COMEDY PRODUCTION

Comedy is tough. The production of comedy is tougher. And you know this is true because there are three extra words in the sentence. But, since we like doing comedy so much, it feels less like production and more like sliding down a rainbow into a pool of Skittles. If you're looking for some hired hands for your own comedy endeavors, or just merely want to look around, you've come to the right place. As the owner of Virtual Knowledge, Taylor Stein feels the need to prove to you he is funny and will do so by listing his historic, comical achievements in paragraph form.

Stein started off acting in community theatre, before taking a gigantic step forward into high school theatre. After only three years of high school productions, he felt the need to start his own production company with fellow funnyman Chris Onken. You can read more on that in the ever-so-special Onken-Stein Productions section of this page. Moving on. In the fall of 2001, while in college, Stein joined Omaha improv group, Spot Theatre, before co-developing the University of Nebraska at Omaha cult classic, fake reality show, Post Modern Television, with the not-just-famous-infamous Rick Pecoraro. From there he went on to direct, produce, and co-star in the "Made For TV/For My Thesis" film, Fair Enough. A year or so passed without anything funny ever happening, until 2005 when Stein joined Mr. Chicago's Improv Comedy Troupe. Then, in summer of 2006, Stein became the host for Omaha alternative entertainment show, The KXVO 10:00 News. He hosted and produced comedy, blended with hot chocolate and race cars, for a month before turning over the host reins and becoming the producer of the show that featured host, Matt Geiler, photographer, Kyle Benecke, and director, Jeff VanRoy, in what was more of a sketch comedy and entertainment satire than actual news program. Though the show had an overwhelmingly large budget of $100/month "for costumes," (which is 100% true) it gained a following, much like a pied piper. But the following liked to hide in the gallows of Omaha and the show was cancelled less than a year after the cast was formed. The cast attempted to press on, and began production on "Voila," a show developed by Geiler to be pitched out in California. But progress on the show moved slowly and though one of the sketches was entered into the Second City Film Festival in Chicago, nothing ever became of the show. So, after some much needed yachting in the orient, Stein developed a television pilot titled, Going Nowhere, to pitch in Omaha. In May of 2008, the show was entered into a contest through the FX Network, which was looking for a comedy to add to it's line-up to work in conjunction with the hit FX show, "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia." The winner would produce a TV pilot that would air on FX. Though "Going Nowhere" did not win (the show "Testees" was the eventual winner), of the 400 entries received, through some Nancy Drew-like detective work we discovered it did crack the "Top 110"...no lie. Now, webisodes are being produced for The Omaha Buzz website.

And that's one way to do comedy for a living when your degree is in broadcasting.

COMPANY BIO

Onken-Stein Productions has been a subsidiary of Virtual Knowledge Inc. since 1998. If you're looking for help -- in the theatrical sense of the word -- then maybe you should continue reading. Since 1999, founding members Chris Onken and Taylor Stein have written numberous plays and sketches that have been performed around Omaha and Chicago. Onken is currently enrolled in Second City Chicago and Stein is the former producer of the KXVO "Alternative" News. Original plays they have written include: Saved By the Bell, The Seinfeld Years, the critically acclaimed The Monkey For Congress, which was a somewhat autobiographical tale about getting a lifetime ban from the Ralston Fourth of July Parade, And Then There Was One and Every Two Years. If you need some help being funny, Onken-Stein Productions will listen for a few minutes before making a judgement call about you as a person... and then decide to accept or pass on the project.