Mostly Water Theatre

Mostly Water Theatre is a Canadian Comedy Award nominated, Edmonton-based Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 2005, consisting of comedians Craig Buchert, Elizabeth Ludwig, Jason Ludwig, Matt Stanton, Sam Varteniuk, and Trent Wilkie.[1]

History

Before the troupe formed, Craig Buchert and Matt Stanton were working together doing shows at the Edmonton International Fringe Festival, performing in a company called Soiled Sheets Productions. Meanwhile, Sam Varteniuk and Trent Wilkie were performing around Edmonton (along with Elizabeth Ludwig, Corey Taylor and Amy Neufeld) as Mostly Water Theatre (MWT). In 2005, the two pairs met in Edmonton, as suggested by Elizabeth Ludwig, and began performing regularly as MWT along with Jason Ludwig, who shoots and edits all the digital shorts.

Since then, they have produced several original sketch shows and three plays: "I’m Sticking with Kiefer",[2] "15 Minutes",[3] and "Gargamel".[4] "Kiefer" and sketch show "1UP" were honored by SEE Magazine as two of the Best Plays of 2008.[5]

"Grand Theft Auto for Intellivision", a digital short from "1UP",[6] received recognition from the creators of Intellivision.[7]

In January 2011, their spoof of TLC's programming was featured prominently on The Huffington Post, AOL and Funny or Die.[8]

MWT hosted a variety show – Live at the Roxy! – and currently hosts a bi-monthly showcase of digital shorts for local filmmakers – Metro Shorts.

All members of MWT write for CBC's The Irrelevant Show.[9]

The Irrelevant Show

Mostly Water writes for nationally broadcast The Irrelevant Show on CBC Radio One. Their skit, the "Jane Austen Drinking Game" was a major hit on the show[10] and was described as "a great combination of smart and precise and well-observed, as well as just being loud and foolish."[11]

MWT also performed their love song about a couple living on opposite sides of a city straddling the Alberta-Saskatchewan border called Lloydminster.[12]

In 2009, MWT was nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award for their Irrelevant Show skit called "Witch Smoke."[13]

Mostly Water Live at the Roxy

MWT started producing a set of live variety shows in 2009 called Mostly Water Live at the Roxy.[14] Performed at The Roxy Theatre in Edmonton, the show mixes musical performances, interviews, games, and digital shorts. Past guests include NDP MP Linda Duncan, Mayor of Edmonton Stephen Mandel, and the CBC Radio’s Peter Brown.[15]

Regular features of the variety show included "Name the 80s Sitcom", "Plunko", and a closing musical number performed by MWT.

For the 2010-2011 season of Live @ the Roxy, the show was changed to a more Saturday Night Live format with a guest host, musical guest, and news segment mixed in with live and video sketches.[16]

Metro Shorts

Since 2007, MWT produces a bi-monthly showcase for local filmmakers called Metro Shorts. Filmmakers are asked to submit five-minute digital shorts which are then shown at Metro Cinema in Edmonton, adjudicated by three celebrity judges, and voted on by the audience. The winner of the evening receives a cash prize and the winner of the season receives a grand prize (in 2009, two tickets anywhere WestJet flies.)[17]

Past judges include Dana Andersen, Peter Brown, Dave Clarke, and Davina Stewart.

Awards
Best Short (nominated)

Canadian Comedy Awards, 2018. "Here's Video Game News" written by Matt Stanton, performed by Trent Wilkie and Matt Stanton.[18]

Best Radio Clip (nominated)

Canadian Comedy Awards, 2009. "Witch Smoke" written by Matt Stanton, performed by Mark Meer and Marianne Copithorne.[19]

Variety Shows
May 22, 2010
April 24, 2010
  • Guests: Former Edmonton Councillor Michael Phair, Chris Craddock, James Murdoch (Canadian singer-songwriter)
December 19, 2009
  • Guests: Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel, CBC’s Peter Brown, The Be Arthurs
October 24, 2009

Plays and Sketch Shows

2016
  • 2UP: Second Player [20]

2012
  • Reality Cheque: Live @ the Roxy! (Host: Trevor Schmidt, Music: The Bud and Yolanda Experience) [21]

2011
  • A Ronnie Jimmie Christmas: Live @ the Roxy! (Host: Peter Brown, Music: The Wheat Pool)
  • Gargamel (written by Trent Wilkie)
  • Mostly Water Hockey: Live @ the Roxy! (Host: Mark Meer, Music: F&M)
  • Mostly Water Girl Party: Live @ the Roxy! (Host: Stephanie Wolfe, Music: Ariane Mahryke Lemire)

2010
  • 15 Minutes (written by Sam Varteniuk)
  • A Mostly Water Christmas: Live @ the Roxy! (Host: Chris Craddock, Music: The Wheat Pool)

2009
  • WetWare

2008
  • I’m Sticking with Kiefer (written by Sam Varteniuk)
  • 1UP
  • XXXmas 4: The Re-Gifting

2007
  • Dreamscape Redemption Classes
  • Woah Woah Woah, Hold on a Minute, Wait Just a Second, There’s Way Too Much Butter on That
  • XXXmas 3: Good King WTF

2006
  • How to Not Suck
  • The Science of Funny
  • XXXmas 2: Fa-la-la-la-la La-la-luck Off

2005
  • XXXmas: Silent Night, Holy Shit

See also

References
  1. WetWare Preview
  2. I'm Sticking With Kiefer Preview Archived 2012-11-07 at the Wayback Machine
  3. 15 Minutes Review
  4. Gargamel Preview
  5. SEE’s Best Plays of 2008 Archived February 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  6. "1UP Review". Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
  7. Intellivision Lives: Grand Theft Auto for Intellivision
  8. TLC Spoof on The Huffington Post
  9. "Brown Champions Local Talent". Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
  10. Jane Austen Drinking Game rules
  11. Peter Brown’s Five Rules of Funny Archived 2012-02-24 at the Wayback Machine
  12. SEE 1UP Review Archived 2009-04-18 at the Wayback Machine
  13. "2009 Canadian Comedy Awards Nominees". Archived from the original on 2010-06-25. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
  14. Tis The Season For Variety Archived 2012-03-09 at the Wayback Machine
  15. Mostly Water Enlists MP
  16. Mostly Water Theatre Broadening its Horizons
  17. "Edmonton Journal Metro Digital Shorts". Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
  18. Canadian Comedy Awards Nominations
  19. "Sketches win Comedy Nods". Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
  20. Mostly Water Theatre Website
  21. "Theatre Network Website". Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
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