Big Sexy Weekend of Improv climaxes at Addison’s Stone Cottage Theatre

by Andrew Tolentino

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I like my weekends like I like my coffee: big, sexy, and full of improv.

ADDISON — Culminating on Saturday night, the Alternative Comedy Theater-produced festival closed with four laughter arousing acts at Addison's Stone Cottage Theatre in the Addison Conference Center. Sans breadcrumb trail, I ambled (as one does when approaching any given stone cottage) to the charming theater space and sat down for the 7 p.m. show.

Two-man troupe The Daniel Brothers first stormed the stage with the energy of a six-player ensemble. Respectively hailing from Chicago and Austin, James and Patrick Daniel earned their laughs in Addison by creating bold, clearly defined characters in quickly climaxing scenes. Even when they could have used an extra player or two to bring new meaning to a premise, they never seemed to flounder. In a relatively slow starting argument scene, the brothers Daniel even treated us to some live, third party omniscience as they stepped in and out of characters to narrate scene catalyzing background information.

Despite the lack of supporting cast members, the Daniels didn’t really seem to lack much. Supporting one another with a wealth of imagination, clever devices, and well timed tie-ins, they harnessed more than enough energy for a well-rounded show, complete with green movement tofu motorcycles, vampires, and tough guys who aren’t afraid to hug.

At around 7:45 p.m., the players from Oklahoma City’s Red Dirt Improv took the stage with 20 scenes about the audience generated suggestion, “Swimming.” Dressed in slacks, dress shirts, and ties, the business-dressed Sooner staters boomered through their set, calling out the conclusion of each scene by shouting out the next number and definitively flipping a numerical notebook.

For the most part, the four person ensemble cleverly improvised scenes without blatantly using the audience suggestion. At times, most memorably in a premise about a boxer with outlandish distraction tactics, the incorporation of swimming seemed forced. However, who could blame them? Considering time constraints and the fact that, oh yeah, these guys didn’t have a script, the scene quota format is a demanding feat. On the whole, Red Dirt Improv nobly took on this task with fresh ideas and great physicality at an exciting pace.

During a quick break between shows, I made my way to the front row (basically on stage, no big deal) to watch The Victims play at 9 p.m. Marking their 4th anniversary, the notably larger seven-person ensemble established an unparalleled presence in the quaint cottage.

The Dallas-based troupe started by asking the audience for an odd name for a child, and they chose the suggestion, “Prinus” ... naturally. Featuring Alternative Comedy Theater and “Big Sexy Weekend of Improv” founder, John Rawley, The Victims wove together a montage of scenes, imagining the suggestion as a type of automobile, an uncouth princess, and a military objective. Taking advantage of the size (number, not stature) of their cast, they created several group scenarios that filled every nook and cranny of the stage. In a group of lesser seasoned improvisers, this all-hands-on-board approach might have created chaos, but the veteran Victims crafted cohesion, keeping the audience engaged and entertained by their togetherness.

And just when I was about to start singing “Kumbaya,” a two-man, acoustic version of The BTK Band accosted the entire audience. Self-described as “New York City’s hardest drinking improvised rock band,” BTK quickly grabbed our attention by flaming attendees one-by-one through song. Sitting in the front row with a camera and a notepad, I naturally became their first target, as lead singer Peter Aguero gave me the finger and chimed out a verse about pictures stealing his soul.

Accompanied by lead guitarist and Dallas native Rory Scholl, Aguero adeptly improvised full-length, in-depth (and hilarious) songs based on audience interaction and voluntary narratives. During their set, they plucked a red-cheeked school teacher from the crowd and masterfully embarrassed her in front of her date by singing about their love life and other exaggerated biographical bits. The interaction continued when Aguero and Scholl invented hyperbolic musical interludes to supplement the otherwise benign story of another audience member.

While their antics might seem crass and unsettling to some, some would better serve themselves by loosening up and taking a sip from Aguero’s cargo-pocketed bottle of Jim Beam. Permeating through perceived crudeness, raw talent, innovation and calculated wit, The BTK Band shined brightly throughout the “Big Sexy Weekend of Improv."

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