Loved passing thru K3 this weekend...despite no reception committee at the depot...Got to fulfill an unexpected fantasy by doing some improv on the Second City Main Stage Saturday night and punked the cast. After a day at the Cubs Convention I caught the 11 pm show. I got there early and ended up sitting front row on the middle aisle. I had donned a sport coat and was an obvious mark for the cast. Just before intermission three members were doing a scene with an Italian barber cutting hair and carrying on a funny dialogue with another cast member in the chair. As often happens, the barber character called for the next customer and grabbed me without warning to go on stage and sit in the chair. Experience told me the cast would make me the hapless butt of the routine. I hopped up sat down and decided to screw with them first (this was not my first time with improv, so I had a good idea of where and how it was designed to go). He asked me whats your name? Affecting an ersatz accent I meekly said Marco. The actor said: I thinkah you aintah tellin me da trooth...whatsa your real name? I held my accent and repeated Marco with some annoyed conviction. The bit continued with my answering his questions with non-sequitur replies in the accent, feigned confusion, and wide-eyed desperation. The audience was laughing hysterically at the actors frustration. He finally shouted: damn...this was supposed to be an easy one! The other cast member...said weve gotta a live one...enjoying his discomfort too. He started speaking slowly to me as one would ...by then convinced English was my distant second language. I held character until he asked what...are...you...doing...in...Chicago? I hesitated with a confused look...and then replied in perfect English: What else? The Cubs Convention!! The audience howled as the other actor shouted laughing out loud ...@&#%...I REALLY thought this guy couldnt speak English!! Another cast member, Emily Walker, closed the bit with: You are the craziest MF on this stage!! Handshakes all around and the grinning barber whispered : Nicely played...you bastard! Best compliment of my life. Love Second City!
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 18:13:57 +0000
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