THEATER
LAUGHING THROUGH TIME Colorado gets a dose of vintage improv comedy with the ‘King Penny Golden Radio Show’ BY TONI TRESCA
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“Improvised work — especially by the really strong improvisers Libby and Matt have assembled — can create such a uniquely theatrical experience,” says Robblee, BETC’s artistic director. “It’s truly different from what you can get at home, because it’s someone daring to be bold and inventive right in front of you. I am a huge believer in Matt and Libby’s work. I have been watching them perform for years, and they have discovered this beautiful form; King Penny has a charming, timetraveling, vintage throwback quality.”
just been announced as the company’s he Savoy lives tucked on the new artistic and managing directors, second floor of a 19th century taking over from BETC cofounders Victorian building in Denver. Rebecca Remaly and Stephen Weitz. While it was renovated a few years “Jessica and Mark needed to quickly ago, the building was historically used put together a season, so they as a social club, dance floor and ‘SHOT IN THE ARM’ searched for a show that requires minilounge. Once a month, that vintage With the assistance of skilled foley artist mal setup and rehearsal time,” Matt aura gets a breath of old air again. Mitch Slevc, the King Penny Players — explains. “The universe came together That’s thanks to Boulder Ensemble Libby, Matt, Jessica Austgen, Lauren because, right when we wanted to do Theatre Company’s production of the Bahlman, Adrian Holguin, Brian King Penny Golden Radio McManus, Mark Show, held on the second Shonsey and Tom Van Wednesday of every Ness — transport the month at the Savoy and audience to an earlier other locations around era when radio was king. Denver, a 45-minute Adding to the show’s improvised 1930s-1940s charm is the talented radio show inspired by pianist, Laura Jo Trexler, audience suggestions. who provides live musiThe throwback produccal accompaniment and tion was created by husthe perfect backdrop for band-and-wife improvisers the evening’s adventure. Libby and Matt Zambrano. Each show features a They met while performing guest star, adding a improv at Denver’s nowdelightful twist to the defunct Impulse Theater in evening’s entertainment. 2004 and continued to This month’s guest was perform together after Colorado’s former poet moving to the Empire laureate, Bobby State. LeFebre, which added Presented by the Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company (BETC), the King Penny “Our artistic home in an unexpected and Golden Radio Show is a blast from the past happening at various Denver locaNew York was a place delightful layer to the tions through May 2024. Credit: Bill Hahn called the Peoples Improv evening’s entertainment. this improv show, BETC needed proTheater,” Matt recalls. “One of the Future guests include Selene Arca in gramming. In actuality, we had made shows we saw there was a vintage December, Heidi Carann Snider in an agreement with BETC to do the radio program, and we thought it was a January, Suzi Q. Smith in February, show before we had done our first perreally cool idea. We wanted to start an GerRee Hinshaw in March, Kenya formance. That scared us straight and improv team when we moved back to Fashaw in April and Broken Box Mime forced us to workshop it to see if it had Colorado. But we didn’t want to do the in May. legs, which, thankfully, it does.” sort of thing that everybody else was “It was important to us from the In March 2023, they debuted the first doing and we had always been attractbeginning that our special guest stars version of the show at Denver’s Chaos ed to this form. We decided to get not be bound by the rules of comedy,” Bloom Theatre. Libby and Matt took a some people together who we loved to Matt says. “If they bring their ‘A’ game few months to figure out what worked play with and give it a go.” and we bring our ‘A’ game, it’s going to and what did not before beginning regConcurrent with the Zambranos’ be a show that people never forget.” return to Denver, the Boulder Ensemble ular performances at Chaos Bloom on As you enter The Savoy, a historical the second Friday of every month startTheatre Company (BETC) was undervenue located in the Curtis Park neighing in August to prepare for their run going a metamorphosis of its own. borhood of Five Points, you’re greeted with BETC. Jessica Robblee and Mark Ragan had with the nostalgic ambiance of another BOULDER WEEKLY
era. Audience members are given a drink ticket and a piece of paper to jot down suggestions for the show. Before (or after) heading to the bar, attendees are encouraged to write ideas for the evening’s genre, episode title and the name of a fictitious product for the troupe to advertise, setting the stage for a night of interactive fun. “The Savoy has the perfect ambiance for a vintage radio show,” Robblee says. “Both Mark and I are excited about fostering connections between Boulder and Denver. The artistic communities in both places are so strong; cross-pollinating those communities just made sense.” The show commences with Bugsy (Matt Zambrano) warmly welcoming the audience and cueing the pianist to set the mood with a musical ditty. The anticipation in the room was palpable as the cast took the stage to select a suggestion. During a recent November performance, the theme was Western, the episode title was “The Cowgirl’s Rodeo,” and it was humorously sponsored by the fictitious but fierce “ToeTickler 2000.” What followed was a 45-minute journey through three acts, complete with improvised “commercial breaks” for King Penny products and previews of future radio hours. In a world that often feels serious and depressing, the King Penny Golden Radio Show provided a lighthearted escape into a bygone era. “Theater doesn’t always have to just be on the weekend, and it doesn’t have to be three hours long,” Robblee says. “Theater can be a quick way station that fills you up midweek. It can be just a part of your week; you can incorporate it like a shot in the arm. It’s not as long of a show as a full-length piece, but it involves getting together, having a drink beforehand and enjoying a show as a community.”
ON STAGE: King Penny
Golden Radio Show. Various times and locations throughout the Denver metro, including The Savoy, Buntport Theater and Chaos Bloom, through May 2024. Details at betc.org.
NOVEMBER 16, 2023
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