Mostly Water Theatre is a Canadian Comedy Award nominated, Edmonton-based Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 2005, consisting of comedians Craig Buchert, Elizabeth Ludwig, Jason Ludwig, Matt Stanton, Sam Varteniuk, and Trent Wilkie.
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History
Before the troupe formed, Craig Buchert and Matt Stanton were working together doing shows at the Edmonton International Fringe Festival, performing in a company called Soiled Sheets Productions. Meanwhile, Sam Varteniuk and Trent Wilkie were performing around Edmonton (along with Elizabeth Ludwig, Corey Taylor and Amy Neufeld) as Mostly Water Theatre (MWT). In 2005, the two pairs met in Edmonton, as suggested by Elizabeth Ludwig, and began performing regularly as MWT along with Jason Ludwig, who shoots and edits all the digital shorts.
Since then, they have produced several original sketch shows and three plays: “I’m Sticking with Kiefer”, "15 Minutes", and "Gargamel". "Kiefer" and sketch show “1UP” were honored by SEE Magazine as two of the Best Plays of 2008.
“Grand Theft Auto for Intellivision”, a digital short from “1UP”, received recognition from the creators of Intellivision.
In January 2011, their spoof of TLC's programming was featured prominently on The Huffington Post, AOL and Funny or Die.
MWT hosted a variety show – Live at the Roxy! – and currently hosts a bi-monthly showcase of digital shorts for local filmmakers – Metro Shorts.
All members of MWT write for CBC's The Irrelevant Show.
The Irrelevant Show
Mostly Water writes for nationally broadcast The Irrelevant Show on CBC Radio One. Their skit, the “Jane Austen Drinking Game” was a major hit on the show and was described as “a great combination of smart and precise and well-observed, as well as just being loud and foolish.”
MWT also performed their love song about a couple living on opposite sides of a city straddling the Alberta-Saskatchewan border called Lloydminster.
In 2009, MWT was nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award for their Irrelevant Show skit called “Witch Smoke.”
Mostly Water Live at the Roxy
MWT started producing a set of live variety shows in 2009 called Mostly Water Live at the Roxy. Performed at The Roxy Theatre in Edmonton, the show mixes musical performances, interviews, games, and digital shorts. Past guests include NDP MP Linda Duncan, Mayor of Edmonton Stephen Mandel, and the CBC Radio’s Peter Brown.
Regular features of the variety show included “Name the 80s Sitcom”, “Plunko”, and a closing musical number performed by MWT.
For the 2010-2011 season of Live @ the Roxy, the show was changed to a more Saturday Night Live format with a guest host, musical guest, and news segment mixed in with live and video sketches.
Metro Shorts
Since 2007, MWT produces a bi-monthly showcase for local filmmakers called Metro Shorts. Filmmakers are asked to submit five-minute digital shorts which are then shown at Metro Cinema in Edmonton, adjudicated by three celebrity judges, and voted on by the audience. The winner of the evening receives a cash prize and the winner of the season receives a grand prize (in 2009, two tickets anywhere WestJet flies.)
Past judges include Dana Andersen, Peter Brown, Dave Clarke, and Davina Stewart.
Awards
Canadian Comedy Awards, 2009. "Witch Smoke" written by Matt Stanton, performed by Mark Meer and Marianne Copithorne.