Last year, improvisor (and apparently relentless organizer) Ryan Klima was in the #11 spot on my pre-Fringe Top 20 for a pair of improv comedy shows, one with his duo Comfort Zone called “Chemistry” and another 5-star show centered around the improv game of “Ping Prov.”
This year he’s back again, this time pairing up with storyteller Kate Button and an army of improvisors for another experiment based on the practice of taking the raw material of someone else’s story and then putting it through an improv blender to create comedy. Per the press packet and the show pages More Information tab on the Fringe site:
“A unique storytelling/improv mash-up! A wild and crazy life paired with amazing improvisors.
Button Productions is proud to announce the debut of Buckeroohaiku's Reverse Armando, a unique performance series that blends raw, personal storytelling with the Twin Cities’ premier improv comedy. In each performance, local storyteller Kate Button shares snapshots from a life that spans six continents and dozens of roles: from railroad worker to co-parent of nine (including five children adopted from China, Liberia, and Florida). With refreshing honesty, Kate navigates themes of world travel, "disastrous" marriages, and living with ADHD and chronic depression. Following each story, a rotating cast of the Twin Cities' finest improvisors will take the stage to riff on Kate's experiences, transforming personal history into spontaneous, high-stakes comedy. Because every show features a new theme and a different ensemble of performers, no two adventures are ever the same."I consider myself to be a citizen of the world and of time," Kate says. "This show is an invitation to join that journey. It will be hilarious, thoughtful, and deeply human."
Description
True stories. Masterful improvisation. Kate Button spills the stories, while the Twin Cities top improvisors weave them into comedy gold! Brace yourself for an evening of raw, unfiltered hilarity!
Venue – Southern Theater
Content Warnings – Abuse/Physical Violence, Adult Language, Drug Content, Gun/Weapon Usage, Mental Illness, Sexual Content, Suicidal Ideation/Self-Harm, Other Divisive Content, No Late Seating Allowed
Genre and Content – LGBTQIA+ Content, Improv, Storytelling, Comedy, Political Content
Ages 16 and up
They’ve gathered improvisors from groups like Adorable, Local News, The Mess, The Neighborhood, One Act Survivor, and The TZ Crew, which include artists that have their own separate shows in the Fringe this year such as Jenn Scott (Sound and Noise and Bodies), Philip Simondet (The Local Music Scene) and Mike Fotis (Tech), alongside other folks who’ve created memorable Fringe shows in the past like Rita Boersma, Butch Roy, Jake Scott and James Rone, just to name a few. The full impressive roster is on the Cast and Crew tab of their show page.
There’s just too many good artists associated with "Buckeroohaiku’s Reverse Armando" for the end result not to be good. I’m looking forward to seeing it, and given that improv comedy is never the same twice (particularly with the way they’re switching out both content and performers), I’m probably going to end up feeling bummed out that I can’t manage to schedule myself to see it more than once.
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