Tuesday, November 29, 2011

How to Participate in Real-time Storytelling


The weekend draws to a close, and you don’t want to watch the same shows with the same plot and the same characters:  A moody, down-on-his-luck dude meets a gorgeous manic pixie dream girl.  One or both of them are photographers.  They find themselves stuck in an elevator, and hilarity ensues.  Boring!

Well, what to do on a Sunday night?  Answer: Go watch Writer Monkeys!  A Literary Improv Show this Sunday, December 4 at 7:00 PM.  This is our last performance of 2011!  The Monkeys will be playing at Mission Improbable’s Westside Comedy Theater on 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica.  This mad experiment in theater is the creation of our own Nicole Criona and J. Keith van Straaten, who produced and hosted the Fix-Up Show and performed in programs like Beat the Geeks, Sit ‘N’ Spin, The Liar Show, Pinata, Rant & Rave, Tongue & Groove, and Word Salad.

“Improv?”  You ask.  “Like Who’s Line is it Anyway?”  Nope.  Even better.  The writers take audience suggestions and compose literary pieces on-stage while the comedy rock band Throwing Toasters entertains the audience.  After the writers read, improv actors create scenes, taking inspiration from the pieces.  Sometimes the results are funny, dark, or poignant.  Rinse, repeat, and you have a full, entertaining night of stories you have never seen or heard.  Even better, you had a hand in creating them.  If you always wanted to hear tales about Russian circus bears advancing science as furry NASA engineers, go to the show and shout out those suggestions.  We can realize your dreams that easily.  Until then, be our friend on Facebook.  We promise not to judge your drunken photos.

Writer Monkeys! A Literary Improv Show
Sunday, December 4, 2011 @ 7:00 PM

Westside Comedy Theater
1323-A 3rd Street Promenade
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(the alley between 3rd and 4th Streets)

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