Bootless Stageworks Hosts Comedy Night

By Mike Logothetis

On Friday night, Trolley Square’s underground theater, Bootless Stageworks, staged a rollicking comedy night open to all ages. Four comedians took the stage to tickle the collective funny bone of about 70 people. The headliner was Stavros Halkias, a New York-based comedian, originally from Baltimore, whose star is quickly rising.

The basement theater space was set up as a nightclub with close to 20 tables facing the intimate stage, which featured a faux brick backdrop. The full bar served beer, wine, liquor, and mixed drinks at very reasonable prices. Snacks could be purchased at the bar or you could nibble on free popcorn at your table.

Local stand-up comedian Brandon Vincent Jackson acted as the emcee for the evening, telling jokes and introducing the three main comics. Wilmington’s Guy Schiavi opened the evening of stand-up with a short 15-minute set that got the audience loosened up.

Second on the docket was the electric Ian Fidance. Fidance is an offbeat yet upbeat stand-up comic, actor, and writer originally from Wilmington who now calls Brooklyn home. The mustached entertainer has grown to be a standout stand-up with a fresh, positive voice in comedy. His own online bio reads: “A delicious cup of tea best drank live, Ian’s comedy has been described as ‘bizarre yet funny’ by The Interrobang.” Fidance’s half-hour routine was energetic and very funny. You can hear some of his musings on his podcast called “Ian Fidance’s Wild World.”

Headliner Stavros Halkias has made appearances on Adult Swim, XM Satellite radio, IFC, and the MSG Network, where he wrote and performed on the Emmy nominated, “People Talking Sports and Other Stuff.” He’s been featured in Tig Notaro’s “Bentzen Ball,” the New York Comedy Festival, and toured nationally with Wham City Comedy, Tom Papa, and Robert Kelly. Halkias is also a co-host of the popular podcast “Cum Town” and widely known for his body-positive Instagram account (@stavvybaby2).

While only 5’7”, Halkias looms larger than that on stage. He has a bearing that oozes confidence and swagger. Halkias commands the stage and your attention, but not in a brash way. His banter and cadence were rhythmic and natural. While most touring artists praise the host city, Halkias repeatedly downplayed Wilmington, its importance, and relevance…and it was funny! “Stav” is obviously very quick-witted and composed several jokes on the fly. He riffed and got the audience to share information and anecdotes. Halkias took those nuggets and spun them into comedic gold.

Yes, things got lewd, but it played into his honesty as a performer. He opened up about his life growing up Greek in Baltimore in a family torn apart by his father’s infidelity. He expounded on his missing front tooth. He repeatedly reminded us of his stature and girth. He regaled us with his successful and failed sexual escapades. All in all, we soaked up his hysterical ponderings and bits for over an hour. After closing the night to roaring applause, a near stampede followed him to the merchandise table for meet-and-greet sessions and selfies. The audience couldn’t get enough of him during or after the show.

Bootless Stageworks performances take place in the basement of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church at 1301 North Broom Street in Wilmington. The regular company is an ensemble company of skilled emerging artists committed to producing contemporary theater experiences that are stimulating, adventurous, challenging, immediate, and present. Bootless is a collaborative group of self-proclaimed theater geeks that are always looking for the strange, unusual, weird, but always entertaining adventure in live theater, comedy, and music. Visit www.bootless.org for a list of future events and shows at Bootless Stageworks. The next two DE Live Comedy Nights (hosted by Belynda Cleare and Lonnie Webb with DJ E’Nice) are on April 13 and May 25 at 8:30 pm.

Two Organizations to Call The Grand Home This Season

This post content courtesy of a press release from The Grand Opera House...

 In front of The Grand. Pictured clockwise, top left:
Melissa Bernard, actor & Fearless Improv member;
Grace Tarves, actor; Jana Savini, Fearless Improv Director;
Kerry Kristine McElrone, CTC Interim Artistic Director;
Joe Trainor, CTC Music Director. Photo by Joe del Tufo.

Mark Fields, Executive Director of The Grand, is pleased to announce the addition of two new resident companies to The Grand’s roster of artistic partners in the building. Effective immediately, City Theater Company (CTC) and The Rock Orchestra (TRO) will perform their mainstage seasons at The Grand at 818 North Market Street.

“The non-profit Grand Opera House is a shared asset that we manage on behalf of the residents and citizens that we serve,” says Fields. “Having The Grand now be the artistic home for these organizations gives us the opportunity to more fully connect to the community and share the joy of the performing arts with more members of that community.”

"The Grand Opera House has been the heart of the performing arts scene in Wilmington for as long as I can remember," says The Rock Orchestra co-founder, Matt Urban, "Having TRO present our shows in partnership with this treasured community organization is an incredible opportunity." Co-founder Joe Trainor concurs, "Not only is it an honor to perform in these spaces, but it allows us the flexibility to develop our productions into 'must-see' events and make them available to a wider audience."

"As we head into our 25th year of programming, and my first as Interim Artistic Director, I am excited for the possibilities ahead for City Theater Company as we move to a resident space within The Grand,” says Kerry Kristine McElrone, CTC’s Interim Artistic Director. “The Grand is a community built on relationships, and I'm thrilled to be renewing ours so that our patrons can continue to remain an integral part of the art we do. Our brand of up-close-and-personal theater will be well-served in Studio One, where we can create worlds that immerse our audiences in the emotion and the action right alongside our actors.”

Resident companies are local or regional performing arts groups that make The Grand their primary artistic home, sharing their art on The Grand’s stages and collaborating on marketing initiatives and other projects. City Theater Company and The Rock Orchestra join the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, First State Ballet Theatre, and Opera Delaware are all resident companies of The Grand.

“The Grand is all about partnerships,” says Fields. “We partner intensely throughout each season with numerous arts organizations, individual artists, and other types of business to advance our own mission and benefit the entire community. Our resident companies are even more in-depth partners since we share these stages and this wonderful building.”

Patrons can purchase tickets to upcoming performances of The Rock Orchestra, City Theater Company, First State Ballet Theatre and The Grand’s own music, variety, comedy and Broadway seasons:

Online at TheGrandWilmington.org • 302.652.5577 • 818 North Market Street, Wilmington.