Live comedy returns to Arcada Theater stage
Chicago suburban-based Gag Reflex proud to be part of
theater rebirth

ST. CHARLES - The ghosts of comedy past will be laughing in approval as Gag Reflex Comedy
Theater takes the World Domination Tour '02 to the historic Arcada Theater, 105 E. Main St., St.
Charles.

  Gag Reflex, a Chicago suburban-based comedy group, will become part of the Arcada's rebirth as a
live theater. It will be one of the first live acts - and the first comedy act - to perform live since the
theater ceased as a regular live venue in the 1940s.

  The show will be at 10 p.m. Friday, March 15, after that night's movie offering at the theater.
Admission is $8.

  The ghosts who are sure to be watching from the wings include George Burns and Gracie Allen, who
made their final vaudeville appearance at the Arcada, and Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. They
performed at a time when the theater was a stop on the vaudeville circuit. For most of the time since
the days of vaudeville, the 900-seat Arcada has been movie house. But new owner Todd Smith will
be booking for live acts - including Gag Reflex.
 
  The show will feature highlights from the group's most recent New Year's Eve Show and party, as
well as some new material and old favorites.
 
  As usual, it will be a mixture of original sketches, original songs and song parodies that poke fun at
life, current events, trends and, well, anyone and everything.

The March 15 performance is part of Gag Reflex's World Domination Tour 2002. It will feature
  performances at: The House at 10 p.m. Friday, March 29; an 8 p.m., April 13 performance at The
Electric Earth, 546 W. Washington St., Madison, Wis.; and a May 4 performance at The Divine Cup in
Rockford.

The members of Gag Reflex are: Marla Parus, of St. Charles; Steve Lord of Geneva; Kris Keef of
Montgomery; and Dan Neid, Millie Schwartz and Eric Schwartz, all of Aurora. Note: All are
available for interviews.
 
  The group has been praised by such far-flung media as the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Tribune,
the Elburn Herald and even the Northern Star at Northern Illinois University.

   This year, with the new tour underway, the group will bring with it a piece of last year's effort - the
newly released CD "The Viagra Monologues,"  a live recording made during last year's tour. The
group also will have available its first CD release, the all-music "It's a Sick World, Betty."   

Of course, Gag Reflex maintains its extensive Internet presence, with its official site,
www.gagplanet.com, and its pages at production company Boundary Waters Media,
www.bwatersmedia.com. Numerous mp3 downloads of group music and sketches, as well as some
video downloads, are available through both sites. Also, both sites are chock full of information
about the group and its history.

  The group also maintains its online radio show, Gag Reflex Comedy Theater of the Air, at live
365.com.