"Bloggus Resumus!"

I don't normally talk about my adventures with the Odd Lot Comedy Troupe, but after last night's Harry Potter show, I felt like sharing a small snippet of the insanity that transpired.

Being based on a wizard school, you can imagine that spells flew fast and furiously in last night's show. And of course, not all of them would be Hogwarts approved. Here is a short list of several of the spells cast by me during various points of the show, along with a brief explanation of why said spell was cast:

"Admittus the Truthus!" (as the bad cop half of a wizard interrogation)
"Police Harrassicus!" (when said interrogation went bad)
"Winnus Snackus!" (to the lucky winner of the Odd Lottery, teh brave victim of said interrogation)
"Needus Paternicus!" (I need an adult)! (while being held by Lord V)

Note the list might have been longer, but being cast as Ron for most of the show meant that my wand was repeatedly taken from me for safety reasons. Speaking of which, here's a brief list of incantations that I didn't get to use, along with a brief explanation for why they were never spoken:

"Logicus Prevailus!" (because really, that spell would never work)
"No more cryus, Pantsus Dryis!" (because Ron kept getting his wand taken before he could cast it)
"Arvydas Sabonis!" (not used because I'm likely the only one that remembers a forward from the 1990's Portland Trailblazers)
"Coffee-us Hottus!" (because the bad wizard cop never needed a cup of coffee)
"Ala, Peanut Butter Sandwiches!" (simply because I forgot; and the world is a worse off place because of it)

And note, this is just the stuff that I was responsible for. You can imagine that the rest of the gang got just as crazy at various points in time.

So if you haven't been to a show yet (or just need an excuse to show up), make sure that you find the time to stop by. Next week is our audience participation show, and it goes without saying that the more, the merrier. So Audience Returnicus! Or Checkus UsOutis! Or... you know, I'm just going to stop now.

MasterHouse Theater: Review: Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog LIVE!

As talented as the Odd Lot Comedy Troupe is at improvisation, it's easy to forget that they are quite skilled in scripted performance as well. With Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog LIVE!, the Odd Lot ventures into the world of scripted theater. And what happens is exactly what you'd expect: a "horribly" good time.

(Note: For the purposes of this review, I have limited myself to exactly three uses of puns involving the word "horrible"... So that's one.)

Every geek or nerd worth their salt knows of Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. But even if you aren't "horribly" familiar (that's two) with the details of the Joss Whedon story, the live show presents a similar version of web story.

The tale follows the often musical trials and tribulations of the titular Dr. Horrible (played on stage by Justin P. Kent), a super-villain trying to elevate his status by gaining entrance into the Evil League of Evil. His attempts at notoriety through evil are perpetually foiled by his infatuation with a girl in his apartment (Lynita Spivey) and the perpetual interference of his arch-nemesis, Captain Hammer (Ryan McConnel).

The show also features Gabe Reynolds as Horrible's roommate/henchman Moist and a small, but effective supporting cast (Trish McKay, Tim Reynolds, Megan Jones, Timmy Vo, and Hai Dang) who take on various roles and parts as needed to fill in the gaps along the way.

Kent is truly remarkable as Dr. Horrible. His interpretation of the character manages to convey all of the conflicting emotions of the megalomaniac without ending up a cheap impersonation of Neil Patrick Harris in the role.

The rest of the cast performs admirably as well. Spivey's Penny plays as the sweet, innocent girl-next-door she is supposed to be, and McConnel's Captain Hammer is every bit the strong and sometimes too smug hero that you'll eventually love to hate.

Director Chris Soucy manages to master stage space, utilizing selective props, a small smattering of back panels, and even the cast themselves to convey a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces. Fans of the original Sing Along Blog will be hard pressed to find many venues that aren't covered in some way, shape, or form onstage.

I was particularly impressed with the van scene, as it was something that could have been logistically difficult to pull off without... you know... a van. Or streets. But that and a good many other surprises await in the show. Expect a pleasant surprise or two along the way, including a few improvisational games from the Odd Lot Troupe to help flesh out what is a "horribly" short production (and three... I'm done with that).

All in all, the show makes for a fun, entertaining experience of improv, singing, dancing, and comedy that was completely worth seeing. While I will always enjoy the web production in all its glory, this was definitely an experience that I am glad I had the chance to check out. If you have the chance to see it, it would be "horrible" of you not to.

(... Yeah, I know I said only three. But in true evil fashion, I broke my own rule. You can't get more evil than that. I'll get League membership myself one day, I will. You hear me, Horse!)

Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog LIVE! happened Friday, August 27th at 8PM and midnight. It will happen again Saturday, August 28th at 8PM at Muse Arts Warehouse. So you should try and catch it then (or build a time machine).