Review: OCEAN STATE BLACK & FUNNY IMPROV FESTIVAL at Contemporary Theater Company

The Contemporaty Theater Company spared no expense in bringing in comedic groups from all over the country for it's third Ocean State Black & Funny Improv Festival this Labor Day weekend including 3Peat from Los Angeles, the Unpronounceables and Poems for Each Other, both from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Stand-up comedian Rochelle McConico from Austin, Texas, Branded Silk from NYC and even Wakanda v.s. Everybody all the way from Wakanda and others.

Each night had a different lineup of unbelievably funny and creative improv actors and comedians with each 2.5 hour show followed by another mixer show to cap off the night. For my particular show, we started the night off treated to super-creative poems that comedian and poet Theo Langason of "Poems, For Each Other" pulled out of the audience.  His request this night was to think of a very happy moment in your life and take one word out of that event to shout out loud.  Words hit him from all angles like trees, sand, peace, love and so on.  With that, he created a touching poem utilizing most of the dozen or so works he just heard.  Once the poem was complete, Langason pulled a few members of the audience down to the stage to discuss their happy moment at length.   

Next up was stand-up comedian Rochelle McConico, who promised a PG-13 show and settled more on a unrated version to the delight of the audience who laughed hard at her stories of her 79-year-old mother she had to move in with or how to keep a man satisfied. 

Branded Silk, composed of Onyi Okoli, Jeffrey Kitt, and Aaron LaRoche followed that up with a random idea from the audience that turned into "Mom's Thanksgiving meal is trash" and the repurcussions of finally admitting that and what could happen to you after. 

The Unprounceables, made up of John Gebretatose & Alsa Bruno, wowed with multiple skits revolving around "The Artist", who perfected comedic timing throughout their 25 minute skits. 

Finally, show centerpiece 3Peat, played by Nnamdi Ngwe, Lisa Beasley and Patrick Rowland rocked the house with multiple improv skits based on audience input of "a new job".  The mainstay of Comedy Central and creators of the "Blackening" skit which was turned into a 2022 movie from Liongate were simply a wonder of humor and creativity all night long. 

All of the nights groups had clearly performed side by side with each other for many years and it showed with each performance.  They were comfortable even at pulling things out of the air and into a show on a seconds notice, an impressive feat!

This years Ocean State Black & Funny Improv Festival definitely lived up to expectations, combining incredible creativity with side-splitting laughter as we start to count the days to next years shows and the unique performers who will fly across the country and treat us to a night of original and witty entertainment all night long.  

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