And now for something different - a night of holiday* improv! Last year Strike Theater debuted a new long-form improv show -
Holiday Office Party. And since I've attended my share of such events (although not anymore, post-covid my office has virtual holiday parties in which we do things like make origami or decorate gingerbread houses or play trivia games), I found it funny and relatable.
Holiday Office Party is back this year for three weekends only. And since this weekend's performances were at 9pm, I decided to see the 730 show at Strike too, which was a one-weekend-only show by jorts! Improv.
A Snowy Kiss is their annual tradition, an improvised holiday romance of the type we know so well from Hallmark and Netflix. It was a fun night of improv and a different sort of holiday show.
Visit Strike's website for their upcoming show schedule.
This was my first time seeing jorts!, an improv troupe that recently celebrated their 10th anniversary and performs regularly at Strike and other venues. Their annual holiday show is an improvised holiday romance, a formula that's so precise it's easy to replicate and riff on. They take audience suggestions for titles; I saw a delightfully tropey "movie" called What Women Want… for Christmas. Our heroine Noel works at a big city magazine called Ladies? (this was a punctuation heavy show). She's expecting her boyfriend of 11 years to propose, but instead he tells her he's going on a tour with his improv troupe, performing at colleges. She's devastated, and goes home to her small town upstate where she's reunited with family and high school friends. She gets involved in the local happenings, like the annual Christmas bachelor auction (all the guys in this town are hot), and has to write an article for the magazine by Christmas. In other words, it's every Hallmark movie you've ever seen. This troupe (Laura Berger, Lauren Chesnut, Emily Coveyou, Kezia Florence, Katie Novak, Phil Petersen, Ryan Vanasse, and Marty Wessels) is quick and funny, coming up with characters and relationships on the spot, and carrying them throughout the show. And somehow they create a full and complete story that pretty much makes sense, checks off all the requirements of a holiday romance, and comes to a satisfying conclusion in a little over an hour. With live musical underscore!
returns with a similar structure as
last year, with a rotating cast playing different roles. There's the boss (played by director and creator Mike Fotis in the show I saw), the Jim/Pam types flirting outside the party (Anna Tobin and Matt Prindle), the employees at the party (Amee Nefzger Banks, Lacey Mamak, Kerri O'Halloran, and Christian Unser), and the caterers (Heather Meyer and Erik Hoversten). There are party scenes, with groups of people making small talk, sometimes just a snippet of which is heard. Other scenes (which are signified by projections) involve the caterers taking a smoke break, individuals at the back bar, and the boss' big announcement. The show I saw featured a company called Oswald that makes EXIT signs, with boss Terry Jr. living in the shadow of Terry Sr. We learn more about these specific characters as the show goes on, like the aspiring baker and the soon to be retiree. It's a whole lot of fun nonsense, relationship building, a sweet budding romance, surprise revelations, and karaoke!
Holiday Office Party performs Fridays and Saturdays through the end of the month. A Snowy Kiss has concluded for the year, but follow jorts! on Facebook or Instagram for info on upcoming shows.
*Click here for reviews of all of the holiday shows I've seen this year.
