'Parents Night Out' to offer light look at raising kids
January 29, 2012(As originally seen on MassLive by Keith O'Connor)
Everyone deserves a night out to relax and unwind.
So, get a babysitter and head to CityStage in Springfield for "Parents Night Out."
For three nights beginning Thursday, Jim Colliton and Karen Morgan give parents a chance to laugh at the crazy world of raising offspring. Through stand-up comedy, improv and audience participation, the two veteran comedians share their comedy about being parents and having parents.
Morgan grew up in Georgia, but now calls Maine home, where she lives with her husband, three kids, and her extended family of "two neurotic birds and a big dumb dog." A former trial lawyer, Morgan began her comedy career as a finalist in Nick at Nite's "Search for the Funniest Mom in America." Since then, she has performed in comedy clubs and theaters across the country and was a founder of the "Mama's Night Out" comedy tour. She has a weekly syndicated radio spot and can be heard on Sirius XM Radio. Morgan also appears on television and is the only comedian to be featured by Nestle in their national campaign.
"I did the 'Mama's Night Out' tour for five years and felt it was time to move on. One thing I always wanted to have was a dad's point of view. They were fun shows, but the audience was mostly ladies, and the dads there said the show was fun, but wondered why we didn't have other side's point of view," said Morgan about coming up with "Parents Night Out."
And the show is also interactive.
"Jim and I offer some counseling during the show and answer questions the audience may have about their marriage or relationships. For example, one question we got was how do you find privacy in the bedroom with kids at home," said Morgan.
There's also a game show to find out who knows their spouse the best, she noted.
Colliton grew up in the suburbs where he now lives with his wife and three children. His life there gives him fodder for the stage where he talks about being embarrassed about the contents of your recycling bin or trying to kill a flying bat in your house. Colliton performs in theaters, comedy clubs and cruise ships across the world. In 2009 Jim's first comedy CD "Stories from the Suburbs" won the prestigious Just Plain Folks Music Festival's Comedy CD of the Year in Nashville. He has also appeared on television on Comedy Central and Ed McMahon's "Next Big Star."
"As the male in the show, it is my role to set it all straight and tell the audience that men are mostly right," laughed Colliton.
The comedian noted that "neither side" needs to worry when attending the show.
"Both men and women will enjoy the show because they are each getting hammered equally," said Colliton.
"Audiences are getting both angles on being married," he added.
For example, Colliton cited a pair of sneakers place on the stairs. "I know that if my wife places them on the stairs, it's so that I know where they are, but Karen will tell you for her it means to put them in the closet," said Colliton.
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Comic Chris Tabb to perform stand-up at CityStage
January 21, 2012(As originally seen on MassLive by Keith O'Connor)
Comedian Chris Tabb is no stranger to Springfield.
The Boston-based comedian – who has hosted the American Stroke Association's Caregivers Forum in the city for two years in a row – returns to Springfield on Jan. 28 at CityStage with his "Chris Tabb is Wild" show. Tabb's appearance is part of the Bud Light Presents Stand Up Comedy Series at CityStage.
Born and raised in Boston, Tabb said his roots are in Beantown.
"I've waffled back and forth about picking up and leaving town to start elsewhere, but Boston has it all. It's a great place to get your start and you can get to anyplace you need to from here easily," said Tabb.
When it comes to being a comedian, Tabb said "it's all about finding your voice."
"I consider myself more of a silly comedian. I have lots of energy and usually give 115 percent on stage, and I do a lot of observational and physical comedy mixed in together. It's also a very interactive show and I talk with the audience a lot," said Tabb.
The popular comedian toured with Mo'Nique back in 2006 and he credits her with helping him put his career in perspective, telling him, "When people come to your show, there are people at the show that maybe they couldn't afford to be there. This is their night out. They decided to buy these tickets and come see you. Never cheat the people. They bought the tickets and they're sitting in their seat. Give them what they want."
Turning philosophical on his career, Tabb said he has had "a fruitful journey so far" and is happy where his career is at right now.
"I don't really need to be famous ... I don't need for the whole world to know my name. I'm one of those under the radar guys making a comfortable living, and in addition to my stand up comedy, I have my own talk and variety show, and along the way I'm getting better at writing. And if fame comes, so be it," said Tabb.
As for his work on behalf of the American Stroke Association, Tabb's parents suffered strokes only months apart three years ago.
"I still have both parents with me, and most people aren't that lucky to have them both, but they do require around-the-clock care. And I'm glad to be able to help the cause, and to get the message out about stroke by using my talent," said Tabb.
The comedian was named a Power Ambassador for the American Stroke Association in 2010 at the legendary Apollo Theater and hosted the Association's Strokes No Joke fund-raiser at Nick's Comedy Stop in Boston.
While Tabb said he enjoys being able to give back, he noted that "in some ways, comedy is very selfish." "A lot of people say to me, 'It's good what you are doing, making people laugh and giving them a good time. But most of us are selfish ... it feels good to make people laugh. And if I can make it so that someone can escape for just a night and forget all their troubles, then it's all worth it to me," he said.
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PREVIEW - Parent's Night Out
January 19, 2012
(As originally seen on In the Spotlight by R.E. Smith)
As the busy mother of three kids, Karen Morgan knows what a hassle it can be finding child care, so she wants to assure the audience that "Parent's Night Out" is "baby-sitter worthy". Partnered with fellow comedian Jim Colliton, also a parent of three, Karen says the goal of the show is "to make people laugh with the realization that they are not alone. It's nice to be reminded that everyone's going through the same things."
The show that Morgan conceived uses stand-up comedy, improv, and audience participation to explore the wild ride that is raising kids. Morgan points out that "even our own parents can't prepare us for what we face as parents," and the show has some fun with the relationship that adults have with their own parents.
Karen Morgan & Jim Colliton Morgan hails from the South, Colliton is Boston raised and while parenting methods vary from region to region, even neighborhood to neighborhood, "there really is no wrong answer. Everyone does the best they can." Though she does poke fun at what she calls the "over-parenters." Even her background as a trial attorney doesn't help because her kids never respond to the "cease and desist letters I send them."
Morgan has been at CityStage before, with her show "Momma's Night Out." That project grew out of acquaintances she made appearing on Nickelodeon's "Search for the Funniest Mom in America." The difference with "Parent's" is that it explores parenting from "both sides, male and female. A lot of what we talk about overlaps, but it is nice to have the Dad's perspective. Jim came highly recommended and has really strong comedy skills."
The tag line for the play points out that the two are happily married, "just not to each other." Audiences often hear new bits before the real spouses do. "My husband had a vasectomy on Wednesday and I was joking about it on the radio Thursday morning. People were coming up to him on the street and congratulating him." Morgan explains.
She feels that the show has longevity because "the material just gets richer the older our kids get."
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THE SERIOUS SIDE OF COMEDIAN CHRIS TABB
January 1, 2012 Issue(As originally seen in An African American Point of View By Bevan Brunelle)
While his Wild at CityStage show on January 28 in downtown Springfield will leave you "in stitches and entertained," Boston-based Comedian Chris Tabb is not all jokes and punch-lines. Named and honored as a Power Ambassador for the American Stroke Association in 2010 at the legendary Apollo Theater, Chris has dedicated his free time, and his natural talent for communication through comedy to help raise awareness and funds to help prevent the number four cause of death and leading cause of adult disability in the United States.
After both parents suffered strokes only months apart in 2009, Chris was paradoxically asked to host the American Stroke Associations' Stokes No Joke fundraiser at Nick's Comedy Stop in Boston. Now, balancing the care of his parents with his busy comedy schedule, Chris has hosted the American Stroke Association's Caregivers Forum here in Springfield two years in a row, as well as hosting his own TV talk-show in the Boston-area The Chris Tabb Show.
Chris says of his January 28 show at CityStage, "If you come to a Chris Tabb show, you'll always get 115%...It's energy; it's silliness; it's interactive. I like to bring the crowd into it. We're all sitting around the dining room table and we're gonna have a great time. Belly laughs all the way around."
While having the opportunity to tour and be mentored by the fabulously funny Mo'Nique over 2006 & 2007, Chris remembers: "I'll never forget one thing Mo'Nique always told me: 'When people come to your show, there are people at the show that maybe they couldn't afford to be there. This is their night out. They decided to buy these tickets and come see you. Never cheat the people. They bought the tickets and they're sitting in their seat. Give them what they want.' For that night, for that hour it's about me and them. I am going to give you what you came to see."
Chris Tabb is Wild at CityStage January 28 at 8 PM and is part of the Bud Light Presents Stand UP Comedy Series. Tickets are $29.50 and are available by calling the CityStage & Symphony Hall Box Office at 413.788.7033 or online at www.citystage.symphonyhall.com. CityStage is located at One Columbus Center in downtown Springfield. Complimentary parking is available the night of the show for ticketed patrons at the Tower Square Garage.
