The following are various press clippings regarding No Shame Theatre at the University of Northern Iowa. This list is in no way a complete list of Press Clippings from any newspaper, just what I could get my greedy hands onto. So, if you know of any more, make it find its way to a No Shame Board Member, or email it to the No Shame website, noshamecf@gmail.com. |
posted Dec 29, 2009 1:33 PM by No Shame Cedar Falls
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updated Dec 29, 2009 1:35 PM
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No Shame Theatre allows students to freely perform poetry, skits and musicBy STEPHANIE KENEALY Staff Writer Monday, November 9, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 10, 2009
 SCOTT KINTZEL/Northern Iowan A student (Tanner Randall) performs for the No Shame Theatre Friday night in the Communication Arts Center. A group with no shame met in the Communication Arts Center at the University of Northern Iowa Friday.
The No Shame Theatre meets every other Friday at 10 p.m. to perform poetry, skits and music. According to their Facebook page it’s “the best time you can have on campus without fearing arrest.”
Anyone who wants to perform can sign in with the name of their act before entering the room. The setup of the room is an open space with four chairs available for the use of the performers.
The chalkboard at the back describes the three rules for performing: The act must be 100 percent original, the act must be under five minutes, and the act must be physically harmless.
The lights flash to announce the start of the festivities. There is a welcome to all who came to either watch or perform, an overview of the rules and some announcements. The list of the events to be seen for the night is read by Jens Petersen, the production manager of No Shame Theatre, and then the audience does a loud drum roll. After the drum roll, performances begin. No Shame is informal and encourages the audience to be rowdy and loud.
“Recently I’ve been thinking about various things and it shows up in my writing,” one performer said before reading his poetry.
“No Shame is actually nationwide. It started in the back of someone’s truck,” Peterson said.
Petersen added that the 10th anniversary of UNI’s No Shame Theatre is next year. No Shame was brought to Cedar Falls Sept. 15, 2000 by Luke Pingel. It was originally performed in the Kamerick Art Building auditorium.
The very first performance and establishment of No Shame Theatre was Oct. 3, 1986 by Todd Ristau and Stan Ruth. It was in the parking lot of the E.C. Mabie Theatre in Iowa City in the back of Ristau’s pickup truck.
Ever since then, No Shame Theatre has spread everywhere. After an article in The Drama Review in spring 1990, No Shame spread to New York, Florida, Illinois, Texas, Alaska and even England. In 2002, even Iowa City High School started a “Yes Shame” to be performed weekly. It was deemed “Yes, Shame” because it had to be school appropriate.
The next performance of No Shame Theatre will be Nov. 20 at 10 p.m. |
posted Dec 29, 2009 1:29 PM by No Shame Cedar Falls
Don’t Call Me BabyNo Shame to present a burlesque showBy LINDSEY COOK/Staff Writer Thursday, September 18, 2008 Updated: Thursday, September 18, 2008
 COURTESY PHOTO No Shame Theater will be presenting “Don’t Call Me Baby” Burlesque and Drag show, but first organizers are looking for people to audition for the show.
“It’s open to anyone and everyone, community members and alumni included,” said Assistant Director of the show Amy Garretson. Auditions will be Sept. 20 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and Sept. 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Communications Arts Center room 108.
Garretson and the rest of the planning committee realize that most people don’t know what burlesque really is.
“Essentially, it is a variety and comedy show made up of comic sketches and lots of dance numbers, including drag and traditional dance numbers,” she said.
Garretson said that while this show will not take on the normal view of what burlesque is the show will still not be for children.
“As far as what burlesque is, it’s not nudity, we will not have nudity in the show, but there will be adult content,” she said. “Burlesque is very different from the strip club scene we see today.”
Director senior Christina Carr said the show is meant to open people’s eyes.
“The show is based on breaking the barriers that are set up by society that label people as gay, straight, bisexual, so it’s about showing those people’s individuality and not their label,” Carr said. “Showing who people are and not what they are. Getting rid of initial judgments based on social labels.”
According to Garretson, there are many opportunities available.
“People may audition for acting or dancing in group numbers or we can also use your help in back stage, lighting, and costuming,” Garretson said. “It’s the perfect venue for you to get your feet wet without the pressure.”
Carr added that people can also be involved in costuming, makeup and a variety of other ways.
There are ways that people can prepare for the audition.
“People that wish to act but don’t have any original material should bring a prepared monologue, people that want to submit material can audition with the material they have written,” Carr said. “There will be group dance auditions on both days. Any other additional information can be found on Facebook, just search ‘don’t call me baby auditions.’”
Garretson added that the dance routines will be taught in groups so people don’t need to be shy.
Carr does warn people wanting to audition that the show will be crossing many barriers.
“The show is mature content, if you don’t feel comfortable with that, it’s probably not the show for you,” she said. “There will be a lot of boundaries we will be crossing, hopefully for the better of society. We will be pointing out issues and poking fun at things people take too seriously, or are uneducated about, like assumed masculinity and feminism and other stereotypes that society sees in people will also be educating people, as well.”
The show is currently very dance heavy, according to Carr, but that they are open to including more original material including skits and songs.
Performance dates will be Dec. 5 to 7, and rehearsals will start in the middle of October.
This is the second year that No Shame Theatre has produced a burlesque show.
“It was wildly popular last year,” Carr said. “We had to actually turn people away so this year we are looking for a bigger venue for a bigger show.”
According to their Facebook page, No Shame theatre is a non-profit community organization, where almost everything is open to be performed as long as it doesn’t physically hurt the space or the people in it and is original.
Senior Sarah Buelow was involved last year as a dancer and actress.
“I had a lot of fun working with the people,” she said. “Last year opened up a lot of minds to what burlesque is, it’s a lot of dance and sketch numbers. I think we changed a lot of people’s minds about that, opening up peoples minds to sexuality and broadened their horizons.”
Carr described last year’s show as a jumping off point.
“This year we are more focused on theme. We learned a lot from last year and we’re going to make this show even better,” she said. |
posted Dec 29, 2009 1:26 PM by No Shame Cedar Falls
No Shame Theater a Venue for Writers, Actors by Staci Schwickerath | | | | Typical theater performances are well planned out, with actors who have been rehearsing for weeks, maybe even months, but No Shame Theatre is far from typical. Held Friday nights at 10:00, No Shame Theatre takes place in the Parliamentary room of the Communication Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus. Actors treat the audience to 15 short performances, featuring everything from war protests to opinions about musician Kenny G. Though favorite musicians may not always be the topic, No Shame Theatre is intended to be a forum for writers who have something to say. Luke Pingel, a member of the No Shame Theatre's board of directors, said it's a way for writers to get their work out there and see how people react to it. "Writers are the people who benefit the most from it because they can test drive whatever it is they're working on at the time," said Pingel. Performances come in a variety of forms. Poetry, dramatic readings, performance art and music are a few outlets for writers at No Shame. An occasional slideshow or stand up comedy act gets into the mix. Writers choose any topic they like, making some performances a serious political stance, while others make fun of everyday life. Topics are broad because only three rules must be followed when presenting at No Shame Theatre. Scripts must be original, less than five minutes, and nothing and no one can be damaged. Scripts are used for most pieces but actors are usually not cast until just before the show starts. Writers come about half an hour early to sign up for a slot and find actors for their performances. "Its come to a point where it's almost kind of taboo to pre-cast your piece before the show, it's more of adventure, more exciting to just hand out your scripts and put it out there and see what happens," said Pingel. Because No Shame is not rehearsed, things can be a little crazy before the show starts. "I'm not sure there is such a thing as a normal night," said Pingel. Abnormal nights have become a tradition. The organization celebrated its 17th anniversary on October 3. The first No Shame Theatre production was in Iowa City in the back of a pick-up truck in a University of Iowa parking lot. Jeff Goode, Todd Ristau, and Stan Ruth organized the first event. To commemorate the anniversary, a special No Shame session was held in Iowa City in the bed of the original truck and featured the best of No Shame Theatre. Since its birth, the No Shame Theatre name spread across the country. Branches of the organization popped up from New York to Los Angeles. Goode and Ristau published a handbook, How to No Shame, explaining the steps of starting a new group for those interested in starting a group in their area. The popularity of No Shame Theatre has grown fast, which doesn't surprise Neil Vangorder, who helped launch No Shame in the Cedar Valley. Pingel and Vangorder both attended performances in Iowa City and were interested in bringing the action to UNI. In 2000, the two met and organized the Cedar Falls branch. Now, No Shame pulls in an audience of about 110 people on an average night, according to Pingel. Often, they have to turn some performers down because all of the 15 slots have been filled. Anyone interested in participating or attending the show is welcome. Performances come from students, professors, and other members of the Cedar Falls community.
from Kollegeville.com - November 12, 2003 |
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posted Dec 29, 2009 1:09 PM by No Shame Cedar Falls
No Shame Theatre: no holding back! By Aaron McNally NI Features Writer Tonight kicks off the new season of No Shame Theatre. The no-holds-barred forum for original writing was started in Iowa City and has spread across the country to Austin, Charlottesville, Orlando, Los Angeles and New York City. It was brought to UNI by Luke Pingel and Neil VanGorder. Pingel, a senior English major at UNI, a self-proclaimed “free-lance artist” describes No Shame as a way for people “to stretch themselves.” In No Shame anything goes, as long as one has a script. “There are three rules,” Pingel said. “Everything must be five minutes or less, must be original and cannot damage the space or its occupants.” Participants bring in a script before the show to be okayed by judges, then perform the act for the other participants and viewers. This season’s No Shame marks the addition of a new feature, the “First-Aid Kit.” This is an extra script, culled from the No Shame website, that serves as a relief for potential performers who have come without a script. According to Pingel, the First Aid Kit has two functions. “It helps newer No Shames get started. We want to use it to get more performers involved. A lot of people come and say ‘I want to be in it, but I’m not a writer.’ This is a way for them to more actively participate.” To view past scripts of No Shame and to see schedules of No Shame events around the country, as well as in Cedar Falls, visit the website at www.noshame.org. No Shame begins at 10 p. m. in the Communications Arts Center. If you have a script to perform, they suggest you be there around 9:30.
from The Northern Iowan - Vol. 99, No. 2 - 09 / 06 / 2002 |
posted Dec 29, 2009 1:05 PM by No Shame Cedar Falls
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POSTED:
Thursday,
May 2, 2002
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| Combustible Mix UNI's no shame theatre
combines live-wire performers,
ultra-honest audience
By ANNE KAPLER
Courier Staff WriterCEDAR FALLS - Jesse Wozniak likes to describe No Shame Theatre at the University of Northern Iowa with a quote from the No Shame Web site. "Being at No Shame is kind of like watching an armored car and a truck full of lollipops crash into each other. You're horrified, but you're also hopeful that something wonderful is going to drop into your lap." No Shame Theatre is about as unpredictable as theater gets. Not even the five-person board that organizes the bi-weekly event knows what each show will bring. And that's the whole point. A cross between an open mike night at a coffeehouse and "Saturday Night Live," No Shame Theatre brings together creative types who use words, music and physical comedy to make people laugh, cry and think. They gather in room 108 of the Communication Arts Center around 9:30 on Friday nights, original script in hand, to claim a spot in the night's show. Skits are lined up on a first-come, first-served basis, and at 10 p.m. the show begins. Anyone can participate regardless of experience, talent, age, color, disability, political views, ethnicity, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, student status, etc. And they can -- and do -- say and do pretty much anything they want. There are only three rules in No Shame: All pieces must be original. All pieces must be less than five minutes (an oft-stretched rule). And pieces cannot cause damage to the performance space or anyone in it. So in a typical night, an audience will witness everything from a UNI-centric version of SNL's "weekend update" to a serious poem confronting racist attitudes to a song composed purely for silliness. Now, as the school year draws to a close, the No Shame board has sifted through hundreds of skits performed during a year's worth of No Shames and picked 16 of the best for an encore performance, "The Best of No Shame," this Friday night. That means the board has taken the armored car part out of the equation and left the
audience with a truck full of lollipops. "This is best representation we could come up with of what (No Shame) is. It's the one show a year we can guarantee it's gonna be great," says Wozniak, a No Shame board member. In fact, the board is so confident that audiences -- regulars and first-timers alike -- will enjoy the show, board member Luke Pingel is offering a money-back guarantee. Although it should be noted the event is free. "Our theory is, as long as we don't have to pay for anything, (the audience) shouldn't have to either," Wozniak says. Student-initiated No Shame Theatre originated at the University of Iowa in 1986 as a performance opportunity for undergraduate students. The first show took place in the bed of a pickup truck in a parking lot outside the theater building, with light provided by a motorcycle headlight. Eventually, performances moved indoors. Today, it's a popular on-campus event with a cult-like following. Copycat No Shames have started across the country in cities like New York, Miami and Fairbanks, Ala. After visiting Iowa City, Pingel and UNI student Neil Van Gorder decided to bring No Shame to their campus. UNI No Shame debuted two years ago with four performers and an audience of about 40. Now, No Shame draws an audience of more than 100, with 15 performers a night. It's all happened without advertising. Not a single flyer or poster, says board member Josh Goodrich. Instead, the group relies on word-of-mouth, and word has spread. "No Shame gives students an option to do something else besides going to the bar," says regular No Shame performer Elysia Hansel. "It gives people a chance to de-stress and laugh." For performers, No Shame provides a forum to express their creativity and their views on anything from dating to capitalism. It's also a place to fine tune performance skills in front of an ultra-honest audience. "You get comfortable performing in front of people," says Pingel. "And you get instant feedback. You can tell right away what the audience thinks." Nobody laughs politely if a joke isn't funny, say board members. In fact, they've been known to groan or boo or yell out their own smart-alecky response to a sketch they didn't like. But it's all in good fun. And Wozniak says audience reaction is as important to a successful No Shame as the performers themselves. "A piece by itself might not be that great, but in this setting it's spectacular," he says. "Audience reaction and participation is what makes it." | © Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
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