WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2004
RADIO
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
23
Jon Blumb/Kansas Public Radio
KPR's Right Between the Ears won the award for best entertainment program at last month's International Radio Programming & Promotion Awards. The group's next performance is scheduled for Oct. 9 at Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St.
Comedy series honored by peers
By Marc Ingber
mingber@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Their act may include segments on exploding prom dates and pocket ducks, but a lack of solemnity did not stop a local sketch comedy group from getting serious recognition.
Right Between the Ears, a sketch comedy series produced by Kansas Public Radio at the University of Kansas, received the Grand Award for Best Entertainment Program at the New York Festivals 2004 International Radio Programming & Promotion Awards last month.
"This is sort of our equivalent of winning Best Picture," said Kip Niven, Right Between the Ears cast member. "Within the radio community this is a wonderful recognition for the show."
Right Between the Ears consists of a cast and crew of 14 who perform new material every couple months. Most of the shows are put on at Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St., but the group also travels to other cities in Kansas including Kansas City, Baldwin City and Topeka. Each performance usually consists of two separate shows put on back-to-back; one which is for the in-house audience only and one that is broadcast live on KPR in Lawrence, Junction City and Emporia.
Darrell Brogdon, KPR's program director, who serves as the show's producer and primary writer, said their goal was to make Right Between the Ears a weekly series. That way, there is a better chance it will be picked up by National Public Radio, he said.
The series is funded solely by ticket sales at its performances. In order to become a weekly series, the show would need to get a sponsor, Niven said. Hesaid they were looking for sponsors both locally and nationally.
"We're pretty sure we're going to stay local, but increase the broadcast reach," he said.
Niven and fellow cast member Rick Tamblyn are University of Kansas alumni. Tamblyn auditioned for the comedy group in 1986 after seeing an ad in the paper, but it was Niven's ties to the University that indirectly led to him getting involved. Niven, a graduate of the department of theatre and film, was directing a show for the University about 10 years ago when he heard about Right Between the Ears. He decided to audition and has been a member ever since.
Brogdon said the main subjects the show satired were politics, TV and celebrities. He said at least half the material in the show was inspired by the news and that they strived not to choose sides politically.
"We bend over backwards to be evenhanded and make fun of everybody," Brogdon said. "As a result we rarely get complaints."
Niven said his favorite impersonations to do were George W. Bush, or "Dubya" as he refers to him, and Antonio Banderas, whom he described as a rather "self-involved character type."
"I specialize in fake commercials for utterly worthless products like 'The Gravy Baby' or 'Pocket Duck,'" he said.
Tamblyn said he enjoyed doing comedy bits that had nothing to do with what was going on in the world.
"My responsibilities are to pick up Mr. Brogdon's dry cleaning every week and make sure his drinks are always 40 percent vodka with exactly four ice cubes," Tamblyn joked.
But being in a comedy group means responsibilities outside of performing as well.
This is the second time Right Between the Ears has received the Grand Award. It did once before in 1993. The group's next performance at Liberty Hall is scheduled for Oct. 9.
- Edited by Joe Burke
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