36-Hour Improv Marathon Comes to the Contemporary Theater Company

36 hours and no sleep - theatrical adventure or psychological torture?

From 8 am on Saturday, February 15 to 8 pm on Sunday, February 16, the Contemporary Theatre Company will open its doors for a never attempted, 36-hour marathon of spontaneous theatre. With support from the CTC company and guests from as far away as Canada, six company members will endeavor to stay awake, alert, and entertaining for a full 36 hours!

While few theatre companies in the world have attempted these mega, non-stop marathons of improvisation, this is the very first time it has been attempted in Wakefield.

Not everyone will make it to the end.

Shawn Kinley from the world-famous Loose Moose improvisation theatre in Calgary, is the Canadian guest in the show. He is no stranger to improv marathons and hints that audiences are in for true adventure.

"At 28 hours, one of our performers fell asleep while standing, drinking his coffee," says Kinley. "The crash of his mug hitting the ground woke him, and he ran off yelling something about being late for work. We didn't see him again until an hour before the marathon ended."

The Contemporary Theater Company joins a unique and exclusive group of theatres from Paris to London and Texas to New York who have gifted their communities with what promises to be not only a unique entertainment experience but also a peek into extreme human psychological reactions.

"An improv marathon is a signature moment in the development of a company like ours," says Artistic Director Christopher Simpson. "Rallying a vast community of scripted actors, improvisers, designers, and volunteers to perform for 36 straight hours brings a sense of unity and unleashes a wave of creativity beyond what we've ever experienced. Every show will offer something unique to our audience, and will foster something exciting in our ever-growing ensemble."

Audiences are free to come and go throughout the event with shows starting every hour, but there are often a few intrepid observers who push themselves to survive the full 36 hours.

"Some performers improve as their internal censors stop functioning normally, while others express surprise at minor hallucinations that occur around the 30 hour mark," says Kinley.

At the 12 hour mark, audiences will be treated to Whodunit? An Improvised Murder Mystery, which opened to sold out crowds in January.

"I'm very excited to see what it's like to perform Whodunit? when a lot of cast members will be tapping into a new reserve of creativity," says Maggie Cady, a Whodunit cast member. "The whole company will be performing at some point, so I'm excited to get to get to see everyone up onstage, support the folks who are performing the whole time, and celebrate this fun and wild thing we call improv!"

Each hour is something different with favorites like Whodunit? and Micetro Improv along with freeform hours and inspiration from the audience.

A full marathon pass is $36 or tickets for each hour are $5 at the door. The theater recommends getting tickets for Whodunit? An Improvised Murder Mystery, which are $15, in advance as the show often sells out.

It will be fun. It will be exciting. It will be an adventure for one and all!

Tickets for performances and more information about the company are available online at www.contemporarytheatercompany.com or by calling 401-218-0282.

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