Since September 2010, Marc has been recording DVDs for The Nightmare Video Project, one of the Hideout's craziest, most ridiculous shows... and one of the shows that requires the most preparation.
In it Marc plays The Master, or The Gatekeeper... a demon from/in Hell who is tormenting 8 improvisers by directing them in a show. The winner of the show gets to live, and the rest all burn in Hell.
The ridiculous part is that Marc's role is entirely prerecorded onto a DVD. The Gatekeeper starts scenes, sidecoaches and shouts "SCENE IS OVER" all without actually watching the show... and his giant head hovers over the show on the projection screen like a looming god.
It takes Marc hours and sleepless nights to do this.
He almost never gets to see the show because he's a busy man and usually is performing simultaneously at another theater.
He doesn't have the benefit of an audience to gauge the reaction to his jokes.
He has to go on instinct.
He does a wonderful job.
The Gatekeeper is silly, funny, irreverent, stern, absurd, and somehow generates a good shape to the show that builds to a satisfying conclusion.
The Nightmare Video Project has been a monthly staple of The Hideout for well over a year.
But tonight is the last one.
We're changing up the Friday 8pm lineup in 2012 to include more student/improviser participation.
Marc's plan for tonight's show is to do a Holiday Nightmare Video Project.
As always, I have no idea what the show will include. But my money's on The Gatekeeper wearing a Santa Hat.
Come bid the show a fond farewell. As always, it's free for improvisers and Hideout students if it doesn't sell out.
At the very least congratulate Marc the next time you see him.
http://www.hideouttheatre.com/shows/nig ... deoproject
