Self-Help

I just came back to the newsroom from the Studio Theatre in the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts. I was invited to what was a dress rehearsal for a show called "Self-Help: The Comedy."

It starts Thursday, and it's written by two comedians, Debbie Kasper and Sheila Kay, who also star in the show.

It's done without an intermission and runs about two hours, but it really, really doesn't seem like a two-hour show. And you'll laugh and laugh and laugh some more.

There's a lot of audience participation.

And if you go, don't sit in the first two rows. That's unless you want to be the center of attention. You'll be picked on by the two women.

Darlene Hughes Kittrell, who's the marketing director for the RiverCenter, was sitting right up front for some reason that I'm sure she's regretting. Right after the show, she was still laughing and she said she was sweating. I know she's used to being in the spotlight because she was an anchor at WRBL-TV 3 for many years. And I first met her when she was in "42nd Street." I was background scenery, but she was the star.

Maureen Gottfried was another singled out. I'm hoping to get photos of her on stage, being coached by Zelda Bing, the self-proclaimed love goddess.

When I interviewed Debbie Kasper for a story in this week's To Do, she said that a lot of people compare it to "Greater Tuna." There aren't as many costume changes or characters, but the two actors do a really good job.

So what's the show about?

It's a parody of self-help seminars that were so popular a couple of years ago. The press material says it's about "women's rights and men's wrongs."

But it's more than that. It discusses body image, self-esteem and relationships between men and women -- all in fun.

It really is hilarious.

The dates are 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday. And again, 7:30 p.m. July 19-20 and 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. July 21. The 10 p.m. shows are for adults only. Actually, the 7:30 p.m. shows are not for kids, either.

Tickets are $29. If you have a valid college ID, tickets are $10 in the box office, starting at 7 p.m. on show nights.

Get a group of girlfriends together and go. You'll really have a great time. Several women dragged their husbands and I saw them laughing, too.

So it's not just for women. Take your monkey boys.