Tales of the Troupe

by Rob Dinsmoor

A Vogue headline announced "They'll take Manhattan," and we were naive enough to believe it. The New York Post couldn't get enough of us. We were young and hip and life was good. Little did we know what was in store for our little comedy troupe Chucklehead, which took New York by storm in the 1980s. It was a wild, hilarious, and sometimes scary ride we would never forget. Here are our stories.

137 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

I grew up in a university town called Bloomington, Indiana. It is a pleasant enough place, but I couldn't wait to get away from the small-town small-mindedness. I went to Dartmouth and then moved to New York, where I worked in publishing by day and wrote and performed with the comedy troupe Chucklehead by night.

Chucklehead gained some notoriety in the mid- to late-1980s but never really went anywhere. I moved to Massachusetts with my wife, but we split up. I was so saddened about the comedy writing I had left behind that I wrote a book called Tales of the Troupe. It was published in July. The troupe members are starting to hear about it, and everyone who has read it so far really liked it.

I wrote another collection called The Yoga Divas and Other Stories, about all the wonderful and whacked-out people I have met practicing and teaching yoga. I also co-authored a children's picture book with my friend Helen Kamins, called Does Dixie Like Me? It's about my gaining the trust of her rescued Border Collie Dixie and it includes excellent black-and-white drawings by Helen.

I just published a memoir called You Can Leave Anytime, about my three months in a drug and alcohol rehab facility in Florida. Meanwhile I am amassing other stories to publish yet another collection.

Reviews

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

On reading ‘The Nightmare Sketch’ the second, third and fourth time, I started to feel guilty for having tears of laughter rolling down my face. Rob Dinsmoor has easily pulled me into memories of some of his happiest moments, making me feel like I was the one taking the stroll down memory lane. Rob Dinsmoor’s eloquent use of language, describing the highs and lows of his comedy troupe, Chucklehead, had me smiling in many places, inclusive the alcohol-fueled argument between Rob and Dirk over performing ‘The Nightmare Sketch’ in front of a live audience, for fear of their reaction. I applaud Rob Dinsmoor’s story-telling skills in ‘Tales of the Troupe, and recommend this book to those who love a memoir filled with fun and laughter, packed tight with behind-the-stage drama, love and friendship.

- Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

[Jen Knox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tales of the Troupe is a fantastic read. I read this book after work, and took my time because it seemed like a nice pick-me-up at the end of the day. Now, I'm sad it's over. I love the way the book is narrated, that it's dialogue-heavy (because the author knows what he's doing when it comes to dialogue) and that there's a slightly dry humor here; this is a realistic look at a group of young comics struggling to make it in New York. The characters are well-drawn and the relationship dynamics are as complex and heartwarming/wrenching as those we experience. This book is both intimate and witty. Read it.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a fun, yet surprisingly deep collection of stories that will take you on a rollercoaster ride from the wacky to the complex, then this book is it. Rob Dinsmoor takes us back to New York in the 80s, to the place where the collaborative dreams and creative minds of a group of highly-energized young folks whipped up a remarkably endearing Comedy Troupe, aptly named Chucklehead.

Rob’s fictionalized memoir reveals the guts and joys of going after the brass ring with both hands, of friendships, successes, failures and terrible loss. He writes from the heart and doesn’t skip a beat. Tales of the Troupe a winner!

[Trixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review for the audiobook

Rob Dinsmoor entertains us with his laugh out loud wit in Tales of the Troupe. It is a wonderful collection of short stories, complete with the quirkiest characters that one only finds in real life.
The stories are packed with funny, touching, and gritty encounters showing life in all its variety of pain, disappointment, and good fun.

[Vnunez-Ms_luv2read · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some laugh out loud stories. Good read and very interesting. Filled with humor, disappointments and just life in general. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

[TDCbookreviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

New York is one of the top places in the country to hone your comedy chops, and that's just what Rob Dinsmoor did with his troupe, Chucklehead. In this quasi memoir/short story collection he recounts his years as writer and sometimes actor holding nothing back. Mr. Dinsmoor holds nothing back and shares memories that are happy, sad, embarrassing, and hilarious. As the stories evolve so do the characters as they grow older and sometimes wiser. I appreciated the fact that Dinsmoor let us see the ugly side of things, ie his alcohol consumption, the drug use of others, and even the fights between members. Sure, they were the best of friends but even that can bring out the worst in people and Dinsmoor wasn't afraid to show it or tell it. There were quite a few names thrown around and sometimes it made it a bit difficult to remember who was who. I also felt the flow of the story was a bit shaky at times, but the beginning and end were quite strong. I gave "Takes of the Troupe" four stars.

[Marta Moran Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rob Dinsmoor entertains us with his laugh out loud wit in Tales of the Troupe. He is a master with the ability to lovingly hold up a mirror showing us a band of artistic people. It is a wonderful collection of short stories, complete with the quirkiest characters that one only finds in real life.

The stories are packed with funny, touching, and gritty encounters showing life in all its variety of pain, disappointment, folly, and good fun. At times one will ache with sympathy as he winds his way through the labyrinth of relationships and weird experiences.

It is a vibrant and well-written book and I can't recommend it highly enough.

[Rob Dinsmoor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I liked this, but I'm biased.