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ABOUT US
Un-Cabaret is a multi-media company. We produce progressive entertainment, events, information, products, supplies, experiences and run educational seminars and workshops.
As an entertainment company, we believe in bringing together an eclectic mix of wildly-original talent, inspiring their best work, and synthesizing it into a fast-paced, funny, thought-provoking whole. As a social and educational institution, we believe in helping people discover and express their most authentic self in the funniest way possible.
LIVE SHOWS & EVENTS
"Un-Cabaret" began in 1990 as an alternative to vapid mainstream stand-up when Artist/Writer/Activist/Performance Artist-turned-Standup, Beth Lapides took comedy out of the comedy clubs - first to 'perfomance art' venues like the Women's Building and Highways, then to nightclubs like Luna Park and the Knitting Factory, and beyond to Lollapalooza, the Getty Museum, HBO's US Comedy Arts Festival, colleges, clubs and theaters across the country. Beth called the show "Un-Cabaret" because, in contrast to divisive lowbrow stand-up, it set out to be un-homophobic, un-xenophobic, and un-misogynistic. And also it didn't feature any singing or dancing.
The LA Times dubbed Beth the "High Priestess" of a revolution that reclaimed comedy as an art form, making it deep, meaningful, even transcendant, and influenced 'alternative comedy' shows in LA, NY, Austin and Toronto. Expanding beyond the Un-Cabaret, Beth and producing partner Greg Miller have developed other breakthrough live shows including "Say the Word" and "The Other Network", as well as producing new work by Julia Sweeney, Randy & Jason Sklar, Mary Lynn Rajskub, and others.
Un-Cabaret collaborates with other producers, non-profit organizations, cultural centers, schools, companies and other institutions including the Skirball Center, ACLU, Drug Policy Alliance to create special events, benefits, workshops and festivals. E-mail us if you're interested discussing ways we can work together.
WORKSHOPS & OUTREACH
The Other Network TV Writing Contest encourages young writers' originality by getting them feedback from experienced idiosyncratic writers who have cultivated their own voice. Our ongoing Un-Cab Lab Workshops help people unleash their creativity and express themself using Un-Cabaret-style storytelling and are led by Un-Cab creator Beth Lapides and producer Greg Miller.
Beth & Greg have taught Andrea Martin (of "SCTV") and many others who studied at The Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade, Improv Olympics, Second City and other sketch/character schools, and want to try being onstage as themself. They have also worked with writers from "Mad-TV", "King of the Hill", "Undeclared", "Bernie Mac" and other TV shows who felt that they needed to re-connect with their own original voice.
We have been holding these workshops privately cince 2000. Additionally, Beth & Greg have conducted workshops at the Skirball Center, Humber College, Judy Carter's Comedy Workshop, and others. We work with groups, individuals, teams and organizations and can tailor our workshop techniques to your specific needs.
TV, etc.
We Created and Executive Produced a one-hour Un-Cabaret special for Comedy Central, a 7-episode stand-up series for The Recovery Network called "The Sweet Smell of Excess" featuring Margaret Cho, Michael Patrick King, Moon Zappa, and others, and "The Couch" for MTV, an experimental talk show hosted by Beth, featuring John C. Reilly, Andy Dick, Scott Thompson, and Mike Mills. As Talent, Beth has also appeared on "Sex and the City", "Politically Incorrect", CNN and others.
We have consulted on talent and developed TV projects for Comedy Central, Oxygen, Buena Vista TV, Evolution Film & Tape, Stone-Stanley, and the Sci-Fi Channel.
We also have produced a lot of RADIO & AUDIO. Beth is a Commentator for NPR's "All Things Considered", hosted her own live daily talk show, plus over 100 episodes of "Radio Un-Cabaret" for Comedy World. Greg has Produced all of the above, material and pilots for Premiere, NPR and Sirius Satellite Radio, and worked as a journalist for NPR and the CBC.
Un-Cabaret Records has released 3 critically-acclaimed CD's featuring Un-Cabaret live material, and 2 volumes of greatest hits from "Say the Word".
uncabaret.com launched in 1993, and was at the forefront of web design and online community-building. The site was Lycos Top 5% and named Entertainment Weekly Top 10 Sites of the Year in 1997.
Un-Cabaret has been recording shows, events and one-of-a-kind performances since 1994 and the archive is now available at Audible.com
PRINCIPALS
Beth Lapides began her career as an NEA grant-winning Visual & Performance Artist. Her work has been exhibited at museums and galleries and her shows have been presented in NY, London, Los Angeles, Toronto, Glasgow, Boston, etc. In 2004 she had a critically-acclaimed one-person art show at Ghetto Gloss Gallery in LA, where her work (as seen on "Nip/Tuck"!) is available for sale or production rental. Her writing has been published in the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Utne Reader, The Realist, Premiere and others. Her first book, "Did I Wake You?" was published by Soft Skull Press in 2007. Her new show is "How to be 100% Happy (86% of the Time)".
Beth met partner Greg Miller at The Kitchen in the downtown NY art world where he produced shows for Laurie Anderson, Eric Bogosian, Philip Glass, etc. They collaborated on numerous one-person shows including Beth's "First Lady Campaign", a guerilla campaign to make First Lady an elected position - featured on CNN and in People Magazine - before creating the Un-Cabaret and Un-Cabaret Multi-Media.
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