Someone really, really wise once said, “Good things come in fours.” Okay, no one’s ever said that. But they should have. If you find a four leaf clover you’re considered lucky and you can win a poker game with four of a kind. The heart of a mammal has four chambers, there are four Baldwin brothers and has anyone ever met a barbershop quartet that they didn’t like? It looks like four is the magic number, especially if you’re talking about The Gentlemen’s Hour.
Less than a month ago, MATC television and production student Jeremy Eineichner was given the opportunity to produce a half hour show for MPTV on PBS, channel 36. He approached The Gentlemen's Hour and asked if they were game to make a 30 minute special for the network to air at 1:30 am on Sunday, March 22. Despite a fast turn around time, the Gents dove in like a polar bear down at Bradford Beach on January 1st.
Original writing, one of the main things that make this group so entertaining, will be evident in the television special. The real difference will be found in location and production. In their live shows the “use to use a stool to represent a bar, but now we have an actual bar,” says Patrick Schmitz. In addition to filming some sketches on location they will also be performing a live studio show on Friday March 20, some of which will be in the television broadcast. Filming in a studio with multiple cameras, lights and boom mics hiding just out of frame is “just another wow factor,” according to Tyler Kroll.
Many sketch and improv groups have had short lived existences in Milwaukee. Its fun to get a group of people and throw together that initial show, but most groups cannot keep it going. “We’re four people who have a lot going on still make this a priority,” says Mike Kauth. And they do indeed have a lot going on. On Friday, March 27 they’re performing at the Milwaukee Comedy Festival fundraiser at the Alchemist Theatre and Lounge, Sunday April 5 is their regular show also at Alchemist and on May 8th they’re performing at Comedy Sportz. Johnny Beehner also travels all over the country doing stand-up. Kauth and Beehner also have plans to show up at Milwaukee area McDonalds with t-shirts available for purchase. They’ll also sign autographs in the VIP area, aka the bathroom. But it’s up to you to figure out if it’s the men’s or the women’s.
After putting in their time of writing and performing at a constant pace, the group is stepping back a bit to focus more on the quality of the writing by changing their performance schedule at the Alchemist to the first Sunday of every month, instead of every other Sunday. All four agree that spending more time working on the writing foundation of every show will benefit them as artists but also the audience. They want the time to revise and “wake up the next morning and go, ‘Yikes,’ instead of putting it up on stage and going, ‘Yikes,’” says Schmitz.
The Gentlemen’s Hour has certainly earned their television special. They’re talented, diligent and committed. It airs at 1:30 am on Sunday, March 22. So either stay up late, or set your DVR for MPTV channel 36. And then take sixty extra seconds and e-mail MPTV to let them know that you thought The Gentlemen’s Hour was unbelievable.
Check out a preview of The Gentlemen’s Hour on Monday, March 16th on 91.7 WMSE between 4:00 and 5:30 pm. For more info on The Gentlemen’s Hour visit their website: www.thegentlemenshour.com. You can also be their friend on Facebook and Myspace.