Doug Hoffman

press release: Comedy is king this summer season at the Watertown Players Theater, located in The Market, 210 S. Water St., Watertown. In keeping with this theme the Players are pleased to announce they will host local artist and comedian Doug Hoffman who will bring his unique form of humor to the Players Theater this August 19 at 7:00 PM.  

Tickets for the show are now on sale. Prices are $12.00 in advance and $16.00 at the door. Tickets can be purchased online through brownpapertickets.com or in person at Piggly Wiggly Supermarket in Watertown. Seating is limited so it is advised that you buy your tickets soon, as you won’t wish to miss this hilarious show. Refreshments will be available during the night’s performance.  

Doug Hoffman is a native of Wisconsin and currently makes his home in Watertown along with his wife, Gail. He is a respected artist as well as a popular substitute teacher. In addition to teaching he bartended, drove truck, drove cab, washed dishes, waited tables, had nine years as a stand-up comic, did graphic art, modeled, created the mascot for the Denver Nuggets, and wore the outfit, acted in an ABC Movie of the week, created his own comedy group, “Laughs-to-Go,” performed in a local theatre group, and started a company merging Pop Music & Rock and Roll with fine art which took him around the country.  He has performed for the past two seasons with the Watertown Players, appearing in their spoofs of old-time radio.

Hoffman’s comedic style is sort of observational humor based on his life experiences. He is a master storyteller and as he draws inspiration from his audiences. As he interacts with them he will also be creating an original art piece.

He calls his form of art “Hot Pop” and described how he developed this singular style recently: “In 1989 I had lost everything and was restarting my life as an art teacher in Milwaukee. I was drawing with my 3 year old daughter, Sarah, who gave me a great gift. It was a brilliant idea: Draw with Crayola markers. I knew if I could make them look like oil paint I would contribute something unique to the world of art. In the process I created a new way to interpret the visual world.

“I gave it the name ‘Hot Pop’ which is the 1st style of art to be copyrighted. The result is thousands of portraits, hundreds of paintings and a new life. It is a life of wonder and joy. The value of putting so many smiles on people's faces is priceless. Every time I fall in love and celebrate life with its simplistic perfection.”

Not long after returning to Wisconsin, Doug’s first wife was diagnosed with cancer and to help him cope with her illness he began to teach art to the patients of the hospital.  “Art was my way of giving back,” said Hoffman, “and I taught hot pop style to cancer patients at Mercy Hospital (in Janesville) as well as raised money for the Cancer Society at Walk for Life events.”

Doug will have several of his art pieces in display during his engagement, and some may be for sale should anyone be interested.

For information on Doug Hoffman’s comedy show, the other up-coming shows or if you are interested in becoming a part of the Watertown Players, please call (920) 306-4364, or check out the group on Facebook or on their website, www.watertownplayers.org.