spencenews

Patrick Crean Award

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:20:53 -0500

For many years, I’ve been a member of a great organization for fight choreographers, stunt coordinators, historical martial artists and combat historians, called The International Order of the Sword and Pen. It meets in Canada every two years and I count the attendees as many of my oldest friends, most supportive mentors and best students. The event is called “The Paddy Crean International” or simply, “The Paddy”.

Christmas Spirit 2010

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:57:48 -0500

“The Hack and Slash Christmas Special, in Color!” hit the stage in late December and it was an incredible experience. We were joined by over 2500 pajama-clad fans for four hysterical shows in Baltimore. The show was completely revamped in the theme of the golden age of Hollywood. John and I played movie celebrity versions of ourselves and we were joined by many great guests, in the tradition of classic television Christmas specials, for music, comedy and fireside cocoa around a mock living room set.

Global Ha-ha-hospitality!

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:07:22 -0400

I was very happy to be back at the Great Lakes Medieval Faire this season. I helped to build and develop that event in it’s early years and performed there for a decade. I saw the opportunity to do something special with the summer we would all be spending together and proposed a community project. It would be a comedy and music showcase and we would give the money to charity. The support and generosity of the community, including patrons and performers alike was inspiring.

I made it clear that as a “community project” it was not my show and asked my friend and former student Brian Reames to organize the entertainment for the event. Others stepped up to collect food and clothes and locate charities who would receive them. Others volunteered to provide leadership in the areas of promotion, press releases and being the stage crew. Performers offered unique and hilarious ideas for bits and fundraising activities at the event. It was an honor to be a part of this group of compassionate and motivated leaders.

For our cash donation, we opted to give the profits to a village in Ghana, Africa. I had personally learned about the village from my friend and coaching client Bridget Chatman who had been to the village and met with the leader of the village. King Nana, the first woman king in the history of the region, told her that they had no well and no school. As I considered our community project, I thought it serindipitous that this charity had appeared and pitched it to the event participants. The village will be featured on the television program 20/20 in October. Hopefully the cameras would catch a shot of a water well in the background, courtesy of some funny people from a certain faire in Ohio.

The show was well attended, with many people buying their tickets online and another 100 people or so showing up at the event. I was inspired by the large pile of bags containing clothes and food. The audience was friendly and happy to help us move the tables into place, in front of the outdoor stage at the Chalet Debonne Winery, in Madison, Ohio. Comedians Brian Howard, Ken Silkie, Betsy Bauer Joel Newlon, and Larry Rabin were joined by a magic act, musical interludes from Circa Paleo, and an outrageous fundraising stunt by street cast members from GLMF.

I’m hoping we can do the project again next year. I know we can make an even bigger impact.

You can read more about the project and see more pictures here.

spence.

P.S. I received this letter and a very charming phone call from the King of the village in Africa when they recieved our donation:
HI SPENCER,

GOOD AFTERNOON AND HOW ARE YOU?

IT WAS NICE SPEAKING TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2010 IN REFERENCE TO THE DONATION THAT YOU MAILED TO ME. THIS WILL GO A LONG WAY FOR MY VILLAGE. I AM PLANNING OF BUILDING A LAVATORY FOR THEM. I WILL KEEP ALL THE DONATIONS UNTIL I GET ENOUGH TO START WITH THE PROJECT. I AM ANTICIPATING OF STARTING THE LAVATORY PROJECT LATEST BY MARCH 2011. AS SOON AS I START I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU DEARLY FOR WHAT YOU DO.

YOU CAN VISIT MY WEBSITE AT THE ADDRESS BELOW:
www.ladykingpeggy.com

UNTIL THEN, HAVE A WONDERFUL AND PEACEFUL HOLIDAYS AND I HOPE TO MEET YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

UNTIL THEN, HAVE A WONDERFUL AND PEACEFUL DAY!

SINCERELY,
NANA
(LADY KING PEGGY OF OTUAM)

Spence named “Humanitarian of the Year”!

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 11:39:25 -0500

A night in September, I was in my camper at the Renaissance Festival in Maryland and I received a call from Dr. Shelley Stockwell, the President of the International Hypnosis Federation that left me uncharacteristically speechless...

Most people know me for my comedy performances, but for many years, I’ve been deeply involved in behavioral and cognitive psychology, pursuing my doctorate in Neurolinguistic Programing and coaching small teams of Fortune 500 executives in compassionate and persuasive communication. Along the way I’ve been certifed as a Master Hypnotist and NLP Trainer, and attended the International Hypnosis Federation, Mind, Body and Spirit Conference every year to share and learn new ways to assist people in expanding their potential.

Shelley explained that over the years, she had enjoyed hearing stories about the various projects that I’ve been involved with, including USO tours to entertain the troops, outreach to the indigenous people of countries where our troops are deployed, our comedy Christmas Special charity show that draws thousands each year in Baltimore and my efforts to transform the communication of the corporate executives and managers who serve the nation’s healthcare, enviromental protection, military, educational systems and space programs.

Shelley explained that she thought the work should be recognized and that the IHF wanted to honor me as Humanitarian of the Year 2010. There have been few moments in my life in which words did not come easily, but I was so taken a aback, it took me a good minute to compose myself. I told her I was honored and I would accept. I suggested that the honor be also shared with my comedy partner, John Davis, who travelled to 15 countries with me in “Operation Swashbuckle” and played the lead in our charity show each year and she agreed. John wasn’t able to attend, the event, but we made sure he would also recognized for his partnership and many contributions.

For years, I have been entertaining at the conference, doing my stage hypnosis show at first, as many of my stage-hypno teachers were in the organization, then offering a variety of different comedy characters and acts. It was always a challenge to bring something new each year and I worked to invite new funny people and material with me when I could. Shelley and I pondered the whimsical tone of me doing the entertainment at the banquet in my honor. We decided that silly or not, I would just go for it. I wanted it to be something special. Shelly asked if I could talk about the highlights visiting children in the Afghani hospital, entertaining the troops in Iraq and our various charity shows and outreach projects at the banquet and make some jokes while I was at it.

If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path. -Buddhist saying
What struck me was the opportunity to create something powerful through the event. I put together a fun presentation in which I suggested that everyone had a “superpower”, something my friend Duncan had told me once. Duncan had remarked that no matter how amateur my guitar skills were, once I strated playing, the audience would just assume that it was just my “superpower”. I always liked that frame and decided to ask everyone at the conference what their “superpower” was and urge them to find ways to use it for contribution. I told some stories about my travels and projects, empahasizing that I achieved these things simply by knowing my superpowers and the superpowers of my friends and then creating possibilities with them. It didn’t take a herculian effort, just a belief in possibility.

We talked about the word “humanitarian” and what it meant me, illustrating “human” with a Ken doll and other enjoyable silliness. I let them know that I was honored to be recognized by my fellow humans, but what I was most excited about was the opportunity to join them in the possibilities we could create together. I asked them who was done “flirting with possibility” and was ready to “get into bed with life and make some possibilibabies!!” I was greeted with an ethusiastic and jovial response from my audience which prompted me to announce, “Very, well. By the powers invested in me as Humantarian of the Year, I declare you all humantarians!”, irreverantly baptizing them with the ken doll, dipped in a glass of water from the podium.

I was touched, moved and inspired to have the opportunity to participate in that evening with such amazing, loving people and bring about some positive possibilibabies. I’ll admit, I still enjoy occasionally answering the phone, “Humantarian of the Year...”

Christmas Special 2009!

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:19:19 -0500

Another fantastic production this year! Special guests The London Broil Comedy Show, Hey Nunnie Nunnie, Michael Rosman and Swami Yomahmi joined Hack and Slash, Maia Rodriguez and an amazing and talented cast of musical theater performers for the 10th annual Hack and Slash Christmas Special, the Musical! We were joined by thousands of pajama-clad fans who arrived ready to party!

We raised thousands of dollars for the Make-a-Wish Foundation and had a fantastic time. Each year, it takes months of planning, long hours of work and endless problem solving to make this monster happen, but we have a great team of outstanding and positive people who show up when it counts.

I enjoyed doing a standup set in my pajamas for a thousand seat house and Duncan and Louie from the Broil even sat in on one set. My puppy Leo even joined in on a bit with John and I. What’s more Christmassy than a puppy with a bow on it?

Thanks to everyone who attended and supported the event and our charity. I hope to offer something bigger and badder next year! We’re going to go back to the drawing board and start from scratch. Maybe we’ll do the musical or perhaps something completely different. We may even take a year off and recharge. After a decade of bringing the Christmas funny, one thing is for certain, whatever we decide for the future, we’re going to be having fun!

spence.