It’s not too often that one can drive just a few minutes away to see a former Saturday Night Live star ‘up close and personal’. But Saturday night in McKinney, that’s exactly what happened at the McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC) on the square when dizzy blonde Victoria Jackson came to town.
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Victoria Jackson at the McKinney Performing Arts Center, Saturday, September 20.
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Best known for her zany handstand-and-poetry-reading skits on six seasons of Saturday Night Live, and now a mother of two and short-story author and singer, Jackson wowed the crowd at MPAC with her wit, intelligence and sweet sparkle.
She was preceded by McKinney’s own favorite comedienne Laura Bartlett, who got the crowd laughing easily and often. In a family of doctors, Bartlett got the comedy gene, she said.
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Opening act, McKinney comedienne Laura Bartlett
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“Welcome to Night Court,” she quipped from the Courtroom Main Stage. “Wouldn’t it be a really bad joke if this were actually McKinney’s warrant roundup? Someone has to pay for these new brick sidewalks!”
Her set paved the way for Jackson, who is still adorable, vivacious and funny – and impressively, still able to execute an impeccable handstand while reciting her original poetry. She pranced onstage with all her ditzy-ness intact, wearing platform heels, a frilly, frothy French maid’s tutu, and her trademark brilliant smile.
Several wig changes and a few ukulele strums later, the audience felt the presence of a favorite close friend, the one who easily makes everyone’s sides split. Her act included original songs, high-pitched poetry, jokes, impressions and, of course, gymnastics.
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A wiggy Victoria Jackson
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Jackson paid Bartlett the ultimate compliment, saying she wanted to steal all her material, and she shared funny stories about her real life married to her high school sweetheart, a man-of-few-words Miami police helicopter pilot.
Jackson explained how they blended their two opposing personalities to make their relationship work: “When I thought about getting married, I looked at all the things we had in common. We both get shot at, him with a gun and me with a camera; we both could die, him for real and me on stage, which is equally as painful; and we both like donuts.” She told the requisite few blonde jokes, and her ‘blondeness’ was endearing.
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Victoria Jackson
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Before and after the performance, the MPAC lower-level Gallery featured Art Works - Meet the Artists, with an exhibit sponsored in part by North Texas Business for Culture and the Arts (NTBCA). Artwork by Ted Houston of Richardson and Tim Poindexter of Lake Highlands could not have been more diverse, providing a good mix of styles. Many of Houston’s crisp, elegant and curvaceous charcoal drawings of the human figure were strikingly Picasso-like, while Poindexter’s mixed media paintings of simple livestock and childlike faces exuded weathered American folk charm.
The post-performance Art Works VIP reception allowed MPAC sponsors and other VIP ticket-holders an opportunity to meet Jackson, Bartlett, and artists Houston and Poindexter.
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L to R: artist Tim Poindexter,Victoria Jackson, artist Ted Houston
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Jackson summed up both artists’ styles without skipping a beat: “I see you spend a lot of time around cattle . . . and you spend a lot of time around naked people!” she bubbled to the delighted artists.
Humble with her (obviously enthralled) fans, her underlying gentleness and sincerity were refreshing. MPAC’s unique programming blending original art, music and irreverent comedy was fun, funny, comfortable, lively, and like a long-awaited party at a hilarious best friend’s cozy home.
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Joan Ponthier, Victoria Jackson, Alison Wills
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To join the fun and experience your own brush with greatness, call MPAC to reserve tickets for the following Autumn performances, sponsored by The Dallas Morning News, Emerson Process Management, Holiday Inn & Suites McKinney and WFAA:
Sunday, October 5, 7:30 pm: Louisiana-based bayou soul troubadour Marc Broussard (son of Boogie Kings guitarist Ted Broussard) makes his Atlantic Records debut with two releases: Must be the Water and Keep Coming Back. He has packed houses nationwide and toured with The Dave Matthews Band, Maroon 5 and O.A.R.
Saturday, October 18, 5-7 pm: Art Works – Meet the Artists featuring Greg Piazza, Lynda Rhodes, and Mary Frank, followed by iO Theater’s Whirled News Tonight, 7 & 10 pm, a hilarious improvised comedy show inspired by local and national news headlines clipped by audience members.
Friday, November 14, 8 pm: Bearfoot’s young musicians blend airy Northern ballads with back-alley Southern blues, while jazz stomp meets Appalachian breakdown. These young acoustic performers won one of roots music’s most prestigious awards, Telluride Festival Band Champions, an honor they share with The Dixie Chicks and Nickel Creek, just two years after they met as musical camp counselors.
Saturday, November 15, 8 pm: Five.Funny.Females hosted by McKinney’s own comedienne Laura Bartlett. The Dallas Morning News declares, “McKinney - The New Comedy Central.” Plan on spending Girls Night Out with Laura and her friends’ funny observations on jumper cables, pet adoption, car problems, growing up in the South, tongue cancer, and much more.
Saturday, November 22 – Sunday, December 7: 3rd Annual Festival of Trees and McKinney Repertory Theater’s A Christmas Carol: MPAC is transformed into a winter wonderland with elaborate themed trees, wreaths, and gingerbread houses decorated by community groups and sold to benefit Project Graduation. Due to overwhelming demand, 10 performances of MRT’s A Christmas Carol will be offered. These events coincide with McKinney Main Street’s Dickens of a Christmas on the historic square.
For information on these and more upcoming MPAC events and art exhibits, call 214.544.4630 for information and tickets or visit http://www.mckinneyperformingartscenter.org/.
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McKinney Performing Arts Center
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MPAC is located on the historic McKinney square at 111 N. Tennessee St., McKinney, TX 75069. For sponsorships, ticketing opportunities and rental, call 972.547.2650.
Victoria Jackson’s continuing escapades are detailed at http://www.victoriajackson.com/.
Laura Bartlett and more on Five Funny Females are at http://www.laurabartlett.com/.
Ted Houston, a TI Fellow at Texas Instruments by day, may be reached at Tedcaren@sbcglobal.net.
Tim Poindexter’s art may be seen at http://www.timpoindexter.com/.
