David Strassman | Steve Altman | Andy Vere | Foster Entertainment
Steve Altman
Steve Altman was born in Dayton, Ohio by parents who encouraged his creative aspirations. He acted in his first play at 4 and directed his first at 9. He followed the same path through high school and college, moving to New York to study with Stella Adler and landing the lead rolls in Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar for the NY repertory theatre. Steve formed many rock and roll bands along the way, making his way across the country. Once in LA, Steve was singed with Motown Records, writing songs for José Feleciano, Smokey Robinson and others.
Quite by accident, Steve stumbled into stand-up comedy at the legendary Ice House Comedy Club and toured the world using a digital sampling keyboard as a gateway to his madness, and was the most requested comic to come out of the club. While on the road, Altman, an established painter as well, painted many paintings for the comedy clubs he frequented, catching the eyes of a few celebs, Brad Garret, George Lopez among them, who asked for their own original art by Steve.
It was on the road that Steve met David Strassman. The two hit it off right away as they shared many common interests. Space travel, dinosaurs, flying, music and ripping each other apart were common interests that bonded their collaborative friendship.
A few years ago Steve suggested that Dave do a two-manplay with his puppet Chuck, using robotics as a way to avoid the normal pitfalls of a vent act. They could be across the room from each other, exploring vast topics as God, philosophy, psychoanalysis and other post modern dilemmas, deconstructing ventriloquism in a way that no one has ever dared approach. An anti-ventriloquism... Like a Sam Shepard play, maybe...or Waiting for Godot.
And that's where Duality began. It's been three years since it's inception and has gone thru many changes before resting upon this latest incarnation with many twists and turns manifesting in the last few months. Altman has also written and directed the John Lennon tribute show 'Just Imagine' now playing at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is working on a musical version of HG Wells The Time Machine.
But before any of that you will find Steve with Dave backstage singing ELO songs as they prepare to take over the world.