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  • The Complete History of Comedy (abridged)
    Cover art by Lar DeSouza

    The Complete History of Comedy (abridged)

    Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor
    Trade Edition$15.95
    ePlay$15.00 + $10.00 per additional user
    Performance Rights

    Play Description

    From the high-brow to the low, THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF COMEDY (abridged) covers comedy through the ages, from Aristophanes and Shakespeare and Molière to Vaudeville and Charlie Chaplin to The Daily Show and Anthony Weiner.

    Production Info

    Cast: 3 total (3 male, as written; gender-diverse and/or expanded casts welcome)
    Full Length Comedy (about 100 minutes)
    Minimal Set Requirements
    Contemporary Costumes
    Categories: The Plays Tags: Abridged
    • Reviews
    • About the Author(s)
    • About the Book
    • Special Notes
    • Rehearsal Audio
    • Productions

    Press Quotes

    “Critic’s Pick! Fast and furious … fresh and funny … a great piece of political satire.” —Cincinnati City Beat

    “You knew they’d get this one right. THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF COMEDY (abridged) — is a madcap, breakneck-speed two hours. Audacious, often outrageous and bawdy, the frantic pacing of COMEDY reminds you of an old-time burlesque or vaudeville revue.” —Boston Stages

    “A wild, wild ride! It’s funny. Really, really funny … And most of all, it’s really, really smart.” —Cincinnati Enquirer

    “THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF COMEDY (abridged) is a master class in the art form.” —Broadway World

    Author(s)

    • Reed Martin

      Reed Martin co-created and performed in the original productions of THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA (ABRIDGED), THE BIBLE: THE COMPLETE WORD OF GOD (ABRIDGED), WESTERN CIVILIZATION: THE COMPLETE MUSICAL (ABRIDGED), ALL THE GREAT BOOKS (ABRIDGED), COMPLETELY HOLLYWOOD (ABRIDGED), THE COMPLETE WORLD OF SPORTS (ABRIDGED), THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS SHOW (ABRIDGED), AND THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF COMEDY (ABRIDGED). He also contributed additional material to THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED). Reed is a managing partner of the Reduced Shakespeare Company and has performed in London's West End, at Lincoln Center Theater, Kennedy Center, Seattle Repertory Theatre, American Repertory Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theater, California Shakespeare Festival, McCarter Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Old Globe Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The White House and Madison Square Garden, as well as in 11 foreign countries. Reed has performed at A.C.T. in San Francisco in Travesties by Tom Stoppard and The Government Inspector, as well as at the Magic Theatre in Moving Right Along, written and directed by Elaine May and featuring Marlo Thomas. He toured for two years as a clown/assistant ringmaster with Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey Circus. His voice was heard in the animated feature film Balto,/i> and just about every other part of him was seen in the British film Carry On Columbus. Reed has written for the BBC, NPR, Britain's Channel Four, RTE Ireland, Public Radio International, The Washington Post and Vogue magazine. With Austin Tichenor he co-authored the book The Greatest Story Ever Sold, published by John Knox/Westminster Press, as well as Reduced Shakespeare: The Complete Guide For The Attention-Impaired (abridged), published by Hyperion. His work has been nominated for an Olivier Award in London, a Helen Hayes Award in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critic's Circle Award. He has a BA in Political Science/Theatre from UC Berkeley, an MFA in Acting from UC San Diego and is a graduate of Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey Clown College. A member of both the Dramatists Guild and The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Reed is also a former professional minor league baseball umpire. He lives in Northern California with his wife and two sons, all three of whom are much funnier than he is.

    • Austin Tichenor

      Austin Tichenor is a playwright, lyricist, songwriter, director, and actor. He's the co-author of nine COMPLETE (abridged) stage comedies, which have been produced around the world, published in two countries, and translated into over a dozen languages; the beautifully illustrated (by Jennie Maizels) children's book for all ages Pop-Up Shakespeare; the irreverent reference book Reduced Shakespeare: The Complete Guide for the Attention-Impaired (abridged); the comic memoir How The Bible Changed Our Lives (Mostly For The Better) for all e-book platforms; the half-hour film The Ring Reduced for UK's Channel 4; the half-hour pilot The Week Reduced for TBS; and the six episode Reduced Shakespeare Radio Show for the BBC World Service. He also produces and hosts the weekly Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast, which was named one of Broadway World's Top Ten Podcasts for Theatre Fans. Austin is an alumnus of the BMI Musical Theatre workshop and has written over a dozen plays and musicals for young audiences. His full-length one-act DANCING ON THE CEILING (an adaptation of Kafka's "The Metamorphosis") and adaptation of FRANKENSTEIN are both published by Broadway Play Publishing, and he directed the world premiere of his adaptation of New York Times bestselling author Jasper Fforde's THE EYRE AFFAIR in 2016. As co-managing partner of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, he has performed with them around the world, Off-Broadway, in London's West End, in the PBS version of THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (abridged), and at such theaters as the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, American Repertory Theatre, the Folger Shakespeare Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, and Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. On TV, Austin played recurring roles on 24, Alias, Felicity, Ally McBeal, and The Practice, and guest starred as Guys In Ties on The West Wing, The X-Files, ER, The Mentalist, Nip/Tuck, Gilmore Girls, and on many other hours of episodic television. He's also performed his own material many times on NPR and the BBC, performed with both the Oakland Symphony and in Disney Hall with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and acted in the midwest premiere of Lauren Gunderson's THE BOOK OF WILL at Chicago's Northlight Theatre, and in the world premiere of IN THE GARDEN: A DARWINIAN LOVE STORY with Chicago's Tony Award-winning Lookingglass Theatre Company. Austin is a fifth-generation Californian who was born on the 54th anniversary of the San Francisco Earthquake and the 185th anniversary of Paul Revere's Ride, which makes him older than he looks but short for his weight. Austin is a member of the Dramatists Guild, has a BA in History and Theatre from UC Berkeley and an MFA from Boston University, and currently lives in Chicago with his improviser and writer wife Dee Ryan, their two kids, and too many cats.

    Book Information

    Publisher BPPI
    Publication Date 3/6/2018
    Pages 82
    ISBN 9780881459296

    Special Notes

    If original stage producers credits appear in bold below, all licensees are required to include them in the following form on the title page in all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play and in all advertising in which the full cast appears in size of type not less than ten percent (10%) of the size of the title of the Play:

    Originally produced by Reduced Shakespeare Company

    In addition, the following must appear within all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play:

    The Complete History of Comedy (abridged) is produced
    by special arrangement with Broadway Play Publishing Inc, NYC
    www.broadwayplaypublishing.com

    Rehearsal Audio

    The tracks below demonstrate how “Laugh Till I Cried” and the two monk melodies in the play should sound. Note that the lyrics in the “Laugh Till I Cried” audio differ slightly from the lyrics in the script. The lyrics in the script should be used for performance.

    “Laugh Till I Cried” by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor

    “Monk Melodies” by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor

    Upcoming and Recent Productions

    Professional


    8/10/2018 – 9/2/2018
    Penguin Rep Theatre
    Stony Point, NY

    Nonprofessional


    12/15/2022 – 12/17/2022
    Langham Creek High School
    Houston, TX

    11/17/2022 – 11/19/2022
    Jefferson High School Drama
    Boulder, MT

    8/5/2022 – 8/6/2022
    Platte Valley Theatre Company
    Brush, CO

    9/29/2021 – 10/10/2021
    Aberdeen Community Theatre
    Aberdeen, SD

    2/26/2021 – 3/14/2021
    Theatre In The Park
    Raleigh, NC

    9/4/2020 – 9/4/2020
    Lee's Summit West Hs
    Lees Summit, MO

    3/6/2020 – 3/29/2020
    Jefferson Performing Arts Society
    Westwego, LA

    5/30/2019 – 6/16/2019
    Lost Nation Theater
    Monteplier, VT

    5/17/2019 – 5/18/2019
    Penn-Trafford High School Performing Arts Center
    Harrison City, PA

    3/30/2019 – 5/4/2019
    Brisbane Arts Theatre
    Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    3/29/2019 – 4/27/2019
    Connecticut Cabaret Theatre
    Berlin, CT

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