This Easter weekend, dive into astrology and all things psychic with Zenprov Comedy’s one-night only, completely improvised comedy show “Mercury in Retrograde!” The fun begins Saturday night at 7:30 pm, April 15 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre in Sedona. Tickets are $12 pre-sale, $15 at the door.
“So what’s ‘Mercury in retrograde’? A few times a year, the orbits of the Earth and Mercury do this weird dance where Mercury appears to go backwards in the sky as the Earth passes it, which is referred to as ‘going retrograde’,” said Derek Dujardin, director of Zenprov Comedy. “For astrologers, it’s a chaotic time when communication breaks down, relationships fall apart, and most electronics seem cursed. So, yeah, I can’t think of more fertile ground for spontaneous comedy.”
Similar to the improvised TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”, Zenprov Comedy performs fast-paced, spontaneous comedic scenes created in the moment—always based on audience suggestions with the actors. Unlike sketch or standup comedy, nothing is scripted, written, or rehearsed ahead of time. It’s completely spontaneous fun and never the same show twice. For more than five years now, the Zenprov has entertained locals and visitors a like with their special brand of comedy often ties in local Sedona culture and quirky, smart satire.
“Zenprov Comedy is the best improv troupe in Arizona,” said Mr. Patrick Schweiss, Executive Director of the Sedona International Film Festival. “People were laughing so hard their cheeks were hurting.”
So, will Mercury actually be in retrograde during the performance? Indeed it will, starting on April 9 and ending in early May. “For me, the funniest thing about Mercury going retrograde is it often becomes a popular scapegoat that gets blamed for EVERYTHING!” said Dujardin. “I don’t know about other places, but that’s especially true for Sedona.”
The troupe will also explore games that deal with astrology and space exploration. For instance, “Zodiwacked” is an improvised game where two of the most incompatible Zodiac signs are pitted against each other until one or both them ends up dead. Another game is called “Mars Won” where the audience chooses four unlikely characters, such as a kindergarten teacher, personal coach, synchronized swimmer and a cowboy, to be the first to colonize Mars.
The troupe embraces the Del Close method of improv acting, which emphasizes the “group mind” that mysteriously develops during a performance. Miraculously, the player’s minds fuse together to create a “super mind” where they practically finish each other’s sentences—and often do. Laughter ensues.
“Improv is a unique theatrical experience where audience and actors come together to create something magical and extremely alive right there in the moment,” said Shaeri Richards, troupe member. “And it’s funny, too.”
The super minds of Zenprov Comedy are Derek Dujardin, Shaeri Richards, Shaunn Cochran, Tom Shoemaker, Chris Redish, Betty Testa, Linda Roemer and Mary Carder.??
Tickets are $12 pre-sale and $15 the day of the show. This one-night-only performance is expected to sell out so please purchase tickets early.
Doors open at 7:00 PM. Shows are PG-13 and run approximately 90 minutes. Visit www.ZenprovComedy.com to learn more.?