The TV Dinner Hour

The TV Dinner Hour
Written by	Richard O'Donnell
Date premiered	10 March 1987
Place premiered	CrossCurrents Theatre 3206 N. Wilton St., Chicago
Original language	English
Subject	American TV
Genre	Sketch Comedy

The TV Dinner Hour is an American Sketch Comedy written by Richard O’Donnell, directed by Amy McKenzie, and performed by the New Age Vaudeville theater company in Chicago.

Originally staged at the Comedy Cabaret in Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin (summer 1985) by New Age Vaudeville, The TV Dinner Hour was officially reopened at the CrossCurrents upstairs cabaret theater, 3206 N. Wilton St., Chicago, March 10, 1986. It ran for over 50 performances, and "won over critics and audiences alike."

The TV Dinner Hour was performed by the New Age Vaudeville Theater Co., members of Actor’s Equity Association (AEA), Production Design and videos were shot by NAV member Peter Neville, and produced and directed by Amy McKenzie.

The TV Dinner Hour had a successful run in Chicago and was regarded as "...uproariously funny and searingly intelligent" in presenting "...such TV fare as game shows, rock videos, sitcoms, kiddie shows, religious programs, and horror movies transformed into fodder for devilish fun." Improv guru "Del Close had a spectacular running routine as "the Rev. Thing of the First Generic Church of What's-His-Name"."

The TV Dinner Hour used video monitors playing pre-taped intros and filler. Upon their inception Del Close warned O’Donnell that their inclusion would ruin the medium. Years later, the iO (formally the ImprovOlympic) opened the Del Close Theatre on Clark Street which included a permanent television monitor on stage.

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