Today so many artists are taking control of their careers and individual creative fulfillment in myriad different ways -- from one-person shows and web series, to podcasts and gallery installations.  It's not always easy (and not every venture is worth even taking a second look at), but the three young artists Maggie D'Ambrose, Caitlin Rigney and Nicole Orabona are worth watching.  Once a month, the three take over the bar where they work (Cornerstone) for "On the Rocks", an evening of sketch comedy for bar regulars and theater enthusiasts alike.  With happy hour drink specials ($4 to $5) and versatile actors that take on a wide selection of scripted material, they're setting the 'bar' high.

StageBuddy had the opportunity to go back to middle school and have a three way phone conference with these lovely ladies to find out how they keep turning out successful shows month after month.

StageBuddy: Why did you start On the Rocks?

Maggie D'Ambrose: We started talking about the idea in Cornerstone, because we are always looking for that next audition, that next project, but the bar where we make our money to pay for our bills and student loans is a really great place to bring theater to non-traditional audiences. And we spend most of our time there, anyway, so we thought we might as well bring our passion of acting, writing, and directing to the place where we spend a lot of our time already.

Nicole Orabona: We weren't doing work elsewhere at the moment, so why not just create our own? It's been a catalyst for other opportunities that we've all gotten from this project.

SB: What have you learned in the process?

Caitlin Rigney: We're constantly learning what works and what doesn't, and what our kind of audience will feed off of and what they won't.  And also time management: the way we rehearse is different than any other theater group because it's very limited.

MD: It's really about getting a show together in a month with realistically two to three rehearsals working around everyone's schedules.

NO: And taking on the challenges of working with people you're close with.

MD: It's the first time the three of us have fully produced and it's exciting.

MD: We want to bring theater to a new type of audience. We've been so blessed to have a lot of our friends come, but we've also have had our regulars at the bar come in to watch and have their first theater experience that they've had in a long time. That's the type of audience we want to reach out to.

NO: We also want to keep ourselves creating and active, constantly writing, rehearsing, and performing, and as performers we need to keep those muscles active.

CR: It's a great thing for people who are also artists to take in.  By seeing that we are able to pull off something like this, they themselves will realize, "Oh, wait, I can get off my ass and make theater happen." That's what it's about these days -- being able to make it happen on your own.

MD: I think it's helped everyone involved boost their confidence as artist and creators.  Doing something new every month allows you to work on your feet like in the audition process: you go in your room and you have to take what's being thrown. We're all strengthening the ability to work something for a very short time.

SB: If On the Rocks was a drink, what would it be?

MD: I think a Long Island Iced Tea.

CR: Long Island Iced Tea on the rocks... maybe like a Bloody Mary.

MD: Vodka, bourbon.

NO: It would have a lot of ingredients. Probably complicated to make but it would still taste delicious.

MD: Maybe the ever lasting gobstopper and you'd savor every minute.

NO: Maybe a Mexican BullDog.

(This interview has been condensed and edited.)