T.W.E.A.K.E.D. stands for Totally Weird Eccentric Artists Kreating Exotic Drama, a roving troupe of actors and costumers. It started at a dance club in Levittown, NY in 1993. The twisted individual behind this idea was Lance Roberti. A couple of friends of mine saw this guy in a funky outfit. He introduced himself as Plus Maalox, Defender of the Porcelain God. The following week he was dressed as a woman and introduced himself as Maxine Padulas, or Maxi Pads for short. The third week we saw him, he was Foamboy.

We were intrigued. Lance's costumes were primarily made from what other people would call garbage. The clothing all came from thrift stores. The ideas came from his imagination. We wanted to be part of it. I don't remember who came up with the name, but we liked it and it stuck. The original group was Lance Roberti, Sam Shaw, and Julie Klugman. I joined shortly after.

The group went through many changes in line-up, with as many as thirteen members at one point. We performed at different clubs throughout the years. Our first paying gig was at an avant garde restaurant called Insurrection. The restaurant attempted to cater to a late-night crowd as an alternative to Taco Bell or diners. The menu and food was good and different, but it was in Roslyn, a somewhat overpriced and conservative community. The restaurant closed within a year.

We got gigs at some dance clubs though. Voodoo, Industry, 007, Detours, Pyramid, G.O.D. (Garbage on Display), Click -n- Drag, Nostradamus, Strict-9, Clockwork and the Limelight were some of the places we did our thing. We did a full show that involved a real script, sound fx, music, special fx, and lots of props. The special fx included explosions, fog, bodily mutilation, staged fighting, puppets, quick on-stage wardrobe changes and much blood. When we weren't doing a full show, we did some bondage shows, and our favorite, which was free-roaming interactive theater.

The list of characters is quite long. Our different scenarios included intergalactic drug smugglers, time-travelling heroes and hookers, mad scientists of all kinds and their creations, your usual assortment of vampires, werewolves and creatures of the night, and powerful underworld dieties. You will find some thumbnails of some of the characters that we have done over the years. Just click on the small image and you will be transported to a page with a large version of the picture.

Unfortunately, like any group of creative individuals, there were problems. The group went through political problems, and most of the original members left or were ousted. T.W.E.A.K.E.D. dissolved in April, 1996. But never fear, this was an idea too good to die. In August, 1996, Lance Roberti, founder of T.W.E.A.K.E.D., decided that the group had been absent from the spotlight for too long. With a renewed sense of where he wanted things to go, he started to put the original group back together. This time with a plan. Video is the direction now.

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