We're On A Boat, Ya'll

The adventure has begun. We are one week into this four month tour, and as a reminder, we'll be blogging on The Union's website. You can access it by clicking HERE.

- Corey and Monique

Less than a week to go!

We started rehearsal this week and so far it's been great! We're having a blast and enjoying just being actors, not actors who also work on the side doing a million other things. Our director is great and the cast is super talented and a lot of fun. Most of us our new to Second City and the ship, so we're all go-ho for anything!

Can't wait for the adventure to continue!

Where did the time go?

Holy crap, it's been a month since we updated this thing! Sorry about that. To be fair, it's been a pretty ridiculous month. As I write this, laundry is in the wash from our trip to Mexico for Josh and Kim's wedding, and once it's out we start packing again for this upcoming Alaskan adventure.

There have been several trips to the storage unit, but most of our stuff is safely stored away. We'll put the last of it in there in a few days, but this week is it. Today and tomorrow are it for the relax and recuperate days, because Monday begins rehearsal week at Second City, concluding on Friday. Then Saturday morning, early morning, we board a flight to Seattle, step on to our new floating home and sail away for four months.

This past week was spent at the amazing El Dorado Royale resort in Mexico. It's located just outside Cancun, and I can't even tell you how incredible it was there. It's an all-inclusive resort, so that means every meal, every drink, every snack, room service, mini bar, bottled water, etc was already paid for. We took a day trip with the group to Chichen Itza and saw some Mayan ruins and had our minds blown. The Mayans were so much smarter than us, it's almost incomprehensible. Also part of that trip included a dip in a cenote, this natural sinkhole with fresh water where people go and swim. It was beautiful and refreshing, and looked like this.

The rest of the trip was relaxing and wonderful. Best of all was the wedding, right on the beach, just before sundown, with a light breeze blowing...it couldn't have been nicer. We took a ton of pictures which we'll post just as soon as possible, but there are more pressing things to attend to first. In fact, the washing machine just buzzed. Time to switch the laundry.

- Corey

New writing gig

Those of you that follow me on Twitter and Facebook know that I'm one of the new contributors for the Schadenfreude website. The critically acclaimed troupe is one of Chicago's longest running sketch groups and very well respected, so I'm super excited that I get to be associated with them. I'll continue to post links to my work on FB and Twitter, but you can also check out all of my pieces by going to my author's page. Make sure to look around the rest of the site too while you're at it.

So far a lot of my stuff has involved Photoshop, which I'm still learning how to use. Hopefully I'll get faster on it and can post stuff more often. I'm gonna have a lot of down time on that ship!

- Monique

A little cheesy, but fun list

Items on Lionel Richie's Shopping List

A Ballerina Grill

One tube of ‘Stuck on Glue’

One pair of Endless Gloves

An all night Bong

A bottle of Say you, Sesame oil

Some Penny Loafers

Monique Madrid Talent Knowledge

Another rejected List

Another rejected McSweeney's submission. I think they recently had something like this...


Hairstyling Terms That Make You Think of Sex

Shag
Finger Wave
Part
Bun
Blowout


- Mo

The Union gets a new website

Hey everybody -

Just a quick update. The Union has a new website. Please update your bookmarks and web browsers. Point your stuff over here:

The Union

Go there to find out all things regarding The Union. There's links to photos, videos, a blog, other info, etc.

While we're talking about The Union, you might note that our date with Messing With A Friend has been updated to March 25th at 10:30pm at The Annoyance Theater. We'll also be performing in April as the opener for the improv supergroup The Reckoning at iO. See the Upcoming Shows area in the right column for details!

- Corey and Mo

They can't all make it into McSweeney's

Earlier this year I achieved one of my goals of being published on McSweeney's Lists with "Other Halls and Oates" I'm continuing to write in hopes of getting more on 'Lists.'

Well, not everything is going to make it, so I thought I'd share my most recent submission which was ironically rejected. Oh well, these are still fun to write!
- Monique

Sitcom Titles Rejected Because They Were A Little Too Real

No FRIENDS

How I met your mother and then lost her to breast cancer

The Big Bong Theory

The Braiding Bunch

Bad Karma & Greg

I Love Loose Tea

Charles Manson in Charge

Charles Barkley in Charge

Boy meets World, World unimpressed

Different Strokes that grandma had

Buried with Children

The Fraud Couple

The Flawed Couple

Who’s Line is it at the DMV?

Not ready for a Family Guy

Sabrina, the Teenage Bitch

Busy January!

Pete was asking for a SketchFest update, plus it's been a while since the last post, so here you go.

SketchFest update: We had a blast at SketchFest! Our show went real well, and was very well received by the audience. I was pleasantly surprised by the numbers the house, too, what with it being a Sunday afternoon on the final day of the festival. Thank you very much to everyone who came out to see us. Additionally, being a part of this festival was a major goal for us, and its nice to be able to check that off our imaginary list. The best part of being accepted into this Fest is the opportunity to see the other shows (for free!). We were lucky enough to catch some great shows by groups like The Tim and Micah Project, Last Call Cleveland, Team Submarine, Best Church of God, Off Off Broadzway...just to name a few. Very fun, and very inspiring stuff.

In addition to that, Mo and I have been having a real busy January. Since we got back from our Vegas trip, there have been lots of shows, a trip back to KC for cousin Margo's Bat Mitzvah, a few commercial auditions, and coming up a couple of real fun performances from The Union at the end of the month. One will be as guests on our friends Jamie and Becky's show "Montgomery and Cooke", the other will be doing some improv with our friend and improv legend Susan on her show "Messing With A Friend"*.

- Corey


* Date of "Messing With A Friend" show subject to change. Susan broke her ankle. This show is subject to being postponed. We'll let you know. Stupid ice.

The Union Goes To Vegas

Come see The Union at Chicago SketchFest on Sunday, January 17th at 2:30pm. The show is at the Theater Building,1225 W. Belmont. Call 773.327.5252 for tickets. For more info, click here.

The Union - Top Pick!

The Union is a top pick for Chicago Sketchfest! Check it out - Cheeky

If you missed us on this last run, come check us out in our 'Best of' showcase. Sunday, January 17th at 2:30pm in the north theater at the Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 W. Belmont.

Pass the word along!

Comedy updates

We continue to stay busy. Besides our regular Laugh Out Loud improv shows, we're also traveling to do holiday shows and enjoying attending some as well. We're also both starting to go on more commercial auditions. Corey's actually booked a couple! If you live anywhere that has a Firestone store, you might see him pop up in a commercial as "Donut guy." If you live in Chicago, you'll be lucky enough to see him this Spring in a commercial for a local costume store as the store manager. I'm getting closer and closer to booking, but haven't quite yet. It just takes perseverance. In fact the statistics show that you only book one in every 27 auditions, so I figure it's just a matter of time.

We're also very excited that The Union was accepted into the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival! We're looking forward to being a part of the biggest sketch festival in the country and spend two weeks saturated by sketch comedy from Chicago and around the country. Our showcase will be on Jan 17th at 2:30pm. So for those of you who said you couldn't see our last run because it was too late, now you have no excuse because we're performing in a matinee. We'll let everyone know more details as it gets closer.

I started writing headline jokes for the "This Just In" iLarious iPhone app. Of course Corey had to copy me (kidding) and recently started writing for them, too. If you have an iPhone, download the app so you can get current event jokes written by us, a couple of stand-up comedian friends of ours (Dan Telfer & Bryan Bowden), and even famous writers from shows like Craig Ferguson, "The Daily Show" and "The Onion." Plus, the more people that purchase the app, the more money we make.

Otherwise my trapeze lessons are continuing and I'm going to start learning how to play guitar as well as work on doing stand up myself and continueing writing scripts. It's all a part of my "turning 30 next year, bucket list." Hey, whatever it takes to get me moving!

- Mo

Fall Fun!

We've really lucked out with good weather so far this fall. And since we know it'll get crappy soon enough, we're making sure to take advantage of it. Somehow we keep ending up in Wisconsin. A couple of weeks ago we spent the day in Kenosha at "Elegant Farms," picking apples.

We went on a hay ride, shopped in the Ye Old Shoppe and climbed trees! Not only do you get to eat as many apples as you want, you get a sugar cookie before you go home. Corey and I brought home a peck of apples, with 4 different types. We baked two pies and have since kept the doctor away by eating an apple everyday. We still have a bunch left!















































Then this weekend, we got up at 6:30am to drive an hour and a half with friends to Mukwonago, Wisconsin just to get breakfast at Franks Diner (as seen on Diners Drive-ins and Dives) where we stuffed ourselves with the Garbage plate and French toast made with homemade bread. The restaurant is a tiny, packed train car turned diner. If you don't have a seat, you literally standing in the aisle and get yelled out by the waitstaff. Luckily getting there early helped us beat the rush and we got a seat right away.

But that's not the end of our Wisconsin travels. We're heading back up there in a couple weeks to celebrate a friends birthday by spending the weekend in a cabin, hanging out and enjoying the fire pit. Sometimes it's nice to do fun, non performance stuff.

The Pinata

Last summer we wrote a short film. It started out as a sketch for a show we were helping to write, and when it didn't quite fit into that show, we decided to extend it and film our first short movie. Thankfully we had wonderful friends willing to help us make it. Though it took a while to finally finish, we're proud to present "The Pinata." Please check it out and if you like it, pass it along!



Also, don't forget: our last show of the run "A Very Civil War" is this Thursday 10/8 at 10:30pm at Second City's Donny's Skybox.

See you there!
Monique and Corey (The Union)

Marriage Counseling part 3

Hey kids, the third and final installment of our Marriage Counseling videos is up (be sure to watch it all the way through). We have just two more performances of The Union - A Very Civil War at Donny's Skybox, tonight is one of them. The show is at 10:30pm and we'd love to see you there!

Corey and Mo

So what are we doing besides 'The Union'?

Of course our show "The Union: A Very Civil War" has been the main thing we've been talking about lately (if you haven't seen it yet, please check it out. Only two more chances!), but per usual we are busy with lots of other stuff.

Corey is directing a Triple Feature show. These are twenty minute shows that go up as part of a series at The Annoyance Theater. This one is called "Cougars." It's a fun, campy musical written by our friend Gillian. She's even written a part for me, the spicy Latina. I know... quite the stretch. You can see it on Wednesdays at 8pm Oct 28th and Nov 4th.

We're of course doing our regular Laugh Out Loud shows in Schaumburg. Corey has been traveling a lot with them. My crazy busy wedding schedule makes it tough for me to do the away shows, but there are other fun new shows going up. The theater is adding Thursday night shows including a musical improv show (which I'm directing).

Corey and I are both focusing more on trying to book commercial work. I have two new agents! Corey is meeting with a new one next week and we're both being sent out on more auditions.

I'm also the new writer for Best Church of God, a hit satire show. I'm extremely proud to be part of this group. I first saw the show last year and the critics are right, it's HILARIOUS. It's a little creepy how accurate it portrays this parody of a church. I knew I had to be a part of it. Initially I'm going to be focusing on writing web content, but may expand out more from there. Here are a few of the articles I've written that have already gone up.

Global Warming is Cool

Top Ten Reasons to Home school your Kids

Monica shares how Christ made her skinny!
Make sure to sign up for the 'Weekly Word' and follow us on Twitter. And of course, come see a show!

- Monique

Marriage Counseling pt2

Check out The Union's new video. Then come see the show tomorrow, Thursday 10:30pm at Donny's Skybox.

The Union - A Very Civil War

Our sketch group, The Union, has a show opening at Donny's Skybox at Second City. It's on Thursday nights at 10:30pm, starting this coming Thursday, September 10th and running for 5 weeks, through October 8th. This show is directed by our friend (and Jeff nominated!) Amanda Blake Davis, who you may recognize from the Second City e.t.c. stage. We think this show's pretty funny and we'd love it if you can make it.

We've also made some short videos to help promote the show, and the first one is posted below. Tell your friends and pass it around. Let's make this thing viral!

- Corey and Mo

The Union is working hard!

Less than two weeeks until opening night of "The Union: A Very Civil War" at Second City's Donny's Skybox! We haven't posted as much lately because we've been busy working hard on sketches, videos and posters!

Plus, The Union was interviewed by Cheeky Chicago and you can read all about it here!

Keep checking back here, as we will be posting new stuff soon!

- The Union