We Predict A Riot (Of) Comedy
By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 15, 2010 9:00PM
Lauren Vino, Renee Schultz, and Liza Treyger celebrate their anniversary / Photo by Erin Nekervis
Renee Schultz was excited about the pierogies. Really, really excited. To the point that we nearly forwent my idiotic low-carb “diet” in order to find out what all the fuss was about for ourselves, after sitting down with her and Riot Comedy co-producer Liza Treyger at Roscoe Village’s Four Moon Tavern for dinner. Her infectious joyfulness does typically tend to spread over several arenas in life, whether it be pierogies, a new beau, her friends, or, and perhaps especially, comedy.
A newcomer to stand-up comedy, Schultz will be celebrating the one year anniversary of the room she co-founded with Treyger and their third half, Lauren Vino, this Thursday at Chicago Joe’s. In fact, Schultz had her stand-up showcase debut one year ago in that very room. “Riot has helped me so much as far as knowing I always have a show to perform at every third week. It pushes me to keep writing new material, which is way harder than I ever imagined…I feel like at one year in I'm sort of entering my comedy adolescence. I'm about to get real awkward and unattractive while I push through what I can only hope is a stand-up growth spurt,” Schultz says of her time and growth as a performer with Riot.
Flashback to four weeks ago: Schultz and Treyger are at Four Moon for one of their bimonthly producer meetings, this one specifically about the anniversary show June 17, and they have a lot to tackle, as soon as some family and boy gossip is out of the way: they need to reclaim Riot Comedy’s URL and update the site. How does one make Jello shots and how much should they cost? Which t-shirt style should they order, how many, and where should the logo be placed? Can they get the bakery that will make the anniversary cake on board as a sponsor? Tablecloths would be a nice touch in the kitschy back room of Chicago Joe’s. Speaking of the kitsch overflowing the wall and ceiling space in the restaurant, would it be possible to get the swordfish down from the ceiling for a photo shoot? How much would a new set of dry erase markers cost? Perhaps they can set up a “prom-style” photo station to snap audience members’ portraits. The swordfish definitely needs a pink boa for the anniversary show.
Vino’s running late. She just started a new nanny job, and the hours can go long. She sweeps into the meeting, apologizing profusely. She has about 30 minutes until she has to be at the Monday night showcase at the Underground Lounge where she will be performing, called Please Enjoy Yourself. She orders hummus to go but ends up devouring it on-site, as Treyger goes over every detail she and Schultz had discussed, making sure Vino is okay with everything that was decided. They revisit the t-shirt issue, and the tablecloths. It’s clear that not even one micromanaged detail escapes the girls, and everything must be a consensus between the three. Even though the three markedly different personalities have many decisions to make, not once is a voice raised or an idea or opinion shunned or ignored. This committee work is downright professional.
The girls are satisfied with the progress of their meeting, and note how much needs to be done between then and the anniversary show. It’s time for Vino to roll to her show, and the others decide to tag along in support. On the way to the venue, conversation turns from its usual lighthearted babbly banter, to more somber comment on dissatisfaction with current progress and the lack of time needed to really focus on comedic work. Vino keeps a realistic view, saying it’s about deciding “to be purposeful with downtime.” It’s easy to get swept into the daily “grind” of continuing the party into the night, every night, when your work is in the arena of entertainment. But sometimes you need nights alone to write and reflect. After four years of performing stand-up, Vino knows this well, and as such, is making a more conscious effort to incorporate this part of the process into her life.
“Oh good, there’s an actual crowd!” Vino enthuses. We look around. We had been at the Underground Lounge for about a half hour, and a few people had trickled in. There are now maybe fifteen people in the room. Nine of them are performers. We appreciate her enthusiasm and smile. Yes, this is going to be a fun show. It’s this infectious enthusiasm and joyfulness that’s been propelling Riot Comedy for the past year, and it’s this very same energy that has made it one of best underground stand-up rooms in the city, and a sought after spot for out-of-town celeb performers and the upper echelon of Chicago stand-up alike.
“I feel like our show is a bit of a patchwork quilt; Lauren, Liza, and I each bring something different to the show. Here's the thing, sometimes we forget to turn off the music when the show starts, sometimes we forget to turn on or off a light, sometimes we have sound troubles, but I can honestly say that every week I'm so lucky that I get to contribute to a show that I'm really, really proud of. I really think that all the little inconsistencies are kind of what make Riot great and fun every week,” Schultz says.
Celebrate Riot Comedy’s one year anniversary this Thursday, June 17, at Chicago Joe’s, 2256 W Irving Park , 9 p.m.