South Bend Civic Theatre and LMP to Host Firehouse Variety Hour with Gordy Young, 11/22-23

"The Firehouse Variety Hour" is a live entertainment-variety show, set in a TV talk show format. Gordy Young, host of "Experience Michiana", weeknights at 7pm on WNIT/PBS, South Bend will emcee.

The show will feature an assortment of off-beat entertainers including everything from an accordion player in tights, boots and a cape playing original novelty songs to a deaf comedian who makes fun of his own hearing loss. "We are looking for a true variety of acts..." according to Young. "You might see jugglers, belly dancers or a wise cracking sitar player if we can find one." The show will look like a late night TV talk show, but will not actually be televised. "The Firehouse Variety Hour with Gordy Young" will be November 22-23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Firehouse Theatre, Portage Ave., South Bend, and is a production of South Bend Civic Theatre and Lampkin Music Productions.

The live-variety show will feature 8-10 local area entertainers, ranging from an accordion player named "Captain Ambivalent" who does original novelty songs to a young deaf comedian named Aaron Margolis-Greenbaum, who jokes about his hearing loss. According to host/emcee Gordy Young, you might see belly dancers, jugglers, magicians, puppeteers or an acrobat if he can find one.

"We are still putting together the line-up at this point, and doing our best to book unusual, funny entertainers and acts that are off-beat or a little edgy. If anyone knows a sitar player who does one-liners like Henny Youngman, give me a call!" says Young, chuckling at the thought. "We want the show to have the feel of a loosely structured late-night TV talk show...without the TV cameras. It's going to be lively and entertaining, and, we'll take some chances. I'll do a short monologue at the beginning, and have some audience interaction, along with a few surprises and some weirdness...but, the idea is these are novelty acts you rarely see performing publicly, all together in a fun variety show."

There will also be lots of ad-libbing and banter on the set in-between acts, according to Young.

"I hope it's more like the older version of the Tonight Show with Steve Allen, where it almost felt like you were at a private house party with the variety of performers sitting around entertaining each other and having a good time. Allen's role was to move the show along, but at the same time add to the wackiness and create a fun atmosphere so everyone could let their hair down and let the good times roll. The Firehouse is the perfect setting to do this kind of show" Young added.

People planning on attending the show should know that "The Firehouse Variety Hour" will have little resemblance to "Experience Michiana", the community-events oriented, public affairs show Young hosts weeknights at 7pm on WNIT (PBS/South Bend). "I just want to make that clear to everyone...the only similarities will be the furniture and the host... but , this will be a completely different kind of show. 'The Firehouse Variety Hour' is really a comedy/variety show." Gordy says. "My longtime friend Joe Haase will serve as my Announcer/Sidekick. He's perfect in that role and that will add to the fun. We will also have a few giveaways for our audiences both nights and some surprise guests may stop in...you never know who might show up!"

However, no TV cameras will be there. "At least, not yet," says Young with a smile.

Director and Vocal Coach Ralph Lampkin will supervise the auditions. Technical Director is Phil Patnaude and Marketing for the Firehouse Cabaret series is by Jean Marie Plumhoff.

South Bend Civic Theatre is located at 403 N. Main St. in South Bend. For tickets, call the SBCT Box Office 574-234-1112 or go online at www.sbct.org. For more information, go to www.sbct.org or the Firehouse website http://sbctfirehouse.weebly.com/. For questions or suggestions regarding the Firehouse events, e-mail firehouse@sbct.org.

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