Sketchy Situation

Comedic actor Bill Murray once described the feeling of performing for millions every week during his stint on Saturday Night Live as an amazing performance high. Local performance artist Aaron Johnson can relate to that feeling, especially when each episode of First Friday Night Live takes place. While its audience...

By Benjamin Leatherman

October 6, 2011

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Comedic actor Bill Murray once described the feeling of performing for millions every week during his stint on Saturday Night Live as an amazing performance high. Local performance artist Aaron Johnson can relate to that feeling, especially when each episode of First Friday Night Live takes place.

While its audience isn’t as large as SNL’s, Johnson says the monthly sketch comedy showcase is run in similar fashion: A hectic preparation process is involved, skits fly at the audience fast and furious, and there are no second takes. “It’s a trial by fire for everyone involved,” he says.

So when the brand new cast of FFNL steps onstage at The Firehouse, 1015 North First Street, for its second season premiere on Friday, October 7, they’re in for a bit of a rush. Besides all the new faces (including Valley cutups Jacki Orr and Leroy Carver) this season will feature newscasts hosted by Kevin Patterson and live remotes from various First Friday locations.

Spoken word artist Ernesto Moncada will guest host the premiere and the musicians of Wooden Indian will perform.

Fri., Oct. 7, 11 p.m., 2011

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Benjamin Leatherman is a staff writer for Phoenix New Times where he focuses primarily on arts, culture, music, and nightlife. He began writing for New Times in 2003 and joined the staff full-time in 2005. Prior to that, he contributed to magazines such as Tips & Tricks and The Wrestler. Benjamin has earned multiple awards from the Arizona Press Club including an award for sports enterprise reporting in 2009 and an award for statewide arts reporting in 2014. He holds a bachelor’s of arts in journalism from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Contact: Benjamin Leatherman

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