Zenprov Comedy is back with all-new laughs in their entirely improvised live show entitled “Still Laugh In!” on Saturday, June 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre in Sedona. After the rough year, Sedona’s favorite comedy troupe is here to remind us that laughter is still the best medicine.
Because of Covid-19 restrictions, the venue will only have a maximum of 60 seats, and tickets are $15 each. The May sold out a week early, so make sure to order tickets in advance. Troupe members are fully vaccinated, and the theatre has installed state-of-the-art air purifiers in the ventilation systems that scrubs the air to eliminate viruses and cooties of all sorts. As Patrick Schweiss, Executive Director of the Sedona International Film Festival, joked at last show, “You’ll be cleaner when you leave than when you walked in.”
For the past 17 months, the troupe has been busy working with professional improv acting coach, performer and comedic director Jessica Mitolo from the famed Second City school in Chicago.
“We were lucky to find a coach who is as experienced, respected and tough-lovin’ as Jessica. If it weren’t for all of her Second City classes being canceled due to the pandemic, we never would have ever met her,” said Derek Dujardin, director of Zenprov Comedy. “We credit Jessica with helping achieve a whole new level of performance. Plus, she has given us a host of new games to play. Long-time fans have told us they have noticed a big difference in the quality of our performance! Plus, we are having a blast!”
If you’ve never been to one of their live performances before, Zenprov Comedy is similar to the popular improvised TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” The troupe performs a mix of fast-paced improvised scenes created in the moment based on audience suggestions and Chicago-style, long-form like the “Harold.” Unlike sketch or standup comedy, nothing is scripted or prepared ahead of time, so it’s never the same show twice.
For more than a decade, Zenprov has tapped into the rich source material that comes from living in a place steeped in spiritual seeking, tourists, small-town politics, UFOs, vortexes, radical vegans and endless roundabouts. While Zenprov Comedy may start in the New Age culture of Sedona, their otherworldly performances are grounded in the rock-solid fundamentals of quick-witted improvisational acting, inventive satire, and a constant search for meaning hidden inside the great Cosmic Giggle.
“Zenprov is the best comedy troupe in Arizona,” said Mr. Patrick Schweiss, Executive Director of the Sedona International Film Festival. “People told me they were laughing so hard their cheeks were hurting.”
The super minds of Zenprov Comedy are Derek Dujardin, Shaeri Richards, Shaunn Cochran, Chris Redish, Betty Testa, Linda Roemer and Mary Carder. Tickets are $15, and only 60 seats will be available. Please note: Shows are rated PG-13, are seldom politically correct, and often contain adult material or themes.
The Mary D. Fisher Theater is located across the street from the Harkins Movie Theater on 2030 St. Rt. 89A, next door to BMO Harris. Doors open at 7:20 p.m. The show starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. and concludes around 9:15 p.m. Beer, wine, and snacks are available in the lobby.