As a resident of Chicago, you can see good improv almost any night of the week. But where do you turn if you’re looking for more than a standard short-form or Harold? Just three years after forming, improv troupe K.C. Redheart (ensemble member at The Playground Theater) is quickly becoming known for pushing experimental new formats, with consistently hilarious results. Last September they performed an epic 30-hour improv marathon at The Playground, raising money to benefit child literacy, and their latest creation (aptly titled “Process”) takes you behind the scenes of the rehearsal and debut of a new play. After the requisite audience suggestion is taken, the initial read-through begins and the audience is introduced to the “actors,” who start by introducing themselves to each other and the “director.” In the show I saw, an earnest but put-upon writer/director (George Serad) did his best to corral a hodge-podge cast (Karisa Bruin, Nick Leveski, Adam Shalzi, and Bill Stern) through a production of the sports drama “Ping Pong Goes My Heart.” It’s clear the members of K.C. Redheart know their way around the theatre - from the initial read to the opening night, the troupe ably captured the frustration, adjusting, and bonding that goes into preparing a new show for the stage… with a nonstop barrage of laugh-out-loud moments at every step. The key seems to be how well these improvisers support and push each other to the next level. There’s a subtleness in the way they draw the scenes, and in turn, the way they draw the laughs out of the audience. This is sublimated improv comedy, rarely settling for an easy or predictable joke. There may be no script, but there are more than enough laughs to go around. As an added bonus, two Playground house improv ensembles also perform and The Playground is always BYOB.
Reviewed by Centerstage!
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