WHAT’S THE NAME OF THE SHOW MY FRIEND BARB IS DRAGGING ME TO TONIGHT?
Broadway’s Next Hit Musical.
Audience members from our show in Jenison, MI at the Jenison Center for the Arts
SOUNDS FUN! SO WHAT MUSICAL ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
We don’t know yet.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T KNOW YET?
We’re going to make up a whole musical right in front of you.
HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?
Magic.
SERIOUSLY?
We are some of New York City’s best improv comedians and musicians. We’ve been perfecting our ability to create a whole musical from a single audience suggestion for over 15 years. Also, magic.
AUDIENCE SUGGESTION?
Yes. When you arrive at the theater, you will see slips of paper and a giant fishbowl. Think of the title of a song you want to hear us make up, write it down, and put it in the bowl. If we pick it, we’ll make up a song based on your title, and that song might inspire our musical for the night!
NEAT! I’M GOING TO WRITE DOWN “SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW.” I LOVE THAT SONG.
NO! WAIT! STOP! If you write down the title of a song that actually exists, how can we make it up? We’ll have to pretend like we don’t know it’s a real song, and then it gets weird. Write down a fake song title so that we can improvise it from scratch. Like, “My Cat Ate My Shoelaces,” Or, “This FAQ Is Really Boring.” It’s funnier that way, trust us.
OKAY, I THINK I GET IT. SO WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENS IN THE SHOW?
The first half of the show is a glamorous awards show, hosted by our hilarious emcee extraordinaire. Four master thespians take turns coming to the stage and drawing song titles from the bowl. They take those titles and turn them into full blown improvised songs, fighting tooth and nail against each other to win the grand prize of the evening -- the Phony Award.
THE PHONY AWARD?
Yeah, like the Tony Award but, you know, not real.
CUTE.
Yeah, we know.
SO WHERE DOES THE MUSICAL COME IN?
After we do four songs, there’s a vote, and the winning song gets turned into a full-on made-up musical in the second half.
OKAY, I REALLY WANT TO COME NOW. BUT FINDING A BABYSITTER IS SO HARD. CAN I BRING MY 9-YEAR-OLD?
Yes! Our show is 100% family-friendly. No cursing and nothing foul. There may be fowl, but no guarantees.
GREAT! MY 80-YEAR-OLD MOTHER WANTS TO COME TOO, BUT I’M AFRAID SHE WON’T WANT TO SIT THROUGH A LONG SHOW.
Then she’s in luck! It’s only 90 minutes.
FANTASTIC. BUT WAIT, LET’S GET BACK TO THE MADE-UP SONGS THING. YOU WON’T REALLY PICK MY SUGGESTION THOUGH. YOU JUST PRETEND TO PICK OUR TITLES WHEN REALLY, YOU USE PRE-WRITTEN SONGS, RIGHT?
We really, truly, might pick your title. And if we don’t, we might pick your friend’s. Or your husband’s. Or your kid's. Or a good-looking stranger’s.
SURE, BUT YOU'VE LOOKED THROUGH THOSE TITLES IN THE BOWL, AND ONLY A FEW FROM THE ACTUAL AUDIENCE ARE IN THERE, RIGHT? I BET THE REST HAVE BEEN PRE-PLANTED.
Nope! We don't see those song titles until we are pulling them out in front of you onstage. Risky, right?
OKAY, BUT YOU JUST USE STOCK LYRICS RIGHT? EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE TITLE.
Nope! We promise every single word is made up on the spot right before your very eyes! If you come see us more than once, we guarantee you’ll never hear the same song twice.
WELL FINE, OKAY. BUT THE PIANO PLAYER JUST HAS A COUPLE DIFFERENT MELODIES THAT HE CHOOSES FROM, RIGHT?
Nope again. The piano player is also making everything up. Crazy, right?
I STILL DON’T BELIEVE YOU. HOW CAN THAT BE?
You’ll see!
YOU’RE REALLY TELLING ME THAT EVERYTHING IN THE SHOW, EVERY LYRIC, EVERY MELODY, EVERY DANCE MOVE IS MADE UP COMPLETELY ON THE SPOT, HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE, AND WILL NEVER BE DONE AGAIN?
That’s correct.
THAT’S AMAZING!
Thanks!
CAN I BUY A T-SHIRT?
Yes. They’re on sale for $15 in the lobby.
