Mm Slam

Just as I was making a few more edits to Miles’ short, he invites me to an actor’s event in the East Village. A series of actors go on stage and give a three minute monologue. Sounds OK? It was great.

If you are in Manhattan on the first Monday of the month, go to The Manhattan Monologue Slam at the Bowery Poetry Club. It is full of energy, comedy, excitement, actors, agents, casting people and odd hosts.

We were there to support Miles’ leading lady: Brea Cola. She was in competition with seven other actors. They each performed three minute monologues. Brea ended up in the top three with Carl Kissin and Kyle Grooms. Kyle Grooms performed an excerpt from a speech by Al Sharpton, Carl Kissin played a deranged motivational speaker in a piece called Sell Cell. Our Brea told a tale of the curse of having a wonderful smile – an not much else.

The second part of the evening was members of the public coming up on stage, having 30 seconds to impress us, the energised audience. As people walk on stage – classic music from the last 30 years is played mixed in with TV themes – the crowd joins in singing.

What makes it work are the hosts: the Galinsky brothers. They joke, play parts and gong off people who don’t need 30 seconds to show they shouldn’t be on stage.

Make sure you get there for 7pm! By 7.15, the seats were taken and people were sitting and standing in the aisles.