A One-Man Cast Of Characters

Comedian Dana Carvey is scheduled to bring his style of characters and impersonations to The Paramount on Sept. 11.

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

Comedian Dana Carvey is best known for his performances on Saturday Night Live that reinvigorated the sketch comedy show in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, but the pressure of a weekly live show in front of a national audience was something that took a little getting used to.

Carvey, 63, became a household name on SNL in 1986 on the back of his popular character impressions that included Church Lady, Garth Algar - of Wayne’s World - and George H. W. Bush.

“The first year on SNL was abject terror… terrifying for sure,” Carvey said. “Then it was moderately terrifying for the next three years, then for the last three years I was more desensitized to the fear, more relaxed and more confident.”

For Carvey, SNL was his first attempt at sketch comedy since he began his standup career in San Francisco during the late ‘70s.

“It took awhile for me to get used to being in sketches,” Carvey said.

Carvey’s characters were a hit with the audience, and in 1993 he was awarded the Emmy for outstanding individual performance in a variety program.

Carvey said his famous Church Lady character was inspired by the memory of patronizing schoolteachers from his childhood.

“That one just kind of hit me on stage,” Carvey said. “I think that somehow I processed the rhythm of patronizing teachers initially.”

When working on his impersonations, Carvey said he feels “the main thing is just listening” to the person’s voice. He also allows himself to use some creative license.

“I’ve never been obsessed with complete accuracy. I’m always looking for some kind of a rhythm or take on it that makes me happy in my brain,” Carvey said.

Carvey is scheduled to perform at The Paramount in Huntington on Sept. 11 with an opening act by his sons Dex and Thomas Carvey.

Carvey said his standup show is a reflection of what is going on in the world at the moment, and audiences can expect to hear the voices of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and other relevant names from the front pages of the news.

“My standup is a lot of riffing with characters and impressions, and working with my sons gives me a chance to hatch a lot of new ideas,” Carvey said.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the 8 p.m. show. Tickets for the show range from $49.50-$79.50 and can be purchased at the box office or online at Paramountny.com.