COMETHAZINE (MUSIC VID) • FEATURED • LYRICAL LEMONADE

Directed by Cole Bennet

Here's a clean version of the portion of the video I appear in:

THE SEXY ACCIDENT (MUSIC VID) • PRINCIPAL • COOPER FILMS

Music video for "I'm Going to Love Your New Boyfriend" by The Sexy Accident. I co-wrote and starred in this piece which was produced by Cooper Films.

Director of photography Morgan Cooper put together a cool behind the scenes video:

DID YOU KNOW? • CO-HOST • EVERHANCE

My writing partner Brian Huther and I wrote, edited, and co-hosted this infotainment web series as commissioned and produced by Everhance. Below is a full playlist, I'm in most but not all.

DOG AND FRIEND DOG • BEN • FRIEND DOG STUDIOS

My writing partner Brian Huther and I wrote and produced four episodes of this web series. Full playlist below.

FRIEND DOG STUDIOS • VARIOUS ROLES • FRIEND DOG STUDIOS

This sketch series was and is still occasionally produced by myself and collaborators Brian Huther and Seth Macchi. Below is a collection of a few of our bigger hits and personal favorites:

And if you'd really like to binge, here's a playlist of all 50+ videos:

METCALF SOUTH MEMORIES • TONY SHALHOUB • LS FILMS

STEVE JOBS COSPLAY • STEVE JOBS COSPLAYER • THE ONION

REDBOX • PRINCIPAL ROLE • ONION LABS

TOTINOS • SPEAKING ROLE • ONION LABS

(I'm in the background till the end)

AMERICAN HONEY • FEATURED • ONION LABS

PHILLIPS 66 • Testimonial speaker

MAZUMA CREDIT UNION • MAZUMA MIKE • BYM

I played spokesman Mazuma Mike for Mazuma Credit Union in the Kansas City area from 2014 - 2017.

Here is a short sample reel of clips:

Here's a full playlist of all videos:

MISSOURI LOTTERY • PRINCIPAL • BARKLEY

MISSOURI MAVERICKS • PRINCIPAL • CHARLIE HUSTLE

MEDIACOM • SPEAKING ROLE • SCREENSCAPE STUDIOS

DAIRY QUEEN • SPEAKING ROLE • TALENT PARTNERS

HELZBERG/SAMSUNG • FEATURED ROLE • EJ4

AMERICAN ADVERTISING AWARDS • CO-HOST • BIC MEDIA

5 POINTS PROMO • SPEAKING ROLE • HALLMARK

CORPORATE TRAINING VIDEOS • PRESENTER • EJ4

SEDGWICK • SPEAKING ROLE • ILLUMINA FILMWORKS

SCOTT GALIGER LAW • SPOKESPERSON • Watrach Multimedia

Watrach Multimedia in Chicago produced two animated spots for this North Carolina lawfirm.

"SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS"

"WORKER'S COMP"

Gann Asphalt & Concrete • Sidewalk/Pothole • sound & shadow

HALLMARK • VALENTINE'S DAY SLOTH

HALLMARK • KITCHEN SNOWMAN

HALLMARK • Freshey the snowman

"Get jolly in the john with Freshy the Snowman! Freshy cracks jokes when you get near. Freshy the Snowman sings an assortment of phrases such as, "Holiday joy is in the air! Sniff, sniff. And it's not alone!" and "Happy Holidays to my #1 favorite visitor! Or maybe you're #2 this time?" - Amazon Listing

So, it's a snowman that makes poop jokes when you walk into the bathroom. I've made it, ma. I've made it.

CATEGO • FAST CAT • EVOLUTION AUDIO

SPORTING KC • MC • LIQUID 9

HALLMARK • MICHIGAN J. FROG

SEE PRODUCT LISTING / HEAR RECORDING

THE BALLAD OF LEFTY & CRABBE • ENSEMBLE • UNDERSCORE THEATRE CO

The Understudy, Chicago - 2019

"Ben Auxier is magnetic and powerful as Mac Lloyd." - Karen Topham, Chicago On Stage

"We meet so many notable characters and performers it’s hard to list them all – but megaphone-wielding movie director Mac Lloyd (he’s co-author Ben Auxier) is a blast" - Bill Esler, Buzz Center Stage

This Production Received a Jeff Awards Recommendation

The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe is a vaudevillian musical comedy I co-wrote with collaborators Brian HUther, Seth Macchi, and Ryan McCall. For lots more information, visit leftyandcrabbe.com

Photo by Evan Hanover

AMADEUS • MOZART • THEATREWORKS

THEATREWORKS, Colorado Springs - 2018

Below is the audio from a promotional interview Mark Robbins and I did on local station KCWE.

Click the image below to see a full gallery by Isaiah Downing.

Just a local announcement for the show here.

THE BALLAD OF LEFTY

AND CRABBE • MAC LLOYD • GREENHOUSE THEATRE CENTER

We were thrilled and proud to be nominated for, and receive, several awards at the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival.

MILKING CHRISTMAS • KRAMP/MOLE • THE LIVING ROOM THEATRE

"The standouts in the cast are the comedic players who take on several roles, particularly Nellie Maple, Mike Ott, and Ben Auxier, who turn in guffaw-inducing performances." - Jason Epperson, Perform Ink

I co-wrote and performed this original musical comedy which premiered at The Living Room Theatre in Kansas City in 2017. It became their highest selling show on record. Check out my blog post on it for more information.

Promotional photo by Brian Paulette. Click to see a full performance gallery by Leah Gunn.

DINNER DETECTIVE • COMPANY MEMBER • CLEARLY CONFUSED LLC

I've been performing with this interactive murder mystery dinner theatre show for several years now. I'm on the cast list for both their Kansas City and Chicago franchises, and perform in both depending on my location and availability at the time. Check out their website for more informaton.

SHEARWATER • BEN • THE LIVING ROOM THEATRE

"Auxier, a comic writer and actor, is a pleasure to watch, his nuanced performance infused with humor, sheepishness and sensitivity." - Deborah Hirsch, The Pitch

"Auxier brings real weight and compassion to his scenes with Esther, particularly in the second act." - Marie Warner, PerformInk

Click the image to see a full gallery by Brian Paulette.

THE AFRICAN COMPANY PRESENTS RICHARD III • PRICE • BLACK REPRATORY THEATRE OF KANSAS CITY

TWELFTH NIGHT • SEBASTIAN • HEART OF AMERICA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

JUNK • GABE • THE LIVING ROOM THEATRE

Photos and more information on The Living Room's website.

KING LEAR • OSWALD • HEART OF AMERICA SHAKESPEARE

The only picture of me as Oswald; backstage on a laptop, looking exceptionally intense about something. Click the image for a very cool backstage album by Brian Paulette.

MERCHANT OF VENICE • LORENZO • HEART OF AMERICA SHAKESPEARE

EURYDICE • LOUD STONE • THE LIVING ROOM THEATRE

"Then there’s a Greek chorus called the Stones — Zachary Parker, Ben Auxier and Dianne Yvette...Each actor has a distinct take, and collectively they’re hilarious." - Robert Trussell, The Kansas City Star

READ MORE ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION ON THE LIVING ROOM'S WEBSITE

COLUMBUS DAY • JOSH • THE LIVING ROOM THEATRE

"The classroom scenes, which are staged as a series of vignettes, are grimly comic, thanks to Auxier’s memorable performance as Josh...[his] deadpan monologues are a highlight of the production. - Robert Trussell, The Kansas City Star

"Auxier gives a dynamic performance, delivering his lines with force and a reality that in today's society is a little frightful." - Steve Wilson, Broadway World

"The play effectively ends with a somber final monologue from Auxier, an exquisite moment handled with gut-punching restraint." - Liz Cook, The Pitch

Click the image to see a full gallery by Brian Paulette

Summary and more information on The Living Room's website.

A WINTER'S TALE • CLEOMENES • HEART OF AMERICA SHAKESPEARE

THE MURDER MYSTERY CO. • COMPANY MEMBER • MM

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS • SIR GUY • THEATRE FOR YOUNG AMERICA

THE MISTAKES MADELINE MADE • BUDDY • THE LIVING ROOM THEATRE

"The chemistry between Auxier and Fennewald is realistic and feels genuine...Auxier has to perform a dramatic role in a mostly comic show, and is quite powerful." - Lindsay Adams, UMKC University News

AS YOU LIKE IT • SIR OLIVER MARTEXT • HEART OF AMERICA SHAKESPEARE

ROMEO AND JULIET TO GO! • (VARIOUS) • HEART OF AMERICA SHAKESPEARE

Romeo and Juliet To Go was a heavily condenced, multi-track version of the play designed by The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival to be taken to schools, libraries, and more around the Kansas City area. I performed the show periodically from 2013 - 2015, playing (in differing combinations) Tybalt, Friar Lawrence, Sampson, Balthasar, Benvolio, and Servant.

MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM • STARVELING • HEART OF AMERICA SHAKESPEARE

Backstage photo gallery by Brian Paulette.

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA • SCARUS/DERCETUS • HEART OF AMERICA SHAKESPEARE

Backstage photo gallery by Brian Paulette.

TRIPLE PLAY II • MR. MCGREGOR • THEATRE FOR YOUNG AMERICA

NATE THE GREAT • OLIVER • THEATRE FOR YOUNG AMERICA

MILKING CHRISTMAS (MUSICAL COMEDY)

Milking Christmas is a holiday musical comedy that premiered at The Living Room Theatre in Kansas City in December of 2017, where it became their highest selling show to date.

"Ben Auxier, Brian Huther, Seth Macchi (collectively Friend Dog Studios) and Ryan McCall have penned a clever new hero-saves-Christmas tale with sharp original music, caustic humor, and a wholly original plot...Judging by the audience reaction, MILKING CHRISTMAS should become an annual holiday tradition, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes a favorite in cities across the country. - Jason Epperson, PerformInk

"So chalk up another original musical that deserves a future. The creators and the group of actors they’ve attracted for this and their previous show are formidably talented. I’m eager to see what they’ll do next." - Robert Trussell, KC Studio

"The story is fresh, delightfully funny, well-scripted, chock full of interesting characters, and some new, creative songs penned by the playwrights and orchestrated by their newest partner in crime, Ryan McCall." - Bob Evans, KC Applauds

Click to see a full performance gallery by Leah Gunn.

Music by Brian Huther, Ben Auxier & Ryan McCall

Lyrics and book by Brian Huther, Ben Auxier, and Seth Macchi, with story consulting by Ryan McCall

KISS & TAIL (COMEDIC PLAY)

Kiss & Tail is an educational play/sketch review produced annually by The Kansas City Zoo. Performed around Valentine's Day, the show explains, enacts, and riffs on some of the weirder mating habits of the animal kingdom. My writing partner Brian Huther and I have scripted new versions each year from 2015-2018.

The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe (MUSICAL COMEDY)

The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe is a musical comedy following the adventures and struggles of a down-on-their-luck duo act during the death of Vaudeville and the rise of motion pictures. It began as a one hour KC Fringe Festival musical in 2015 (where it received a "Best of the Fest" designation), was revised into a full-length two act that premiered at The Living Room Theatre in Kansas City in 2017, and won several awards including Best of the Fest for its run at the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival in 2018.

"It is hard to imagine anyone not being smitten by it; it is just the type of show that you can imagine endearing itself like Hand to God or Avenue Q to an Off-Off-Broadway audience as it works its way into the hearts of investor angels. Smartly written and played with boundless verve..." - Bill Esler, Buzz Center Stage

"This lightning-paced little musical is as clever, slick and entertaining as anything you’ll ever see...it’s so good! It’s funny, and yet the story has considerable pathos." - Colin Douglas, Chicago Theatre Review

"The whole thing is an absolute joy...[an] exuberant, well-crafted, hilarious show" - Karen Topham, Chicago on Stage

"[The show takes] old-timey charm, adds the sharp humor of Friend Dog Studios’ Ben Auxier, Brian Huther and Seth Macchi, and serves up a musical comedy that feels both familiar and zeitgeisty." - Christine Pivovar, The Kansas City Star

"The show’s strongest elements are its vintage sight gags and machine-gun word play...the heartfelt performances and unbridled silliness add up to an affectionate evening of escapism." - Liz Cook, The Pitch

"This show is entertainment plus from opening to final curtain. The dialog is tight. The dances are appropriate. The songs are good. The various characterizations (many of which repeat) are distinct and funny...Playwrights Ben Auxier, Brian Huther, and Seth Macchi have put together an absolutely enjoyable evening at the theater." - Alan Portner, Broadway World

"...so damned clever. The dialogue is crisp and rhythmic. The songs are seductive and heartfelt. Eccentric characters populate the stage... There’s also a semi-serious commentary on the artificiality of film versus the real human connections in live performance. When movies became the dominant popular art form, the show implies, we lost something vital." - Robert Trussell, KC Studio

"Guaranteed to knock-the-socks-off, the show tickles the funny bone from the opening notes of the score...Overall, “The Ballad of Lefty and Crabbe” spells hit in capital letters." - Bob Evans, KC Applauds

Jeff Awards Recommended, Chicago 2019

Winner: Best of the Fest, Best Book. Nominee: Most Promising Musical, Best Lyrics, Best Music - The Chicago Musical Theatre Festival

2017 PREMIERE AT THE LIVING ROOM THEATRE:

2018 CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL PRODUCTION:

Music and lyrics by Ben Auxier and Brian Huther. Additional music by Ryan McCall.

Book by Brian Huther, Ben Auxier, and Seth Macchi

Along the Line (ONE MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL)

Along the Line is a new play festival produced by KC's Heidi Van. It serves as a sort of sample of a moment in time - with 75 plays (1 minute or less apiece) showcasing thoughts, hopes, fears, messages, and jokes from the minds of a large cross-section of writers. I've been very happy to contribute to a couple of these festivals!

THE ROUGH & THe Precious (SKETCH REVUE)

The Rough & the Precious is an independantly produced sketch revue written and performed by Michelle Leatherby, Molly Kessler, Brian Huther, and myself. It premiered at The Blackout Cabaret Theatre at The Second City in 2017.

We shot and produced "ScienceLite," one of the sketches from the show:

I'M GOING TO LOVE YOUR NEW BOYFRIEND (MUSIC VIDEO)

My writing partner and I co-wrote the treatment and outline for the music video "I'm Going to Love Your New Boyfriend" by The Sexy Accident. I played the lead role and Brian directed, working closely with director of photography Morgan Cooper and his crew.

Morgan put together a cool behind the scenes video:

NO SLEEP NOVEMBER 2016 (SHORT PLAY FEST)

No Sleep November is a 24-hour short play festival produced annually in Kansas City. In 2016, I was one of the six featured playwrights, as well as MC of the event. My 10 minute play Mason, a frantic little comedy, was well-received, despite the challenges I gave my actors with floods of entirely too much rapid-fire dialogue to get down pat overnight. Lesson learned!

BLANK IS YOUR BLANK (WEB SERIES)

"Blank is Your Blank" was a comedy web series commissioned by Defy Media for break.com. The show centered around lip-syncing various odd celebrity sound clips, and was based off a viral video that my partners Brian Huther, Seth Macchi, and I had created in 2015. We worked on several episodes, but, as often happens with these things, it was ultimately dropped before publication.

DID YOU KNOW - VIDEO (WEB SERIES)

"Did You Know - Video" is an infotainment web series commissioned by Everhance for their popular brand "Did You Know?" Brian Huther and I wrote, edited, and co-hosted, with occasional guest host Ellen Kirk. The youtube hits were small, but the facebook presence has been sizeable (DYK has a following of several million and growing), occasionally receiving large boosts from shares on massively popular pages such as George Takei. A live game show variation was also streamed a couple of times.

After 24 scripted episodes, the show went on indefinite hiatus, and is likely done, but we're in ongoing talks with Everhance for potential new projects. Below is a full playlist.

HACKS (DARK COMEDY PLAY)

HACKS (or, H4CKS) is an R-rated dark comedy play which premiered at the Kansas City Fringe Festival in 2016, where it received a Best of Fringe distinction. The 4-person piece tells the story of two basement-dwelling adult brothers who find that their reckless use of the internet has led to the accidental start of a cult.

As of this update in May of 2018, we are revising the piece in preperation for a table read, and exploring opportunities for production in Chicago.

"Word to the wise: enter at your own risk. Fits of laughter engulf the audience as three of the most brilliant and creative comic minds in Kansas City combine their off-beat random thoughts into one of the funniest entries into the Kansas City Fringe Festival in several years." - Bob Evans, KCfringe.org

SEE MORE HERE.

FRIEND DOG STUDIOS (SKETCH SERIES)

Friend Dog Studios is an online sketch series produced by myself and collaborators Brian Huther and Seth Macchi. We don't release frequently these days due to all of us being busy with various other projects, but we still occasionally put out a new episode, and at this point we've amassed quite a back catelogue with 50+ videos. I think I've written or at least consulted on just about every one of them. The style and themes are highly ecclectic, but our group sensibility tends to consistently produce bits that are simultaniously clever and dumb as hell.

The success of these creations has ranged from niche comedy enjoyed by a few hundred, to occasional viral hits that rack up tens of millions of views across all platforms. Below is a collection of a few of our bigger successes and/or personal favorites:

And if you'd really like to binge, here's everything:

SLANT: A LIVING HISTORY (PLAY)

Slant: A Living History is a play featuring a series of often (but not always) comedic vignettes depicting various episodes of the rich history of Kansas City. Produced by KC historical society Squeezebox, the show received a single run but is (as of May 2018) in talks for a revision/revival.

I was originally hired onto the project solely as a performer, but became a contributing writer and editor as the development proccess went on.

DR. ANTONIO'S MIRACLE TONIC PARADE (NOVELTY MUSICAL COMEDY)

I'll be honest, I'm not super sure how to describe this one. Three men, dressed in Mormon-esque outfits, take the stage and proceed to beam at you about their leader Dr. Antonio, his miraculous tonics, and the wonderful life you can have if you drop everything and join the caravan. Through a series of folk songs, we piece together that this is very much a cult.

As with the majority of things on this section of my resume, I created and performed this show alongside my partners Brian Huther and Seth Macchi. It's not the only time we've riffed on religion, or even cults in particular, but it does have a uniquely bouyant tone to contrast with its dark implications. It's mostly just silliness, and it's dear to my heart. I'm always on the lookout for opportunities to revive it.

FOUNTAIN CITY SKETCH

During my time in Kansas City, I helped create a sketch branch of The KC Improv Company that we dubbed Fountain City Sketch. It began in 2014 and is still, I believe, going strong.

I participated in three different hour-long revues in the varying capacities of writer, head writer, director, actor, and designer. Some of my favorite work both of my own and of collaborators still to this day comes from these shows.

DOG & FRIEND DOG (WEB SERIES)

My writing partner Brian Huther and I wrote, produced, and starred in (with help from our friend Seth Macchi) four episodes of this comedic web series; a surreal and highly fictionalized version of our own struggle as creatives. Full playlist below.

DOG & FRIEND DOG SINGS SONGS AT YOU (NOVELTY MUSICAL COMEDY)

Dog & Friend Dog Sings Songs at You is a novelty music act featuring a variety of prepared, or occasionally improvised, comedic songs. The subjects range from ballads about blacking out to lullabyes for the insomniac to a School House Rock tune about logical fallacies. To be honest I can't quite remember how many times we've performed it, but we're always on the lookout for more opportunities to do so.

THE LIVING ROOM THEATRE (MARKETING WORK)

The Living Room is an innovative storefront theatre company in Kansas City which specialized in new works by local artists. I've worked with them for years in several capacities, including as their marketing director / social media manager.

As a one-man-marketing-band, my duties included the writing of marketing materials, press releases and, and ad copy, as well as graphic design, social media management, and the creation of promotional videos.

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PRESTIO (VIDEO AD)

My writing partner Brian Huther and I wrote and developed a long-form web ad for tech startup Prestio.com in September of 2018. We were brought on specifically to find a comedic angle that would retain audience attention for the three to four minutes required for the new company to fully introduce themselves to the market as part of their official launch.

MAZUMA CREDIT UNION (LONG-TERM AD CAMPAIGN)

"Mazuma Mike" was an advertising campaign for Mazuma Credit Union that ran from April 2014 - December 2017. Mazuma, a company with branches all over the Kansas City area, created the spokesman character through their creative firm BYM, and launched ads featuring Mike as part of a larger brand renovation.

I auditioned for the role sometime in early 2017. Lucky for me, they thought I fit the bill and we shot the first two TV ads in March.

Over the next four years, Mazuma Mike had TV, radio, and print ads, lots of novelty web videos, outreach appearances, in-branch displays, and a very active facebook page. On set, lots of the content was improvised or collaboratively generated; producer Jeff Birnbaum always made me feel very comfortable about contributing as many ideas as I could. Soon I was working seperate billable hours writing content, including some scripting and a monthly joke packet for Mike's social media.

The campaign (which apparently won several industry awards) officially came to an end at the close of 2017. Unfortunately I didn't have the foresight to loot Mike's social media accounts before they were closed down, but all the video content is still up and available on the playlist below. Thanks to the entire team at Mazuma and BYM. It was an incredible ride!

THE KC IMPROV COMPANY

I worked in several capacities during my time with The KC Improv Company. While I was Artistic Director, I had a large hand in how the shows were marketed, including often whipping up graphics for our events. A random sampling of some of that is below.

PERSONAL PROJECT MARKETING

As any starving artist knows, you've gotta be your own biggest advocate. Creating marketing content and strategies for my comedy shows, plays, etc, has taught me a lot about doing what you can with a little. Here's a few random samples of my work in that realm.

EJ4 (INFORMATIONAL VIDEOS)

EJ4 produces educational and informational videos for a variety of clients, utilizing presenters and motion graphics. In addition to being one of these presenters, I've also done some punch-up work on scripts that needed a more comedic voice.

RIFF: CHICAGO'S MUSIC IMPROV PARTY • iO CHICAGO

THE PRIMARY • CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY THEATRE

POEssession • ANNOYANCE THEATRE

MUSIC IMPROV NIGHT • MCL

Music Improv Night (or "MINt") is a long-running Chicago program featuring weekly performances of a variety of music-based improv formats. I was part of their 2017 season where I played with the team The Lion, The Mint, and the Wardrobe coached by Ryan Cashman. Performances that year were held at the (now closed) MCL theatre.

BREAKSPEARE (IMPROVISED SHAKESPEARE)

Breakspeare is a little tricky to describe. The format is this: three performers do a series of scenes. Each is based on a genre (or director) of film or television. Within the scenes, one actor speaks in contemporary American English (or a variation if called for by the genre) while the other two speak a Shakespearean dialect. It is maybe the most difficult improv I've ever done, and I'm including just straight-up improvised Shakespearean plays in that ranking. It's a hot mess and it's unbelievably fun.

The troupe was originated in Kansas City by Tim Marks, Dave Martin, and myself. Since I moved away Kate Haugan has joined the group, and each show we play features some three out of the four of us. Breakspeare has performed at The Kansas City Improv Festival and Palm Beach Improv Festival.

THE KC IMPROV COMPANY

The KC Improv Company has been voted Best Improv/Sketch in Kansas City by Pitch Magazine for four years in a row. I was honored to be a part of their ranks, serving as performer, producer, format director, teacher, and finally as Artistic Director; stepping down only in order to make my move to Chicago.

In my time as Artistic Director I oversaw a cast of about 35 producing 5-8 shows with various formats each week. From Shakespeare to musicals to murder mysteries to good old fashioned short form, Harolds, and sketch, the KC Improv Company is committed to bringing its audience a creative range of entertainment.

Pictured below are just a handful of the cast members from my time with the troupe.

DOG & FRIEND DOG

Dog & Friend Dog is the improv duo of myself and my writing partner Brian Huther. We started performing together in Kansas City in 2014 where our ultra-quick and absurd "Gamebox" format earned us 5 consecutive wins at the Underground Throwdown comedy competition at the Kick Comedy Theater. In the years since we've gone on to experiment with several formats, often incorporating music, crowd work, multimedia, physical props, or anything else we think we probably shouldn't do in an improv show. We're both currently living in Chicago.

We did dozens of shows back in KC and have also performed at DuoFest in Philedelphia and as guests at Second City. Other invitations have included the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival and the San Fransico Improv Fest, but we couldn't go to those because Brian had "a thing" or whatever.

We produced a semi-autobiographical* web series called Dog & Friend Dog, which paved the way for our full fledged comedy channel Friend Dog Studios, run by us and Seth Macchi.

*Lies.

BUSINESS OF OTTERS

Business of Otters is a troupe of four college buds (Andy Perkins, Ben Auxier, Joshua Gleeson, and Michael Hudgens) gleefully doping around in what we call "basement-prov," a style in which anything goes as long as its playful and fun. We were the first troupe ever to become 2-time winners of the Improv Thunderdome competition in Kansas City, and has performed at multiple festivals around the country. So. Yanno. Kind of a big deal, MOM.

FESTIVALS/COMPETITIONS

PERFORMANCES:

The KC Improv Festival (various years) • Dog & Friend Dog, The KC Improv Company, Business of Otters, Breakspeare

DuoFest (Philadelphia) • Dog & Friend Dog

Palm Beach Improv Festival • Breakspeare

INVITATIONS (for "Dog & Friend Dog"):

Out of Bounds Comedy Festival (Austen)

San Fransisco Improv Festival

Trill Comedy Festival (Houston)

COMPETITION WINS:

Underground Throwdown (Kansas City) • Dog & Friend Dog • 5 Consecutive Wins

Improv Thunderdome (Kansas City) • Business of Otters • 2 Wins

CYT National Improvathon (Various cities) • 1 win as performer, 3 as coach

FESTIVAL THEATRE

Along the Line Playwriting Festival (2018) • Writer • The Fishtank Theatre

The Mary Scruggs Works by Women Festival (2018) • Actor • The Second City

The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe (2018) • Writer/Actor • The Chicago Musical Theatre Festival • WINNER: Best of the Fest, Best Book, Best Ensemble • NOMINEE: Best Music, Best Lyrics, Most Promising Musical

No Sleep November (2017) • Host/Actor • The Living Room Theatre

HACKS (2016) • Writer/Actor • KC Fringe Festival • WINNER: Best of Fringe

The Table (2016) • Actor • KC Fringe Festival

No Sleep November (2016) • Writer/Host • The Living Room Theatre

(Various Original Plays) (2016) • William Inge Festival

One Minute Play Festival (2015) • Writer • The Fishtank Theatre

No Sleep November (2015) • Actor • The Living Room Theatre

Presto/Script Tease (2015) • Improviser • KC Fringe Festival • WINNER: Best of Fringe

The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe (2015) • Writer/Accompanist • KC Fringe Festival • WINNER: Best of Fringe

No Sleep November (2014) • Actor • The Living Room Theatre

Blue Fish (2014) • Actor • KC Fringe Festival

Bad Auditions (2014) • Actor/Improviser • KC Fringe Festival • WINNER: Best of Fringe

Our Author Died Today (2013) • Actor • KC Fringe Festival

The Foole Monty (2011) • Actor/Improviser • The Kansas City Renaissance Festival

STAGED READINGS

Performing in staged readings, table reads, and cold reads is one of my very favorite things to do. Some examples:

Hamlet: From Page to Stage, a demonstration and exploration of Hamlet's soliloquies with director Ian Wooldridge.

Much Ado About Nothing with the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival

A Touch of the Poet with The Kansas City Actor's Theatre

5+ new works as part of The Living Room Theatre's Writer's Den program

Parody film readings such as Anchorman (Movies! Live, Chicago) and Eternal Sunshine, Finding Nemo, The Usual Suspects, 10 Things I Hate About You, Die Hard, Jurassic Park, and Love, Actually (Stuffed Buffalo Productions, KC)

THEATRICAL DESIGN

I've done at handful of audio and video design for live productions over the years. Including projections for Are You Now or Have You Ever Been by Carlyle Brown at The William Inge Festival (Independence, KS), The Butcher's Son by Vi Nahn Tran at The Greenhouse Theatre Center (Chicago), Finding Nemo and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind at The Buffalo Room (KC), and Our Author Died Today by Erika Baker and Brian Huther at The Living Room Theatre (KC).

Sound design projects include History of the Internet by Michelle Leatherby at The Cornservatory (Chicago), and Fountain City Sketch at the Kick Comedy Theatre (KC).

DIRECTING

I have a handful of directing experience, including Fountain City Sketch at The Kick Comedy Theatre, a music supervisor/assistant director credit for The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe at The Living Room Theatre, and several comedy shorts produced with Friend Dog Studios, including the one below. I have directed only one full length play; a high school production of The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza at my alma mater FCA in Kansas City. The New York Times called it, "please stop asking us to review a high school play, this is your final warning before we take legal action."

PODCASTING/BROADCASTING

My longest-running podcast is the curated improv show For Serious. One host brings in research on a particular question ("What are Dreams?" "How Will the World End?" etc), and the conversation from the topic serves as a jumping off point for various improvised scenes, which are then edited and enhanced in post. There are a total of 31 episodes in this series, 30 of which are in this playlist, or searchable on any podcast platform.

A newer (simpler) endeavour of mine has been Let Me Get This Straight, which is more or less an improvised comedy duo routine with my friend Ryan Hruza, in which I play the straight man. All currently available episodes can be found here, or on any podcasting platform:

I've made guest appearances on two episodes of The Counselor with Keith Curtis, Don't Take Our Word For It with Anna Smith & Havana Mahoney, and Thank You, Internet.

My broadcast radio experience includes several guest hosted episodes of KMBZ Kanss City's drive time Jonathan Weir Show, as well as ongoing work with a company that connects stations around the country to actors for various entertainment segments.

HOST/MC WORK

I've done a bunch of hosting duties. Mainly for improv shows but also festival events, competitions and trivia nights, and The American Advertising Awards in Kansas City. I've also MC'd some weddings, and not to brag, but it worked. They all totally got married.

TEACHING

Here's an overview of the types of classes I've taught with such organizations at The KC Improv Company, Christian Youth Theatre, the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, and Blue Valley School District.

Improv • Beginner - Advanced • Middle School, Teens, and Adults

Sketch Writing/Performance • Beginner - Advanced • Adults

Team Building Workshops • Adults

Video Production • Teens

High School Drama

EXTRA/BACKGROUND WORK

I have done background/extra work for The Goodman Theatre (see blog post), NBC, PBS, and Lucasfilm.

ACADEMIC THEATRE

The following is a list of shows and roles performed as an undergrad while earning my BFA in theatre from Avila University in Kansas City.

JEKYLL & HYDE, MUSICAL • Utterson Avila University

RUMORS • Lenny Ganz

MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM • Oberon/Theseus

FAHRENHEIT 451 • Guy Montag

THE DIVINERS • C.C. Showers

TOMMY • Lover/Chorus

CHICAGO • Fred Casely

CRIMES OF THE HEART • Doc Porter

THE BOYS NEXT DOOR • Barry Klemper

THE CRUCIBLE • Thomas Putnam

WEST SIDE STORY • Lt. Shrank

HAMLET • Claudius

KISS ME KATE • General Howell

GRAPES OF WRATH • Sheriff

SPECIAL SKILLS

I play the piano proficiently, and rhythm and bass guitar a-ok.

I'm very comfortable with improvisation in just about any setting; my improv background is diverse and includes profeciency in such genres as musical and Shakespearean.

I've been shooting and editing video for over a decade now. My skills with the camera itself are decent, and my experience with editing and basic effects work, as well as graphic work, is fairly extensive at this point. Sample reel below.

I can drive, sing, do impressions, pogo-stick for days, and I know upward of one dance move which I will show you if asked nicely.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON MY EDITING/GRAPHIC SERVICES.