Welcome to National Comedy Month! As a huge comedy fan, I spend most of my free time learning as much as I can from anyone willing to talk to me. The art of writing, performing, learning through trial and error excites me every day. There is one form of comedy that I have not examined at great length until now – the one-person show. I was delighted to interview Stacey McClain to discuss her history in theater, television and Hollywood. Stacey caught my attention when I discovered she was involved in Kim Coles’ one-woman play Oh, But Wait…There’s More.
Stacey began her career as an actress in Los Angeles for many years. “Being an actress and waiting by the phone is not something I could do politely,” she said. It wasn’t long before she began performing stand-up comedy, earning television credits within two years. Several years later, Stacey examined as she describes it “the plight of the black female comedienne,” and decided to expand her horizons by writing, producing, and directing her first play. The exposure presented opportunities to write and collaborate on several projects including one with Sinbad. “I received my first check for writing, and realized I made more money from that gig, than the previous year and a half performing.”
It wasn’t long before she was assisting Ralph Harris with his one man play MANish Boy. Most of the characters were derived from Ralph’s stand-up material. Stacey examined the important elements including:
· What’s at stake for the characters?
· Where is the plot of the story?
· Does the story have a beginning, middle, and an end?
· Is this a great story?
· How does it relate to the audience?
As our conversation continued, we discussed her illustrious career including producing The Tom Joyner Show, her various writing projects and the creation of her company Sistaah Gurlfriend Productions. Here are tips from the interview that I found invaluable:
Performing:
“A one man show is perfect for comedians. You can do anything on stage – you have an area or space where you can do something dramatic, and that’s something you don’t see most comics doing in a comedy club.”
“Comics can stand out if they did this (a one person show); they can set themselves apart. You may spend a lot of time on the road, but you won’t get the television exposure, because you’re not in town when people are casting for shows and pilots.”
Writing:
“Everyone can write! It’s just a matter of getting the right notes to tell your story.”
“Write stuff that relates to you. More often than not, you story is not original. You find part of your story that you know other people have gone through, and you develop that and make it compelling.”
“Get some scripts and read them. There are a lot of websites that offer scripts for free.”
Acting:
There are different levels of acting classes. Ask your friends, do some research, find someone you feel comfortable working with. Don’t be afraid to ask if you can audit one of their classes. This way you’re not buying something sight unseen.”
Watch television, and pay attention to where the arcs are, the act breaks, and how the story unfolds.
After completing this interview, I developed an understanding on the importance and impact creating a one person play can have on a comedian’s career. Take the time to maximize your time, resources, and budget…and give it a shot. It may not make you famous, but it could be a wonderful thing to add to your comedy resume.
Stacey will be appearing in the upcoming OWN reality series, Raising Whitley, starting actress Kym Whitley. She’s also on Twitter at @sistaahgurl.
© 2013 Wayne Manigo
