Stale Milk & Sour Cookies IV Is Coming!

Stale Milk & Sour Cookies IV: Two Evenings of Improv Comedy to Warm Our Neighbors on December 2nd & 3rd

Farmington - Many believe Black Friday signals the start of the dysfunctional holiday season and they would be wrong. It really begins on December 2nd and 3rd in UMF’s Lincoln Auditorium as western Maine comedians Teachers Lounge Mafia deliver Stale Milk & Sour Cookies IV, a weekend of irreverent holiday improv. All proceeds from these shows will go to Western Maine Community Action’s LIHEAP heating program.

For the past three years, Teachers Lounge Mafia have welcomed in the spirits of commercialism, familial stress, and eggnog with their own peculiar brand of improv and sketch comedy. This marks the fourth installment and should be the best yet with the audience providing the ideas and TLM providing the laughs. Those who have seen the group perform at regional venues such as Calzolaio Pasta Co., 49 Franklin St., or even in support of the A-T Hope with Every Step event in Livermore Falls, can expect much of the same. And there will be some new games, and a surprise or two, on hand as well.

Stale Milk & Sour Cookies is more than just a tradition for TLM. It marks the fourth anniversary of the group’s founding. Over its history, the group has raised funds for disaster relief, medical research, and other charitable causes. This year, one hundred percent of the suggested donations taken at the door will go directly to heating area homes in the form of WMCA’s Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). With an especially brutal winter forecasted and major cuts to its federal support dollars, LIHEAP now, perhaps more than ever, needs everyone to help however they can. Teachers Lounge Mafia hopes to reward that generosity the best way it can: laughter.

The western Maine troupe consists of local comic actors Jeff Bailey, Natalie Simmons, Alex Kreitzman, Gavin Pickering, Emily Pottle, Dan Ryder, and Kyla Wheeler. Taking inspiration from Saturday Night Live, Upright Citizens Brigade, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, The State, the writings of Dr. Suess and Gene Autry as well as their own twisted comic stylings, Teachers Lounge Mafia hope to bring something different to the foothills – and still be allowed to live here.

Stale Milk & Sour Cookies IV will be held in Roberts Learning Center’s Lincoln Auditorium on the University of Maine at Farmington campus. Doors open at 7 p.m. with showtime at 7:30 p.m. The show contains mature content. Suggested donations of $5 per person will be accepted at the door. For more information, visit www.teachersloungemafiaimprov.com or call 578-0357.

Stale Milk & Sour Cookies III Is Coming

Teachers Lounge Mafia at The Granary Upstairs - November 5th!

Farmington – Questionable research and dubious studies indicate that intense laughing fits several weeks in advance of Thanksgiving improves poultry and gravy digestion. Teachers Lounge Mafia intend to verify these important findings with a late-night edition of mature-rated improv comedy at The Granary Upstairs in Farmington at 9:00 p.m. on Friday, November 5th.

In addition to some fast-paced games to warm up the evening, Teachers Lounge Mafia will deliver its Facebook-inspired long form, “Clickable.” The stage becomes the screen as audiences click through character after character, scene after scene, story after story. The audience controls the action as the performers make everything up on the fly. The group has been performing around the state in recent months and hopes to bring some new crowd-participation games and material to western Maine audiences. And for returning audiences, there are guaranteed to be some crowd pleasers as well.

Teachers Lounge Mafia most recently appeared on stage at the University of Maine at Farmington alongside Portland’s Running with Scissors. They also performed at a number of private functions and as part of the first annual Portland Improv Festival. In coming months, the group will continue its regular appearances at Wicked Gelato in Farmington and celebrate its third year of existence December 3rd and 4th with “Stale Milk and Sour Cookies III,” two irreverent nights of comedy at UMF’s Lincoln Auditorium with proceeds going to benefit Ataxia Telangiectasia research.

The western Maine troupe consists of local comic actors Jeff Bailey, Natalie Bean, Alex Kreitzman, Gavin Pickering, Emily Pottle, Dan Ryder, and Kyla Wheeler, several of whom have appeared onstage as members of area comic groups Lawn Chair Pirates and Curtain Raisers. Taking inspiration from Saturday Night Live, Upright Citizens Brigade, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, The State, the writings of Franklin W. Dixon and Sappho as well as their own twisted comic stylings, Teachers Lounge Mafia hope to bring something different to the foothills – and still be allowed to live here. 


This late night, mature audience comedy event at The Granary Upstairs runs for one night only, Friday, November 5th, at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are only $5 and may be purchased at the door or reserved by contacting Teachers Lounge Mafia at (207) 578-0357 or teachersloungemafiaimprov@gmail.com. The group can also be found on Facebook and at http://www.teachersloungemafia.blogspot.com.

Teachers Lounge Mafia Returns with Some Wicked Improv

Teachers Lounge Mafia Improv will return to Farmington on Thursday, September 9th, to help Wicked Gelato kick off its new live entertainment series! It's a special all-ages show starting at 7:30 p.m. Get there!

Photo by Kaijia Fellman

Teachers Lounge Mafia Post-Fest Hoorah at The Granary Upstairs

Farmington – The first night of Farmington’s SummerFest culminates with a downtown street dance on Friday, July 30th. However, for Teachers Lounge Mafia, that means the party is just getting started. Teachers Lounge Mafia will perform a special late night edition of their custom-built, mature-audience brand of improv comedy at The Granary Upstairs at 9:30 p.m.

In addition to some fast-paced games to warm up the evening, Teachers Lounge Mafia will deliver its original long form improv comedy structure "Three Course Meal.” The audience members become flies on the wall as they watch three different scenes featuring the flirting, fighting, accusing, apologizing, confessing and stalking that one typically doesn’t get a chance to hear at one’s preferred casual dining establishment. And the group also has some new games for the veteran fans to experience, so one should not think for a moment that seeing one Teachers Lounge show means one has seen them all.

Teachers Lounge Mafia have performed throughout western and central Maine, including dinner theater events at The Granary Upstairs, hospital benefits in New Hampshire, and Haitian relief efforts at Mt. Blue High School. In the coming weeks, the group takes to southern Maine as part of the Porltand Improv Festival. The group consists of local comic actors Jeff Bailey, Natalie Bean, Alex Kreitzman, Gavin Pickering, Emily Pottle, Dan Ryder, and Kyla Wheeler, several of whom have appeared onstage as members of area comic groups Lawn Chair Pirates and Curtain Raisers.

Taking inspiration from Saturday Night Live, Upright Citizens Brigade, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, The State, the writings of Carolyn B. Cooney and Thomas Paine as well as their own twisted comic stylings, Teachers Lounge Mafia hope to bring something different to the foothills – and still be allowed to live here. 
 


This late night, mature audience comedy event at The Granary Upstairs runs for one night only, Friday, July 30th, at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the door or reserved by contacting Teachers Lounge Mafia at (207) 578-0357 or teachersloungemafiaimprov@gmail.com. The group can also be found on Facebook and at http://www.teachersloungemafia.blogspot.com.

Improv Comedy Dinner Theater with Teachers Lounge Mafia, April 30

Farmington -- With the snows long gone, or mostly gone, or at least, on their way out, it is time to welcome spring in grand style with food, drink, and laughter. Western Maine improv troupe, Teachers Lounge Mafia, returns with another exclusive evening of improvisational comedy dinner theater, Friday, April 30th at The Granary on Front Street in Farmington.

The Teachers Lounge Mafia’s signature comedic performance, “Three Course Meal,” features a trio of scenes or vignettes occurring inside a restaurant’s dining room. Every scene is improvised, built from the suggestions of the audience. As the stories play out, audience members find themselves in the middle of the action, maybe even becoming part of the event itself. Following a brief intermission, Teachers Lounge Mafia will offer a nightcap set of crowd participation improv games designed to get willing participants a chance to flex their comic chops.

Teachers Lounge Mafia performs throughout western Maine and parts beyond, delivering their original brand of improvisation and sketch comedy. Most recently, they brought laughter to a hospital benefit in New Hampshire and a Haitian relief effort at Mt. Blue High School, Serious Fun. Last August they delivered their first dinner theater at The Granary to a tremendous audience. On April 30th, the good times should keep on being good with the help of The Granary and a legion of fandom second-to-none.

Teachers Lounge Mafia consists of area comic actors, Emily Pottle, Gavin Pickering, Jeff Bailey, Kyla Wheeler, Natalie Bean, Alex Kreitzman and Dan Ryder. Several actors are former members of other improv groups including The Curtain Raisers and Lawn Chair Pirates, while the rest aren't. Taking inspiration from Saturday Night Live, Kids in the Hall, The State, the works of Sam Peckinpah and A.A. Milne, as well as their own twisted comic stylings, the Teachers Lounge Mafia hope to bring something different to the foothills – and still be allowed to live here.

This special evening of improv dinner theater runs for one night only, Friday, April 30th, at The Granary on Front St. in Farmington. Doors open and dinner seating begins at 6:15 p.m. Admission is $5, food and drink not included. Seating is limited. Advance tickets available in person at The Granary or by calling (207) 578-0357. Please call at least two hours prior to showtime. The show contains mature content. For more information, contact Teachers Lounge Mafia at teachersloungemafiaimprov@gmail.com, call (207) 578-0357, or look for the group on Facebook and Blogger.

Serious Fun: An Evening of Comedy and Music to Benefit Haitian Releif

Farmington – George Clooney may not be attending, but the show must go on. In the face of tragedy, sometimes a little laughter is all we need to remind us better days are ahead. With this in mind, a collection of comedians, actors, singers and musicians from the Farmington area come together for Serious Fun, an evening of comedy and music to benefit the Haitian relief efforts, Friday, January 29, at 7 p.m. in the Mt. Blue High School Auditorium.

The all-ages event includes performers from Mt. Blue High School, the University of Maine at Farmington, and the greater western Maine community. With the roster evolving even as this notice goes to press, groups appearing include the Franklin County Fiddlers, the Mt. Blue Voices, the Mt. Blue Theater Company, and the Mt. Blue Curtain Raisers improv comedy troupe. Joining the high school-based acts are western Maine improv comics, Teachers Lounge Mafia and UMF’s Lawn Chair Pirates. With such tremendous variety available and the energy moving fast and furious, all should feel welcome to laugh and clap along in the name of a good cause.

Doors to Serious Fun will open at 6:30 p.m. with admission costing only what one feels one can donate to the International Red Cross efforts in Haiti. All proceeds will go directly to the International Red Cross. Questions may be directed to Dan Ryder, Mt Blue High School, 778-3561 or dryder@mbrsd.org.

What's Coming Up for Teachers Lounge Mafia Improv

Hey hey,

We are continuing to bring the funny to western Maine, Teachers Lounge style.

We are proud to be part of the University of Maine at Farmington Relay for Life event happening at the FRC on Friday, April 10th and running all night into Saturday, April 11th. We'll be performing in the wee hours so if you want to enjoy all the tasty improv goodness, you'll have to get yourself involved. Fire us a line at teachersloungemafia207@gmail.com and we'll forward your interest to the right party.

Plans are in the works for a late March event. Check back here regularly for more info. And we are working on booking spring and summer events. Got ideas or needs for comedy? Holler our way.

Bad Luck Is Coming

From Show Posters