Anarchy: An Improvised Rock Opera

Anarchy: An Improvised Rock Opera, where everything is improved including the music and lighting!

Tonight just felt special. When the show started, you felt something. As the music improv went on, you were amazed, as always, of the talent. Then it hit me. These improvs have grown. They are professionals now. They made us laugh, chuckle, go "oh no", and at one point near the end, tear up a little for joy (followed by laughter). What more would you want out of life, than to feel improv!

We, the public, need to support MCL. It is becoming too precious not to. I feel akin to these improvs. How, they, the improvs, probably do not know. I am not there as often as they are. I am sort of a passerby. Still, I see them for who they are. What they have become. Where they are going. It is almost like I am seeing their life being created right in front of me. This is how well, and how real, these improvs are.

Here are some photos from the evening, of "Panera Cashier". Enjoy . . .

Oh, before you enjoy, I made a resolution this year that I would keep my photo count in my blogs to under 100. Well, I broke it here. Need to modify the resolution for improv!

All the scenes were cool. This scene is where music improv has some leeway that makes it fun. Here, Liz sang "we are making more money by giving things away".  Andrew sang "buy giving more things away more people are coming in", then Liz sang "go with that" (I laughed), at which time Alex took in and and went into the pose shown below.

Improv is not tricky, it is human. Blunders will happen. It was really cool that the other improvs went with it, going - well okay, when Bri saluted to King Jeremy of Panera, and re-titled him Colonel (as in KFC) accidentally. She did a very good (and funny) job containing her laughter after that, as Alex went with it.

I love how improvs break into monologue. It is almost like it is something they aspire to do, however, the scenes timing, direction, may not be there to do it. When the moment comes an improv knows it (feels it) and they jump at it. Here, Alex feels the moment, takes it by the balls, and runs with his musical monologue.

As the improvs begin to fill in the background of the monologue, the scene re-creates . . .

In the end, improv is just people playing together, on the playground of the stage. Look at their faces! They had a blast. This show was so well oiled. Yet it was improv. Very professional. Yet so young in it's life. The fun these improv's had is what made the show. We watched them play as we played in our hearts. So we had fun too.

Bravo! This show was perfect for me.

Just a photo look North from MCL . . .

Anarchy: An Improvised Rock Opera

Tonight's Improvs

Alex Garday

Liz Joynt Sandberg

Bri Fitzpatrick

Molly Todd

Andrew Lund

Michael Silver

Brad Kemp - Improv Music Director

Byron Nickname Roussin - Imrov Lighting

MCL Chicago

3110 N Sheffield Ave

Chicago, IL 60657

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