Show: 22
Category: Comedy / Improv / Puppetry
By: Rogues Gallery Arts
Created by: Blackout Improv
Location: HUGE Theater
Summary: Minneapolis' first all Black improv troupe does the something that only they can do.
Highlights: Blackout returns to the Minnesota Fringe for the first in seven years, which doesn't seem possible. I'm pretty sure my first experience with them was at Fringe, and I've seen them many times since, including most recently for their fabulous Juneteenth celebration at the Ordway. As a short form improv troupe they're very funny and work well together, bouncing ideas off each other and yes-and-ing. But what I keep coming back for is their trademark swag hat in which they draw an audience-suggested topic from a hat, have a real round-table discussion about it, and then do improv based on it. Many of the audience suggestions were of course about the election, and it was really interesting (and dare I say hopeful?) to hear the Black perspective on it. A lighter topic drawn from the hat was Black nerd problems, which we can all relate to (or at least everyone attending a theater festival can). Before the swag hat we were treated to special guest artist - Blackout alum and former #TCTheater artist Theo Langason (they have a different guest at every show). He's just a gem, and though he no longer lives in town, he returns occasionally to direct or for events like this. The multi-talented artist sang us three sweet and mournful songs that he wrote, accompanying himself on steel guitar (the most beautifully melancholic instrument). Then the troupe did a few improv scenes based on his songs, to everyone's delight. The other feature of the night was scenes about little known moments of Black excellence throughout history, like the first time someone said a song was "my jam," the emergence of the "magical Negro," and Moses parting the Red Sea (although I feel like that's pretty well known). Blackout's 60-minute show flew by and felt like 20; I'd see it again if I could! You've got two more chances to see them this weekend!
