Sketch Comedians, Ohio Wesleyan Alumni to Debut New Show on Campus Sept. 22
Ohio Wesleyan graduates and sketch comedy artists Andrew Connor and Mike Mathieu, known as ‘The Cody Rivers Show,’ will perform on the OWU campus at 8 p.m. Sept. 22. The Ohio natives say their latest sketch comedy show is ‘like scuba diving, doing calculus, and drinking maple syrup at the same time.’ (Photo by Erica Zurek)
DELAWARE, Ohio – “[F]unny … engaging … beyond creative. … They really are something you’ve never seen before,” proclaims VH1’s “Best Week Ever.” And they – Ohio Wesleyan graduates and sketch comedy artists Andrew Connor (Class of 1999) and Mike Mathieu (Class of 2000) – will perform on campus at 8 p.m. Sept. 22 in Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware.
The duo, who perform as “The Cody Rivers Show,” will debut a new show, “Once and for All for One,” as part of Ohio Wesleyan’s 2012 Performing Arts Series. Tickets for this and each Performing Arts Series event are $20 for general admission and $5 for senior citizens and non-Ohio Wesleyan students (with a valid school ID). Tickets are free for Ohio Wesleyan students and employees with a valid university ID. Tickets may be purchased online at TicketWeb, by phone message at (740) 368-3629, or by email at paseries@owu.edu.
In Connor and Mathieu’s own words, their new show “sprints between chainsaw bluegrass, facial mime, mixtapes, marauding trees, Gomez, and oh so much more. It’s like scuba diving, doing calculus, and drinking maple syrup at the same time.”
In the words of critics, “The Cody Rivers Show” is “artful, unusual, painstakingly brilliant” (Time Out Chicago) and “out of this world – outstanding, absurdist, experimental theater that paddles above the surface of the sketch comedy genre” (The Apiary).
Connor and Mathieu work out of Bellingham, Wash., these days, but both are from Ohio. Connor, who majored in international studies and French and minored in math, history, and theatre, is from Powell. Mathieu, who majored in creative writing/literature, is from Beavercreek. During their upcoming visit to Ohio Wesleyan, they will make time to meet with and mentor students and do a few other things, too.
“Visiting with the faculty is probably the highlight for me,” Mathieu said. “Their support for our show is incredibly touching. Especially since I spent four years shaking in fear that I wasn’t measuring up.”
As for Connor? “Two words: Astrolabe Rotunda. I love that sculpture. I also might pull an all-nighter at Slocum just for old time’s sake.”
Additional 2012-2013 Ohio Wesleyan Performing Arts Series events include:
7:30 p.m. Oct. 13 – The Central Ohio Symphony, featuring classics from Glinka, Tchaikovsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov, as well as a world premiere featuring Jesús Morales-Matos (cello), in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. For tickets, visit the Symphony’s website or call (740) 362-1799. 8 p.m. Oct. 26 – Classical Jam, a collaboration of chamber musicians, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Classical Jam’s repertoire ranges from Renaissance dance music and traditional classical works, to improvised performances and original compositions. The group includes Marco Granados (flute), Jennifer Choi (violin), Cyrus Beroukhim (violin/viola), Wendy Law (cello), and Justin Hines (percussion). 8 p.m. Dec. 1 – DOUBLE/TAKE, an evening-length dance performance with original music, in Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware. The performance will showcase Meghan Durham of Columbus, Ohio, and Karl Rogers of Rochester, N.Y. 8 p.m. Feb. 22 – Classical and Latin guitarist David Burgess, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Burgess is recognized as one of today’s outstanding guitarists, and his international appearances as a soloist and chamber musician have taken him to concert halls throughout North and South America, Europe, and the Far East.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier small, private universities. Ohio Wesleyan offers more than 90 undergraduate majors, sequences, and courses of study, and 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. OWU combines an internationally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities that connect classroom theory with real-world practice. Located in Delaware, Ohio, OWU’s 1,85o students represent 41 states and 45 countries. The university is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” listed on the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with distinction, and included on the “best colleges” lists of U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Learn more at www.owu.edu.