Mark Roberts — comedian, actor, playwright, and creator of the show Mike & Molly — will be performing at SURFACE 51 during the Boneyard Arts Festival. Roberts is a Tolono native, and has often returned to perform in C-U. For Boneyard, he will “perform Bad Mule Rag Live!, a collection of silly, poignant—and sometimes irreverent—tales that appeal to kids and adults.” Check out the full press release below.
SURFACE 51 will host a special performance by Mark Roberts at Boneyard Arts Festival
Free family event features fun poetry readings, artwork, videos, and live music.
CHAMPAIGN, Illinois — Mark Roberts, Tolono native and creator of sitcom Mike & Molly, will perform Bad Mule Rag Live!, a collection of silly, poignant—and sometimes irreverent—tales that appeal to kids and adults alike. Performances will be held Friday, April 14, at 7pm, and Saturday, April 15, at 2pm and 7pm, at SURFACE 51, 106 S. Neil St., in downtown Champaign.
The free-to-attend, multimedia event will showcase poetry from Mark’s free newspaper for kids, Bad Mule Rag, as well as his book, The Lonely Banjo. The performance will also feature videos by area creatives and live music by A Dream About Cowboys.
A silent auction of Mark’s original book artwork will be held during the event, with all proceeds going to University Primary School.
The event is part of Boneyard Arts Festival, an annual three-day event that brings together artists, businesses, and organizations to showcase the broad range of creativity flourishing in Champaign County.
For more information, contact Lisa Cisneros at 630-743-1081 or [email protected].
About Mark Roberts
Mark Roberts is an award-winning playwright, comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer, and illustrator. His kid-centric, collaborative project Bad Mule, Inc. encompasses books, poetry, artwork, music, video, live performance, and more. Bad Mule’s work is designed to bring some levity into the world, impart light wisdom, inspire creativity, and make kids laugh.
About SURFACE 51
Established in 2004, SURFACE 51 generates creative ideas into powerful brands and markets businesses through strategy, branding, graphic design, web design and development, apps, digital, video, and messaging for a wide range of local, regional, and national clients.
MARK ROBERTS BIO
Mark Roberts is a playwright, comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer, and illustrator.
As a comedian, Mark appeared seven times on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, along with comedy specials on Showtime and HBO. He performed at the Aspen Comedy Festival, the Toronto Comedy Festival, and his special gala performance at the Montreal Comedy Festival was hailed by Variety as “a perfect ten.” This pivotal moment led Mark out of the nightclubs and into a series regular role on The Naked Truth, starring Tea Leoni, along with television appearances on Seinfeld, Friends, The Larry Sanders Show, and others.
Acting didn’t stop Mark from consistently writing his own material, most notably the 2000 play Couples Counseling Killed Katie. It caught the eye of producer Chuck Lorre, who went on to hire him as a head writer and producer on Two and a Half Men. Mark would go on to create and executive produce Mike & Molly, winning an Emmy for star Melissa McCarthy.
When Mike & Molly ended, Mark continued to create, primarily as a playwright. Two of his plays were chosen as New York Times Critics’ Picks, and his play New Country was chosen as one of the Best New Plays of 2015. Mark’s work appears in many Smith & Kraus anthologies of the best monologues and scenes. His plays—all published by Dramatists Play Service—continue to be performed around the world.
His newest audience? Kids. His project Bad Mule, Inc. encompasses books, poetry, artwork, music, video, live performance, and more. Witty, silly, a touch irreverent—and often poignant—Bad Mule’s work is designed to bring some levity into the world, impart light wisdom, inspire creativity, and make kids laugh.
Mark Roberts
SURFACE 51
106 S Neil St
Champaign
F Apr 14th, 7 p.m.
Sa Apr 15th, 2 p.m. + 7 p.m.
Free
