There’s probably no city in America with a more likely audience for Jimmy Fowlie’s “Go Go Boy Interrupted” than West Hollywood. WeHo is, after all, where go go dancing got its start (albeit with girls at Whisky A Go Go in the 1960s). And West Hollywood is the only city in America where the local government cosponsors an annual Go Go Festival (which, given that 40 percent of the city’s population is made up of gay men, features an all-male cast).
Fowlie, who has been involved in television and internet comedies such as The Joe Schmo Show, CollegeHumor Originals and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is an alum of the Sunday Company at The Groundlings, the famed improvisational and sketch comedy troupe and school. Go Go Boy Interrupted, which he wrote and in which he will play the leading role, will be staged at The Groundlings, 7307 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, on June 30. (The video posted above is a teaser.)
It’s the story of a go go boy named Danny Carter, who at 30 finds himself aged out of his profession. Having spent the past decade dancing at LA’s hottest club, Carter must embark on a quest to find his “purpose.” But he discovers he has no skills after spending 12 years blacked out, doing body rolls on a box.
The concept for Go-Go Boy Interrupted was born out of Fowlie’s time as a go-go dancer while he pursued his BFA in Acting from USC (he describes both experiences as “major letdowns in terms of real world skills”). Fowlie realized there was so much comedy potential in the go go world, from larger than life drag queens to out of control 19-year-old party boys. He himself had gotten swept up in the club scene and famously broke his arm in a fist fight which led to him go-go dancing with his arm in a cast. Although Fowlie did end up “retiring” his booty shorts, he always wondered: if a character is constantly relying on using his youth and sexuality as currency- what happens when he gets older? Is the party truly over?
Other members of the Go Go Boy Interrupted team include Jordan Black, the director, who has been a series regular on several shows including Punk’d and Halfway Home. His voice has been heard on South Park and The Cleveland Show, and he’s been seen and heard on Arrested Development, Family Tree, and dozens of other shows. An alum of the Groundlings Theatre Company, he is creator of the hit improv show The Black Version.
Then there’s Lynne Stewart (who plays Danny’s mom), appeared on Broadway in the The Pee-wee Herman Show where she reprised her role as Miss Yvonne, whom she played on the TV series and in the original stage production at the Groundlings Theater . She has also worked with Tracy Ullman in both of her series Tracy Takes On…for HBO and State of the Union for Showtime. She has had parts in American Graffiti and Bridesmaids.
Drew Droege plays Ann Ziety. He is best known for his online videos playing Chloe Sevigny, featured in Entertainment Weekly, the Advocate, OUT, The New York Times, Huffington Post and the New York Post. His recent tv credits include Married, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Drunk History, Chozen, Sean Saves The World, NTSF: SD: SUV, Happy Endings, New Girl, and Key & Peele. He’s also an alum of the Groundlings.
Mitch Silpa (Rich) has appeared in Bridesmaids and The Heat, and will be in the upcoming Welcome to Me (with Kristen Wiig) due out in 2014 and SPY (with Melissa McCarthy) due out in 2015. In addition to numerous TV credits (The Middle, The Client List, Ben & Kate, Two Broke Girls, In Plain Sight, Curb your Enthusiasm, Desperate Housewives, Reno 911! and Gilmore Girls , he co-executive produced, wrote and starred in the pilot Just Posted for Fox.
Nico Santos (Nick) has appeared on Showtime’s Pride Comedy Jam and on Ground Floor on TBS. He has written for E! Network’s Fashion Police and can also be seen as a regular panelist on Chelsea Lately. Nico will be making his film debut in Mall Cop: Blart 2 set to be released in 2015.
Navaris Darson (James) is another Sunday Company alum. His credits include an online AARP commercial with Betty White and a fun turn as a hairstylist on 2 Broke Girls. He will be in two upcoming web series” Platonic and My 2 Black Girlfriends.
Brian Jordan Alvarez (Eliot) was the Quiche guy in CollegHumor’s original Gay Men Will Marry Your Girlfriends. He is in preproduction on his feature film Everything is Free and will appear in the indie film #Love due out in 2015.
Jacob Matthews (Chris), born and raised in New England, graduated from Boston University where he studied Economics and Political Science. He was a cast member of the 2014 in the CBS Diversity Showcase.
Tickets for the 8 p.m. performance are $15 and can be purchased online.
