A Review of Lady Macbeth and Her Pal, Megan

by Matthew Falduto

Iowa City – I feel I should open the review with a witty comment since I’m reviewing Megan Gogerty’s latest show and she’s master of the witty. But try as I might, I got nothing. So I’ll just cut to the chase. You really need to see Lady Macbeth and Her Pal, Megan. Come for the comedy, and stay for the life changing moments. As a father of three girls, I have to say: Bring your teenage daughters. Just don’t tell them how cool Gogerty is lest you undermine her coolness before they arrive at Riverside Theatre.

Housebroken’s World Premiere is April 10

Iowa City – The world premiere of Megan Gogerty’s solo show Housebroken opens this Friday, April 10 at Riverside Theatre and runs through April 26.

You might remember Megan’s previous one woman shows, Feet First In The Water With A Baby In My Teeth and Hillary Clinton Got Me Pregnant, both of which she performed on Riverside’s stage. Back in 2011, about Feet First… I wrote:

I have seen Megan perform many times in the past – she’s fearless. It’s clear from James Trainor’s review that fearlessness continued in this show: “Gogerty’s acting style is unabashed, heightened and resourceful… She throws herself completely into a bit, commanding the full stage with ease and energy.” But it’s not just her acting, but her writing that is fearless. In this show she dared to ask, “Is motherhood worth it? Do you regret it?” And according to one friend who saw the show, she did not provide a glib answer, but rather delved into the complexities of emotion involved in being a parent.

In this show, Megan explores the hilarity and heartbreak of buying and selling a house in today’s rocky economy. The offers, the counter-offers, the closings that don’t close, the granite countertops and the cracked foundations cause Megan to question the truth of the American Dream.
 
Call 319-338-7672 for tickets or go here. Riverside Theatre is located at 213 N. Gilbert Street, Iowa City.

Megan Gogerty & Friends

Megan Gogerty

Iowa City – Megan Gogerty & Friends, a one-night-only stand-up comedy event at Riverside Theatre will feature local actor and comedian Megan Gogerty and Irish comic Colin Ryan on Saturday, April 26 at 7:30PM. The evening will have a laid back club-feel with an opportunity to grab drinks between sets. Tickets are $25 youth, $15 youth. Details at riversidetheatre.org or 319-338-7672.

About the Comics

Megan Gogerty performs comedy around Iowa City and was a featured comedian at The GoGo Show in Chicago, earned her MFA in Playwriting from the University of Texas at Austin and currently teaches dramatic literature at the University of Iowa. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution listed her solo show Hillary Clinton Got Me Pregnant in the Top Ten Best Plays of 2009 and her original play Feet First in the Water with a Baby in My Teeth, which premiered at Riverside Theatre in 2011, was named Best Play in Atlanta 2011 by Creative Loafing. Her entertaining musical tribute albums include those to the TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly.

Colin Ryan moved to Iowa from Dublin, Ireland in 2010. He has been performing stand-up comedy in both Ireland and the US for the last 7 years. After winning the Statewide 2011 Comedy Showdown Competition in Des Moines, Colin has opened for some of the nation’s top acts including Mike McRae, Lee Camp and Josh Blue. Colin blends his unique take on Iowa culture with a keen eye for political and social commentary. Cornfed Comedy said of Mr. Ryan, “If you haven’t gotten a chance to see Colin, shame on you. Full of wit and that Irish charm, Colin’s tell-it-like-it-is about life and fatherhood make him a clean, fun comic that is all about having a good time.”

Riverside’s own Ron Clark breaks onto local comedy scene, spicing the night’s entertainment.

Much Ado Screening at the CCPA

Coralville – “The Coralville Center for the Performing Arts will present Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing on Friday, October 18th at 8 PM & midnight. The 8 PM show features a special performance by the inimitable Megan Gogerty. Tickets cost only $8, and are available via the CCPA Box Office: 319-248-9370. The Box Office is open Wed/Thurs/Fri 11:00-1:00 & 4:00-6:00, and Saturdays 12:00-4:00, and one hour before ticketed performances. Tickets are also available online 24 hours a day at http://www.coralvillearts.org.

“Joss Whedon has a huge fan base in this area,” explains Nancy Mayfield, Patron Services Supervisor at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. “But when Whedon’s long-awaited film adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing was released in theaters, fans were devastated to learn that the closest showing was in Des Moines. We are so thrilled to be able to present the film here in Coralville on the big screen. Within hours of announcing our intentions, local Whedon fans were so enthusiastic we decided to add a midnight showing.”

“Having Megan Gogerty open the 8:00 show will be a special treat,” Mayfield continues. “For the first time in years, she will perform from her Buffy the Vampire Slayer tribute album, I Miss Buffy. Her songs are as hilarious and engaging as her plays. The last time I saw her onstage, I laughed until I cried.””

(Source: CCPA Press Release)