The McManus Comedies

"...laugh-packed shows reminiscent of
Mark Twain and Bill Cosby"!
Billings Gazette

"Outstanding performance! I relished the joy of a performance that obviously knocked the audience out. People should see this show!"
The late Jack Lemmon, Actor

“The play brought jolts of laughter to the Discovery Theatre's sold-out performance as actor Tim Behrens worked nothing short of magic into these tales…”
Anchorage Daily News

The McManus Comedies were originally conceived in 1992 by humor writer Patrick F. McManus, and his indentured actor, Tim Behrens, as a way to combat the waves of laughlessness that seem to be sweeping the country.

Little did they know that from those humble beginnings a rather surprising track record would evolve: now more than 1200 public performances of five separate and distinct shows, tours through 23 states and Canada, and more than 400,000 pretty happy audience members.

In addition, Tim has performed the "Corporate" or “Conference” show at more than 200 various business conferences and conventions.

These one-man comedies are based on the characters and places Pat created during his 45 plus years of writing humorous fiction. Tim plays 37 characters in the five shows, including a skunk, a pig, and in one scene a snake on a bicycle!

The shows hark back to a simpler time when boys wanted to become mountain men...but couldn't because they were afraid of the dark; when you knew your first date would warp your personality forever...but you went on it anyway; when 100-year old men kept telling stories they knew you'd heard a thousand times, but you had to listen anyway.

In addition to the five complete shows which last around two hours each, Pat and Tim crafted two shorter "corporate shows" for conventions, conferences and corporate meetings. In addition, Tim performs three distinct “school shows” for kids aged 9 and up.

The shows have garnered superlative reviews along the way, and a great, surprise letter from Jack Lemmon, who saw the videos, and wrote a wonderful letter thanking us "for a terrific evening of laughter. Tim does a terrific job and the show is beautifully done on every craft level: the writing, the performance, the direction. Many congratulations. I strongly urge presenters to book this show!"

Pat and Tim invite you to browse these pages to find out about each show, to check our current schedule, to explore the corporate shows (Conferences and Conventions), or to check out the videos of our first two shows. Tim also presents special school performances and acting workshops in residence.

Check out Patrick's new Website Here!

& visit the Rockin' B Ranch Website Here

NEW SHOW NOW TOURING!
Poor Again…Dagnabbit!
An entirely new Comedy by Patrick F. McManus
Starring Tim Behrens is now on tour

Nationally renowned humor writer Patrick F. McManus has done it again….become poor! And this time he’s written a new play about it for his even poorer and indentured actor, Tim Behrens, to perform and tour. This will be the first play Pat has written for Tim in some time and they both believe the world needs it!

“The worldwide recession continues to increase the spread of laughlessness across the land,” says Behrens, “and we aim to do our part to combat this situation.”

Both author and actor guarantee laughs as they describe Pat’s childhood of poverty, his confrontations with wolves at the door, his inspired descriptions of the Great Depression’s impacts on everything from cars to maggot farming, from school assignments to dating. Discover how to make, and inventively present, poverty foods like blood sausage, head cheese and turkey gravy.

Pat’s account of his current situation…once again falling from success to poverty… culminates in a conversation with Old Ed, Pat’s 100 year-old friend, who puts love and life into perspective …if only he can stay awake long enough.