The Kids In the 'Secret Show' Hall

CFIWest / Steve Allen Theater, Hollywood
May 7

(l-r) Scott Thompson, Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch

A line of comedy fans dozens deep snaked around the corner of Berendo and Hollywood Wednesday night - and not all of them made it in - for a secret late-show warmup from the Kids in the Hall, about to embark on their North American summer tour. The Steve Allen Theater has been a cozy little home away from Tronno for the revered Canadian sketch comedy troupe in the past couple of years; all of them have performed and screened various projects at the Center for Inquiry West’s H’wood home, most recently Scott Thompson and Kevin McDonald's one-man shows. Last night's packed house was treated to "The Final Kiss," a hilarious gory short (makeup by KNB FX - gnarly!) co-starring Thompson and Dave Foley (and directed by Allen artistic director Amit Itelman), as well as a live set which while devoid of material from the upcoming tour nevertheless struck a chord (or several) with the die-hards in the audience.

Anyone who missed out is SOL for this Friday’s Orpheum Theater KITH show, which is sold out like a mutha. However, as Foley and Thompson noted at the top of the evening, The Grove of Anaheim gig is apparently still half empty for tonight. (“There are scalpers out on the street crying,” Foley noted. “Please come.”)

McCulloch and Kevin McDonald

Mark McKinney and Foley