Benjamin Wayne Smith and I go back to the CCM days. After all these years we’ve finally been given the chance to work together on a Pag/Trouble in Tahiti double bill in Tacoma, and we’re loving every minute of it. I’ve never met anyone who has known Ben who didn’t have an absolute ecstatic reaction when explaining their affection for him. We sat down at the Metronome Coffee House in Tacoma, WA- our favorite caffeine dealer, for a stimulant fueled tete-a-tete that is definitely one for the books… Join Ben and I to find out why, as we talk about… [SUBSCRIBE TO THE TORS ON ITUNES HERE]
Bill Nye the Coffee Guy works in Tacoma
The Amazing Siphon
Metronome is a magical wonderland of caffeinated enchantment
Here’s the thing…
It’s when we try that it doesn’t work at all
Trying desperately to be funny
Caffeine fueled podcasts vs Alcohol fueled podcasts
Cue the non sequitors
Warren has a colorful vocabulary
Hydraulics to the face
Thrice, as they say at Medieval times
“We’ll fix it in post”
Hipster Light
Visual Jokes/Aural Medium
The Legacy of K. Jenny Jones
Setting the tone with a submission hold
“You know what the problem here is Ben…”
Seating Auction
Making the Transition from Singing to Teaching/Directing
“Well I was starving…”
“Nothing remarkable about me in that rep except the sheer stunning beauty of my voice and intrinsic masculinity”
“I could be a director, how hard could it be?”
Scarf, Beret, glasses… poof, you’re a director
The Nic Muni school of directing
Let me be you
Talking to you is hard
Women… and endless well of words
“I am a girl”
“I’m a Lady Tenor”
“I’m Ben Smith’s bitch”
“My yoke is easy”
Secret Words in Rehearsal
Anything or the Win
Rob Boldin and Katie Drago Surprise Visit
My Lady Friend
What are you a 60 year old swinger??
Why did the midget get kicked out of the nudist colony?
The Tacoma Opera Flip Book
FAT ELVIS
Hobo Opera Singers
We siphon this outta what?
Coffee/Colonic Clinic
My large intestine is as clean as a whistle
Rob Boldin is the Marijuana of Conversation
Change your name to Muthafuckin’ ~ intant badass
Their profit margin is about 9000%
Hey did you sing at Santa Fe Opera???
Don’t wear your own band’s t-shirt
Shattering Dreams one Application at a time
Cortigiani
The Horse missed his cue at Seattle Opera
This show needs a bibliography/companion
The Donkey Show
Gold Cast vs Silver Cast
Singing Eduardo Chama’s praises
Open Season on Katie Drago’s Ovaries
The Ovary Emporium
Conversations with Charles Shaw
Terrible Godlen Girls Impersonations
Adventures with Andy Wilkowske in the Hollywood Cemetery
We’re looking for Estelle Getty
“Golden Girl Zombies”
Nic Muni as a bond villian
Nic’s shower cap is a plastic beret
Even Odder Job
Nic Muni takes huge chances, which we admire
John Proctor’s X-Rated backstory
Miranda Rowe
Andy Garland and Tina Milhorn, workin’ it
Every Good SM’s kit should include 2 band-aids and a condom
“The First Time I Worked at the Kennedy Center…”
Andy and Donna give a Master Class
Why don’t you go into Train Conducting
Plan B jobs: Reel Man, Typewriter Repairman, VCR Tape Rewinder
The Beta Max of Careers
Young Eager Interns are, adorable
“I fall down as if I’d been shot in the back with an arrow”
The Magic Flute in Esperanto, and set on the star
Fancy
Prague is Cheap and Awesome
Dreamcasting Falstaff
Bringing Dan Paget out of Retirement
Bad Caramel
WHAT IS THIS, A YOSHI BLADE??
Road Insanity
The old puritan work ethic
You can wait on me
Scarf Fluffing
The scarf or the Jack Hammer
Smith is a JOKE NAME
Find out more about Ben Smith [HERE]
-Michael Mayes
