Florida Studio Theater strives to be all kinds of things in theater to all kinds of people. In the case of FST Improv, it succeeds in bringing the fun form to every kind at once. Now, in the off-season for mainstage and cabaret shows (though not for children and teens), comes "Just Desserts," FST's newest venture. It is a contest among directors of improvisational skits, using each other as actors and with audience input on types of characters, situations, emotions and the like to be portrayed.
After each set, the audience votes: was it a directorial success? A "no" brings a punishment to a diminished director (e.g. -- must apologize to individual audience members at the door after the show). A "yes" puts a lollipop next to the director's name on a scoreboard. Whoever gets the most lollipops will suck up the sweet prize. On opening night, a large premium cupcake went to Jeremy Lamb. He ran it up to his father (a surprise attendee), in true improv fashion, to the theme of "Chariots of Fire." The most energetic performer, Christine Alexander performed a signed interpretation of an interview re local problems, a set in which she fell off a barn, a snorting of cocaine, a refusal to come to a bed of ashes wih Jeremy. In an "Actors Nightmare" she and Steve Turrisi had to play a scene together but from different scripts. Steve Turrisi's tour-de-force was supplying sound effects for a scene done in silhouette by silent actors. He also did a fine job singing a rock version of marriage as like a jigsaw puzzle, described by Jeremy. Jeremy seemed to luck out playing many a go-between, usually trying to calm down clashes among the others' characters. Adam Ratner's range of portrayals was the widest and perhaps the funniest: the flamboyant one of two gay dads, a Cubs fan in a musical, a killer pretending to be sorry at a victim's tomb, an armadillo, a husband who can't laugh at cancer jokes without having to eat a marshmallow per laugh. A favorite gimmick consisted of beginning lines of a dialogue with words in alphabetical order. Audience also loved music either as a mode of presentation or as backing for scenes. Matthew Meckes deserves credit for this kind of improvisation, so well supporting that of the actors. Since each performance brings variations on the "Just Desserts" basic recipe, there should be repeat "tasters" at FST all month. It's a fun way for a variety of people to spend Saturday nights.
Previews:
October 1, 2011
Ended:
October 29, 2011
Country:
USA
State:
Florida
City:
Sarasota
Company/Producers:
Florida Studio Theater Improv
Theater Type:
Regional
Theater:
Florida Studio Theater - Gompertz Stage
Theater Address:
1247 First Street
Phone:
941-366-9000
Website:
floridastudiotheatre.org
Running Time:
1 hr, 45 min
Genre:
Comedy
Director:
Jeremy Lamb
Review:
Cast:
Christine Alexander, Jeremy Lamb, Adam Ratner, Steve Turrisi; Matthew R. Meckes,
pianist.
Technical:
Lighting & Stage Mgr: Kate DeWall
Critic:
Marie J. Kilker
Date Reviewed:
October 2011
