Dickensian Holiday Improv anyone? The Alchemist Theatre plays host to the only significant opening of the weekend as it presents A Kick In The Dickens. There are so many traditions that seem to resonate around this time of year that it's kind of surprising the standard Dickensian holiday improv show hasn't already sprouted somewhere in town . . .
Leave it to the Alchemist to rectify the situation. They've assembles a disparate group of improv comics for the holiday season. The show contains one or more of the following:
Anna Figlesthaler--Teaches for MPS. So right away there's a great deal of respect for this woman. She's also written a drama that recently had a staged reading. It's called This Is What Democray Looks Like. (Yes, it's set in Madison.) She's kind of a wild card here though. Most of the stuff I can remember her in was more dramatic than anything, so it'll be interesting to see what she brings to the dynamic of a really eclectic improv group.
Matt Koester--Actually did a really good job with the comedy in a recent Youngblood production of [sic]. He has evidently returned to Milwaukee after doing some missionary work in LA or some such . . .4 year stun studying at University of California at Berkley. Nice to see him returning to civilization in yet another local production.
Andrea Moser--is no trainer to the holiday stage. Recently she found herself on the stage of Vogel Hall in a habit performing Mother Superior's Ho-Ho-Holy Night. Cute. But here she's going to be working with improv, which is much more challenging and dynamic. She's had more than enough experience onstage to make it work.
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Jason Powell--He's a funny guy. Part of sketch comedy group The Show, he's also done some pretty extensive work writing his own material for other stage projects including one hauntingly me memorably musical theatre piece about his dating history.
Lee Rowley--Kind of a workhorse of Milwaukee comedy . . . Rowley is one of those guys you see popping up all over the place. It's weird and kind of eerie. He's been in Meanwhile, Talking Points and LeeRick. If none of those sound familiar you might remember him as a cop in Rudolph the Pissed-Off Reindeer.
Alchemist Theatre's A Kick In The Dickens runs December 6th through 22nd. For ticket reservations, visit the Alchemist online.
