK press, churchmen, politicians and conservative thinkers everywhere may criticize his language and subject matter but there can be no disputing that Billy has brought more pleasure and laughter to more people than any other living person.
After three decades of touring the USA, this was Billy Connolly’s first concert filmed in America. It was filmed in New York’s Town Hall.
THE FAMILY GUY LIVE - 2005
Off-Broadway/Los Angeles
In April 2005, 20th Century Fox and Just For Laughs asked WestBeth to executive produce a live presentation of the hit cartoon, THE FAMILY GUY. A staged-reading/Q&A featuring the actors and writers behind the drawings, the event premiered at The Wiltern in Los Angeles and played in New York at Town Hall.
LEWIS BLACK: NOTHING¹S SACRED - 2005
Irreverent, cantankerous and explosively funny, Lewis Black has performed his dead-on social and political comedy throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. WestBeth produced his sold-out shows at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and NY City Center in 2004, 2005 and 2007.
MIKE MYERS - GURU PITKA - 2005
In 2005, Mike Myers came to WestBeth with an idea for a new character he wanted to develop. WestBeth produced the live workshop GURU PITKA later that year. The production gave the man behind Austin Powers the opportunity to play his latest creation, an Indian spiritual leader, in front of a live, captivated audience.
GRAHAM NORTON - KNOW ALL - 2005
Off-Broadway/National Tour
Ecstatic about the WestBeth-produced, sold-out national tour of GRAHAM NORTON: RED-HANDED in 2003, Graham returned to New York in 2005 with his show, KNOW ALL. The British television star poked fun at current events and celebrity gossip (and occasionally calling into an adult sex line) while playing to sold-out houses.
DEMETRI MARTIN - THESE ARE JOKES - 2005
Deadpan, alt-comedy sensation, Demetri Martin, took to the stage in late 2005- early 2006 with his show THESE ARE JOKES, playing to sold-out houses in New York and Chicago.
TOMMY TIERNAN: LOOSE - 2006
"A terrific storyteller watching a comic like this makes one wish American standups had Tiernan's talent!" Variety
Following the critically-acclaimed, WestBeth-produced, LA and NYC runs, Irish phenomenon Tommy Tiernan made his Chicago debut in 2006 with his stand-up show, LOOSE. Hilarious, wild, fearless, and smart, Tommy's ferocious style of comedy has brought him international acclaim. His previous show, CRACKED, played New York in 2004 to sold-out houses.
BILL BAILEY: PART TROLL - 2006
"A treat for the funny-bone, brain and ear!"- NY Times
On the heels of his sold-out, ten-week West End run and his massive sold-out fifty-two date tour of the UK, acclaimed British comedian Bill Bailey brought his hugely popular show, PART TROLL, to UCLA in 2006. A unique blend of off-the-wall comedy and music, PART TROLL was British comedy at its best a brilliant collage of musical parodies, anecdotes and off-the-wall surrealism. WestBeth previously produced Bill's show BEWILDERNESS Off-Broadway in 2002 to critical acclaim.
MARGARET CHO'S A SENSUOUS WOMAN - 2007
Margaret Cho brought her new variety show The Sensuous Woman to the Zipper Theater. The Sensuous Woman featureed an impressive line-up of the country's most renowned burlesque performers along with hilarious stand-up and sketch comedy from emerging and established artists. Featured performers included emerging transgendered comic Ian Harvie, the ingenious burlesque performer Selene Luna, comic actor Liam Sullivan, New York downtown favorite Miss Dirty Martini, Los Angeles belly dance and burlesque sensation Princess Farhana, and sketch comedians Diana Yanez and Kurt Hall of the Gay Mafia Comedy Troupe of West Hollywood, all presided over by the incomparable Margaret Cho.
It was a sexy and seductive evening of entertainment with a finale that had everyone talking!
LEWIS BLACK - RED, WHITE AND SCREWED - 2007
Irreverent, cantankerous and explosively funny, Lewis Black has performed his dead-on social and political comedy throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. WestBeth produced his sold-out shows at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and NY City Center in 2004, 2005 and 2007.
ERIC IDLE'S WHAT ABOUT DICK? - 2007
What About Dick? played to SOLD OUT crowds at the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre in LA, Nov 10th and 11th, 2007.
Only once in a lifetime you see a cast like this -- Billy Connolly, Tim Curry, Eric Idle, Eddie Izzard, Jane Leeves, Emily Mortimer, Jim Piddock, and Tracy Ullman -- well twice actually in this case since there were only two performances. But if you missed both occasions then you can tell your grandchildren you weren't there either of the days they did that thing you missed. The music was by Idle's Spamalot partner John Du Prez and the sound effects artist was Tony Palermo.
ESCAPE FROM BELLEVUE - 2006
“CHECK YOUR STRAITJACKET AT THE DOOR AND GET READY TO ROCK!” -The New York Times
Born on the smoke filled stages of countless bars comes a wild ride of rock and roll, booze and vicious freaks. ESCAPE FROM BELLEVUE is the hilarious true story of one of New York's most infamous rockers as told by the escapee himself, Chris Campion. Featuring the indie rock and power pop finesse of the Knockout Drops, ESCAPE FROM BELLEVUE, played a three month run at the Village Theatre in NYC in the summer of 2007
RUTLEMANIA - 2008
The concert has been devised and directed by Eric Idle. The music and lyrics by are Neil Innes. RUTLEMANIA is produced by WestBeth Entertainment. These performances are part of the 30th anniversary celebrations of The Rutles.
Eric Idle said, “Finally -- nostalgia for things that never existed – with Mersey Boys, real girls, singing and dancing, and exotic tea drinking! I am sure this is soon to be a major lawsuit - and I suggest you hurry and buy a ticket so you can see it before it stops.”
The Rutles were first immortalized on screen by semi-legendary Monty Python alum Eric Idle, and Saturday Night Live Lorne Michaels in the 1978 Classic mockumentary “All You Need is Cash” (available on DVD from Broadway Video) and re-immortalized in the sequel, “Can’t Buy Me Lunch.” These ground-breaking films began an entire genre of mockumentary film making.
EDDIE IZZARD STRIPPED -2008
"EDDIE IZZARD IS UNDOUBTEDLY SEDUCTIVE, He is Miraculous, Deliriously, Dizzyingly, Exhaustingly, CATCH YOUR BREATH FUNNY" - The New York Times
Eddie is in the middle of the largest comedy tour of his career. His new one man show, fittingly titled STRIPPED, is traversing North America from April to August, Boston to LA, with performances in 34 cities.
LEWIS BLACK LET THEM EAT CAKE - 2008
Award winning Comedian Lewis Black is back in New York with his unique take on politics in America, expressing what the rest of us can't say in polite company.
Lewis Black has sold out every engagement he’s done in New York!
WRITE AID - 2008
Write Aid was presented by WestBeth Entertainment, members of the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America. It featured Eddie Izzard, Lewis Black, Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman, and Tenacious D with Jack Black and Kyle Gass.
All proceeds of the benefit went to the Motion Picture and Television Fund, which provided "crisis assistance" for entertainment industry workers during the Writers Guild Strike.
Friday, December 14 at 8 p. m. @ Royce Hall at UCLA
Lewis Black - Dual Citizenship Tour of Canada - 2009
"Best know for his weekly rant on The Daily Show with Jon Steward. Black takes on stupidity in society and tackles political issues with pointed barbs - and pointed fingers." Canada.com
The New York Times said "His take-no-prisoners humor keeps his audiences in stitches with an irreverent brand of humor that stings the psyche as it tickles the funny-bone."
"An entire evening with this guy mgiht prove to be exhausting, but in the sense of leaving you sore from laughing" S.D. Weekly
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE 3000 - CINEMATIC TITANIC - 2009
‘1 of the Years 5 BEST COMEDY SHOWS’ - Chicago Examiner
From the people who brought you Mystery Science Theater 3000 comes a whole new movie-riffing experience: CINEMATIC TITANIC. Starring the creator and original cast from MST3K, Cinematic Titanic continues the tradition of riffing on ‘the horribly great’, and the just plain ‘cheesy’ movies from the past, with a different each night!
“Consistently and unfailingly funny!”- Washington Post
“The original MST3K gang doing what they do best – verbally ripping apart films that never should have been made in the first place!”- Time Out Chicago
JOHN LEGUIZAMO WORK IN PROGRESS - 2009
"Yo, wat up? Wat’s crackin? Me that’s what. I’m retooling, reworking, redoing a brand new show. Help, me help you get some anti recession. And anti depression hilarity.
Come on down and be a part of history in the making. Watch me trip up and mess up and you can twitter it to your friends, " I saw john f*&#k up. Ha! ha!" I'm not mad atcha. No haters allowed. Nor hating allowed.Help me come up with a title for my new show.
Come on down and represent. Watch me put down. Cause you know I can." -- John L.
THE FELLAS LIVE! - 2009
“A triple bill of comedy royalty!”– Jade Wright, The Liverpool Echo
Ardal O’Hanlon, Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan, are set to perform their critically acclaimed stage event the The Fellas Live! in a limited U.S. tour – 7 performances ONLY – June 5 – 13. Presented by WestBeth Entertainment and Mick Perrin for Just for Laughs, this special limited engagement lands in five cultural hotbeds of comedy: Boston, Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York City.
After selling out 10,000 seats at the Liverpool Echo Arena, Ardal O’Hanlon, Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan, reunite onstage as the The Fellas Live!, as the trio takes to the states hitting celebrated performance venues in select cities this Summer. These unstoppable comedy legends share the bill as each “fella” makes a triumphant return to the U.S. stage.
ERIC IDLE AN EVENING WITHOUT MONTY PYTHON - 2009
Celebrating Forty Years of Monty Python
Starring David Walliams, Jane Leeves, Alan Tudyk, Rick Holmes and Jim Piddock
Script by Monty Python
Graham Chapman John Cleese Terry Gilliam Eric Idle Michael Palin And Terry Jones
Musical Direction: John Du Prez
Script Edited by Eric Idle
Directed by Eric Idle and B.T. McNichol