The phrase “Only the truth is funny” has been uttered in various iterations by famous authors: Sarah Frances Brown, Mark Twain and Jonathan Swift. It is, perhaps, most recently applied to the writings and adventures of one Clay Hausmann.
Hausmann, 54, lives in Scotts Valley. He has worked in marketing for 30-plus years and has a degree in broadcast journalism. Throughout his career, he’s taken time off to do things that are creative and slightly frightening to him: he’s written a book and four screenplays (one was a finalist for the Sundance Screenwriters Lab in 2011), and he’s always found fulfillment in presenting information to others with a comedic bent.
Now, Hausmann is bringing that angle to life at The Landing in Scotts Valley (also known as the Scotts Valley Cultural and Performing Arts Center). He and his one-man act will take the stage at 8pm on Saturday, June 28, and he’s excited to share his view on empty nesting with the masses.
“I came up with the title for the show, ‘Empty Nest and All the Rest,’ and decided to see if folks would show up if I made it into a performance. They encouraged me to do it, and I had several reasons I wanted to bring it to life—not only to satisfy that creative itch, but also as a means to raise money for The Landing,” said Hausmann, whose good friends Cynthia and Ray Gorski were pivotal in bringing the theater to fruition.
Once Hausmann got the thumbs up from friends and family to proceed, he decided to run toward the stage and bring his performance to life. He’s written the entire script himself, although he has bounced some of his “bits” off of others.
“There were one or two things that my wife encouraged me to leave out, but otherwise, it’s everything I’ve experienced,” said Hausmann, alluding to his wife, Christie, and her influence in his creative decision-making process.
Christie has yet to see the show in full, but she posted a preamble about it on her Instagram page. “I haven’t actually seen the show yet, so (this is) not a legit review, but my husband Clay is putting on a one-man comedy show in just over a month! He is smart, funny, and cute—so I know the show will be too. As someone who would never be caught dead on stage, I’m terrified for him, but I know he’s going to kill it,” she wrote.
Hausmann’s son, Bode, is 22, lives in Seattle and features prominently in the show along with his sister, Jade, 19. Bode is proud of many things his dad has accomplished in his life, but he finds this achievement a bit extraordinary, especially since it’s being held as a fundraiser for The Landing.
“My dad has already raised close to $5,000 in ticket sales and is hoping to raise over $10,000 to support the theater. One of the founders of the theater is my old drama teacher, Ms. Gorski, so we’re all really excited at the prospect of building up this theater in the community,” said the younger Hausmann.
As the only family member who has seen a full run-through of the show, Bode is supportive and confident in the show’s success.
“My dad has a natural storytelling ability and humorous side, and I’ve always looked up to him. He also knew that my time in Ms. Gorski’s class was a positive and influential part of my life, so to have him do something that will benefit the community and the theater that Ms. Gorski helped to build is meaningful to me,” Bode said. “I fell in love with her and her classroom, and I went to Scotland for two weeks with our class. We performed in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (the world’s largest performance arts festival) and it was a turning point for me. I’d had terrible separation anxiety up to that point, but that trip showed me that I can be on my own,” said Hausmann, who attended college on the East Coast and now lives in Washington.
“None of that would have happened if it weren’t for Ms. Gorski’s influence on me,” added Bode, a former Thespian of the Year at Pacific Collegiate School.
As for the target audience, Hausmann is casting a fairly wide net.
“I’m hoping to draw in folks that are experiencing or approaching the empty nest phase of life, and I’m excited to perform for a large audience—it always brings more energy to a show,” he said. “Having a sense of community is really important, and having an active community theater is a big part of that.”
Hausmann is counting on two performances: Saturday, June 28, at 8pm, and Saturday, July 19, at 8pm. Both will be held at The Landing at 251B Kings Village Road in Scotts Valley. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit our.show/hausmann.
