On Friday July 20 Dojo Comedy is proud to host Stacey With a Side of Schmear’s one year bagel-versary show! We sat down to chat with show host Stacey Axler about all things bagel, comedy, and beyond.
Dojo: Congrats on a whole year of bagel shows! What are your thoughts going into planning the one-year anniversary bagel show?
Stacey: Thank you! I am really thankful and honestly surprised this is my one year anniversary show. One thing I love about the DC improv/ comedy community is the tremendous support I have received. This is a unique idea. I am so happy Murphy and Dojo has given it a home. I am happy so many wonderful people have attended or just supported the idea through words of encouragement. It means a lot to have a community support such a wacky idea. For my one year show, I want it to be fun and I honestly want it to be the best show yet. This isn't the last bagel show, so just celebrating the anniversary with the audience is also a goal for the show.
What have been some of the most memorable moments from shows this past year?
There are so many! It is hard to only pick a few! Kaelan Sullivan and I made vanilla icing cream cheese on stage once by mixing plain cream cheese and vanilla icing per instructions I printed from a website. It was probably one of the worst things I have ever eaten. I doubt I will ever forget that moment.
Also, during one show Kate Sliney microwaved her bagel in the back of Dojo. I was truly shocked but I am glad she was able to enjoy her bagel that way. One other memory that stands out is a show in which Sam Schifrin threw an avocado at me. I asked her to do this, but it made a big impact.
Also, I was very touched during one show when Ginnie Seger tried to stop me from eating strawberries because she found out I had a slight allergy to them. One of my personal favorite moments was the show when Melissa Gedney and Sam dressed up and performed as me to host the show. The audience is a huge component of the show and I love interacting with them on stage.
What has been some of your biggest inspirations for show themes?
My biggest inspiration has been the phrase "things I would not do myself." I eat very traditional bagels, so I guess that makes me a bagel snob. But talking about cream cheese amount, for example, is very important to me because in my mind there is a correct way to eat a bagel and an incorrect way. And so many people eat bagels the "incorrect" way. Challenging myself to try things I would not normally try is usually the start of every idea/ episode.
Highs and lows: what was the worst bagel you tried this year? Which bagel surprised you the most in being enjoyable?
The worst bagel was probably the one with the vanilla icing cream cheese. That poor bagel was tainted by the awful cream cheese. People: please learn from my mistakes. Do not do this, even if the internet tells you to do so. One surprising bagel was one that had Lucky Charms cereal on it. It was not nauseating. I thought it would be.
For bagel newbies, how do you prepare your perfect bagel spread?
The best bagel is an everything bagel with lox, plain cream cheese, sliced tomato, and onion. Capers are not necessary. Even thinking about it now, I really want one.
Are there any sneak peeks or clues we can get for the anniversary show? Will there be a fish bowl?
I will be doing something during the show I have never done on the show before! I can't reveal what that will be but it will be fun. Also, we'll be talking about Pretty Little Liars which relates back to bagels, I swear! And yes, there will be a fish bowl, probably several of them!
