Comedy Improv Coming to The Follies Theatre

Editor's note: The Follies Theatre provided the following news release and photograph.

For fans of the popular television series, “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” Second City, and other shows that rely on a performer’s wits rather than scripts, Comedy Improv is coming to Yorkville’s , starting Friday, March 30.

Premiering with a full weekend of 8pm shows on March 30, 31, and April1, Follies Comedy Improv then moves to Fridays (only) for an indefinite run. Taking suggestions and situations from the audience, then incorporating them into scenes and comedic mayhem, the show is, according to Follies Theatre Producer Don Grant Zellmer, “totally unscripted, and therefore totally unpredictable.”

Aside from familiar scenes (or “games”) that incorporate audience suggestions, the second act includes the newer “long form improv,” or “The Harold.” In a Harold, one theme is given by the audience, and the cast weaves scenes, monologues, games, flashbacks, and other devices to get the entire act to eventually reflect the theme.

Follies Comedy Improv stars Kim “Howard” Johnson, who is a longtime teacher, director, and performer of improvisational comedy, and is a member of the Monty Python family of performers, having appeared in “John Cleese’s Personal Best,” and “Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl.”

He has been seen at Second City, Improv Olympics, Barron’s Barracudas, and is the author of the biography of improv guru and close friend, Del Close, “The Funniest One In The Room.” Johnson and Zellmer have known each other since college, and have performed together.

“Recently,” said Zellmer, “we reconnected for some improv workshops at Illinois Valley Community College--where I am the theatre’s choreographer, and Follies Co-Producer, David Kuester is a full-time professor--and Howard and I picked up where we left off. Before we knew it, we were planning a continuing improv show for the Follies.”

The cast includes Johnson, Zellmer, Kuester, T.J. Lamps, David Zallis, Christy Roosma, and Dan Rosier. Roosma, who is appearing in the Follies Theatre’s current production, “Swingin’ At The Stardust--Vintage Vegas,” is the only woman in the improv cast, and this marks her maiden voyage into the world of improvisational comedy.

“Don (Zellmer) kept telling me he thought I’d be good at improv,” said Roosma, “so I gave it a shot, and after I got past the terrifying aspect that there was no script or lyrics to learn, and that I had to be fast on my feet, I thought, ‘hey--this isn’t so bad--at least I don’t have to learn any lines!’ But it’s seriously a lot of fun, even though it’s more of a mental workout than I thought.”

“It’s such an honor to work with Howard (Johnson),” said Lamps, who will also appear in the upcoming Follies comedy, “Social Security.” “He’s brilliant at what he does, and it’s a continual learning experience. And to share the stage with somebody of his caliber is awesome. I admit there’s some cross over with rehearsals, though. We rehearse the improv show games, then the next night we rehearse the scripted “Social Security,” and I tend to go off now and then on a little improv scat.”

“Out of all the forms of entertainment, is improvisational comedy my favorite thing to do?,” commented Zellmer. “Not really--your brain can never, ever turn off. But is it fun? Absolutely. Sometimes when one does a long run of a show, there are nights when you tend to go to auto-pilot mode, which isn’t always a good idea, but you know what’s coming and can just go out there and do what you know. With improv, you can’t let your guard down for a second--you’re always on red alert for the next situation or scene. I think it’s as much as of a challenge as doing a musical in a totally different way. But performing with Howard feels very safe--and we‘re having a blast.”

Music figures into the Follies Comedy Improv show as well, also improvised, of course.

“That’s probably the hardest part for me,” said cast member David Zallis. “Out of the blue, we may go into a doo-wap, or a goofy opera, or some musical comedy--it always depends on the audience suggestions, of course--but suddenly Don will jump to the keyboard and there’s a musical number developing that has to come out of nowhere…that’s when you have to think twice as fast.”

Reservations are now being taken for Follies Comedy Improv. The Follies Theatre’s current production, “Swingin’ At The Stardust--Vintage Vegas” is in its final two weeks, closing March 25.

The improv show takes the Follies stage the following weekend, March 30, 31, and April 1 before the comedy “Social Security” opens for the spring, with the improv show playing Fridays only during that run.

For information or to make reservations, call the Follies Theatre Box Office at (630) 385-2535, or visit the Follies Theatre web site at www.folliestheatre.com.