5 Questions with Thomas Fricilone

Today we’re bringing to ya, “Wet Tux,” a knockoff late night TV show ranging from the nonsensical to the deranged. We asked creator Thomas Fricilone where the lunacy comes from, who’s responsible for the antics, and what now…

1) What came first, the post apocalyptic concept, or the sweaty dancing? How’d ya stay so sweaty?

Sweaty dancing always comes first. Visually, I wanted a dark and awful world forced to find a light. And the characters fit that world. The apocalypse came after most of the editing of the video. I wish I could say the dancing kept us sweating throughout the shoot, but we had vaseline and spray at the ready for those healthy sick glows.

2) Is this an actual troupe I’m watching here, or does it just feel like one?

This is definitely a portion of a larger group of performers that are all very close and share the stage often. Many of us met through Annoyance Theatre NY, and now perform closely at Brooklyn Comedy Collective (BCC).

3) I’m assuming this was adapted from some sort of live performances, correct? What was the impetus to convert into a movie?

It started as an aesthetic image I had for a show, mainly, dancing to rhumbas and tangos, and then a plan to make it into a film. To generate some ideas, I put together a short performance called, “Thomas Puts a Bowl of Candy in the Middle of the Room and Interviews Anyone Who Wants Candy”. The show was weird and the candy went fast. So we had a lot of time to just dance. 

4) Can you talk about the commercials within the film? How did those come about? Did you give your collaborators an idea what you wanted, or just let them run free?

I wanted to make this world to feel more expansive, and give the viewer a rest from the black void of “Wet Tux.” Seeing it's a kind of Late Night parody, I figured commercials were the perfect solution. 

I gave a small reference point to everyone, and they all nailed it perfectly. Surprising, some of the filmmakers had made the commercials before I asked even them for one. 

5) What’s next for you and the gang?

Many of the same people, plus more, created a Children's show called SMEG! that will hopefully premiere soon. As well, everyone's always performing and trying out new things, a lot of new plays happening. BCC is a good place to see a lot of these performers trying out new ideas. I'm working on a play series with two of the ladies in “Wet Tux” (Caitlin Dullea and Kelly Cooper) along with another friend Justin Linville, called Two Guys, Two Girls, where the two girls write a play for the two guys and vice versa. That should be coming in March hopefully. And, of course, there's more Wet Tux story to be told... one day.

Contact Info

Email: tfricilone@gmail.com

Social Media

Instagram: @thomasfricilone. Twitter: @thomasfricilone. Facebook