Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Comedy contest winner booked at Funny Farm

By Katie Libecco

NILES - Funny Farm Comedy Club open mic contest winner Dan Haueter will return to the stage this weekend for a string of shows with comedian Bill Scott.

The 36-year-old Lisbon native says the first time he took his character to the stage he was "scared to death" and even had second thoughts. But, Haueter describes the experience as a lot of fun.

He says his character was inspired by a role he played several years ago while taking part in community theater. Haueter has performed with Stage Left Players and Salem Community Theater, noting that most productions he's been involved with have been comedies.

"I developed a character, and the voice and mannerisms were developed for it. I did it so often that it became second nature to me," he says.

He describes the character he performs as to be "uncouth" and "very clueless."

"He's clueless to the world, but yet, he still exists," Haueter says. "And he's great with women."

Haueter says he's always wanted to do stand-up comedy and got his chance when he saw the Funny Farm was hosting the open mic comedy night.

When Haueter takes the character onstage, he's costumed with a buttoned-to-the-top short-sleeve white T-shirt and high-waisted, pleated-front khakis. The character is completed with taped glasses and a concrete sense of awkwardness.

"I don't want the character to be funny, I want the material to be funny," he says.

And there's plenty of material to work with, as Haueter says "nothing really embarrasses" the character, so nothing's off-limits.

"I can write material for the character easier than I can write it for myself," he says. "I feel really comfortable in that character. In a way, moreso than when I'm myself."

Whether you can relate to the lost-in-space character because it's a part of you or reminds you of someone else, it's a hilarious performance that is more than worth watching.

Haueter will perform Thursday, Friday at 8 p.m. and two shows on Saturday at 8 and 10 p.m. with Scott. Call (330) 652-4242.