Through a cosmic synchronicity, the counterculture holiday of cannabis liberalization known as “4/20” happens to fall on the religious holiday of Passover, also on April 20. What’s a Sedona comedy troupe to do? Celebrate both in a show Zenprov Comedy has dubbed “Holy Smokes!” This one-night only performance happens at 7:30 p.m., April 20 at The Mary Fisher Theater in Sedona.
“Zenprov is the best comedy troupe in Arizona,” said Mr. Patrick Schweiss, Executive Director of the Sedona International Film Festival. “At their last sold out show in March, people were laughing so hard their cheeks were hurting.”
According to Derek Dujardin, the director of Zenprov Comedy, this is opportunity to bring two different audiences together through laughter. “If you separate the meaningful religious symbolism of Easter from what the holiday has become in our popular culture, it does look like something a stoner might dream up: A giant bunny, who hides colorful eggs and candy from children. You’ve got to admit, that a pretty far-out idea.”
For more than a decade, Zenprov Comedy has tapped into the rich source material that comes from living in a community steeped in spiritual seeking, UFOs, vortexes, self-help gurus, psychics, and radical veganism. While Zenprov Comedy’s may start in the woo-woo culture of Sedona, their conceptual otherworldly performances are grounded in fundamentals of rock-solid improv, inventive satire, and their constant search for the big truths hidden within the great Cosmic Giggle.
Similar to the improvised TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Zenprov performs fast-paced, spontaneous comedic games created in the moment—always based on audience suggestions and hands-on fun with willing participants. Unlike sketch or standup comedy, nothing is scripted or rehearsed ahead of time. It’s completely spontaneous and never the same show twice.
Zenprov wants to be clear that they don’t intend to make fun of the sacred holiday itself or promote the illegal use of cannabis. However, they will be elevating audience member’s personal pet peeves into pseudo-biblical tales of religious significant, told in the style of a over-zealous clergy. They’ll definitely be improvising a new origin myth for how a common rabbit transformed into the iconic Easter Bunny. And, of course, debating the merits and liabilities of cannabis legalization both in comic and cosmic ways.
The Zenprov players embrace 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.
The super minds of Zenprov are Derek Dujardin, Shaeri Richards, Chris Redish, Betty Testa, Tom Shoemaker, Shaunn Cochran, Linda Roemer and Mary Carder.
This one-night-only performance is expected to sell out so please purchase tickets early. Shows are rated PG-13 (Shows may contain adult material, themes or language) and run approximately 90 minutes. Visit www.ZenprovComedy.com to learn more.