I feel like I’ve got a whole lot to say about the past few days of Comedy School but I don’t know where to start and I realize it’s stupid to write something like that, because I should really just think about where to start and start there and not write about it because the reader might find that ridiculous.  It’s like when people post in yearbooks: “I don’t really know what to say… Have a nice summer?”  Ouch.  Ok, so high school didn’t hold the greatest memories for me.

… only kidding.  High school was GREAT…ish.

Anyway, so you may have read me mention that the three first-year classes of my Comedy: Writing and Performance program are putting on an Archival Sketch Performance at the Factory Theatre in Toronto in two weeks, in which each class will be putting on a different version of a hand-full of various sketches selected by the faculty.  If you haven’t read about it or if you’re interested at all, check out: http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages#!/event.php?eid=178852265490587 and remember that I’m in section 01 when you decide which performance to come see.

We began our rehearsals a few days ago, but yesterday’s snow day put us a bit behind.  Anyway, we jumped into further rehearsals today and everything seems to be going well thus far.  Now, you all know I am TOTALLY one to complain and I don’t want to make this sound like a complaint, because I am pleased with the roles I’ve been given, I mean, I get to play Andrea Martin, and that is AWESOME… (If you don’t know who she is, shame on you: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0551908/. There you go.  Educate yourselves…  Anyhoo, my beef is something that’s going on not only in my section, but all throughout the sections and in past performances as well.  My beef is that I’d hoped the casting would be a bit more… how shall I put this… progressive?  There are fewer women in the program than there are men.  I get it.  Take a look at the comedy world, there are significantly more men than women.  But does that mean that because a sketch was originally cast with men, that women cannot perform roles that really bring up no issues of gender whatsoever in their content?   There was all this nonsense about how it would be more difficult to cast women in roles seeing as how there are less funny sketches starring women in primary roles, rather than roles like: Lady Secretary or Buxom Blond, etc.

Anyway, here’s my case.  This is one of the sketches we’ll be putting on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3-LxmrFm40

Dave Foley and Kevin McDonald are men.  I’ll give them that.  But who’s to say either of these characters couldn’t be played by a woman?  I mean, what difference would it fucking make either way?  They’re talking about a movie for Pete’s sake.

Again.  I don’t want to sound complain-y, I guess I’m just surprised that it’s even an issue.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a progressive Who’s On First?  Women play baseball now.  I know.  It’s fucking mind-blowing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sShMA85pv8M

That’d throw them ALL a curve.

Finally, proof that women are funny even in men’s roles (because we’ve already done it this year):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QIHG2fB8thc

Am I right?

OK so you all get the point.  Brie, the angry feminist thinks that because we’re girls signed up in this program, we should have the same amount of privileges to perform in our favourite sketches as the dudes.

The retort:

Yes, Brie.  But if this was in the real world, you would never be cast as a man because you’re a woman.  Deal with that.

This ain’t the real world.  I’m paying a bunch of money and I should be able to flaunt my versatility, no?

Blah.  Again! I mean NO OFFENSE because I really dig the Andrea Martin role.  But come on!  It’s 2011 and you want us each to be performing our own interpretation of the sketches anyway, rather than impersonating the original cast members.  Switch it up a bit!!  Fuck.

*Deep breaths*

Anyway, there’s just no pleasing some people.  I get it.