Magic Zoo News: Princess Patty is Nannette Deasy!!

IRTE's latest production, THE MAGIC ZOO continues Sunday, July 27, 2014. It's our tongue-in-cheek take on the kids' shows we grew up with like THE NEW ZOO REVUE, THE MAGIC GARDEN, and ZOOBILEE ZOO.

Jeff O'Leary, guest performer and 2013 IRTE company member, asked some fun questions of our cast to get to know a little bit about the psychological trauma they went through growing up, and how children shows helped them adapt to society. This time he talked to company member and artistic director Nannette Deasy:

Jeff: Tell us about the character you are playing in THE MAGIC ZOO.

Nannette: I play Princess Patty, owner of the zoo. Patty is royalty (don't you forget it!) and extremely proud of her menagerie of zoo friends - never mind that the whole zoo consists of just four animals and one tree. She has a bit of a crush on Game Warden Bob, mostly because he's handsome, mysterious and the only other human being for miles around.

I think I picked the Princess as a character, because I wanted to wear a tiara and carry a sceptre. (Don't judge me).

J: What was your favorite kid's show when you were growing up and why?

N: I spent a LOT of time in front of the TV (which did not stunt my growth in any way!), so I had a lot of favorites, including Scooby Doo (which explains last season's The Groovy Gang Adventures), Land of the Lost, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Bozo the Clown and The Magic Garden.

Journey to the Center of the Earth was the cartoon I was actually watching when my mother thought I was tuning in to Sesame Street. I was never really a big fan of Sesame Street - my mother made the huge mistake of telling me it was educational and "good for me", which completely turned me off. Every time, she left the room, I'd switch the channel to Journey to the Center of the Earth, whose 17 episodes played over and over again in syndication. The show (a very Johnny Quest-like cartoon) had very little to do with the Jules Verne book but followed the adventures of a professor and some kids and a duck named Gertrude as they raced to...well... the center of the Earth where apparently the lost city of Atlantis ended up. Riveting stuff.

While I did not like Romper Room (I thought the hostess seemed "mean") I looooooved The Magic Garden. Carol and Paula seemed so easy going and accepting and could play dress up like nobody's business! I dreamed of being allowed to just hang out with them and Sherlock the pink squirrel.

				The Magic Garden (TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyc... The Magic Garden is a live action children's television program which aired Mondays through Thursdays from March 6, 1972 to September 14, 1984 on WP...
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3) Did you ever apply any "life lessons" from a children's show to your own life? Did you ever have a problem as a kid that you wished would have been addressed on a show you watched?

N: I think the one major life lesson I took from these shows is that "dressing up" and make believe is FUN and worthwhile. It's probably part of the reason I became an actor.

J: If you were a big shot television producer and could create your own kid's show, what would it look like?

N: It would be a little scary and dark and completely live action. And, it would have absolutely no educational value whatsoever.

Well... I hope we all learned something.

Thanks, Jeff and Nannette, we'll see you soon at the zoo!

THE MAGIC ZOO

Sunday, July 27, 8:00 pm

at The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St, NYC

between 8th & 9th Ave.

Tickets: $10.00

Magic Zoo News: Chompers is Jeff O'Leary!

IRTE's latest production, THE MAGIC ZOO continues Sunday, July 27, 2014. It's our tongue-in-cheek take on the kids' shows we grew up with like THE NEW ZOO REVUE, THE MAGIC GARDEN, and ZOOBILEE ZOO.

Jeff O'Leary, guest performer and 2013 IRTE company member, asked some fun questions of our cast to get to know a little bit about the psychological trauma they went through growing up, and how children shows helped them adapt to society. This time he talked to Jeff O'Leary in a mirror:

Jeff: Tell us about the character you are playing in THE MAGIC ZOO.

O'Leary: I play Chompers, a friendly alligator who is constantly trying to balance his generous nature with his instinctual desire to kill and eat everything that has a beating heart.  He has been brought to the zoo against his will (kidnapped right off the street of his suburban Tampa Bay neighborhood by Princess Patty herself!) but decides to make the best of it. Turns out that living in a zoo is like a gourmet buffet for a gator -- penguins, zebras, marmosets, just to name a few of the delicious creatures on the menu. It's a veritable smorgasbord for a cold-blooded predator!  He never ate so well in his life -- let's face it, Tampa Bay isn't known for its culinary treasures.

Jeff: What was your favorite kid's show when you were growing up and why?

O'Leary: I grew up in Colorado and the popular kids show was "Blinky's Fun Club". It was a locally produced show starring a clown named Blinky. It was a very big deal to attend a taping of a show on your birthday, since Blinky sang his signature song "Happy Birfday to You" on every single show.  It was on the air for three decades, with over 10,000 episodes shot (thank you, Wikipedia!)

Eventually Blinky started to go downhill with the addition of two other characters (Otis and Zelda) who joined the show in the early 1980s. There were "creative differences" with Blinky -- apparently they objected to his peculiar sense of humor. For instance, he reportedly forced an overweight diabetic woman to eat birthday cake on air. It was a very sad day when Blinky's Fun Club was finally taken off the air in 1998.

Jeff: Did you ever apply any "life lessons" from a children's show to your own life? Did you ever have a problem as a kid that you wished would have been addressed on a show you watched?

O'Leary: I learned the true meaning of giving from Bert and Ernie's "Gift of the Magi" It was Sesame Street's take on the O. Henry classic story.  Bert sells his paperclip collection to buy Ernie a new dish for his rubber ducky. At the same time, Ernie goes out and sells his rubber ducky so that he can buy Bert a box to keep his paperclip collection in. Disaster!

I re-watch it every holiday season lest I forget the true meaning of Christmas.

Jeff: If you were a big shot television producer and could create your own kid's show, what would it look like?

O'Leary: I would create a spin-off of the Magic Zoo called "It's Chompin' Time!" starring (who else?) Chompers. It would take place in a swamp, where Chompers would hang out with all his old animal friends from the bayou -- poisonous snakes, snapping turtles, herons, etc. There would be a haunted cypress tree where an old coot would tell ghost stories. And Chompers would always be on the lookout for evil hunters who are constantly trying to kill him and make a fortune off his very valuable alligator hide.

Well... I hope we all learned something.

Thanks, Jeff and ... Jeff, we'll see you soon at the zoo!

THE MAGIC ZOO

Sunday, July 27, 8:00 pm

at The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St, NYC

between 8th & 9th Ave.

Tickets: $10.00

Magic Zoo News: Robert Baumgardner is Game Warden Bob

IRTE's latest production, THE MAGIC ZOO continues Sunday, July 20 and 27, 2014. It's our tongue-in-cheek take on the kids' shows we grew up with like THE NEW ZOO REVUE, THE MAGIC GARDEN, and ZOOBILEE ZOO.

Jeff O'Leary, guest performer and 2013 IRTE company member, asked some fun questions of our cast to get to know a little bit about the psychological trauma they went through growing up, and how children shows helped them adapt to society. This time he talked to Robert Baumgardner:

Jeff: Tell us about the character you are playing in THE MAGIC ZOO.

Robert: I play Game Warden Bob. He's sort of the Magic Zoo's general manager, mechanic, animal handler, cleaning man and rhythm guitarist. Luckily he has a lot of help from the uncaged animals running around the zoo.

J: What was your favorite kid's show when you were growing up and why?

R: The McLaughlin Group. Every Sunday morning my parents would tune in to these five animals in suits that would screech and bellow about news events. It was hilarious, especially when Pat Buchanan the Bear would grunt how well prohibition worked! Plus, "McLaughlin" has the word "laugh" in it.

J: Did you ever apply any "life lessons" from a children's show to your own life? Did you ever have a problem as a kid that you wished would have been addressed on a show you watched?

R: Sure, The McLaughlin Group had a game called "Which of these things is not like the Other?" There was John McLaughlin, Pat Buchanan, Fred Barnes and Eleanor Clift. Eleanor was the different one. Why? No, not because she was a woman. She was known as a blee-ding-heart-li-ber-al. As an adult, while finely crafting the character of Game Warden Bob, I had a choice of four props: a hand gun, a machine gun, a bazooka, and a whip. I chose the whip. Why? Not because it was leather and the other objects were metal, but because it does not shoot projectiles.

J: If you were a big shot television producer and could create your own kid's show, what would it look like?

R: It would look awesome!! Like a nuclear submarine that was blown out into space because of a tsunami caused by global warming. Me and the rest of the crew would travel through time and space looking for the causes of, and a solution for global warming. It would be educational because all the adults on board can read. Because they can read, they make good role models for children.

Well... I hope we all learned something.

Thanks, Jeff and Robert, we'll see you soon at the zoo!

THE MAGIC ZOO

Sundays, July 20, & 27, 8:00 pm

at The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St, NYC

between 8th & 9th Ave.

Tickets: $10.00

Magic Zoo Director: Marc Adam Smith

IRTE's latest production, THE MAGIC ZOO continues Sunday, July 20 and 27, 2014. It's our tongue-in-cheek take on the kids' shows we grew up with like THE NEW ZOO REVUE, THE MAGIC GARDEN, and ZOOBILEE ZOO.

Jeff O'Leary, guest performer and 2013 IRTE company member, asked some fun questions of MAGIC ZOO director, Marc Adam Smith to get to know a little bit about growing up, and how children shows helped a funny man adapt to society.

Jeff: What was your favorite kid's show when you were growing up and why?

Marc: Fat Albert

J: Did you ever apply any "life lessons" from a children's show to your own life? Did you ever have a problem as a kid that you wished would have been addressed on a show you watched?

M: No, but when I was a kid I was a loner so I would like to have seen that dealt with in a positive way, not making us all out to be mini-Oswalds

J: If you were a big shot television producer and could create your own kid's show, what would it look like?

M: Apes would be in charge.....wait no, we would be slaves to machines.......No....................Apocalypse Now for Kids!!!!!!

Well... I hope we all learned something.

Thanks, Jeff and Marc, we'll see you soon at the zoo!

THE MAGIC ZOO

Sundays, July 20, & 27, 8:00 pm

at The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St, NYC

between 8th & 9th Ave.

Tickets: $10.00

Magic Zoo News: Marcia Sofley is Bonnie the Bunnie and Buzzy the Buzzard

IRTE's latest production, THE MAGIC ZOO continues Sunday, July 20, 2014. It's our tongue-in-cheek take on the kids' shows we grew up with like THE NEW ZOO REVUE, THE MAGIC GARDEN, and ZOOBILEE ZOO.

Jeff O'Leary, guest performer and 2013 IRTE company member, asked some fun questions of our cast to get to know a little bit about the psychological trauma they went through growing up, and how children shows helped them adapt to society. This time he talked to Marcia Sofley:

Jeff: Tell us about the character you are playing in THE MAGIC ZOO.

Marcia: I will be playing Bonnie the Bunny - a little rabbit who likes carrots, her friends at the zoo, and playing in traffic. I was a bunny for Halloween one year - wearing a costume my mom made for me that is not unlike the one I'm wearing in this show - I liked it so much I kept wearing it as pajamas for almost a year until I wore it out.... it might've influenced my decision to play Bonnie.

J: What was your favorite kid's show when you were growing up and why?

M: "Sesame Street" - no question!  Of course, it was back when Cookie Monster did not have to be politically correct about eating his cookies.  (and he was therefore my favorite).

[Also,] I didn't have "Magic Garden" and don't remember "New Zoo Revue", but our local TV station had a show called "SPARKS" about time travel - with a cool local hangout called "Shades" where everyone wore - you guessed it - shades.  They would hire local kids as extras - and the episode I was on, I was in Shades and had to slow dance to "Take on Me" - I had never slow danced before and had no idea how - it was awkward. and public.  I got to school the next week and one of the teachers said "nice dancing" snicker snicker.  Just in case you don't believe me - here's a link to "Sparks" - around the 5 minute mark you can see "Shades" - I'm not in this episode but its pretty 80slicious. http://www.wral.com/wral-tv/video/1180973/ 

J: Did you ever apply any "life lessons" from a children's show to your own life? Did you ever have a problem as a kid that you wished would have been addressed on a show you watched?

M: How to slow dance?  Not to have your first slow dance with a stranger on TV?  How to overcome fear of middle school dances caused by such pre-adolescent slow-dancing humiliation? 

Well, I do still like cookies.  I remember one of those shows had a segment about a kid "Rollercoaster Rick" who rode rollercoasters over and over again..... I tried to fulfill that legacy any time I'm near a theme park.. is that a lesson or a problem?  I'm not sure.....

J: If you were a big shot television producer and could create your own kid's show, what would it look like?

M: Probably a lot like the magic zoo...But there would be no restrictions on cookie eating or rollercoaster riding.... or eating cookies on rollercoasters.

Well... I hope we all learned something.

Thanks, Jeff and Marcia, we'll see you soon at the zoo!

THE MAGIC ZOO

Sundays, July 20, & 27, 8:00 pm

at The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St, NYC

between 8th & 9th Ave.

Tickets: $10.00

Magic Zoo News: Twitty is Evie Aronson!

IRTE's latest production, THE MAGIC ZOO opens Sunday, July 13, 2014. It's our tongue-in-cheek take on the kids' shows we grew up with like THE NEW ZOO REVUE, THE MAGIC GARDEN, and ZOOBILEE ZOO.

Jeff O'Leary, guest performer and 2013 IRTE company member, asked some fun questions of our cast to get to know a little bit about the psychological trauma they went through growing up, and how children shows helped them adapt to society. This time he talked to Evie Aronson:

Jeff: Tell us about the character you are playing in THE MAGIC ZOO.

Evie: I play "Twitty" the exotic bird and she is colorful like a rainbow. Twitty accepts all animals no matter their breed, color, language or position they occupy in the food chain. Twitty tries to keep everybody happy by singing with her piccolo to the delight of....only herself apparently.  Sing along with Twitty when you see her at the Magic Zoo.

J: What was your favorite kid's show when you were growing up and why?

E: I loved Sesame Street because of the multi-media - they had live action humans and puppets and then there would be an animated clip and then  there would be a short film, then back to the live action/puppets - plus a lot of singing, dancing,  and learning Spanish.

I also liked the Electric Company because they sang a lot, and MORGAN FREEMAN! and....."It's the Plumber, I come to fix the sink" cartoon is HILARIOUS!

I loved The Magic Garden for the Chuckle Patch and the Storybox - I used to recreate that show with my friends - I think I always wanted to be Paula but somehow ended up being Carole. I loved the pink squirrel "Sherlock" and just remembered that a later addition to the garden characters was "Flapper" the bird! 


I guess I learned how to tell jokes through most of these shows.

J: Did you ever apply any "life lessons" from a children's show to your own life? Did you ever have a problem as a kid that you wished would have been addressed on a show you watched?

E: The only moment I remember that I applied a kids show to real life was one day when I was about 5 years old, I saw some kids playing in the lot next to our house, where there was a foundation and construction was just beginning so there were wheelbarrows, tools, cement blocks, 2X4's etc in the lot. This  looked dangerous to me, so I ran inside to tell my Mom about it.  As we were walking out the door to the backyard I shouted "HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAY!!!" and raised my fist in the air as I led my Mom to show her where the kids were.  Yes, I thought I was Mighty Mouse.

(This was also way before I knew anything about Andy Kaufman)

J: If you were a big shot television producer and could create your own kid's show, what would it look like?

E: If I produced a kids show I would have singing, dancing, lots of jokes - puppets -  and it would emphasize physical exercise and laughter as ways to help you stay in a good mood...... Also would have a lot of celebrity cameo appearances like Joseph Gordon-Levitt tap dancing, Ryan Gosling playing a ukulele and Mark Ruffalo telling jokes. Of course as Producer, I would have to be on the set everyday. 

Well... I hope we all learned something.

Thanks, Jeff and Evie, we'll see you soon at the zoo!

THE MAGIC ZOO

Sundays, July 13, 20, & 27, 8:00 pm

at The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St, NYC

between 8th & 9th Ave.

Tickets: $10.00

Magic Zoo News: Timmy the Monkey (or maybe human boy) is Curt Dixon!!

IRTE's latest production, THE MAGIC ZOO opens Sunday, July 13, 2014. It's our tongue-in-cheek take on the kids' shows we grew up with like THE NEW ZOO REVUE, THE MAGIC GARDEN, and ZOOBILEE ZOO.

Jeff O'Leary, guest performer and 2013 IRTE company member, asked some fun questions of our cast to get to know a little bit about the psychological trauma they went through growing up, and how children shows helped them adapt to society. One person who would talk to him was Curt Dixon.

Jeff: Tell us about the character you are playing in THE MAGIC ZOO.

Curt: I'm playing Timmy, the human/monkey hybrid.  He was born and raised in a lab.  Eventually the lab lost funding and they were forced to sell Timmy to the zoo.  Timmy is very childlike which is good and bad.  He can be very sweet and lovable but, like most children, he can lose his temper.  And being a hybrid his temper tantrums can be very dangerous since he possesses monkey strength.  He has imprinted on Princess Patty and thinks she is his mother.  He's happy at the zoo and, for the most part, very happy-go-lucky.

J: What was your favorite kid's show when you were growing up and why?

C: I was more into cartoons, but would watch The New Zoo Review.  But it was really for little kids and I would watch it and make fun of it for being so stupid.  Then I would change channels and watch Scooby Doo or The Three Stooges.

J: Did you ever apply any "life lessons" from a children's show to your own life? Did you ever have a problem as a kid that you wished would have been addressed on a show you watched?

C: I never learned a life lesson from a tv show.  My life lessons were gained in life.  For example, I learned how to share by getting beat up by my brother.  And also that if I retaliated by smashing my brother in the back of the head with a bowling pin that my father would spank me.

J: If you were a big shot television producer and could create your own kid's show, what would it look like?

C: It would be crazy.  Lots of insane, colorful madness.  Very fast paced and action packed.  I would dance near the border of driving kids to the point of seizures with so much sensory overload.  Something to make the kids brain expand in ways they could only imagine.  I want to give them amazingly beautiful and sometimes frightening dreams.  No life lessons.  Just insanity.

 Well... I hope we all learned something.

Thanks, Jeff and Curt, we'll see you soon at the zoo!

THE MAGIC ZOO

Sundays, July 13, 20, & 27, 8:00 pm

at The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St, NYC

between 8th & 9th Ave.

Tickets: $10.00

Magic Zoo News: Alena Acker is the Giggle Berry Tree!

IRTE's latest production, THE MAGIC ZOO opens Sunday, July 13, 2014. It's our tongue-in-cheek take on the kids' shows we grew up with like THE NEW ZOO REVUE, THE MAGIC GARDEN, and ZOOBILEE ZOO.

Jeff O'Leary, guest performer and 2013 IRTE company member, asked some fun questions of our cast to get to know a little bit about the psychological trauma they went through growing up, and how children shows helped them adapt to society. The first person who would talk to him was Alena Acker:

Jeff: Tell us about the character you are playing in THE MAGIC ZOO.

Alena: I'm the Giggle Berry Tree. I'm a wise talking tree who functions as a confidant.  The animals come to me when they are feeling sad or need advice.

J: What was your favorite kid's show when you were growing up and why?

A: I was obsessed with Punky Brewster to the point that when it was taken off the air, I made a sign that said, "Bring Back Punky" and was ready to go protest at the Network.  I guess I liked it because I related to Punky a lot.  To be honest, I don't remember a lot about the show anymore.

J: Did you ever apply any "life lessons" from a children's show to your own life? Did you ever have a problem as a kid that you wished would have been addressed on a show you watched?

 

A: I definitely took to heart all of the episodes of shows that demonstrated the dangers of drugs and alcohol.  I was an extremely obedient child and teenager.  Then I went to college and that all went out the window.

A problem that I had that I wish had been addressed: "How to make your older brother and his best friend stop setting traps for you." Perhaps it was a little obscure to be relatable to kids across the board?

J: If you were a big shot television producer and could create your own kid's show, what would it look like?

A: It would be called, "You Are Not the Center of the Universe." I think that's the message kids (especially NYC kids) need these days. There would be segments about smart phone etiquette and teaching kids how to interact with actual humans.

 Well... I hope we all learned something.

Thanks, Jeff and Alena, we'll see you soon at the zoo!

THE MAGIC ZOO

Sundays, July 13, 20, & 27, 8:00 pm

at The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St, NYC

between 8th & 9th Ave.

Tickets: $10.00