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║╔╗║╔╗║╔╣╔╩╗╔╝ ★ NEW YEAR ☆ 2012!!
╚╝╚╩╝╚╩╝╚╝═╚╝ ￥☆★☆★☆￥ ★☆

A heartfelt thank you and happy New Year to all of our family, friends, actors, directors, cast, and crew!  Thanks to you, we had another record-setting attendance record year.  Our biggest success attendance-wise was “Relapse in Wonderland” which had a nightly attendance of rough 270+ folks braving the 40-minute long wait in line.  Similarly, Premature Punchline had over a dozen performances and had about 45 people attend each performance from July to December in Kingsville, Corpus Christi, South Padre Island, and Freer, TX.

But now is the time to look ahead to see what is up next!

[ ONGOING ]

TEXTUAL OVERTURE

“Textual Overture” will be a monthly series of play and monologue readings, poetry, experimental writing pieces, slam poetry, and even acoustic guitar jams at coffee shops in the Coastal Bend area.  For the first time, ZU is putting the audience in the performance spotlight.  Although much of “Textual…” will be scheduled, it will also contain an open-mic portion for any and all attendees to participate, read, or perform.

PREMATURE PUNCHLINE

The madcap chaos that is PrePunch will continue monthly shows in Kingsville and Corpus in 2012.  Expect new games, more skits, and standup.

[ STAGED PRODUCTIONS ]

DOMESTIC INSANITY STANDUP SHOWCASE 2

The first DISS was back in 2004 when ZU was first starting.  This year’s DISS will feature PrePunch’s Mark Pittman, Michael Mendez, Danny Cantu, and a slew of other standup comics. Coming mid-February.

REMNANT MEMORIES: ONE ACTS

“Remnant…” will be performance of 2-3 one act plays set for late March.

ACOUSTICAL

What happens when a depressed acoustic musician gets dumped by his girl (who leaves him for another girl)? Find out in April!

This is just a tentative list of what is in store.  There might be another happening (we can’t announce those), fire-breathing shows, and international performances!  Keep a close eye!

ZU’s latest firebreathing venture, Se7en, was performed at the Fall Carnival on October 19, 2011.  The crew unveiled a new breather, Melissa “Cali” Nikirk, and longtime breather, Verderber successfully set his beard on fire!  Fun all around!

Firebreather #1 – Luis Zaragosa

Firebreather #2 – Melissa “Cali” Nikirk

Firebreather #3 – Michael Verderber

Premature Punchline presents “Welcome Freshmen”

Zero Untitled’s improv comedy troupe continues its wreckless abandon with “Welcome Freshmen.”  The troupe will perform a new show bringing in the new school year; the show will contain some of the best skits and improv games from the entire summer run.  [ ZERO-052 ]

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Se7en: A Firebreathing Showcase

Verderber and Zaragosa will breathe fire for TAMUK’s annual Fall Carnival.  Look out for them walking around the carnival, performance around 9 pm, for ZU’s seventh firebreathing showcase. [ ZERO-053 ]

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Relapse in Wonderland

On the tail of the interactive theatre pieces “Into Hell” and “Madness in Wonderland” comes “Relapse in Wonderland” – the sequel to the highly successful “Madness…”.  This piece will continue the insanity laid forth by the first “Madness…”, this time, however, Alice is back at the Wonderland Ward.  [ ZERO-054 ]

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The Tempest

A staged reading performance in honor of the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s staging of “The Tempest.” [ ZERO-055 ]

* * * * * * * * * * * *

10 Years Later…

Written by Michael Verderber, this short film is ten years in the making.  And long overdue…    [ ZERO-056 ]

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Michael Lee Mendez’s “Loud Smiley”

Standup comedy returns with “Loud Smiley”, Premature Punchline’s Mendez provides his full-length show.  A mix of standup comedy, impersonations and audience-selected improv songs, this show is not to be missed. [ ZERO-057 ]

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Fate of Eights: A Firebreathing Showcase

Even more fire-breathing chaos in ZU’s eighth firebreathing showcase. [ ZERO-058 ]

* * * * * * * * * * * *

S h a t t e r e d   Embers

A one man show currently in development.  This drama explores America’s obsession with the superficial and weighs the penalty of such an infatuation. [ ZERO-059 ]

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Acoustical

Verderber’s romantic comedy about the acoustic musician who fails to strike a chord in the heart of his love interest.  Sometimes nice guys finish last and the helpless romantics are just helpless… [ ZERO-060]

“Amber & Ashes”, ZU’s latest fire-breathing showcase, was performed on March 30 on University Blvd during Texas A&M Univ – Kingsville’s annual Spring Fling bash.

The experimental firebreathing show, “Flight of the Fireflies” will have the second half of its performance on February 18, 2011.

The first half, called “Take Off / The Migration” is themed around insect migration patterns.  That performance occurred on October 28, 2010.  The second phase, “Exit Diapause”, will be performed February 18 at the GATO Convention (video game, anime and comic book convention).  The term “diapause” is defined as the time inwhich insects go into hibernation, before their return migration.

Time of performance is pending.

The first half of 2011 promises to be a busy one for Zero Untitled.  The biggest news is that our 50th show is around the corner!  So for such a large event, we wanted to go with the god of drama, William Shakespeare.  The upcoming calender reads as follows:

ZERO-047       DJ Oringe “Floormatted”

(music video directed by Aaron Martwick)

ZERO-048       A Vague Absence: A Collection of One Acts

“Side Talk” by David Gutierrez, dir. Miguel “Cosmo” Venegas

“Three Hours” by Gabriel Ruiz, dir. Megan Saenz

“A Life with No Joy In It” by David Mamet, dir. Michael Verderber

ZERO-049       [untitled fire-breathing show]

ZERO-050       “The Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare

dir. Michael Verderber

A very tentative schedule for the next few Zero Untitled shows is ready for posting.  Please note that this schedule is VERY tentative in that production space has to be considered as well as scheduling conflicts.  The 2010-2011 season shall continue as follows:

2010

zero-041     DJ Oringe – “Saltie” music video

zero-042     “The Unraveling” M. Verderber

zero-043     [untitled fire-breathing show]

zero-044    “Madness in Wonderland” Lewis Carroll/M. Verderber

2011

zero-045     “A Life with No Joy In It”  David Mamet

                        “All the Beautiful Girls” David Gutierrez

zero-046     [untitled fire show #5]

zero-047     “The Taming of the Shrew” William Shakespeare

This event turned out to be an extremely random happening; “Surprise Flash Bang: A Happening.”  At the Texas A&M University – Kingsville annual Spring Fling, Verderber, Chad Wallace and Barry Berryhill decided to heat up the party by adding a Zero Untitled style twist.   Following a show by a Fire Poi performer, the boys hopped onto the makeshift stage to give THEIR version of what a fire show should look like.  It was all in good fun for all involved.

Firebreather #1 – Chad Wallace

Firebreather #2 – Barry Berryhill

Firebreather #3 – Michael Verderber