ONE-MAN SHOW 'MacHomer' started as joke, but behold, the d'oh rolls in

Even Shakespearean scholars have flocked to the show.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Like Trekkies before them, only without the need to dress up as their favorite characters and learn to speak Klingon, fans of "The Simpsons" enjoy nothing more than celebrating their favorite television show by reciting dialogue as if it were gospel.
"Mule," "Magazine" and "Milhouse" may seem like arbitrary words to the non-Homer and Marge-watching public, but rest assured, many readers are giggling having gotten the one-word references.
In a similar fashion, it was his love of "The Simpsons" and its often irreverent and sardonic humor that led actor Rick Miller to create the ingenious "MacHomer."
It's unique
"It's a one-man production of 'Macbeth' that looks and feels like a one-man production of 'Macbeth,' with smoke and lights and the words coming out of my mouth are usually Shakespeare's, except it's being delivered through some 50 odd 'Simpsons' characters," said Miller, during a phone call to his Toronto home.
"It all started when I was performing a Shakespeare in the Park production of 'Macbeth' in 1994 and I had a little too much time on my hands."
What first began as a cast party joke turned into an off-the-cuff one-man show appearance. From there, Miller found himself touring Canada and eventually the world. A decade later, with four continents, 100 cities and more than a half a million audience members behind him, Miller is still amazed.
"My little joke has come a long way," Miller said.
Tragedy to comedy
Even more hilarious is the fact Miller has taken a Shakespeare tragedy and turned it into a must-experience comedy that seemingly does the impossible. For anyone who has ever aspired to enjoy the works of Shakespeare only to find themselves bored to death with a foreign language that happens to be English, "MacHomer" is the event for you.
"What this show does, and I'm not saying it's the only way to present Shakespeare, but it brings Shakespeare back to a level of popular culture that he was at 400 years ago," Miller said. "Shakespeare was what the TV watching audience of the day would be talking about. He was attended by a whole cross-section of society, from the working class to the nobility. The same way that everybody kind of watches 'The Simpsons' or at least has at some point in their lives."
Not only does Miller have the blessing of 'Simpsons' creator Matt Groening, but he said Shakespearean scholars from around the world have flocked to theaters to hear the popular playwright's story delivered by Marge, Chief Wiggum, Apu, Dr. Nick Riviera and the entire Springfield gang. Miller does all of the voices, with Bart's being the hardest and Mr. Burns' the easiest.
Laugh-fest
Making its Cleveland debut Oct. 18 at the Hanna Theatre, "MacHomer" appears to be a Shakespearean laugh-fest that even Homer Simpson would understand.
"If you're a 'Simpsons' fan, even a remote Simpsons fan, or if you enjoy Shakespeare, this is really the perfect collision of popular culture," Miller said. "It's the most entertaining Shakespeare you'll ever see."