Peeve goes to Improv All Stars in San Diego!
On March 3rd, I was lucky to join Michelle and Laura in San Diego for Improv All Stars, pretty much the same format as Vegas, but without Drew, Colin and Joe Walsh. Here's my report as dated March 4, 2001:
Hi, fellow Whosers!
Last night I went to the Spreckel's Theatre in San Diego, where I met Michelle and Laura and watched even more great improv with the Improv All Stars! Personally I loved it! I know Michelle will let you know her views on the show, but I just have to share mine. Hope you don't mind!
On a sad note, Colin wasn't there! It seems that he had a prior commitment in Canada, of all places. Can you believe it? The nerve! lol Anyway, I'm not that great at taking notes, Michelle and LKK are much better, but I've just gotta share my views! So bear with me, and I'll try to get everything down, and hopefully you can live vicariously through me!
Before I got to the theatre, I was driving down the road about a block from the theatre, and I see Brad, Chip and Brad's girlfriend Shawna cross in front of me. I hurry to roll down the passenger window and holler, "Hey, Brad!" They all 3 stop and turn, and I holler, "have a great show tonight!" Brad asks if I'm going to the show, I said, "Damn straight!" Then the light changed, the jerk behind me honked and I had to go. Another brush with fame dashed by the twist of fate....
Incidentally, the theatre was huge! It held about 1300 people, and we were sitting in the nosebleed section on the top balcony! I was 2 rows down from Michelle and in the center of the balcony. Michelle and Laura had the absolute last two seats in the theatre. They were on the top row and all the way to the left! (or right if you're looking from the stage) The ceiling was so low that they had to stoop when they stood, so they would've done a crouching ovation. The show started almost a half hour late, as people were still coming in...
Now, about the show....
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Ryan opened the show with a little monologue and question/answer session. His answer to why Wayne wasn't there insinuated that Wayne has to serve time on the weekends...lol. After a number of questions, and a rousing rendition of his favorite song growing up "Wish I had an Amplifier" (to the tune of Wildfire, which he sang while playing a guitar you couldn't hear) Ryan introduced the cast, of which Colin was missing. Everyone in the theatre started screaming for Colin, and Ryan kinda played it off. The total cast: Ryan Stiles, Laura Hall on piano, Sean Masterson, Julie Larson, Kathy Kinney, Chip Esten, Brad Sherwood, Greg Proops. Even with Colin missing, the show went extremely well. Now, let's take a look at the games! I give a grading system here that is just like school. Remember these are my own opinions, here. Other opinions may vary.
Questions Only Scene: SeaWorld...
Ryan introduced the game, with Brad and Sean starting. A few really cute moments, but nothing that was truly memorable. Brad was the best at the game, which we noticed in Vegas as well. Everyone got a chance to play, and overall I'd give it a B.
Freeze Started as yoga positions
Kathy introduced the game, with Greg and Julie starting. Most memorable moment: Chip tobogganing with Ryan-FREEZE-Kathy giving birth to Ryan who immediately becomes a toddler! LMAO! Overall a B+
Song Styles featuring Mandy, the insurance agent from southern Illinois
Ryan introduced Chip and Brad, singing in the style of a Boy Band. Pretty good, and of course, both of these improvisers could hold their own in a Boy Band. Overall, a B.
New Choice
Brad introduced, Sean and Julie as morticians. Some cute moments, most memorable when Julie and Sean start dancing in the morgue and Brad starts saying "New Dance"...But I'm afraid Julie got befuddled more than just a few times, and Brad loves to egg Julie on when she starts to falter, by saying "New Choice" over and over and over and over and over again...Overall this game kinda fizzled. Grade C.
Sound Effects featuring Jamie and Mary from the audience
Ryan introduced Greg and Brad, Greg is a skydiver with Mary providing his SFX and Brad as his instructor, with Jamie providing his SFX. Mary was clueless and held the mike without making SFX, while Jamie did SFX like a seasoned amateur. (couldn't exactly call her a pro, she'd be on the show as a regular, then!) Most memorable moments, Greg's extremely quiet zippers in his jumpsuit vs. Brad's extremely noisy zippers. So many zippers! And they have to be zipped over and over! And I didn't know plane's doors needed to be zipped! Greg is excellent at adlibbing when his SFX doesn't go right or even not at all, and this was no exception. Grade B+
Whose Line? A plethora of lines in the punchbowl from the first row of the audience.
Greg introduces Kathy and Ryan as a Pharmacist and Technician. Some of the lines were out of this world, and amazingly a good amount of lines totally fit in with the scene, which actually made it that much more funny! From Ryan's first sentence, "I'm not wearing any pants" I was LMAO! I grade it a strong B+ or mild A-. (would that be the same grade??)
Greatest Hits Songs of the Fireman
Kathy introduced Ryan and Greg as the pitchmen, with Brad and Chip singing. The styles: Reggae, 60's Soul Duo, B52's and Gangsta Rap (which could also be titled, how many times can Chip say "F__k" in one song? - I lost count at 25...) Brad and Chip are excellent, and Greg should be allowed to be a pitchman on the show with Ryan or Colin, he is great! I loved the personal touch he gave when he said as a youth he was a rich asshole from La Jolla (pronounced La Hoya) Grade A
Jeopardy!
Brad introduces the game and he is the host. Kathy is Delphine Suckolowski, (motto, Delphine Sucks). Greg is Badjie Cantrell, a drug dealer from El Segundo. Julie is Marlene Perks, a zookeeper from the San Diego Zoo, and a lesbian. And Ryan, who is Richard, the Survivor winner and all around asshole!
1) Central American Countries/Panama - Correct answer: Greg asks, "Where did I sell drugs for Manuel Noriega?"
2) Colors/Chartreuse - Correct answer: Julie asks, "When 2 chars stop fighting, what is it called?"
3) Cars?/Cadillacs - Correct answer: "What do the Chinese get in their eyes?"
4) Civil War Generals/Lee - Correct Answer: "What does a Chinese yell on a rollercoaster ride?"
5) >>>Missed the question, and the answer.<<<
6) City in Michigan/Osh Kosh - Correct Answer: "What city has the slogan, 'Shit, it's cold!'?"
7) Famous People in History/Jimi Hendrix - Correct answer: "What do you do when you have no key to your hendrix?"
8) >>>Missed the topic<<<
Final Jeopardy: Vital Organs.
1) Kidney: Kathy answered "What organ will be offering medical advice in my new magazine?" WRONG!!!!
2) Colon: Greg answered "Who is the new Secretary of State?" CORRECT!!!
3) Bladder: Julie answered "What do you call a guy who blads?" WRONG!!!
4) Uterus: Ryan got to answer this a few times, why I don't know, but his answer that counted was "How do you tell the person in the top row his name is Russ?" CORRECT!!!
It was good, but not as good as the Jeopardy game in the 2nd PPV in Vegas. I don't think anybody could top Colin as Peter Graves there...Overall, I give this game a B+.
Mousetrap
Brad introduced this game, as the cast starts setting mousetraps all over the stage, and a major portion of the mousetraps go off as they're being set! Chip and Sean are blindfolded, and Sean works in a Starbucks in a mall in Seattle, Chip is the customer. I finally got to see this game, and I don't think I care for it. Highlights are when Greg and Ryan move mousetraps closer to the feet of Chip and Sean. All in all, I give this game a D, maybe a C-. Nothing higher than that, though. I have to watch the Vegas PPV tape to compare. I'm sure the Vegas game was better, since I only heard good things about the Mousetrap game until now.
Moving Bodies hmmm, on the show isn't this called Moving People???
Brad introduces the game and with Greg is one of the human mannequins. I didn't catch the names of the people who were moving them around, but they did an excellent job! They even forced Brad and Greg to kiss and hug. I was LMAO ever since they made Brad grab Greg's ass! I give this game an A!!!
Autobiography about fictitious Louis Kowinsky, the best elevator man.
Ryan introduces and selects who fills in the next line and continue the Autobiography. The group kept a recurrent theme running through the whole story, with the line, "up and down and up and down" from being a child on his father's knee, to a teenager on his father's knee, to a military man on the General's knee, to being hired as an elevator operator. I'd like to see them do this game once or twice on the show, but it would probably take too long. I give this game a B+
Overall, I'd give the entire show a B+. I really enjoyed it!!
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After the show, Michelle, Laura and I got photos with Laura Hall and Ryan. I also got pictures with Julie and Sean, which I didn't get to have taken in Vegas. Greg and Kathy disappeared quickly, and so did Brad, so I didn't get pics with them. I got autographs of Laura Hall, Ryan, Julie, Sean and Chip. Of course, I had to tell them that I was the nerd that was running around in the Tux in Vegas, which Chip remembered, but Ryan didn't. Ryan even told me he couldn't remember what he had for lunch. I guess I'm not the only one who needs Gingko Biloba, huh?
Well, that's my excellent adventure!
I'll have pictures up soon from the trip there. In the meantime, I finally got some autographs!
As you can see, I was able to get Laura Hall, Chip Esten, Julie Larsen and Sean Masterson. Oh, and Ryan Styles, signing upside down. (Actually, it was kinda dark when he signed, and I handed it to him upside down...)
I'll let everyWhoser know when the pics are up here!
