A sketch comedy/variety show. Remember those great variety shows of the late 1960s and early 70s? Ed Sullivan, Carol Burnett, the original Saturday Night Live? They combined comedy, music, and novelty acts of all kinds: impressionists, jugglers, acrobats, plate spinners, puppets, dancers, and many other acts, some absolutely indescribable!

TV may have forgotten the variety show, but the rebirth of the genre is about to happen, right in front of you! SATURDAY NIGHT LIV, hosted by Liv Cummins, is a live variety show where almost anything can happen — great singers and songwriters, sketch comedy, musical theater moments — in short, variety! After all, it's the spice of life.

Not only will you see great performers, hilarious sketches, and exciting musical moments, but it all happens live in an intimate atmosphere. This up-close-and-personal environment adds to the excitement: you'll feel like you're a part of the show . . . and in fact, you will be!

The Cast: Liv Cummins | Sandy McKnight | Christina Dellea | Andrew Joffe | John Wallace | Prudence Theriault | Patrick Ferri | Dave Cox

Fridays at Copake Park Building: Mt. View Rd., Copake.
Saturdays in Hudson (various locations: see below)

General Tickets: $15 | Seniors, Students, Veterans: $10 | Catalyst Members: $10

YOUR HOST: LIV CUMMINS

Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Liv is an alum of Skidmore College, as well as New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Musical Theater Writing program. Liv writes, produces, directs, and performs in musicals and variety shows across the country, in addition to working with young people at colleges and in theater programs.

Liv loves her work with the variety show Saturday Night LIV because she gets to write, direct and perform at the same time. She enjoys collaborating with consumate pros like Prudence Theriault, John Wallace, and Andrew Joffe -- not to mention her joyful partner Christina Dellea, and her most talented hubby, Sandy McKnight.

Click here for a more extensive bio on Liv Cummins.

SANDY McKNIGHT

Sandy is a writer/producer, as well as an accomplished musician and songwriter. For the last five years he has been head writer for the live sketch comedy show Saturday Night LIV (hosted by Liv Cummins) in New York. Concurrently, he's been writing for television, including shows on MTV and VH1.

His music credits are impressive as well, having recorded with many top name artists, and produced hundreds of recordings. He has released two albums as an artist, most recently the critically acclaimed "In Solitary." His songs have been heard on radio nationally, and covered by several artists.

In addition to these accomplishments, Sandy has been an indie record company president, an on-air radio personality, a teaching artist, a television and film actor, and a Communist for the FBI.

CHRISTINA DELLEA

Well-known local singer, CAT founder and Hillsdale resident Christina Dellea has released a new CD, The Songs I Sing featuring original songs and favorites from the '70s. The Songs I Sing was recorded at Systems Two in Brooklyn, NY, and produced by noted producer/songwriter and Copake resident Sandy McKnight. Dellea performs locally, both as a soloist, and as part of the groups The Pop!ternatives and Harmony and Heart.

Andrew Joffe has appeared locally in The Original Last Wish Baby, Signs of Life, Radio Paramus, and An Evening with David Ives at the Workshop Playhouse, Puss in Boots with The Castle Hill Theatre Company, the original musical The Big One at Columbia Greene Community College, Lone Star and Where the Albatross Flies with the Copake Theatre Company, An Afternoon with I.B. Singer at Ansche Emeth, The Time of Your Life at the Ghent Playhouse, in staged readings of Conrad Bromberg's Dreams of a Blacklisted Actor and Gymboyz: Caz and Diane, as well as performing one-man readings of the works of Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Jean Shepherd. On radio and audio, he has been heard in the series Visit New Grimston, Anyway and Little Chills on National Public Radio, and has performed extensively and variously as part of Seeing Ear Theatre and Tales from the Crypt at Sci-fi.com, including roles in the animated series, Maat Ka Ra (as the evil leader of an intergalactic invasion), and Mean Planet, as both the announcer and an amorphous carnivorous alien.

Mr. Joffe has also functioned as a director, playwright, radio producer, lecturer, and award-winning opera librettist and poet.

He enjoys appearing in Saturday Night LIV, because then when people laugh at him, it's not so noticeable.

To contact Andrew directly, click here.

John has come to the Saturday Night LIV cast with a wealth of experience in local Community Theater. He has been in a number of Columbia Civic Players Productions over the past few years:

...as Murray the Cop in The Odd Couple
...as one of the Butlers in The Importance of Being Ernest
...as the Sheriff in Return to Bountiful
...multiple roles in The Good Doctor
...as Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls
...as Kimber the Handyman in George Washington Slept Here!
...as Lenny Gantz, one of the guests at a party in Rumors by Neil Simon
...as Anselme, in The Miser
...as Harry B

He also appeared as The Guard in a Capital Rep-sponsored experimental theatre production (dark comedy and improv) in 2002 of The System.

John has enjoyed playing various roles in comedies throughout the years, but looks at Saturday Night LIV as a chance to act "out of the box." The producers, Liv Cummins and Sandy McKnight, "give us a lot of freedom to develop and expand our multiple roles during the weekend performances and I thoroughly enjoy being with them."

To contact John directly, click here.

Prudence began her stage career at age 13 months at her mother's dance studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They were playing music while the patrons were being seated when Prudence decided it was a good time to go out on stage and dance. She thought someone yelled "Get the Hook, Get the Baby off the Stage!" So, they hooked her by her diaper and air lifted her into the wings. This incident did not throw a wet blanket (or wet diaper) on Prudence's attraction for the stage.

From playing Josephine in HMS Pinafore in third grade, to ballroom dancing lessons; years of Community Theater in Wilton, Connecticut; Mendham, New Jersey, Ghent, New York; Murder Mystery dinner theater on the Hudson Rive; Belly Dancing on the Nile River in Eqypt (she was on a boat at the time); an MTV pilot; to now her third season with Saturday Night LIV!

"I love doing Saturday Night LIV. It is such a blast to be able to be funny and have so much fun doing it. Sandy and Liv are so supportive of us all --- as long as you know your lines. If not, they usually beat us with leather objects then pour salt in the wounds." For the most part, Prudence believes the Saturday Night LIV gives her the chance to be creative and push the limits of comedy.

Prudence looks at life from a different point of view then others. So please bring your friends and join us for our next production of Saturday Night LIV. Be ready to laugh!!! To speak to Prudence directly, just dial: 1-800-555-BABE.

Pat has performed his brand of knock-about comedy on stages across the U.S., Canada and the U.K.  Most recently his one man show Wreckage-O-Rama appeared at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.

After being told not to return to the American Academy Of Dramatic Arts, Patrick headed to Chicago and  was part of Del Close's The Harold improvisation troupe. Upon returning to New York and stand-up comedy he met Michael Mendola and created The Hemi-Helmut Show, a slapstick vaudeville team which played many "one night only" shows  all over the city.

Since then, Pat has studied with Don Jordan, Robere' Gourp of the Lecoq school, Dominique Jando of Cirque Medrano, Geoff Hoyle of the Pickle Family Circus, and Dick Monday and Steve Smith from Ringling Bros.

Pat's influences, besides everyday life, are Buster Keaton, The 3 Stooges (No kidding ?) and The Carol Burnett Show.

Dave Cox performs juggling and other bizarre human feats across the USA and in Canada. He is best known for his originality with tricks such as The Toilet Paper Tightrope of Death and The Shirt Trick, which landed him a spot on the David Letterman Show. His amazing technical skill tops any juggling you are likely to have seen. His dry wit and superior attitude leaves his audience in stitches. Sit back and enjoy the product of 32 years of wasted time.

To learn more about Dave Cox, check out his myspace page.