Comedy at the Majestic Theatre has been nothing short of a revelation. Improv at the Majestic has sold out show after show, both on the main stage and in our lab theatre. Comedic shows, like Picasso at the Lapin Agile and others, have jumped on and off our stage for the past half year to great critical and commercial success. In the aftermath of all that comes the culmination of the community’s comedic brilliance in the form of Idiot Box, written by Improv at the Majestic genius Michael Winder and his writing partner Jeremy Resnick.
Idiot Box will run three consecutive days, March 18, 19, 20, with the first two shows at 7:30 pm and the last show at 2:30 pm. Tickets will cost adults $14 and students, seniors, and members $12.
Idiot Box follows the story of Larry, an everyman who finds himself spending a day on his recliner flipping through some TV channels unlike any other. Through his channel surfing, Larry discovers certain secrets of the universe, like what support groups in heaven look like and just how important those customer feedback surveys really are.
This production is unlike your usual play though, as Michael Winder, director and co-writer of Idiot Box, explained when we sat down with him to talk about the play.
“Idiot Box is pretty familiar sketch comedy for the most part. A collection of 3-5 minute self-contained scenes, similar to what someone might see on SNL, Kids in the Hall, etc.,” Winder said. “But where this show is different is in the connective threads that link the entire production together. Probably the greatest influence on my work is Mr. Show, the 90s sketch show by Bob Odenkirk and David Cross. Great individual sketches, but also weird threads and segues that connect ideas/themes/characters together. With Idiot Box, we’ve added a throughline – this guy, Larry, flipping channels on his TV, possibly descending into madness or maybe ascending towards a higher plane of consciousness – that takes this from traditional sketch show and makes it more like a full length theatrical play.”
When asked about the show’s intended audience, Winder made sure to set this show’s boundaries right out of the gate, but simultaneously opened it up to fans of both high and lowbrow comedy.
“This show isn’t for kids – let’s get that out of the way first,” Winder explained. “I’d give it a PG-13 rating, with maybe some moments that brush up against R. The show is also not for anyone easily offended. If it’s good comedy, you have to expect some transgression, some envelope-pushing, right? The show IS especially for anyone who likes sketch comedy, but also comedy fans in general. There’s some dumb stuff in there, sure – anyone can enjoy a sketch about a boy band filled with middle-aged dads, for example – but we also have rewards for sophisticated audiences who follow that throughline of Larry’s journey, the mystery of WHY this isn’t a normal evening of TV for Larry, why the shows seem to be speaking to him, why the customer service rep from the cable company is so interested in his well-being.”
Winder is probably best known on the Majestic stage for his work with Improv at the Majestic, but Idiot Box serves to combine his improvisational talents with his abilities as a comedic writer. Such a challenge is no doubt complicated and Winder spoke with us about how he went through with the development of this production.
“I’ve been writing comedy for a lot longer than I’ve been doing improv, so in a sense it’s more natural,” Winder stated. “But blending the two modes, scripted and improvised comedy, has been a fun challenge. On the one hand, it’s really weird to treat something as fluid and flexible as sketch comedy with a traditional theater director’s control. On the other, I’m lucky to have a cast full of great improvisers from the area (many of them from the Majestic’s Smackdowns and Jams) who I trust to make my words funnier than they are on the page. Unlike a lot of my previous writing, this script in particular has some improv written into it (I knew I was going to cast some of my improv pals, I guess). Those parts aren’t scary – I’m actually really looking forward to them!”
Winder’s “improv pals” have had a very dangerous and important task ahead of them from the very beginning, as Winder explained to us when talking about the role his cast has played throughout the production of Idiot Box.
“This show is challenging – everyone (except for David Parrish, who plays Larry) is doing multiple roles, some with difficult quick changes; and it’s just goofy as heck in several spots – but everyone has been fully committed since day one,” Winder gushed. “Their questions and contributions have helped me understand what the show is all about. I love it when an actor is super invested in an ensemble-based production like this and helps add interesting layers and moments, to their own scenes but also what they’re watching in rehearsal.”
Comedy at the Majestic continues to explode in popularity and by coming out and supporting the show, you, as audience members, will help these shows to reach incredible heights.
To close out, Winder described why he thinks improv and comedy has taken a life of its own on the Majestic stage these past few months.
“People like to laugh!” Winder exclaimed. “And original stuff, especially improv, has a special value because you can’t get it anywhere else. You have to be there – but “being there” is a big part of the draw, feeding the performers with laughter and applause, sharing the experience with a crowd. I think it’s really similar to watching sports. You have to watch it in the moment, not days later or whenever you want or else you miss the excitement. With so much on demand entertainment, online or whatever, you lose that experience of everyone coming together at a particular time/place to enjoy something. Maybe people miss that, and that’s why live [comedy] theater is kinda thriving lately.”