Some people call it the corner store, or the convenience store, or the party store. It’s the place where you go ’cause you just need to grab a little something tasty. That’s how we like to think of our podcast. We’ve got tampon cellphones, a classic film noir with a modern tech twist, a Project Runway-esque reality show with trees instead of models, and even the Grim Reaper. Hopefully there’s a little something tasty for everyone.
Like an old radio show, we huddle around a large microphone, scripts in hand. Some of us wear sweatshirts, others pajamas; we get to play from eight to eighty and everything in between to create wacky worlds without any sets, costumes, or make-up. It’s the joy of an audio-only show. And then, we eat.
Thanks for listening and enjoy the show!!
Brian Benston
Brian is our show announcer and voice of many characters, including: Detective from GPS Film Noir, Dad in Playground Police, Sherm and Hermann in The Tree, and Death in Angel of Death.
Brian Benston used to be a community theater and voiceover actor in the wilds of San Francisco, but since then has had to live a life on the lam, living under many assumed names and aliases. (The many voices and dialects he uses help a lot in this.) He has a partner in crime, and two offspring that he originally acquired for tax deduction/fraud purposes, but who are now assisting him in whatever schemes he has going at the moment. Through no fault of his own, he lives in Burlington, Massachusetts.
Ellen Bordman
Ellen is the voice of Yasmine in The Tree, Pregnant Woman in The Women’s Shoppe, Mom in Playground Police, Squirrel in Nature Calls. A Boston theater veteran, Ellen lives with her husband and two children. Learn more about Ellen at www.sharoncommunitycafe.com.
Mike Hoban
Mike is the voice of Sidney in The Tree, Dad in The Intervention, Bill in Angel of Death, and the Receptionist in TempGirl.
Mike Hoban is a former radio, stage and comic actor/writer who is exceedingly pleased to be pulled out of the moth balls every so often to do voice work for The Corner Store Variety Show. He is also a freelance comedy/business/PR/blog/recovery and grocery list writer, from which he makes a somewhat meager but thoroughly fulfilling living.
Wendy Kincaid
Wendy is the voice, among others, of Merle in The Tree, Mom and Menopausal Woman in The Women’s Shoppe, Wendy in Girlfriends Calendar, and Librarian in The Caregiver.
After her acting debut as Lady Macbeth in the Scottish play (Bushard Elementary School), Wendy furthered her career as Laurie in Oklahoma and Maria in The Sound of Music (Bell Junior High School). Wending her way east, Wendy joined the popular weekly parody, Have You Heard the News Lately? as an actor and writer, on MIT’s radio station, WMBR. She was also in the original founding cast of the wicked funny sketch comedy group, It’s Not My Child. Once called “very talented” by the David Cross during her early stand-up career, Wendy now lives in Brookline, Massachusetts with her husband and two children, who were recently described by a fellow actor: “They eat improv for breakfast.”
Michael Lepera
Michael engineered the first few shows and is the show’s go-to music source. He is the voice of the Announcer in The Tree and Dad in Angel of Death. Michael enjoys watching hockey and railing against society. He lives with his wife, two children, and their cat, Fergus.
Michele Markarian
Michele is the voice of TempGirl, Bev and JP Morgan in The Tree, Cupcake in GPS Film Noir, Mom in The Intervention, and many many others.
Michele Markarian is a writer and actor based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her short plays have been presented in festivals throughout the US and UK. Her ten-minute play Old Friends was a finalist for a 2006 Heideman Award from Actors’ Theatre of Louisville. Michele’s play Parents of Typical Children was shortlisted at the Gold Dust Competition for Playwrights and shown at the London Theatre, New Cross in July of 2012. Her plays have been published by Dramatic Publishing, Heuer Publishing, and in an upcoming anthology, Best Ten-Minute Plays of 2014 by Smith and Kraus. Michele’s short fiction can be found in the anthologies “Families: the Frontline of Pluralism,” and “View From the Bed; View from the Bedside” and “Dare to Repair”, by Wising Up Press, and in the online anthology, “In Her Place; Stories of Women Who Get Around” (inherplace.org), as well as on yesteryearfiction.com and microliterature.org. Michele is a member of the Dramatists Guild. An anthology of her plays will be published later this year by Fomite Press.
Devon Reed
Devon is the voice of Buffy in The Intervention and Daughter in The Women’s Shoppe.
Devon is a dramatic, interesting individual. She loves acting and has been in 24 plays. Her debut was in Charlotte’s Web as Sheep #2. Her last starring roles were the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz, Golde in Fiddler on the Roof, and Willy Wonka. Most recently, she was Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls. Devon has been amazing since June 1, 2001 (her birthday).
Miles Taylor
Miles is the voice of Jody in The Intervention and Dad in the test episode of Angel of Death. Learn more about Miles at www.milesonthembta.blogspot.com.
Anita Weiner
Anita is the writer/producer/director of The Corner Store Variety Show. Her voices include: Ann in Angel of Death, Leslie in Girlfriends Calendar, and Single Woman in The Women’s Shoppe.
Anita made some short films, co-wrote/produced a live sketch comedy show, and attempted to launch an indie sitcom. But mostly, she enjoyed those sushi lunches on the corporate credit card. She’s been watching General Hospital since Jeff Webber found out his wife, Monica, was having an affair with his brother, Rick. Soon after, she got hooked on One Life to Live and All My Children (RIP). Anita lives with her husband, two children, and their cat.
The Corner Store Variety Show 