Metroline Online

Photo by Don Church and Tony Schillaci
Kevin Meaney Backstage at Mohegan Sun Cabaret.

The newest edition to the entertainment scene in Connecticut had its debut at the re-opened Cabaret Theater at the Mohegan Sun Casino on February 13.  Treehouse Comedy Productions, in partnership with Mohegan Sun, is presenting a series of three-act comedy shows each Saturday at 9 p.m. for at least the next six months, according to Treehouse founder, Brad Axelrod.

Treehouse Comedy Productions was born out of the Treehouse Comedy Club, Connecticut’s first and original full-time comedy showcase that began in Westport in 1983. The original club featured then up-and-comers Rosie O’Donnell, Denis Leary and Jon Stewart.

Opening night of the comedy series headlined actor comedian Kevin Meaney.  He’s been one of the most popular stand-up comics in the business for the past twenty-five years. His TV and movie credits include Saturday Night Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Late Night With Conan O’Brien and the film, “Big.”  Kevin also starred in the hit Broadway musical Hairspray (playing Wilbur and understudying the part of Edna) and most recently taped an upcoming episode on the award-winning TV show, 30 Rock.

It was during his three and a half years on Broadway and a year on tour in Hairspray that Kevin was encouraged by friends in the company to “come out.”  “I had these feelings all my life….I always knew….but I hid it because of societal pressures, family, religion, and later because I thought it would wreck my career,” Kevin told Metroline.

Now partnered for three years with Casey Marino, Kevin lives in New York with his 10-year-old-daughter. “At first, my ex-wife was very hurt and angry when I told her I was gay.  It took about two years to heal, for her to finally laugh at me again – I always made her laugh- and things are getting better now,” Kevin told us.

Brought up in an Irish-catholic family, and going to parochial schools, Kevin uses all of his family experiences in his act.  Watching Kevin Meaney in action is like seeing a kid spinning himself silly, and then rolling on the floor laughing. His train-of-consciousness is based mainly on his angst-ridden, hand-wringing mother, who is constantly worried that “we’re gonna loose the house!” if Kevin continues to “act up.”

In his act Kevin also sings – an imaginary duet between Johnny Mathis and Ethel Merman!  At the end of the song, he looks at the audience and says, “I know what you’re saying…..’this guy must be GAY!’ ”  Then he goes on to admit to the audience that he actually IS gay.  There is virtually no reaction to this revelation.  It’s a “so what” moment. It takes courageous performers on the front lines, like Kevin, to show that being gay just a part of most every family’s dynamic.

Metroline asked Kevin “what’s next?”  “I love social networking.  I get requests on Facebook to perform at private functions and I refer everyone to my agent. I’m reading for the part of Father Kevin in a production of ‘The Irish Curse’ by Martin Casella. It’s about guys with small dicks…no, not only about that, it’s kind of a male version of ‘The Vagina Monologues.’  I find audition information on Broadway World and other Web sites.  Social networking is the way to go.”

Kevin can also be heard on Tuesdays from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Sirius Radio on The Jay Thomas Show.

And, if you go to his Web site, you can check out at least three Celebrity Cruise ships on which he will be a headliner in 2010!

Backstage, Kevin struck us as a modest, charming and easy-going guy…a marked contrast to his hilariously manic character onstage.  He was generous with his time, and although a dozen or more fans and friends were waiting for him, he graciously gave us the time that we needed for this much anticipated interview with this great performer!

Also appearing with headliner Kevin Meaney were special guests Aussie funny man Jim Dailakis, who was brought to America for a three-month tour and is now in his fourteenth year — by popular demand!  He’s got a movie he wrote “in the can” and a signed distribution deal. The other special guest was Hartford’s dynamic comic Billy Winn, who also acted as MC.

Tickets are $20 to $25 — a lot of bang for a night of top entertainment — and definitely the start of something really big at the Mohegan Sun’s Cabaret Theater. 

For more information on these comedy productions and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit www.mohegansun.com.  For information on each week’s line-up call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

Copyright 2010. Critics On The Aisle. All rights reserved.

Tags: 2010, 37-4, LATE FEBRUARY