Austin Improv

Opening up the Hideout Theatre's 2013 Season in January/February, Saturday Nights at 8pm is Fandom: Improvised Fan Fiction[working title], directed by Andy Crouch and Kaci Beeler.

Fandom is an improvised expedition into the realm of audience-driven storytelling using well-known, established literary and cinematic worlds such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Batman, and more. Each week of the run will explore a different predetermined show/world (AKA Fandom) and the cast of improvisers will use a variety of tools (short form games, audience interviews, narrative longform, etc.) to shed new light on the well-loved characters, relationships, scenarios, beginnings and endings. The goal is to create an improv show, not just for the audience, but WITH the audience - we're looking for maximum engagement, delight and satisfaction. This will be nerdy and there will be slash. 

The Hideout Theatre is looking to cast 7-10 core improvisers for this show, plus weekly guest specialist improvisers who are experts in that particular world. The cast must be willing and able to research and learn about every fandom in the eight-week run. Rehearsals are on Wednesday nights, from 8-10pm in November, 7-10pm on most Wednesdays in December, and most likely continuing from 7-9pm or 8-10pm on Wednesday nights throughout the run (there will be weekly rehearsals during the run of the show, but dates might change due to rehearsal availability). 

Auditions will be on Sunday, October 28th from 3:30pm-6:30pm.
Sign up here: http://bit.ly/VQbup9

I WANT THAT AT-ST COSTUME.

Sorry, what were we talking about?

Oh, hell yeah.

You had me at Batman.

Finally a show that will bring my Sci Fi & Fantasy nerd out into the open! LOL

you had me until slash.

Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell wrote:you had me until slash.

Awww ...

Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell wrote:you had me until slash.

--
peter rogers @ home | http://hujhax.livejournal.com

The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.
      -- Oscar Wilde

This show needs Mary Sues

I know I am not adding anything useful to this discussion... but I am REALLY excited about this show. I can't wait to see what Kaci and Andy have in mind and how it all unfolds. How do you satisfy the hardcore fans of the subject, but also make it accessible to the "normal" fans and non fans too? What a fun challenge!

I'm wondering if fandoms that have already been served by other recent improv outings will be included... knowing that Andy is, like me, a big Doctor Who fan...

zac wrote:I know I am not adding anything useful to this discussion...

Wait?? We are supposed to add useful things to these discussions?

AHHHHHH! SO COOL! I want to do this sooo bad!

kaci_beeler wrote:Each week of the run will explore a different predetermined show/world (AKA Fandom) and the cast of improvisers will use a variety of tools (short form games, audience interviews, narrative longform, etc.) to shed new light on the well-loved characters, relationships, scenarios, beginnings and endings. The goal is to create an improv show, not just for the audience, but WITH the audience - we're looking for maximum engagement, delight and satisfaction.

For me, this show comes from two impulses. The first is that narrative longform is hard, even in a beloved genre or universe, and can potentially, when it's anything less than stellar, be alienating for a significant chunk of the audience. I'd like to work on a variety of tools (shape of show, different of kinds of improv, degree of input/suggestions) exploring the same material that we love and want to play around with in a way that keeps the audience thoroughly engaged. In some ways this is a continuation of the work we did in Live Nude Improv (and I think Process).

The second impulse is based on the ideas that Randy Dixon brought to town in his Storytelling through Myth workshop from earlier this year. He had a bunch of cool techniques and philosophies for getting the audience to invest in the characters and stories. I'm not sure I can articulate this clearly yet, but you know how a really great piece of theater can sweep you up in the world and engage you on a personal level, reflecting back your particular situation or struggles? That it's not just light entertainment, but a genuine conversation with the audience about how they live their lives? I'd like to make some of that happen.

All of this while mucking around in fun worlds that deserve our reverence and irreverence.

Again, auditions will be on Sunday, October 28th from 3:30pm-6:30pm.
Sign up here: http://bit.ly/VQbup9

...all of the times i've been dismissive of certain shows as "improvised fan fic" are gonna come back to bite me in the ass now, aren't they?