Amanda Sisk and Noah
Diamond are the artistic
directors of the NERO FIDDLED
theatre company, and the
authors of the NERO FIDDLED
blog.
They have written, directed, and
performed in all of the NERO
FIDDLED shows: City Under
Siege, Burning Bush: A
Faith-Based Musical, Moral
Value Meal, 400 Years in
Manhattan, and Life After Bush.
Diamond are the artistic
directors of the NERO FIDDLED
theatre company, and the
authors of the NERO FIDDLED
blog.
They have written, directed, and
performed in all of the NERO
FIDDLED shows: City Under
Siege, Burning Bush: A
Faith-Based Musical, Moral
Value Meal, 400 Years in
Manhattan, and Life After Bush.
.
As critics and intellectuals are
constantly reminding us, it's
possible to see political
implications in almost anything.
Political theatre is not a very
specific description. Some
political theatre is allegorical.
Some is metaphorical. And
constantly reminding us, it's
possible to see political
implications in almost anything.
Political theatre is not a very
specific description. Some
political theatre is allegorical.
Some is metaphorical. And
there are even some kinds of
political theatre which do not rhyme with those.
The NERO FIDDLED shows (among which 400 Years in Manhattan is an anomaly)
are literally and specifically about contemporary policy, politics, and politicians. City
Under Siege, Burning Bush, Moral Value Meal, and Life After Bush all deal with the
actions and ideologies of our representatives in Washington, and with the
implications they have for the people who live in this country and on this planet.
This makes the shows sound pretty serious, and in this sense, they are. The shows
are serious because there is nothing more serious than their subject matter. But as
all students of comedy know, the most effective humor always deals with the darkest
themes.
Mel Brooks says:
political theatre which do not rhyme with those.
The NERO FIDDLED shows (among which 400 Years in Manhattan is an anomaly)
are literally and specifically about contemporary policy, politics, and politicians. City
Under Siege, Burning Bush, Moral Value Meal, and Life After Bush all deal with the
actions and ideologies of our representatives in Washington, and with the
implications they have for the people who live in this country and on this planet.
This makes the shows sound pretty serious, and in this sense, they are. The shows
are serious because there is nothing more serious than their subject matter. But as
all students of comedy know, the most effective humor always deals with the darkest
themes.
Mel Brooks says:
"The greatest comedy plays against the greatest
tragedy. Comedy is a red rubber ball, and if you throw it
against a soft, funny wall, it will not come back. But if you
throw it against the hard wall of ultimate reality, it will
bounce back and be very lively."
tragedy. Comedy is a red rubber ball, and if you throw it
against a soft, funny wall, it will not come back. But if you
throw it against the hard wall of ultimate reality, it will
bounce back and be very lively."
Like many political artists, we are sometimes accused of "preaching to the choir." We
like the standard response to this criticism -- "That's how you make them sing" -- and
wish we had come up with it ourselves. We don't imagine that right-wing
conservatives are coming to see our shows and then joining the Democratic Party.
We're not doing this because of some delusion that a musical comedy can impact the
electoral map.
What theatre can do is inspire its audience. We want to inspire our audience, through
laughter and outrage, to become more politically informed and involved. Identifying
oneself as a liberal is not enough; we want people who already agree with us to take
the next step: an active role in the shaping of our nation's future. The Bush years have
shown us the frightening fragility of our democracy. The best way to preserve
democracy is by participating in it.
But these high-minded abstractions are hard to take on a Saturday night. So we
deliver them in a package, with as much fidelity to the art and craft of comedy and
song as to the function and welfare of society and government. We'll give you a crowd
of terrified townspeople stalking a creature named Cheney, but not without tackling the
Project for the New American Century; we'll give you former Senator Rick Santorum
proudly cooing over a fetus in a jar, but not without demonstrating the steady and scary
erosion of abortion rights since the passage of Roe v. Wade.
In City Under Siege, Santorum actually exploded on the floor of the 2004 Republican
National Convention. In Moral Value Meal, the Rumsfeld Pentagon's failure to provide
adequate body armor for our troops became a sketch about a narrow strip of foil. In
Burning Bush, the title character is crucified, and then his carcass is eaten by Dick
Cheney, and we could not be more serious.
This is not art for art's sake. This is comedy for democracy.
like the standard response to this criticism -- "That's how you make them sing" -- and
wish we had come up with it ourselves. We don't imagine that right-wing
conservatives are coming to see our shows and then joining the Democratic Party.
We're not doing this because of some delusion that a musical comedy can impact the
electoral map.
What theatre can do is inspire its audience. We want to inspire our audience, through
laughter and outrage, to become more politically informed and involved. Identifying
oneself as a liberal is not enough; we want people who already agree with us to take
the next step: an active role in the shaping of our nation's future. The Bush years have
shown us the frightening fragility of our democracy. The best way to preserve
democracy is by participating in it.
But these high-minded abstractions are hard to take on a Saturday night. So we
deliver them in a package, with as much fidelity to the art and craft of comedy and
song as to the function and welfare of society and government. We'll give you a crowd
of terrified townspeople stalking a creature named Cheney, but not without tackling the
Project for the New American Century; we'll give you former Senator Rick Santorum
proudly cooing over a fetus in a jar, but not without demonstrating the steady and scary
erosion of abortion rights since the passage of Roe v. Wade.
In City Under Siege, Santorum actually exploded on the floor of the 2004 Republican
National Convention. In Moral Value Meal, the Rumsfeld Pentagon's failure to provide
adequate body armor for our troops became a sketch about a narrow strip of foil. In
Burning Bush, the title character is crucified, and then his carcass is eaten by Dick
Cheney, and we could not be more serious.
This is not art for art's sake. This is comedy for democracy.
"Against the assault of
laughter, nothing can
stand." -- Mark Twain
laughter, nothing can
stand." -- Mark Twain
Comedy for Democracy
NOAH DIAMOND, prior to NERO FIDDLED, wrote and performed in original plays and
musicals, including Love and Cheese, The Men in Mabel's Life, and Missing Manhattan.
He spent seven years working as a New York City tour guide, and his tour has been
featured on NY1 and Comedy Central. Earlier this year, he published his first book, 400
Years in Manhattan, based on the NERO FIDDLED show of the same name. He was a
founding member of BlogCall, a series of conference calls for political bloggers organized
by Bob Fertik of democrats.com. He blogs about comedy at Noah's Comedy Palace.
AMANDA SISK began her life when she was born and not one second before. She has
been obsessed with politics and theatre ever since. Originally from a small town in
Arkansas, she moved to Memphis, Tennessee as a child, and to New York, her real
hometown, ten years ago. In addition to her work with NERO FIDDLED, Amanda's favorite
roles include Squeaky Fromme in Assassins, Elizabeth in Richard III, and Tecmessa in
Tecmessa. She was a co-founder of Memphis's Lanka Lounge Theatre. Amanda is
dedicated to saving the world, one musical at a time. Follow her campaign at Sisk for
President.
musicals, including Love and Cheese, The Men in Mabel's Life, and Missing Manhattan.
He spent seven years working as a New York City tour guide, and his tour has been
featured on NY1 and Comedy Central. Earlier this year, he published his first book, 400
Years in Manhattan, based on the NERO FIDDLED show of the same name. He was a
founding member of BlogCall, a series of conference calls for political bloggers organized
by Bob Fertik of democrats.com. He blogs about comedy at Noah's Comedy Palace.
AMANDA SISK began her life when she was born and not one second before. She has
been obsessed with politics and theatre ever since. Originally from a small town in
Arkansas, she moved to Memphis, Tennessee as a child, and to New York, her real
hometown, ten years ago. In addition to her work with NERO FIDDLED, Amanda's favorite
roles include Squeaky Fromme in Assassins, Elizabeth in Richard III, and Tecmessa in
Tecmessa. She was a co-founder of Memphis's Lanka Lounge Theatre. Amanda is
dedicated to saving the world, one musical at a time. Follow her campaign at Sisk for
President.
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