Archive for the ‘frank janisch’ Category

Frankie J’s on Broadway

Wednesday, April 16th, 2008

Part of the ongoing Origins of CIC series by Founder and Executive Producer Angela McMahon

9/11 had just happened and everyone was feeling pretty awful about themselves. Not knowing how we could make others laugh when we ourselvers were in so much pain. I sat with Frankie in his lofted office above what would soon be a Theater space and just felt numb. I said to him, “We should do something! Like a show. It would 1. make us feel better, 2. get folks into the space, and 3. give me something to do.” He was all about it. His father was a firefighter so right away he wanted the charity to be the Widow’s and Children’s Fund. The space needed a lot of work. But we decided to to do the event in 4 days from that moment. My husband called a cousin of his to come and put the lights on a dimmer switch so we could at least do some slow fades or quick blackouts for each group. Tom and Frank built the stage and me and Frankie’s girlfriend at the time hung up some fabric to make a backstage area. We put the word out looking for folks to perform and I booked two solid days of performers to donate time to the cause. The line up was:

4437 N Broadway
$7 Donation at the door
Food will be provided
BYOB

Monday September 17th
Hosted by Frank Janisch
7pm Jiggly Chair
7:30 The Union
8pm Bare
8:30 Pickle
9pm Wiley Spectacles
9:30 Space Mountain
10pm Cover
10:10 Belts
10:30 Young Urban Comedians Club
11pm Cashed

Tuesday September 18th
Hosted by Spike Kunetz
7pm The Beverly Thrill Billies
7:30 Amy Guard (Solo)
8pm I MissHS
8:30 Sit Pretty
9pm Liquid
9:30 Ward and Friends
10pm The Sex Diaries
10:30 Frank Janish

Frank made all the food himself and the place was mostly packed for the shows. We ended up raising $2000 and every dime went to the charity. Everyone felt great and the momentum to open the space was there. We decided since the space was now open why not start doing shows. The first performance would be two weeks later and it would be CIC’s first time producing a Theatrical “The Southpaw Sam McClowski Show.”

Frank and I saw each other everyday, sometimes for several hours a day, getting the space as ready as it could be for a show. The downstairs was still heaps and piles of dirt that would someday be a restaurant but upstairs there was a stage (even if you did have to climb over a toilet to get to it).

And so it began…



Posted in Company Members, frank janisch, frankie j's, origins of CIC | No Comments »

CIC at Frankie J’s

Wednesday, April 9th, 2008

CIC at Frankie J’s
by Angie McMahon

Back in 2001 we were doing our shows in the back of a bar called “The Prodigal Son” (a bar shortly after we left that was featured on the Jimmy Kimmal show for their free bacon Wednesdays and sadly burned down a year later from a grease fire). We were told that in one month’s time we could no longer do our Saturday Night showcase in the back room because the owners thought bands would bring in bigger crowds and more drinkers. So I started to look into other options.

On a NY message board that I looked at a lot a post was up from a guy named Frankie. I knew Frank’s name but had never met him. He said he was going to start a restaurant/ Theater in uptown called “Frankie J’s on Broadway” and was looking for anyone that wanted to help him out.

I quickly emailed him and told him my Theater Company was looking for a new home. I met Frank at his Uptown house for a meeting. He showed me the blueprints and told me all about his vision for the place. With reflection I think he was hoping I would just become a renter from him. But I told him I wanted to do much more. I wanted to be involved with his vision. When Frank talked about his place the whole world would stand still to listen. His energy would take over and it was intoxicating. He immediately said if I would help him start the Theater, and run it, CIC could do show there in exchange for my work. We shook hands and the deal was done.

In the coming weeks I will start to tell my tale of the days of Frankie J’s and the basic beginnings of CIC. You might be asking why today, and why now do I bring this all up?

Frankie is currently in the hospital. He suffered from a heart attack and two strokes. He is currently doing wonderfully. All the updates on him can be found here: FrankJanisch.com

Although not all the tales of Frankie J’s are lovely and sunshine there would be no CIC without him. I am eternally grateful for that and him. I wish him nothing but the fastest recovery.

In the weeks to come I will tell you how we built the stage, put up a 9/11 fund raiser in three days and raised over $1000, How it took almost a year for the restaurant to open, Our first shows we produced in the space, The Ninja that changed my life, and the moments we decided to leave. Some tales lovely, some bittersweet.

Get Better Soon Frankie J, we love you!



Posted in frank janisch, frankie j's | No Comments »

Site last updated December 19, 2011 @ 4:27 pm