by Sandra Risser

This week we are taking a closer look at some of the performers coming to the 2012 Rogue Festival. Check back here every day through Thursday for more articles & soon for Rogue reviews & be sure and check out the ones we have already posted!

I wrote and perform Miss Your ex? Reload and fire again! as a tribute to all the people who survive relationships gone wrong. I admit to being smart, funny, and older than Twinkies. I’m eccentric not crazy, drive in the fast lane and can bench-press 75 grams. I believe in Santa Clause, the Tooth Fairy and clean underwear.

Sandra Risser

Like all good comedy, Miss Your Ex? Reload and Fire again! is based on my experiences and attitudes. I’m 70 years old and proud of it. In truth, I don’t think of myself as old. I’m used! I’ve had varied careers from schoolteacher to computer nerd to amateur competitive bodybuilder to small business owner to standup comic. I proudly proclaim over the years I’ve had my share of men. I’ve been dumped and I’ve dumped. Both make for good comedy.

For this show, I also solicited “ex” stories from friends and acquaintances. In the show, I’ve woven together stories, one-liners, and interesting facts about relationships and exes. I believe anyone of any age can relate to the humorous stories of my past relationships, my husband, and how others have exacted revenge on their exes. As Za Za Gabor said, “I am a marvelous house keeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house”.

I wrote my first two one-woman shows to perform in the Edinburgh, Scotland and Brighton, England Fringe Festivals. One, a standup comedy show, American Cougar of Comedy, combines prepared jokes with finding a humorous way to answer audience questions about anything from “Have you ever kissed a German” to “Do you think George Bush was a good president?”. The other, Amy, Fate and Me, is a drama based loosely on a trip I took in the 1970s. It’s about a woman’s compulsion to stop in a small town where she saves another and in turn finds herself.

My passion is standup comedy, which I perform as many nights a week as people will have me. My home base is the San Francisco Bay Area where I’ve performed in most of the major clubs and rooms. I’ve been in shows throughout California and the other West Coast states. I’ve shared the stage with many nationally known comics who’ve been on Comedy Central, David Letterman, Late Late Night With Craig Fergusson, etc. including Darren Carter, Larry “Bubbles” Brown, Andrew Norelli and Jeff Applebaum.

Following are quotes from two reviews of my previous one-woman shows:
“….. we laughed all the time and left feeling delighted, cherished and having seen someone original, honest and funny.” – Gscene Magazine, Brighton Fringe Festival

“Sandra shows her adaptability; she’s capable of pulling off a serious, hard-hitting piece followed up by a stand-up show of hilarious one-liners” – Diva Magazine, Brighton Fringe Festival

You can see Miss Your Ex? Reload and Fire Again? at Rogue Festival, Café @ Spectrum Gallery, 608 E Olive Ave, Fresno, March 2 at 10 p.m.; March 3-230 p.m. & 10 p.m.; March 10-730 p.m.
Cost: $5

Watch for more Rogue articles this week, as well as Rogue reviews beginning this weekend. Check out our Rogue Performances event page for info on more of the performers and our Rogue Preview article.