“Hot Thespian Action” April 6 2012

As part of the Winnipeg Comedy Festival 2011

at the Gas Station Theatre

Garth Merkeley and Jane Testar

“Hot Thespian Action began in 2006 when the three female members of the group (Shannon Guile, Jacqueline Loewen and Jane Testar) took a special studies class in Advanced Mime and Improv at the University of Winnipeg under the tutelage of Rick Skene. Over time, the class changed to fit the interests and aptitudes of the learners, and broadened from just mime to comedy writing.

By the end, the ladies had an in-depth knowledge of physicality and comedy, as well as a catalog of hilarious sketches. With the addition of fellow U of W students Garth Merkeley and Ryan Miller, the group rounded itself out and began to work on its 2006 Fringe show Hands On. The show featured a stripped down minimalist esthetic, inspired by the group’s mime roots, along with a penchant for the physical and witty.

The critically celebrated sold out show gave way to 2008’s massive hit Hands Off which garnered Hot Thespian Action five stars from the Winnipeg Free Press and an interest from many parties, including the CBC, who subsequently asked HTA to appear in the 2009 CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival.

HTA has performed yearly at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival since, garnering 5 star reviews, packed houses and “Best of Fest” designations every time.

HTA’s relationship with CBC radio has grown over the years, resulting in HTA writing and performing in an hour long radio play Pitching the Turkey, which aired nationally on Thanksgiving, as well as writing and performing several sketches that aired on the national radio show Laugh Out Loud.

The CBC Winnipeg Comedy Fest has invited HTA back to their festival every year since 2009, upping the stakes each time, starting in 2009 as a 20 minute set as part of a larger show, growing to a full hour long headlining show in 2010 (which, incidentally, was the first act of the festival to sell out) and in 2011, a headlining show AND a set in one of the nationally televised gala performances alongside a cast of Canadian comedy icons like Andrea Martin and Cathy Jones. Finally, in 2012 they reached comedy nirvana, when they starred alongside host Alan Thicke as his singing and dancing sidekicks in the televised “Save The World Telethon” gala.

On top of their yearly commitments at the Winnipeg Fringe and Comedy Festivals, HTA performs continuously for fundraisers and social events and in 2009 was asked to travel to Toronto to participate in the Toronto Sketch Fest, performing with North America’s best sketch groups.

In 2011 and 2012, HTA was nominated for the Canadian Comedy Awards in the Category of “Best Sketch Comedy Troupe” back to back years.

Now HTA has their sights set on making the leap to TV and has spent the last year writing a TV pilot script for a half hour comedy series. Working with production company “Original Pictures” HTA will be traveling to Toronto in the fall of 2012 to pitch the concept and pilot script to broadcasters.”

http://www.hotthespianaction.com/index.html