Be is Back and they are B.A.D.

Be Theatre's B.A.D. Improv is back and their post-COVID opener July 3rd was everything you could want from a night of improv. The relaxed comfort of the players felt like no time had passed "since the last performance."

Savannah Logsden has the audience & the cast reeling. photo by Doug Schwartz 2021

No one could have predicted the Coronavirus shutting down the nation for nearly 15 months. Be Theatre was hit hard as actors and patrons were left unsure what would happen to the growing theater scene in San Angelo. It took less than five-minutes for this cast to find a groove that left the audience no doubt that Be After Dark (B.A.D.) Improv was not only back but better than ever.

The show kicked off with games reminiscent of Drew Carey's "Whose Line is it Anyway?" The players performed the Taxi Cab Improv Game where one player begins as the cabby and another hops into the cab with a unique persona. Companies who are new and theater classes will often do this while knowing ahead of time what the passengers persona is while experienced companies will truly improvise their character on the fly. B.A.D. breezed through the game showing a group who were incredibly comfortable with each other.

Throw a tip on stage and the dancing begins. photo by Doug Schwartz 2021

Improv is all about reaction and interaction. Each player in the troupe is given a part during the various games and a very basic set of instructions then are left to their own devices. "This is when the magic happens and the individual talents shine through." Whether a small or large group game; everyone must play off each other. There are no leads or stars just a group working together to create a funny moment shared with an audience. Someone with an overlarge ego or without the overall goal in mind can quickly derail a performance and leave the entire troupe floundering. The troupe of B.A.D. just mesh.

Ken Roberts and Elena Kent in a dance off. photo by Doug Schwartz 2021

Host Mike Burnett managed to keep everyone moving forward; deftly transitioning from one game to the next. His ability to focus this many creative individuals performing at the same time is amazing and creates an incredibly special experience. There are many ways to say it, but it boils down to San Angelo being lucky to have entertainment like this troupe and they are B.A.D.

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B.A.D. Improv is a production of Be Theater and performs at the San Angelo Performing Arts Center's Black Box theater. You can find out show information, buy tickets, and even find out how to hire them for your next event at: https://www.betheatre.com/be-after-dark

The Arts in Angelo blog and podcast is written and produced by Doug Schwartz who can be found here: Doug@AngeloArts.com