WHININGS OF A MALCONTENT is a play by Rick Ashton
The roots of the play lie in my stand-up act, which I’ve performed over the last decade, in all but four states (I skipped the un-funny ones), and a few times on national TV.
Expanding the stand-up format to include six people, three of whom are characters who improvise, brings a new dynamic to an already successful and crowd-pleasing performance. It’s my one-man play, but five other people do it with me.
It’s not typical theatre, and it’s not typical stand-up.

When WHININGS played at University of Denver to sold-out houses, it was performed by students. And it kicked-ass.
With the current scorching political climate, the play has already challenged the ruling elite.
Scheduled to open August 6th 2004, in Sacramento, the theatre owner backed out during production, fearing his right-wing Republican regulars (quote) wouldn’t get it for fear of accepting the truth (unquote).

A Digital Video is currently in development.
This planned production of WHININGS calls for a professional cast, a contemporary theatre and the author and performer, Rick Ashton to play the lead. Additional plans include cybercasting the performance.
Corporate requests for heavy product placement --specifically BRIDGEPORT I.P.A., --may be addressed directly to the author.

A reading of WHININGS by the author was recently hosted
by the famous Paris "Beat" bookstore:

SHAKESPEARE and COMPANY,
37 Rue de la Bucherie, Paris, 75005,
on Easter Monday-28 MARCH 2005, at 8pm.

A tremendous amount of work has already gone into the play. The current eighth draft revision (8.2) is published as a book and is available in PDF or hardcopy from the author. It includes material from point by point analysis by contemporaries currently writing for Second City and Saturday Night Live.
The play is impacting from a socio-political perspective. It’s overall style allows for monologue improvisation which keeps it as current as the days events, making it extremely relevant.
But perhaps most important of all,

WHININGS OF A MALCONTENT is:

"Laugh-out-loud funny!" – T Sean Shannon, SNL
"Best stand-up play since Defending the Caveman."-Jonathan Pitts, Chicago Improv Festival