The Uncle Ukulele Show: Big Man, Little Guitar...
The Uncle Ukulele Show is a solo musical improv show created and performed by Nathan Melcher. Performing in character as the overly-upbeat Uncle Ukulele, Melcher asks his audience to embrace their sense of play and give him inspiration for improvised songs and stories. Every single moment of The Uncle Ukulele Show relies on audience participation, including on stage. Melcher creates improvised songs in a variety of musical genres, many of which his audiences never expect to hear played on a ukulele.
The Uncle Ukulele Show has appeared at Improv A Go-Go, the Monday Night Comedy Show, the Gainesville Improv Festival (2007), the San Francisco Improv Festival (2008), the Santa Cruz Improv Festival (2008), the Milwaukee Sketch & Improv Festival (2008), and the Denver Improv Festival (2008). Visit the calendar for upcoming shows.
The Uncle Ukulele Show is now on YouTube and The Scrawl...
Please visit our YouTube channel to catch original improvised songs based on audience suggestions. Nathan Melcher also has tutorials on musical improv and improvising lyrics available for improvisers looking to improve their improv. We're still new to the YouTube-iverse and we appreciate your ratings and comments.
Nathan also writes occasional blog posts about improv at The Scrawl.
SFIF Photo credit: Clay Robeson
Puny Humans (2003-2005)
Nate Melcher and Rick Simineo formed the Cheyenne, Wyoming-based improv duo Puny Humans. The pair regularly performed in Cheyenne as an improvised third-act after sketch comedy shows by The Caseous Company as well as the Improv Hootenanny show at the Bovine Metropolis Theater in Denver, Colorado and other various venues.
Puny Humans performed at the Chicago Improv Festival in 2004, the Toronto Improv Festival (2005), and the inaugural Denver Improv Festival (2005). The duo was also invited to perform at the Miami Improv Festival (2006).