One more time hosting.
Weird and Awesome – June 2019
Evan Peterson and I were tasked with doing a "show within a show" so we did "Awesome and Weird with Montgomery Emmett." I was Montgomery and told a monologue about an apocalyptic pig demon. Keefee Nicks sang a one minute song. Evan r ...
January 2019 Spin the Bottle
photo by Brett Love January 2019 marked the first Prime-Time Spin the Bottle. Acts that performed that night included sketch comedy group Crackfics Live, solo performer Brian McGuigan, musician Jesse Calixto, and films by Good Game and "The Art of the ...
December 2018 Spin the Bottle – The Funeral
Spin the Bottle's reign of "longest running late night cabaret" came to a close in December of 2018 when market economics and audience apathy regarding the Capitol Hill neighborhood forced the Annex community to stop doing late night shows in its current ...
GudeLaurance in St. Louis!
Paul and Ben take a playful romp around the City Museum in St. Louis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bPGh-kdtDo
September 2018 Spin the Bottle
I host the show again, opening it up with a solo rendition of the GudeLaurance original song "Nana's Muff."
January 2018 Spin the Bottle
I host the show again, beginning my new tenure as the every-other-month regular host. Brett Love was the photographer this month, and took one of my favorite pictures of me.
December 2017 Spin the Bottle
I host the December edition of Seattle's longest running late night cabaret. Performances that night included Rose and Blake, Duncan Davenport, Stephen Hando, & Lesli Wood.
Panel Jumper Live Chapter IV Promo
Cole, Manager Mike and I take some time during the April 2017 Spin the Bottle to promote the upcoming Panel Jumper Live Chapter IV. I then invite the audience to vote on whether or not they think Manager Mike should live or die. Int ...
Book Report
Robin and I had an agreement to read a series of books. She had to read Lord of the Rings and I had to read Harry Potter. See my post on my "Weird and Awesome" performance for a little backstory. On May 3rd, 2017, roughly a year after making the deal, ...
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
As the audience for the August "Weird and Awesome" were loaded into the theater, I started reading - from the beginning - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Then after the curtain speech, this text displayed on screen: I did my ...
April 2016 Spin the Bottle
I hosted the April 1st edition of Spin the Bottle at Annex Theatre. Dangerpants Photography Acts included an excerpt of the upcoming late night "Eat Cake," Philip Geurin, Andrew Shanks, Kate Farrell, and "The Seattle Files with Chris Allen." ...
Full-Year In One Night
Paul and Ben produce a full year of performances in one night. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9-44J-nziU
SketchFest Seattle 2015
Fall of 2015 brought another edition of SketchFest Seattle. It was a successful festival at the Pocket, Annex, and Central Cinema. For information on the entire festival, click here. To watch films that screened at the Comedy Film Challenge, cl ...
August 2015 Spin the Bottle
Got another chance to host the show I've been performing in since 1999. It was a hot day, so I wore appropriate clothing. Acts included an excerpt from the upcoming mainstage show "Is She Dead Yet?", drag from Randy Littleman, puppets from Vox Fab ...
A Brief History of Capitol Hill
I gave a keynote-assisted brief talk at the July "Weird and Awesome with Emmett Montgomery."
I Co-Host Weird & Awesome with Emmett Montgomery
Every co-host of the show gets a 10 minute segment at the top of the show to perform. Since it was December 7th, I read an excerpt from my grandfather's journal about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I then conveyed a memory of when I was about 10 and Gra ...
Bret’s Last Show
Ben summons Paul from the mid-west to pay tribute to their friend Bret. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhOHU01Zs58 This is only Paul's side of the conversation. You'll have to guess what Ben said.
Extreme Trick or Treating
Paul and Ben have their final bow at Spin the Bottle, bringing to a close 14 years of collaborative performance art. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNt3tvk5ew
Badminton Battle Royale
Paul and Ben invite two audience members to challenge them to a game of badminton. All wore masks. It was messy.
7 Minutes in Heaven
GudeLaurance took part in a performance called "7 Minutes in Heaven," where an audience member went on a speed dating round. The Pig Janitor did not impress. Paul made a good showing as he tried to sell his new book. Ultimately, Paul was picked and ...
Dinner In Hell
As the audience walks in, Paul eats an entire steak while Ben and Troy play the chorus of The Captain of her Heart over and over and over...
Annex Wins Theatre of the Year
Monday night at the Gregory Awards, Annex Theatre won the "Theatre of the Year 2013" award. Beating out such powerhouse theatres as ACT, Seattle Public Theatre, and Book-It, Annex staff and company members cheerfully (and probably by that point a ...
War Pigs
Paul and Ben cover Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" at the October 2013 edition of Spin the Bottle. all photos by Dangerpants Photography.
The Big Sketch
We re-visit a sketch that Paul and Troy Lund wrote 19 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2D9m2_HWVY Starring Paul Gude, Ben Laurance, Troy Lund, Mike Gilson, and Meaghan Darling.
No More Heroes Compilation
I produced some videos for the Annex show "Team of Heroes: No More Heroes." Here they all are strung together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nSElXWdR_Q
Debrief
Ben: First of all, I ordered a monkey. This is OBVIOUSLY an ape. Not only that, but the only thing it seems trained to do is set up METH LABS! I'm very disappointed. Ben: Welcome back to your monthly debrief. Under you chairs you'l ...
Based On A True Story
Paul and Ben do a performance so weird it defies explanation. Ben wheels out a recycling bin. Looks inside, finds nothing. Paul jumps out wearing only a jock strap. Ben chases him around with a baseball bat. Paul runs away and Ben pushes the ...
Two Headed Boy
Paul and Ben cover Neutral Milk Hotel's "Two Headed Boy." Fortunately, no record exists of this performance.
Acting vs. Punching
Paul and Ben try to answer that age-old question: Which is easier? Acting or punching your way out of a paper bag?
Audrey & Nelson
Audrey & Nelson starts with two hapless twentysomethings waking up in bed together with only the vaguest memories of how they got there. But Audrey and Nelson decide to explore the possibilities! What follows is a rueful comic musical about sex, ...
Unanswered Questions
Paul and Ben welcome friend Lindsay to officiate the debate: What is greater? Answering an unanswerable math hypothesis, or hugging the audience while only wearing an athletic supporter? No conclusion was reached.
Team of Heroes Promotional Trailer
A very short promo spot for the play "Team of Heroes: Behind Closed Doors," opening at Annex Theatre on April 20th, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veGQ1FCHmQI We filmed some interview spots which will be projected at various times during t ...
12 Angry Ninjas
Ben: Sorry I'm late. Wanted to get a soda. If we can all take our seats. Paul: Is this it? This is all of us? Ben: Yes it is. Time for roll-call. Paul: I thought there were supposed to be more of us. On TV, you usually see about- ...
Born For Trouble
In 2006 I was in a show called "The Cowgirl Play," and a song was written for my character. To this day I don't know if the song was eventually cut from the final production because it didn't fit the show, or because I just flat out refused to sing it. ...
Empty Them Dreamcatchers
Challenge: Inexplicable physical spectacle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK6ADTwnQxg Special thanks to the Superego podcast.
Let’s Hit John
Friend of GudeLaurance, John, wanted to be a part of a GudeLaurance performance. So they invited the audience to throw stuff at him.
Wolf Like Me
Paul and Ben cover TV On The Radio at Spin the Bottle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoEOxg1zU4w
Christmas Light Jump Rope
A jump rope is fashioned out of a string of Christmas lights, and Paul and Ben proceed to jump to "Double Dutch Bus" When suddenly they wrap themselves up in the lights and act as a Christmas three while Christmas music plays. Pamala and Val then c ...
The Crowded Shower
With the homicidal "Balboa Butcher" menacing the neighborhood, Sami and Clair need a man. What they get is Rex. But what of the suspicions of the good Reverend Fowler? https://vimeo.com/157516391 With the threat of the "Balboa Butcher" looming an ...
60 Seconds Max 2010
Once again at 60 Seconds Max, Paul and Ben have a plan, but Paul starts yelling at a disruptive audience member so Ben chugs a PBR.
Center-Cut Ham Dinner Night Slide Show
I stage managed David Nixon's one-man show. My first time in the booth for a show since 1999's "Bartleby." Click here for the show page at annextheatre.org.