Dana Carvey will be on stage Oct. 13 at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $39 to $89, and are available by calling 630-962-7000 or by visiting www.oshows.com.
Kane County Chronicle reporter Eric Schelkopf had a chance to talk to Carvey about the upcoming show and his career.
Eric Schelkopf: Of course, you’re going to be at the Arcada Theatre. I just wanted to mention that I live in Aurora, which I know is dear to your heart.
Dana Carvey: All right, party on.
ES: Speaking of that, you were kind of joking around earlier this year about doing “Wayne’s World 3.” Do you ever in all seriousness see that happening?
DC: You never know, you know. You never, ever know. I’ll call Mike Myers after this and see where his head is at.
ES: Speaking of that character, what was it like playing Garth? Why did you enjoy playing that character?
DC: Well, I based it on my brother Brad, so it was fun. It was really, really fun to do it.
And it was fun being the sidekick. I didn’t have to do a lot of the heavy lifting. I could just sort of chime in here and there.
And also, it was a freaky, bizarre thing, to be in something that got that successful. It just starts as a goofy sketch, and then we did this low-budget movie in like 30 days, and then it just blew up. It was very amazing.
ES: What characters are going to be showing up for the show at the Arcada? Are you kind of going through your career? What should people expect?
DC: Well, I’m a little more updated now. I do touch on Garth, some Church Lady, some Arnold Schwarzenegger and Hans and Franz, and some political impressions.
But then I’ll probably re-enact the debate between Romney and Obama. And I’ve been challenged to learn Paul Ryan, because I’m doing a gig in Wisconsin, so I’m working on that.
I’ll be doing just tons of voices and impressions throughout, and describing life on the planet. It may be a little edgier than most people would think, not in being blue, but just in topic.
I will go out, and I will surprise them. I don’t phone it in. And I will do my Neil Young. Jimmy Fallon does his Neil Young, and he said I inspired him.
I’ve incorporated my new Neil Young Christmas song. With harmonica. The whole thing.
ES: Are politicians the best material? How do you go about choosing your material?
DC: No, it’s just about the spectrum of life. I do a lot about my parents, who are in their late 80s. I talk a lot about being a father and aging and just the human condition.
I did some political impressions on “Saturday Night Live.” It’s a fun area to work in because that’s a time honored American tradition.
Vladimir Putin might put you in jail, but here we have to do it. It’s our responsibility to eviscerate our politicians. So it’s a moral calling.
ES: “Saturday Night Live” was great for your career. Do you think the show is as cutting edge as it once was?
DC: Yeah, I think it’s great. It seems better than it ever has been, and maybe even more important. There’s no sketch or variety show any place else. There’s lots of talk shows, but “Saturday Night Live” is really the only one doing this.
ES: Any advice to a comedian who is just trying to break into the business?
DC: It’s such a different world these days. With the Web, you can record your own standup and edit it and put it on the Internet. There’s more ways to make it.
When I came through, it was Johnny Carson or Lorne Michaels. One of those two men had to love you for you to make it in comedy. Not absolutely, but pretty much.
My advice would be to find someplace to get on stage, and just go on as much as you possibly can.
ES: Do you feel the energy from the crowd when you are on stage?
DC: Yeah. You can’t fake it. Anybody who does it, I respect.
It’s a great craft to learn, and it’s really hard, but it’s super satisfying because it is so hard.
Show info
When: 8 p.m., Oct. 13
Where: Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles
Ticket Cost: From $39 to $89
To Purchase Tickets: Call 630-962-7000 or visit www.oshows.com
