Frank O'Donnell
Frank O'Donnell has been a comedy staple in Rhode Island since the 1980's. He has been on TV, radio, newspapers, and just about every stage in the Southern New England area. Frank is also a writer who has penned jokes for everyone from local politicians and celebrities to nationally known comics and late night talk show hosts.
These days, you can still find Frank making crowds laugh at venues like Catch A Rising Star at Twin River Casino. But you'll also find him writing and directing comedy screenplays. As he prepares for the opening of his latest show, he takes a few minutes to answer 10 Questions.
1. This weekend your new comedy, “Ant'ny Claus 2: A Dysfunctional Family Sequel” opens at Theater Works in Woonsocket, RI. Since you wrote and direct the play, tell us a little about it, and what people can expect?
"It’s a two-act comedy about a guy who spent his life being the back-up plan in the family business – the family business being Santa Claus. It’s the sequel to the show we did last year, where Ant’ny finally got his chance to take over the reins. This show picks up where the last one left off – it’s the morning after, and on the way home, Ant’ny and his team bounce off the worst house they could have picked. We've got wise guys and all sorts of elves and talking reindeer too. It really is a lot of fun – but what do I know?"
2. Where did the idea for ‘Ant’ny Claus’ come from?
"Years ago, Channel 10 asked me to perform at their post-holiday party. They asked me to play a disgruntled Santa. I did it, but it didn't go so well. I realized, you really can’t make too much fun of Santa. But, you can make fun of his family – and his not-so-little little brother was born. At first, it was just a holiday thing for parties – I’d go in, pick on people, perform a customized “Night Before Christmas.” But over the years, it grew. I added a wife, a mother-in-law – and before I knew it, the story had taken on a life of its own. A few years ago, I decided this could look good on a stage. So I took a shot at writing a play. And now two of them."
3. Along with being a writer, you are also a well-known stand-up comedian. How long have you been doing comedy, and how did you get started?
"I’ve been at it 30 years this year. I actually started writing material for the old Mike & Jeff Show on JB-105. One of the guys there, Mike Waite, convinced me to come to a talent show he was hosting in downtown Providence. I did a 15-minute set – way too long in retrospect – and got two laughs – way too few in retrospect. But, those two laughs were enough to keep me going. And here we are today."
4. In the past you have held ‘Comedy Bootcamp’ classes to help teach the art of comedy to others, what would you say is the most important lesson aspiring comedians should learn?
"Never stop learning. The thing I stress about my boot camp is that I can’t make you funny. No one can do that. Funny is in you. And if funny is in you, I can help you mold that a little bit and give you the balls to get up there that first time. That’s really what the boot camp is about – making the funny work, and giving you enough confidence to get up there and do it. So many people want to do this, and the tragedy of it is, they probably could, but they lack the guts to get up there."
5. Who were some of your comedy influences? Who did you learn from?
"Hard to say. I was surrounded by comedy growing up – some intentional, some not. I learned a lot of telling a funny story from my Uncle Mike. He was just one of those Irish guys (he was born there, and still had a wonderful brogue) who could sit around and drink a beer and smoke his pipe and make you laugh by just talking to you. But when it comes to comedians, I watched the old-timers like Jack Benny and Bob Hope (who I later had the honor of writing for) and Johnny Carson. But the one comedian who was most influential to me was Steve Martin – when his first album came out, I played it over and over again. My friend Joe Toppi and I would do material off it, mostly at each other – not at all to the delight of our wives."
6. How would you say comedy has changed over the past 20 years, or has it?
"It changes all the time. Ebb and flow, peaks and valleys are a lot of it. But mostly, comedy is very accessible these days. Besides the clubs, we’ve got the internet now, and anyone with a camera can produce and post all sorts of comedy. But the basics remain the same: there is a set-up, and there is a punch. Some things will make you laugh, other things, not so much."
7. What is it about Rhode Island that makes it so great for comedy?
"Someone told you that? Rhode Island is great for comedy? Okay, here’s my take on it. Rhode Island is a great melting pot (no, that’s not my line) of people from all walks of life. And because we have such a mix represented in the live clubs from week to week, they tend to make you work harder. I’m convinced – if you can learn to make a Rhode Island crowd laugh, you can make just about any crowd laugh."
8. What are some of the highlights of your career in the comedy business?
"I’ve written jokes for folks like Bob Hope and Jay Leno. I’ve opened for performers like Michael Bolton and Chicago. I’ve opened for other comedians like Richard Lewis and David Brenner. But the highlight is also making people laugh. There’s nothing like it."
9. What else do you do besides act, write, and perform stand-up comedy?
"I write for The Valley Breeze in the northern part of Rhode Island – entertainment pieces and a humor column. I do the same for 630wpro.com. And during the day, I’m the AVP for compliance for a local mortgage lender. "
10. Do you have any future plans or projects you can mention?
"I’m working on two more plays – I hope to produce one of them next year. I’m really enjoying this much bigger creative process. And I’ve got an internet project in the works – moving slowly, but I hope to have something going by June of 2013."
These days, you can still find Frank making crowds laugh at venues like Catch A Rising Star at Twin River Casino. But you'll also find him writing and directing comedy screenplays. As he prepares for the opening of his latest show, he takes a few minutes to answer 10 Questions.
1. This weekend your new comedy, “Ant'ny Claus 2: A Dysfunctional Family Sequel” opens at Theater Works in Woonsocket, RI. Since you wrote and direct the play, tell us a little about it, and what people can expect?
"It’s a two-act comedy about a guy who spent his life being the back-up plan in the family business – the family business being Santa Claus. It’s the sequel to the show we did last year, where Ant’ny finally got his chance to take over the reins. This show picks up where the last one left off – it’s the morning after, and on the way home, Ant’ny and his team bounce off the worst house they could have picked. We've got wise guys and all sorts of elves and talking reindeer too. It really is a lot of fun – but what do I know?"
2. Where did the idea for ‘Ant’ny Claus’ come from?
"Years ago, Channel 10 asked me to perform at their post-holiday party. They asked me to play a disgruntled Santa. I did it, but it didn't go so well. I realized, you really can’t make too much fun of Santa. But, you can make fun of his family – and his not-so-little little brother was born. At first, it was just a holiday thing for parties – I’d go in, pick on people, perform a customized “Night Before Christmas.” But over the years, it grew. I added a wife, a mother-in-law – and before I knew it, the story had taken on a life of its own. A few years ago, I decided this could look good on a stage. So I took a shot at writing a play. And now two of them."
3. Along with being a writer, you are also a well-known stand-up comedian. How long have you been doing comedy, and how did you get started?
"I’ve been at it 30 years this year. I actually started writing material for the old Mike & Jeff Show on JB-105. One of the guys there, Mike Waite, convinced me to come to a talent show he was hosting in downtown Providence. I did a 15-minute set – way too long in retrospect – and got two laughs – way too few in retrospect. But, those two laughs were enough to keep me going. And here we are today."
4. In the past you have held ‘Comedy Bootcamp’ classes to help teach the art of comedy to others, what would you say is the most important lesson aspiring comedians should learn?
"Never stop learning. The thing I stress about my boot camp is that I can’t make you funny. No one can do that. Funny is in you. And if funny is in you, I can help you mold that a little bit and give you the balls to get up there that first time. That’s really what the boot camp is about – making the funny work, and giving you enough confidence to get up there and do it. So many people want to do this, and the tragedy of it is, they probably could, but they lack the guts to get up there."
5. Who were some of your comedy influences? Who did you learn from?
"Hard to say. I was surrounded by comedy growing up – some intentional, some not. I learned a lot of telling a funny story from my Uncle Mike. He was just one of those Irish guys (he was born there, and still had a wonderful brogue) who could sit around and drink a beer and smoke his pipe and make you laugh by just talking to you. But when it comes to comedians, I watched the old-timers like Jack Benny and Bob Hope (who I later had the honor of writing for) and Johnny Carson. But the one comedian who was most influential to me was Steve Martin – when his first album came out, I played it over and over again. My friend Joe Toppi and I would do material off it, mostly at each other – not at all to the delight of our wives."
6. How would you say comedy has changed over the past 20 years, or has it?
"It changes all the time. Ebb and flow, peaks and valleys are a lot of it. But mostly, comedy is very accessible these days. Besides the clubs, we’ve got the internet now, and anyone with a camera can produce and post all sorts of comedy. But the basics remain the same: there is a set-up, and there is a punch. Some things will make you laugh, other things, not so much."
7. What is it about Rhode Island that makes it so great for comedy?
"Someone told you that? Rhode Island is great for comedy? Okay, here’s my take on it. Rhode Island is a great melting pot (no, that’s not my line) of people from all walks of life. And because we have such a mix represented in the live clubs from week to week, they tend to make you work harder. I’m convinced – if you can learn to make a Rhode Island crowd laugh, you can make just about any crowd laugh."
8. What are some of the highlights of your career in the comedy business?
"I’ve written jokes for folks like Bob Hope and Jay Leno. I’ve opened for performers like Michael Bolton and Chicago. I’ve opened for other comedians like Richard Lewis and David Brenner. But the highlight is also making people laugh. There’s nothing like it."
9. What else do you do besides act, write, and perform stand-up comedy?
"I write for The Valley Breeze in the northern part of Rhode Island – entertainment pieces and a humor column. I do the same for 630wpro.com. And during the day, I’m the AVP for compliance for a local mortgage lender. "
10. Do you have any future plans or projects you can mention?
"I’m working on two more plays – I hope to produce one of them next year. I’m really enjoying this much bigger creative process. And I’ve got an internet project in the works – moving slowly, but I hope to have something going by June of 2013."
Frank O'Donnell's new comedy play "Ant'ny Claus 2: A Dysfunctional Family Sequel" opens this weekend at Theater Works in Woonsocket, RI.
It is Written by Frank O'Donnell and co-directed by Frank O'Donnell and Mark Anderson, the show marks the return of six of last year's principal performers - Geoff White as Sonny, Bethany Lynn Giammarco as Carmella, Connie Anderson as Carmella Senior, John Morris as Bruno, Lynn Nadrowski as Bennie Blue Balls and Padriag Mahoney as Sonny.
And look for cameos from local celebrities!
Call 401.766.1898 for reservations.
Show dates:
Friday, November 30 - 8:00pm
Saturday, December 1 - 8:00pm
Sunday, December 2 - 8:00pm
Friday, December 7 - 8:00pm
Saturday, December 8 - 8:00pm
Sunday, December 9 - 8:00pm
It is Written by Frank O'Donnell and co-directed by Frank O'Donnell and Mark Anderson, the show marks the return of six of last year's principal performers - Geoff White as Sonny, Bethany Lynn Giammarco as Carmella, Connie Anderson as Carmella Senior, John Morris as Bruno, Lynn Nadrowski as Bennie Blue Balls and Padriag Mahoney as Sonny.
And look for cameos from local celebrities!
Call 401.766.1898 for reservations.
Show dates:
Friday, November 30 - 8:00pm
Saturday, December 1 - 8:00pm
Sunday, December 2 - 8:00pm
Friday, December 7 - 8:00pm
Saturday, December 8 - 8:00pm
Sunday, December 9 - 8:00pm