Beth Lapides (Part 1 of 2)

Beth Lapides is the creator, host and producer of Un-Cabaret, a live show that has become widely acknowledged as the first alt-comedy show and a critical venue for the Los Angeles "alternative comedy" movement. Un-Cabaret is known for its intimate, conversational style and has been a launching or relaunching pad for some of the most innovative voices in comedy. The Un- stands for un-homophobic, un-xenophobic, un-misogynistic, un-hacky. Un-Cabaret has produced five critically acclaimed CD's including The Un and Only. Spinoff productions from Un-Cabaret have include Say the Word, a story-telling show; The Other Network, a show featuring unaired pilots, and the UnCab Lab, a student workshop.

Lapides' podcast Life and Beth is half hour conversations in which guests are asked to talk about the stories that most make them them. Beth's guest have included Lily Taylor, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Cho, Daniel Radcliffe, Ana Gasteyer and others. Her radio show, The Beth Lapides Experience, ran for a year on the short-lived Comedy World Radio. In addition she hosted Radio UnCabaret for the network.

Lapides hosted two Un-Cabaret spin off shows, Say The Word and The Other Network Festival of Unaired Pilots. In the former, TV writers read stories of their lives, in which Lapides was also a featured reader. The latter toured nationally and to the Just For Laughs Festival. It featured pilots by Judd Apatow, Bob Odenkirk and others who also told the story of creating the shows and their cancellations. Lapides' inspiration for them was her own failed pilot and the process of seeing her friends hopes swell and be dashed.

Lapides hosts an occasional series of conversations for the West Hollywood Lesbian Speaker Series. Her guest have included Stephanie Miller, Allee Willis, Judy Gold, Fortune Feimster and Margaret Cho.

Lapides has been a creative force in the solo show arena. She began her career in the downtown NY art scene of the 1980s where she created pieces for The Kitchen, PS 122, Club 57, Danceteria, and others. She received several National Endowment for the Arts grants and toured to theaters, universities and art centers like ICA Boston, ICA London, Oberlin College, University of Iowa, Hallwalls etc.

She has continued to create solo work throughout her career and she continues to develop her latest piece "100% Happy 88% of The Time" which has toured to the Improv Lab in LA, 92nd St Y Tribeca and The Triad in NY, Kripalu, The Myrna Loy Center for the Arts, Club Oberon in Boston among others.