Photo Flash: Sneak Peek at Red Branch Theatre Company's MAD LIBS LIVE, Opening This Weekend

Red Branch Theatre Company (RBTC) opens its 2017 season entitled Mad About You with the interactive word game-turned-musical Mad Libs Live this weekend. Performances continue weekend through April 8th. Scroll down for a sneak peek!

The weekend kicks off with an opening night St. Patrick's Day-themed show. Audience members are encouraged to wear green and submit Irish words for a festive evening. The production will also present its first no-holds-barred adult-only show on Saturday, March 18th. Recommended for audience members aged 18+, words submitted from the audience will not be edited for content at "adult-only" performances. The first family-friendly matinee will be presented at 3pm on Sunday, March 19th.

Virtuosa, Gogo, Geyser, and Merrily are four Blankville Central High students that seem to have nothing in common backstage at the finals of Teen Superstars-a live TV show contest to determine the school's most popular singing group. When they discover that words are missing from all of their songs just before airtime, they enlist the aid of the audience to fill in the blanks. Mad Libs Live! is one part school talent show, one part American Idol, and promises to be different for every performance thanks to adjectives, nouns, verbs, and adverbs supplied by the audience and incorporated into songs and scenes by the actors throughout the duration of the performance.

In a nod to one of Red Branch Theatre Company's core values to "foster a love of theatre in all ages," Mad Libs Live will produce some performances that appeal to families and children while others will cater to adult audiences. "Mad Libs Live is unique because it's a musical for everyone," says director Janelle Broderick. "The plot is relatable to kids and adults, the pop-style songs are catchy, and every performance is different due to the mad libs. There are nearly 100 blanks for the audience's words to fill in throughout the show, and you never know how those words may influence the performance." On the audience participation front, she adds: "Working on productions that involve the audience can be tricky, because the actors have to be prepared for anything. The element of surprise has to be incorporated into the rehearsal process so that the cast gets into the habit of rolling with the punches. It definitely keeps us on our toes and helps to reinforce the light-hearted nature of the show. It's a blast!" Broderick has previously directed Sondheim revue You're Gonna Love Tomorrow and the world premiere of Peter Rabbit for Red Branch.

Cast & Production Staff:

Merrily - Meghan Anderson
Virtuosa - Kara Leonard
Geyser - Brady Stevens
Gogo - Dumar Valencia
Female Swing - Alex Levenson
Male Swing - Brandon Shaw McKnight

Stage Direction by Janelle Broderick
Music Direction by Tiffany Underwood Holmes
Choreography by Sarah Luckadoo
Lighting Design by Lynn Joslin
Costume Design by Shannon Maddox
Sound Design by Seth Schwartz
Production Management by Janine Sunday

Performance Dates and Times:
March 17-18, 24-25, 31; April 1, 7-8 at 8 PM
March 19, 26, April 2, 8 at 3 PM
March 25, April 1, 8 at 2 PM
March 30, April 6 at 7:30 PM

Special Events:
March 17: Opening Night - Special St. Patrick's Day-themed performance and post-show reception
March 24 & 31, 7-11 PM: Parents' Night Out PJ Parties
March 18, 25, April 1, and April 8 at 8 PM: Adult-Only Performances
March 30 & April 6: Thirsty Thursday - Pre-show Happy Hour and Adult-Only Performances

Individual tickets available for purchase online at www.redbranchtheatrecompany.com or by calling the box office at (410) 997-9352. Students, Seniors (65+), Active Duty Military (with valid ID) - $24; Adults in advance - $30; All at the door - $35; Parents' Night Out PJ Parties - $35

Performances take place at the Drama Learning Center, 9130-I Red Branch Road, Columbia, MD 21045.

Photos courtesy of Bruce F Press Photography

Brady Stevens as Geyser in MAD LIBS LIVE
Kara Leonard as Virtuosa, Brady Stevens as Geyser, Dumar Valencia as Gogo, and Meghan Anderson as Merrily in MAD LIBS LIVE
Kara Leonard (foreground) as Virtuosa is backed up by Brady Stevens, Meghan Anderson, and Dumar Valencia in MAD LIBS LIVE
left to right, Kara Leonard as Virtuosa, Dumar Valencia as Gogo, Meghan Anderson as Merrily, and Brady Stevens as Geyser in MAD LIBS LIVE
Brady Stevens (far right) as Geyser nerds out in MAD LIBS LIVE
Dumar Valencia as Gogo, Brady Stevens as Geyser, and Kara Leonard as Virtuosa form a team to try to gain the next Teen Superstar title in MAD LIBS LIVE