Ladybugs IN the Spotlight: Mean Wendy Band

Mean Wendy Band

Hailing from: Philadelphia, PA
Genre: Comedy, Off-off-off-off Broadway,
RIYL: Garfunkel and Oates, Allison Webber, Flight of the Conchords, Tenacious D, Adam Sandler
Performing: Friday, July 21st from 8pm-8:30pm at Chelsea Tavern

Musical comedy is the red-headed stepchild of the genre; overlooked, misunderstood and eccentric. The Mean Wendy Band, brain stepchild of songwriter, musician and singer WENDY LENHART and her Man Band embraces those ostensibly adverse aspects, feels their pain, hugs them to death, and then sends their bewildered but sated ghosts back out into the world to possess their audience with wry amusement (“Do you remember the Challenger?” she asks of a much, much younger prospective love interest). Lenhart’s voice conveys a theatrical one, but rather than invoking thoughts of Hamilton, Wicked, or Legally Blonde, it’s more Whose Line Is It Anyway? Which is precisely the point; the group makes collaborative musical improv comedy. The band—RYAN T. BARLOW (bass guitar), BRIAN KELLY (conga drum), DAN KRISTIE (lead guitar) and ZACHARY WISELEY (vocals, keyboard, acoustic guitar)—lays the foundation for Wendy’s humbly ostentatious inflection to set up the scenario and deliver a punchline or three; perhaps a light funk sound, a 60’s Phil Spector-like girl-group number, or maybe even a coffeehouse, international or children’s music vibe. And though their 2016 self-titled studio release is full of the expected tuneful hilarity, on the stage and in front of an audience is where they thrive. The group has killed it at both musical and comedy venues alike (they recently took part in NYC’s Sketchfest 2016), as the open setting allows their written material to breathe while INterjecting improvisation throughout, the formula resulting in an organic and evolving routine that leaves the crowd in stitches. No matter what your circumstances are, a chance for an in person closeup of Mean Wendy Band at Ladybug is guaranteed to make you feel like you were raised by both of your birth parents.

INterested? Check out more on Mean Wendy Band at the links below!

Website
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube

Vids
Funny or Die Comedy Short
Getting Lucky Tonight (at the Philly Improv Theater)
Mean Wendy Band Changes the World: A Rock Doc

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