Ripped From The Headlines....Sixth Street Theatre Presents 'Theatre Schmeatre'

The bad boys (and girls) of Sixth Street Theatre will take the stage this weekend with Theatre Schmeatre, a 90-minute salute to satire and sketch comedy.

The tradition began four years ago, when the adult-themed show about everything from world events to local politics debuted at Sixth Street Theatre, 318 Sixth Street, in Racine.

“Our group has always been influenced by a number of small theatres in Chicago. Sketch comedy shows are a big deal in Chicago -- from Second City on down -- many sketch troupes,” said Rich Smith, managing artistic director of Over Our Head Players. The troupe is responsible for that ache in your side (you’ll know what we mean if you go to the show!).

Wanting to bring that big city sketch comedy to Racine, the OOHP troupe began tossing around ideas for Theatre Schmeatre.

“Schmeatre is a mix of all originally written sketch ideas,” said Smith, a former ComedySportz player in Racine and Milwaukee.

Ideas for the show started flowing almost as actors wrapped the last Schmeatre production nearly a year ago. But workshopping – that’s actors speak for working out those ideas – for the show’s nine-person ensemble began in earnest about two months ago.

The Racine News anchors the show.

“We have guest appearances, live interviews. Maybe a visit by the queen of England, I’m told,” Smith said. “…We add some video to that and invite a new musical act to perform a few songs in between each show and -- viola! We have Schmeatre. Yeah, it’s kind of a rip-off of Saturday Night Live. But don’t tell Loren Michaels, or he'll take me off his Christmas card list.”

As for that local flavor, Smith promised a few well-placed jabs just for Sturtevant, among other locales.

Anything you can share, Mr. Smith?

“Oh, I don’t know. They’re part of our news headlines, I’ll say that,” he teased. Smith said the group does it’s best to stay current and the show reflects that.

“Bin laden, Charlie Sheen, collective bargaining – we try to touch on what’s going on. Even at the last minute. Some of our sketches might even change after the show opens,” Smith said.

It’s part of the audacity that is Theatre Schmeatre and Over Our Head Players.

“We’re all about trying new things. We know that Racine and Mount Pleasant and Caledonia are blessed with another great theater in town – the Racine Theatre Guild. We share a lot of volunteers with them, and we complement each other,” Smith said.

But, he added, “We kind of see our job as being that risky breath of something different every once in a while. And Theatre Schmeatre fits that mold.”

If you go

What: Theatre Schmeatre

When: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, May 20 through June 4. Show times are 7 p.m. Thursdays, May 26 and June 2; 8 p.m. Fridays, May 20 and 27, and June 3; 5:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, May 21 and 28, and June 4.

The Friday (May 20) and 5:30 p.m. Saturday (May 21) shows are SOLD OUT. Both shows on May 28, as well as the June 3 and 5:30 p.m. June 4 shows are NEARLY SOLD OUT.

Where: Sixth Street Theatre, 318 Sixth Street, in Racine

Cost: $13 to $15.50 depending on show date and time; $1.50 additional fee online

Tickets: Call the box office at (262)632-680