Review of Nontourage – Almost There

The Nontourage audio podcast was started in August 2005 by Julie Daman and  Sandra DeNise as a chance to share their stories about life in LA. The two became friends while sharing a room at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and decided to start the audio program together to vent their frustrations and celebrate their daily insanities when they moved to the West Coast.  Riding the wave of video on the web, they decided to add a visual element to their site. In May 2006, Almost There was launched.

The show is co-written by Daman and Sarah Atwood, stars Atwood, DeNise and Clay Adams, and features a catchy theme song by Racquel Roberts. Although initially well received, the show was put on hiatus less than two months after its start while DeNise performed in the national tour of Jersey Boys.

The episodes of Almost There are really entertaining. It plays a little bit like the cult hit Undressed from MTV, except with much sharper dialogue. 

The story follows Lynn, a writer, whose dull life is suddenly interrupted by a surprise visit from her friend Sally, who has moved to LA to film a pilot. When

Sally, who has changed her name to Soleil, loses her only line and her main love interest on the show comes out of the closet, both girls find themselves unemployed in the sprawling city. Most of the action takes place in Lynn’s small apartment, where friends like Ben come and go without knocking. Sarah Atwood is like Sarah Silverman in her portrayal of Lynn, with her defeatist attitude and frustrations as the ditzy and happy-go-lucky Sally.

The episodic antics are 10 to 15 minutes long with a 25-second teaser for each. You can find the 25-minute audio podcast episodes on the site as well, complete with comprehensive blog entries. 

To keep up to date with the Nontourage crew while Almost There is on ice, be sure to take a look at their monthly vlog.  It goes without saying that Nontourage is a play on the popular HBO show “Entourage,” on which Julie Daman has worked. 

Check out the first episode and go from there. It’s a good introduction to the dramatic comedy series, explaining the situation and who’s who, and giving a good sense of the low-budget show’s style and sense of humor.