Mee-Ow

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Mee-Ow, also known as The Mee-Ow Show, is Northwestern University's premiere short-form improv and sketch comedy group.

Contents

[edit] Origins

Founded in 1974 By Paul Warshaur ('76) and Josh Lazar ('75) the original show was scripted, had traditional musical numbers and, in reaction to Waa-Mu, NU's long running annual musical revue, was open to anyone on campus who wanted to be in it. This open door policy, while noble in thought, made for a less than spectacular show. The next year, dead because of a financial scandal and scathing reviews, Mee-Ow was re-conceived by two of its cast members, Bill Nuss ('76) and Eugene Dusty" Kay ('76), as an improv comedy show with a smaller cast, taking its inspiration from Chicago's Second City and Kentucky Fried Theatre, which Nuss and Kay had seen perform live while visiting Los Angeles. The name was almost changed to Improv '75, but instead Mee-Ow was kept, so that the poster for the '75 show could be a bruised and battered wildcat, Northwestern's mascot, acknowledging the previous year's debacle. Kay and Nuss co-directed the '75 and '76 versions, which put the show back on the campus map. The show has been a staple of the Northwestern theatre and comedy scene ever since.

[edit] Improv

Mee-Ow, along with The Titanic Players, have put Northwestern on the map as the university for improv comedy training. A great number of Mee-Ow alumni have gone on to perform and teach improv at many of the country's top improv venues, such as Chicago's Second City, Improv Olympic and the Annoyance Theater, New York's Magnet Theater, The P.I.T. and The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and LA's Groundlings, iO West, and UCB West. Mee-Ow alumni also founded Boom Chicago in Amsterdam and created the popular TV series "Whose Line is it Anyway?".

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] Casts by Year

2007
Dan Bruhl
Carly Ciarrocchi
Chris Hejl
Nick Kanellis
Jessica Lowe
Jack Novak
Matt Sheelen
Adam Welton

2006 "Mee-Ow is Dead" & "Mee-Ow Pulls Out . . .of Iraq"
Russ Armstrong
John Dixon
Nick Kanellis
Jessica Lowe
Kelly O’Sullivan
Matt Sheelen
Adam Welton
Nayla Wren

2005 "Mee-Ow Admits, Mee-Ow has a Problem" & "Mee-Ow Goes to Old Orchard"
Russ Armstrong
John Dixon
Briggs Hatton
Nick Kanellis
Jessica Lowe
Peter McNerney
Bridget Moloney
Joanna Simmons

2004 "Danger on University Place" & "It’s Not You it’s Mee-Ow"
John Dixon
Briggs Hatton
Jason Kessler
Bridget Moloney
Kate Mulligan
Joe Petrilla
Shiela Shaigany
Dan Sinclair

2003 "Mee-Ow Saves Christmas" & "There’s a Bear in The Theater"
Chris Gorbos
Briggs Hatton
Jason Kessler
Martha Marion
Alex Marlin
Bridget Moloney
Kate Mulligan
Dan Sinclair

2002 "Mee-Owed to be an American"
Laura Grey
Ryan Harrison
Jess Lacher
Dan Mahoney
Martha Marion
Kate Mulligan
Lee Overtree
Frank Smith

2001
Drew Calendar
Laura Grey
Ryan Harrison
Jess Lacher
Dan Mahoney
Martha Marion
Matt McKenna
Lee Overtree

2000
Heather Campbell
Lauren Flans
Ryan Harrison
Luke Hatton
Jess Lacher
Matt McKenna
Kristin Schaal
Scott Speiser

1999 "The Last Mee-Ow Show Ever"
David Asher
Liz Cackowski
Heather Campbell
Luke Hatton
Jamey Roberts
Kristen Schaal
Michael Sinclair
Scott Speiser

1998
Liz Cackowski
Heather Campbell
Luke Hatton
Josh Meyers
Ryan Raddatz
Jemey Roberts
Robin Shorr
Justin Spitzer
David Terry

1997
Jill Alexander
Heather Campbell
Josh Meyers
Ryan Raddatz
Jamey Roberts
Robin Shorr
David Terry

1996
Jill Alexander
Peter Grosz
Rob Janas
Laura McKenzie
Seth Meyers
Ryan Raddatz
Robin Shorr
Sarah Yarra
Jenny

1995
Jill Alexander
Ed Herbstman
Rob Janas
Louise Lamson
Jean Villepique
Dan Weiss
Adrian Wenner
Liv Oslund

1994 "Politically Erect"
Jill Alexander
Ed Herbstman
Louise Lamson
Ethan Sandler
Jean Villepique
Amanda Weier
Dan Weiss
Jason Winer
Adrian Wenner

1993 "The Tao of Mee-Ow"
Colby Bessera
Angelie Bhimani
Abby Cohen
Ed Herbstman
Ethan Sandler
Debra Stern
Paul Vallaincourt
Jean Villepique
Amanda Weier
Dan Weiss
Adrian Wenner

1992 "It’s a Wonderful Life Sentence"
Lesley Bevan
Scott Duff
Anne Eggleston
Danielle Gaither
Chris Grady
Lillie Hubscher
Mark Kretzman
Bruce McCoy
Jean Villepique

1991 "Are You There God? It’s Mee-Ow"
Lesley Bevan
George Brant
Danielle Gaither
Rachel Hamilton
Mark Kretzman
J.P. Manoux
Bruce McCoy
Jon Mozes
Kirsten Nelson

1990 "Sunday Eating Pork with George"
Jill Cargerman
Jason De Santo
Kate Fry
Lillie Hubscher
Spencer Kayden
J.P. Manoux
Philip Pawelczyk
Greg Rice
Jon Rosenfeld

1989
Bo Blackburn
Jill Cargerman
Tim Ereneta
Ana Gasteyer
Mary Jackman
Spencer Kayden
Eric Letzinger
J.P. Manoux
Philip Pawelczyk

1988 "Mee-Ow Tse Tung"
Bo Blackburn
Betsy Braham
Jill Cargerman
Tim Ereneta
Stu Feldman
Ana Gasteyer
Jessica Hughes
John Lehr
Jerry Saslow

1987 "Eating Mee-Ow"
Mollie Allen
Bo Blackburn
Jon Craven
Marc Goldsmith
Melanie Hoopes
Lisa Houle
John Lehr
Catherine Newman
Jerry Saslow
Matt Wolka

1986 "Oedipuss ‘n’ Boots"
Mollie Allen
Dave Clapper
Jon Craven
Andy Hirsch
Lisa Houle
Jessica Hughes
John Lehr
Barry Levin
Chathrine Newman
Dan Patterson
Chris Pfaff

1985 "Local an’ Aesthetic"
Beth Bash
Craig Bierko
Karen Cooper
Rich Kaplan
Dermot Mulroney
George Newbern
Richard Radutsky
Romy Rosemont
Alison Rice

1984 "Escape From Baltic Avenue"
Karen Cooper
Jesse Dabson
Eric Gilliland
Kelly Hughes
Rich Kaplan
Wendy Messing
John Cameron Mitchell
Dermot Mulroney
Richard Radutsky
Romy Rosemont

1983 "Wake Up Yo Tinheads!"
Taylor Abbot
Mark Gunnion
Tammyi Hinz
Chris Heuben
Sue Klein
Ellen Kohrman
Mark Lancaster
Michael Simon

sketches included "Sandwich Man of the Opera", "Deconstructions", and "Johnny B+" (a protest song bemoaning NU's newly-installed intermediate grading system)

1982 "‘Til The Cows Come Home...Where are Those Damn Cows?"
Steve Beavers
Rob Chaskin
John Goodrich
Chris Hueben
Mark Lancaster
Laura Matalon
Sarah Partridge
Susan Wapner

1981 "Candy From Strangers"
Bekka Eaton
John Goodrich
Mark Lancaster
Bill Lopatto
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Mike Markowitz
Ken Marks
Rob McLachlan
Sandy Snyder
Larry Shanker - Piano

1980 "Ten Against the Empire"
Paul Barrosse
John Goodrich
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Rod McLaughlin
Mike Markowitz
Ken Marks
Dana Olsen
Rush Pearson
Judy Pruitt
Larry Shanker - Piano

1979 "...But is it Art?"
Bill Aiken
Paul Barrosse
Winnie Freedman
Meryl Friedman
John Goodrich
Barb Guarino
Althea Haropolus
Dana Olsen
Rush Pearson
Larry Shanker - Piano

1978 "In Search of the Ungnome"
Paul Barrosse
Jerry Franklin
Shelly Goldstein
Kyle T. Heffner
Ken Marks
Dana Olsen
Rush Pearson
Tina Rosenberg
Bill Wronski
Larry Shanker - Piano

1977 "North By Northwestern"
Peter Bales
Betsy Fink
Janie Fried
Kyle Hefner
Jeff Lupetin
Cindy Milstein
Brad Mott
Dana Olsen
Suzie Plaksin
Keith Reddin
Tom Virtue

1976 "Spirit, My Ass"
Dusty Kay
Peter Bales
Betsy Fink
Jeff Lupetin
Alice Tell
Stew Figa
Kyle Heffner
Keith Reddin

1975 "What Did You Expect?"
Carol Appleby
Mike Bonner
Eloise Jane Coopersmith
Betsy Fink
Thomas Fitzgerald
Wendy Gajewski
Neal Gold
David Garrett
Michelle Holmes
Roy Alan Hine
Curtis Katz
Laurie Karon
Kathy Kirshenbaum
Dusty Kay
Rick Kotrba
Kitty Knecht
Charlie Lucci
Jeff Lupetin
Brad Mott
Jane McClary
Lisa Nesselson
Bill Nuss
Karen Alison Pepper
Keith Reddin
Scott Rothburd
Wendy Taucher

1974 "Just in Time"
Terri Blum
Devan Carter
Bob Chimbel
Sue Cibrario
Carol Cling
Sue Devero
Ken Elliott
Ron Ensel
Meredith Freeman
Jonathan Fox
Debbie Gaber
Wendy Gajewski
Nancy Gordon
Sandy Grimsley
Holly Hartle
Bill Hindin
Marla Jones
Randy Kaplan
Robbie Karnofsky
Dusty Kay
Rick Kotrba
Jerry Larkin
Barb Mallorie
Kevin McDermott
Wendy Nadler
Bill Nuss
Rod Oram
Alan Perkins
Russ Pishnery
Tom Reese
Sandy Richens
Patti Rubin
Debbie Sauer
Joe Schuster
Suzanne Sciez
Obie Story
Wendy Taucher
Jeaninee Tortelli
Lisa Wershaw
Jeff Wilson


Northwestern University  

Academics

Judd A. and Marjorie Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences • School of Communication • School of Music • J. L. Kellogg School of Management • Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science • Medill School of Journalism • School of Education and Social Policy • Feinberg School of Medicine • Northwestern University School of Law

Athletics

Big Ten • Go U Northwestern • Northwestern Wildcats • NUMB • Ryan Field • Welsh-Ryan Arena • Willie the Wildcat

Campus

Chicago • Evanston • The Lakefill • The Rock • Technological Institute

Culture

Alumni • The Daily Northwestern • Dance Marathon • Dillo Day • Dolphin Show • Mee-Ow • NNN • Waa-Mu • WNUR


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