MAIN STREET ARTISTS
LAFF SHOWS TO LAUNCH POP CULTURE PARODY SERIES AT DISTRICT THEATRE
NEW TROUPE SPOOFS MOVIE & TV ICONS WITH HIT SHOWS FROM CHICAGO & NEW YORK
Loud And Fast Funny (LAFF) Shows, a new sketch comedy troupe developed by Main Street Artists through a partnership with IndyFringe, will present a series of three hour-long pop culture parody shows at the District Theatre Cabaret on Fridays and Saturdays from March 8 through June 1, 2019, with two performances each night at 8:00pm and 10:00pm. Performances will take place in the Cabaret Space at the District Theatre, 627 Massachusetts Avenue in downtown Indianapolis. Tickets for each of the shows are $15 per person and can be purchased at www.indydistricttheatre.org or by calling 317-308-9800.
LAFF Shows was developed by Main Street Artists in through a partnership with IndyFringe to create content for presentation at the District Theatre Cabaret and for special engagements around Indianapolis. In addition to the performance series at the District, the troupe will be available to perform for special groups, gatherings and conventions. The group consists of a company of 6 professional theatre artists (5 actors/musicians/foley artists, and 1 technician/stage manager) led by Artistic Director Darrin Murrell. Among the inaugural company are performers James Banta, Pat Mullen and Olivia Schaperjohn and stage manager Adrian Blackwell.
The three shows in the initial series of productions are “Hold On To Your Butts,” which performs from March 8 through 30, “The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes,” which runs April 5 through 27, and “Fly, You Fools!” with shows May 3 through June 1. The shows were chosen through a national search which sought titles that provided outrageous and hilarious parody of pop culture icons, could be presented in a one-hour format, and had a history of success in previous productions. Two of the three shows were created by Recent Cutbacks, a New York-based comedy troupe with Off-Broadway and National Touring credits. Their production of “Hold On To Your Butts” has been a critical and popular hit in New York, at numerous Fringe Festivals (including IndyFringe), and engagements at other venues across the country. Their follow-up parody, “Fly, You Fools!” also had an acclaimed run in New York and has played numerous venues since then. “The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes” was created by Hell In A Handbag Productions in Chicago and was so successful that it inspired a series of three sequels that continue to perform to sold-out houses at Stage 773 in Chicago’s Belmont Theatre District.
“Hold On To Your Butts,” co-created and originally performed by Indiana-native Nick Abeel of Recent Cutbacks, performs March 8 through 30 and is a live action, shot-for-shot parody of Jurassic Park performed by just two actors and a foley artist. 65 million years ago, dinosaurs ruled the earth...25 years ago, a movie about dinosaurs came out that ruled the box office. Now LAFF Shows present this acclaimed comedy created and written by Recent Cutbacks. For many millennials, their one nostalgia flick, the one favorite movie from their youth with an epic story, special effects, and iconic score, is Jurassic Park, which has remained the gold standard of dinosaur flicks for the past twenty-five years. Part spoof, part tribute, this highly theatrical parody is intensely physical, imaginative, and silly, using only specific costume pieces and rudimentary props to recreate iconic moments from the film, all in about an hour.
“The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes,” performing April 5 through 27, is an original parody of the beloved TV show. These gender-bending Girls find themselves in situations never before seen on television – that's why they're lost episodes! Written by David Cerda and Shade Murray and originally performed by Mr. Cerda and Hell In A Handbag Productions, the show features all of the beloved sitcom characters, including the forthright Dorothy, the sweet airheaded Rose, the lusty Blanche and the sharp tongued Sophia. In these “never before seen episodes,” they band together as Rose struggles with a debilitating malady and Blanche dates a younger man. The production also features The Golden Girls trivia and games to help fully embrace the Miami experience.
“Fly, You Fools!” performing May 3 through June 1, tells the story of the movie ‘Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ through live action, shot-for-shot parody using only three actors and a musician/foley artist. Throw shadow puppetry and a make-shift wind-machine in to the mix, and you have the stage set for a show that does for parody theatre what Peter Jackson did for fantasy films. Throughout the laughs, there is also a love and reverence for the material being lampooned. Jokes made at the expense of the film are sometimes cutting, but are always playful in a way that only fans know how to be. The laughs are ultimately on the troupe of comics as they valiantly recreate million dollar special effects and camera editing with dollar-store props, a microphone and mime.
The inaugural company of LAFF Shows includes James Banta, Adrian Blackwell, Pat Mullen and Olivia Schaperjohn.
James Banta is a Ball State University graduate with Indianapolis credits at Fonseca Theatre Co., First Folio Productions, Khaos Company, Eclectic Pond, Catalyst Repertory, Indianapolis Children’s Theatre and more.
Pat Mullen was born and raised in Indianapolis has appeared on Indy stages since age 7 with companies including Indiana Repertory Theatre, Eclectic Pond, Q Artistry and Fonseca Theatre Co. as well as serving as a company member at the Lilly Theatre at the Indianapolis Children's Museum.
Olivia Schaperjohn is an Evansville native and 2017 Ball State theatre graduate who has been seen onstage at Nettle Creek Players, Richmond Shakespeare Festival, Salt Lake Theatre, Clinton Showboat and California’s B Street Theatre as well as numerous film and television credits.
Adrian Blackwell, who serves as Stage Manager, has worked at Kokomo Civic Theater, Think! Dog Productions in Muncie and the historic summer tent theatre Nettle Creek Players.
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