Mee-Ow

Mee-Ow, also known as The Mee-Ow Show, is Northwestern University's short-form improv and sketch comedy group.

Origins

Founded at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in 1974 by producers Paul Warshauer ('76) and Josh Lazar ('75). The original Mee-Ow Show was the first performance in the newly constructed McCormick Auditorium in Norris University Center. After extensive creative meetings in the fall of 1973 and winter of 1974, the producers decided to open the creative process to all students. The show was scripted, contained traditional musical and dance numbers, poetry, sketch comedy and was created in reaction to the "closed door policies" of the venerable Waa-Mu, NU's long running annual musical revue. The new open door policy, based on the philosophy of Henry Miller that "Everyman is an Artist," made for a cumbersome and long first production. With a large cast and orchestra, it made for a less than spectacular show but set the stage for what would become one of the longest running student created improvisational shows in history.

In 1976 because of the show's overspending and poor reviews, Mee-Ow was re-conceived by two of its cast members, Bill Nuss ('76) and Eugene "Dusty" Kay ('76), as an improv comedy show with a smaller cast, taking its inspiration from Chicago's The Second City and Kentucky Fried Theatre, which Nuss and Kay had seen perform live while visiting Los Angeles. The name was almost changed to Improv '75, but instead the name and cat logo for Mee-Ow was maintained. Kay and Nuss co-directed the '75 and '76 versions, which put the show back on the campus map.

The show has been a staple of the Northwestern theatre and comedy scene ever since still using some form of the cat as a logo. Northwestern 's mascot is a Wildcat so the logo was a tribute to the school's feline roots.

A great number of Mee-Ow alumni have gone on to perform and teach improv at many of the country's top improv venues, such as Chicago's The Second City, Improv Olympic and the Annoyance Theater, New York's Magnet Theater, The P.I.T. and The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and LA's Groundlings, iO WEST, and UCB West.

Mee-Ow alumni also founded Boom Chicago in Amsterdam and created the popular TV series "Whose Line is it Anyway?".

An extensive archive of the Mee-Ow Show from its first show to the present is maintained in the Northwestern Archives in the Deering Library in Evanston, IL. Actors, directors, producers, and writers are encouraged to deposit their material for safekeeping in the archive which is open to the public.

Notable alumni

* Craig Bierko - Actor, "The Music Man", "Cinderella Man", "Scary Movie 3"
* Liz Cackowski - Writer, "Saturday Night Live", Actor, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"
* Daniele Gaither - Actor, "MadTV"
* Ana Gasteyer - Actor, "Saturday Night Live"
* Eric Gilliland - Writer, "The Wonder Years", "Roseanne", "That 70's Show"
* Peter Grosz - Sonic Commercials, Writer, "The Colbert Report"
*Rachel Hamilton - Actor, The Second City, "30 Rock"
* Kyle T. Heffner - Actor, "Flashdance", "Runaway Train"
*Ed Herbstman - Founder, "Magnet Theater" NYC, Writer "Da Ali G Show"
* Dusty Kay - Producer, "Roseanne", "Entourage"
* Spencer Kayden - Actor, "Urinetown," "MadTV"
* John Lehr - Actor, "10 Items or Less"
* Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Actor, "Saturday Night Live", "Seinfeld", "The New Adventures of Old Christine"
* J.P. Manoux - Actor, "The Emperor's New School"
* Josh Meyers - Actor, "MadTV", "That '70s Show"
* Seth Meyers - Actor, "Saturday Night Live"
* John Cameron Mitchell - Actor, Writer, Director "Hedwig and the Angry Inch", "Shortbus"
* Dermot Mulroney - Actor, "My Best Friend's Wedding", "The Family Stone"
* Dana Olsen - Writer, "The 'Burbs", "George of the Jungle"
* Dan Patterson - Creator of "Whose Line is it Anyway?"
* Keith Reddin - Playwright
* Jon Rosenfeld - Founder, Artistic Director, "Boom Chicago"
*Kristen Schaal - Actor, "Flight of the Conchords (TV series)"
* Jean Villepique - Actor, The Second City, "The Office"

Casts by year

2009
Jen D'Angelo
James Daniel
Tim McGovern
Jessica McKenna
Jack Novack
Joel Sinensky
Sarah Grace Welbourn
Connor White

2008 "Mee-Ow is the Winter of our Discontent" & "Mee-Ow Talks Down to Children"
Dan "DR" Bruhl
Carly Ciarrocchi
James Daniel
Dan Foster
Jessica McKenna
Jack Novak
Sarah Grace Welbourn
Adam Welton

2007 "Mee/Ow '08: Mee-Ow Declares Its Candidacy" & "Mee-Ow's Anatomy"
Dan Bruhl
Carly Ciarrocchi
Chris Hejl
Nick Kanellis
Jessica Lowe
Jack Novak
Matt Sheelen
Adam Welton

2006 "Mee-Ow is Dead" & "Mee-Ow Pulls Out . . .of Iraq"
Russ Armstrong
John Dixon
Nick Kanellis
Jessica Lowe
Kelly O’Sullivan
Matt Sheelen
Adam Welton
Nayla Wren

2005 "Mee-Ow Admits, Mee-Ow has a Problem" & "Mee-Ow Goes to Old Orchard"
Russ Armstrong
John Dixon
Briggs Hatton
Nick Kanellis
Jessica Lowe
Peter McNerney
Bridget Moloney
Joanna Simmons

2004 "Danger on University Place" & "It’s Not You it’s Mee-Ow"
John Dixon
Briggs Hatton
Jason Kessler
Bridget Moloney
Kate Mulligan
Joe Petrilla
Sheila Shaigany
Dan Sinclair

2003 "Mee-Ow Saves Christmas" & "There’s a Bear in The Theater"
Chris Gorbos
Briggs Hatton
Jason Kessler
Martha Marion
Alex Marlin
Bridget Moloney
Kate Mulligan
Dan Sinclair

2002 "Seven Minutes in Heaven" & "Mee-Owed to be an American"
Laura Grey
Ryan Harrison
Jess Lacher
Dan Mahoney
Martha Marion
Kate Mulligan
Lee Overtree
Frank Smith

2001
Drew Calendar
Laura Grey
Ryan Harrison
Jess Lacher
Dan Mahoney
Martha Marion
Matt McKenna
Lee Overtree

2000 "Mee-Ow on Ice"

Heather Campbell
Lauren Flans
Ryan Harrison
Luke Hatton
Jess Lacher
Matt McKenna

Kristen Schaal
Scott Speiser

1999 "The Last Mee-Ow Show Ever"
David Asher
Liz Cackowski

Heather Campbell
Luke Hatton
Jamey Roberts

Kristen Schaal
Michael Sinclair
Scott Speiser

1998
Liz Cackowski

Heather Campbell
Luke Hatton

Josh Meyers
Ryan Raddatz
Jemey Roberts
Robin Shorr
Justin Spitzer
David Terry

1997
Jill Alexander

Heather Campbell

Josh Meyers
Ryan Raddatz
Jamey Roberts
Robin Shorr
David Terry

1996
Jill Alexander
Peter Grosz
Rob Janas
Laura McKenzie

Seth Meyers
Ryan Raddatz
Robin Shorr
Sarah Yarra

1995
Jill Alexander
Ed Herbstman
Rob Janas
Louise Lamson
Jean Villepique
Dan Weiss
Adrian Wenner
Liv Oslund

1994 "Politically Erect"
Jill Alexander
Ed Herbstman
Louise Lamson
Ethan Sandler
Jean Villepique
Amanda Weier
Dan Weiss
Jason Winer
Adrian Wenner

1993 "The Tao of Mee-Ow"
Colby Bessera
Anjali Bhimani
Abby Cohen
Ed Herbstman
Ethan Sandler
Deborah Stern
Paul Vaillancourt
Jean Villepique
Amanda Weier
Dan Weiss
Adrian Wenner

1992 "It’s a Wonderful Life Sentence"
Lesley Bevan
Scott Duff
Anne Eggleston

Daniele Gaither
Chris Grady
Lillie Hubscher
Mark Kretzmann
Bruce McCoy
Jean Villepique

1991 "Are You There God? It’s Mee-Ow"
Lesley Bevan
George Brant

Daniele Gaither
Rachel Hamilton
Mark Kretzmann

J.P. Manoux
Bruce McCoy
Jon Mozes
Kirsten Nelson

1990 "Sunday Eating Pork with George"
Jill Cargerman
Jason De Santo
Kate Fry
Lillie Hubscher

Spencer Kayden

J.P. Manoux
Philip Pawelczyk
Greg Rice
Jon Rosenfeld

1989 "Salvador's Deli"
Bo Blackburn
Jill Cargerman
Tim Ereneta

Ana Gasteyer
Mary Jackman

Spencer Kayden
Eric Letzinger

J.P. Manoux
Philip Pawelczyk

1988 "Mee-Ow Tse Tung"
Bo Blackburn
Betsy Braham
Jill Cargerman
Tim Ereneta
Stu Feldman

Ana Gasteyer
Jessica Hughes

John Lehr
Jerry Saslow

1987 "Eating Mee-Ow"
Mollie Allen
Bo Blackburn
Jon Craven
Marc Goldsmith
Melanie Hoopes
Lisa Houle

John Lehr
Catherine Newman
Jerry Saslow
Matt Wolka

1986 "Oedipuss ‘n’ Boots"
Mollie Allen
Dave Clapper
Jon Craven
Andy Hirsch
Lisa Houle
Jessica Hughes

John Lehr
Barry Levin
Catherine Newman
Dan Patterson
Chris Pfaff

1985 "Local an’ Aesthetic"
Beth Bash

Craig Bierko
Karen Cooper
Rich Kaplan

Dermot Mulroney
George Newbern
Richard Radutsky

Alison Rice
Romy Rosemont

1984 "Escape From Baltic Avenue"
Karen Cooper
Jesse Dabson
Eric Gilliland
Kelly Hughes
Rich Kaplan
Wendy Messing

John Cameron Mitchell

Dermot Mulroney
Richard Radutsky
Romy Rosemont

1983 "Wake Up Yo Tinheads!"
Taylor Abbot
Mark Gunnion
Tammyi Hinz
Chris Heuben
Sue Klein
Ellen Kohrman
Mark Lancaster
Michael Simon

1982 "‘Til The Cows Come Home...Where are Those Damn Cows?"
Steve Beavers
Rob Chaskin
John Goodrich
Chris Hueben
Mark Lancaster
Laura Matalon
Sarah Partridge
Susan Wapner

1981 "Candy From Strangers"

Bekka Eaton
John Goodrich
Mark Lancaster
Bill Lopatto

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Michael Markowitz
Ken Marks
Rod McLachlan
Sandy Snyder
Larry Shanker - Piano

1980 "Ten Against the Empire"
Paul Barrosse
John Goodrich

Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Rod McLaughlin

Michael Markowitz
Ken Marks

Dana Olsen
Rush Pearson
Judy Pruitt
Larry Shanker - Piano

1979 "...But is it Art?"
Bill Aiken
Paul Barrosse
Winnie Freedman
Meryl Friedman
John Goodrich
Barb Guarino
Althea Haropolus

Dana Olsen
Rush Pearson
Larry Shanker - Piano

1978 "In Search of the Ungnome"
Paul Barrosse
Jerry Franklin
Shelly Goldstein
Kyle T. Heffner
Ken Marks

Dana Olsen
Rush Pearson
Tina Rosenberg
Bill Wronski
Larry Shanker - Piano

1977 "North By Northwestern"
Peter Bales
Betsy Fink
Janie Fried
Kyle Hefner
Jeff Lupetin
Cindy Milstein
Brad Mott

Dana Olsen
Suzie Plaksin

Keith Reddin
Tom Virtue

1976 "Spirit, My Ass"
Dusty Kay
Peter Bales
Betsy Fink
Jeff Lupetin
Alice Tell
Stew Figa
Kyle Heffner

Keith Reddin

1975 "What Did You Expect?"
Carol Appleby
Mike Bonner
Eloise Jane Coopersmith
Betsy Fink
Thomas Fitzgerald
Wendy Gajewski
Neal Gold
David Garrett
Michelle Holmes
Roy Alan Hine
Curtis Katz
Laurie Karon
Kathy Kirshenbaum
Dusty Kay
Rick Kotrba
Kitty Knecht
Charlie Lucci
Jeff Lupetin
Brad Mott
Jane McClary
Lisa Nesselson
Bill Nuss
Karen Alison Pepper

Keith Reddin
Scott Rothburd
Wendy Taucher

1974 "Just in Time"
Terri Blum
Devan Carter
Bob Chimbel
Sue Cibrario
Carol Cling
Sue Devero
Ken Elliott
Ron Ensel
Meredith Freeman
Jonathan Fox
Debbie Gaber
Wendy Gajewski
Nancy Gordon
Sandy Grimsley
Holly Hartle
Bill Hindin
Marla Jones
Randy Kaplan
Robbie Karnofsky
Dusty Kay
Rick Kotrba
Jerry Larkin
Barb Mallorie
Kevin McDermott
Wendy Nadler
Bill Nuss
Rod Oram
Alan Perkins
Russ Pishnery
Tom Reese
Sandy Richens
Patti Rubin
Debbie Sauer
Joe Schuster
Suzanne Sciez
Obie Story
Wendy Taucher
Jeaninee Tortelli
Lisa Wershaw
Jeff Wilson