This one was a fun one to knock out. That summer Chad Wilson and I had just finished releasing our web series Ped Crossing, which had practically turned out to be a short movie that took 2 1/2 years of nights and weekends.  So when I was asked to make something short to screen at JFL Chicago, it was like lifting a light weight to shoot something over a weekend and have it ready to go in a week.  There are more stories to tell you at the bar, but this video is near and dear to me.   Thanks to Anthony Oberbeck, James Fritz, Candy Lawrence, and Sherman Edwards for their silent acting skills, and Mike Andersen for recording.

JULY SHOWS -
(Full details are on the SHOWS page)
JULY 8  - LOLA BALATRO headlines the W.I.P. Theater Chicago
JULY 14 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS - Atlanta, GA - The Village Theater
JULY 15 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS - Atlanta, GA - The Village Theater
JULY 22 - DAN PEFF at Yeah Buddy Awesome Time, Brü Chicago, ​Chicago
JULY 24 - DAN PEFF at Best Night Ever, GMan Tavern, Chicago
JULY 28 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS - St. Louis, MO - The Improv Shop
JULY 29 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS - St. Louis, MO - The Improv Shop

​

Click the pic for a write-up on DTB's 3 shows in Charleston at Theatre 99.  It's a solid June --  if you've missed the full DTB show, we have another rare one-off for Congo Square.   The NBCUNiversal/Second City Break Out Festival is happening again at Up Comedy Club - we're on Thursday night June 7 with a great line-up of standups.  Hosted by Ramon Rivas.

JUNE SHOWS -
(Full details are on the SHOWS page)
JUNE 2,3,4  - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS - Charleston, SC Piccolo Fringe Festival
JUNE 8 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS -
       at NBCUniversal/Second City Break Out Comedy Festival   - Up Comedy Club 7:30 PM
JUNE 13 - DAN PEFF at Get Up Stand Up - Public House Theater
JUNE 16 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS
      -at Congo Square Jambalaya Series -  Greenhouse Theater 9:45 PM
JUNE 20 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS
       at The Summer Solstice Spectacular Variety Hour       Hosted by Katie Rich & Holly Laurent
      -at the Mission Theatre -  8:00 PM
JUNE 23 - LOLA BALATRO opening for Pimprov
​      -at CIC Theater -  10:30 PM

Real Good Drinking with Dan Peff will be screening in the Hollywood Comedy Shorts Film Festival. It's been a few years with our beloved L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival retired, so it'll great to have an April weekend in LA to screen & to see old friends.

Lola Balatro headlines the W.I.P. Theater in Edison Park two consecutive Saturdays. More LB coming up this summer.

APRIL SHOWS - (Full details are on the SHOWS page)
APRIL 1 - LOLA BALATRO headlines the W.I.P. Theater
APRIL 4 - LOLA BALATRO at Chicago Underground Comedy, Beat Kitchen
APRIL 8 - LOLA BALATRO headlines the W.I.P. Theater
APRIL 15-16 - REAL GOOD DRINKING screens at the Hollywood Comedy Shorts Film Festival
MAR. 23  - LOLA BALATRO at Beat Weekend, Blackout Cabaret, Second City

So after a rock star DTB month with Chicago Sketchfest, the Miami Improv Festival, and the Charleston Comedy Festival (pictured), going back underground a bit in February, but then in March heads to Toronto.

FEBRUARY & MARCH SHOWS - (Full details are on the /shows.htmlSHOWS page)
FEB. 9  - Comedy Talk at Second City Outreach 
FEB. 10  - DAN PEFF at Parlour Car, Bar Deville
MAR. 10 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival
MAR. 11 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival
MAR. 17  - LOLA BALATRO opening for Pimprov, CIC Theater
MAR. 23  - LOLA BALATRO at Beat Weekend, Blackout Cabaret, Second City

Also, this was cool from the Austin Chronicle:
Wayne Alan Brenner's Top 10 Arts-Related Program Activities of 2016
"3) THE DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS (Out of Bounds Comedy Festival) No, they're not from Austin. Yes, they're from Chicago. But what this two-man sketch troupe from the Windy City presented at the 15th OOB was the funniest, most provocative, and audience-rocking show I've seen in all the festival's years. Seth and Paul Thomas, please give us an encore – and, FFS, know that we'll need your intelligence and humor more than ever during the next four years."

Grab that new Time Out Chicago magazine - DTB is keeping some good company.
Big shows in January  - excited to return the Miami Improv Festival after 14-years (yep!) and DTB will make our debut at the Charleston Comedy Festival.  For Chicago Sketchfest, Defiant Thomas Brothers has two shows, Jan. 7 and 12.  Saturday January 7 will be a wild night.  DTB is at 10pm at Chicago Sketchfest, and Lola Balatro at 11pm.   

JANUARY SHOWS - (Full details are on the SHOWS page)
(DEC. 30  - Me & Brian Posen on WGN RADIO STEVE COCHRAN 9:15 a.m.)
JAN. 7  - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Chicago Sketchfest
JAN. 7  - LOLA BALATRO at Chicago Sketchfest
JAN. 12  - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Chicago Sketchfest
JAN. 13  - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Miami Improv Festival
JAN. 14  - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Miami Improv Festival
JAN. 20  - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Charleston Comedy Festival
JAN. 21  - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Charleston Comedy Festival

​

10 years ago this weekend we shot Being Civil, a reality show in 1866 with a Union soldier and Confederate soldier living in the same log cabin. Jeff Madden and I wrote the treatment, and the honorable Joe Kreml filmed it. Brady Novak, Allison Bills, Marz Timms, and Jim Mulvaney starred alongside Jeff and me, with Cork Kangas proving the soundtrack and Andy Ross doing artwork. . It was a butt-ass cold weekend, and I still don't know how Brady got the shirtless outdoor scenes done without dying. And to the name of Marz's character cracks me up. (Cassius Alcindor)

The actually dialog we improvised, and did the whole thing over a weekend. This was the first project I produced, and when it screened at the Music Box theater later with an audience of strangers laughing at the spots we wanted them to laugh, I knew I was following the right path. (Oh, and finding a large cloth confederate flag takes you down a scary internet rabbit hole..)
If you don't have time to watch the full pilot, here's the summary..

BEING CIVIL
     The war is over, but the battle has just begun. It’s 1866, and former Confederate infantryman Calhoun Jackson and Union soldier Hilton Thurdinghill III are put to reside together in a modest log cabin in pastoral Norford County, Pennsylvania. Following the war that pitted brother versus brother and left well-nigh 200,000 perished in combat, tensions naturally manifest themselves in myriad behaviors. The bespectacled Hilton, one born into the better class, is of a sanguine temperament, whereas Calhoun, whose demeanor is imbued with a distaste for aristocracy, is barren of tact. Previously unable to conceal his mirth, Hilton has altogether too rough a time trying to be cheerful and frivolous or anyways frisky as Calhoun wantonly casts a gloom over his merriment.
     Compounding the rascality is the one-upmanship for the attention of Eliza, the town whore. Doubtless, Calhoun will be well pleased should the lady accept his courting, yet she will have none of it, not even for a monetary sum. After Hilton acquaints himself with Cassius Alcindor, the county’s only black man, Calhoun reacts as fiercely as ever, the results whereof will be felt for quite some time to come. Enter malodorous Blackfoot and the enigmatic Woodsman, and the stage is set for an infinitude of riotous adventures. It is fair to presume that such an array of persons was never assembled for a show of this variety upon any previous occasion. Is it well thus to ask the success of so mighty an enterprise as this?

DECEMBER SHOWS - (Full details are on the SHOWS page)
DEC. 3  - LOLA BALATRO at Laughingstock Comedy Music Festival - The Elbo Room
DEC. 3 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Stage 773
DEC. 10 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Stage 773
DEC. 22 - DAN PEFF at Parlour Car ar Bar DeVille

Mark your January calendars for CHICAGO SKETCHFEST. On Saturday, January 7th the Defiant Thomas Brothers are on at 10pm with Lola Balatro at 11pm.

Check out the clip above to see the Defiant Thomas Brother on You & Me morning show with Jeanne Sparrow and Melissa Forman.  DTB runs Saturdays through December 10 (no show Thanksgiving Saturday.)

NOVEMBER SHOWS - (Full details are on the SHOWS page)
NOV. 5 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Stage 773
NOV. 10 - SCREENING at the Chicago Comedy Film Festival - Harold Ramis Screening Room
NOV. 12 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Stage 773
NOV. 14 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS on You & Me WCIU Channel 26.1
NOV. 17  - LOLA BALATRO at Stand up Stand up - The Crocodile
NOV. 19 - DEFIANT THOMAS BROTHERS at Stage 773