Saturday, March 17, 2012 (Happy St. Patrick's Day)

It seemed that the Newport miscreants had had their fill of St Patrick’s Day revelry and headed for their dark basement dwellings to work off their two-day drunk.  The streets were left to the respectable, moderate folk who found their way to the Firehouse Theatre which provided them with an evening of laughter and escape from the devastation which overtook their town earlier in the day.

Ryan, Neal, Stephanie, Jim, and Tim
perform "Story Styles"

The Bit Players did not disappoint as they began their first set with “Story Styles” a narrative game where each story teller conveys their version of the story in their own unique style.  We learned about Basil and his love of French fries.  As the story wound through gleeful, pop culture TMZ references, the childlike innocence of Popeye and a French fry loving, cartoon cat.  The story soon meandered into Victorian era,  Oscar Wilde dramatics, ending in Puritanical Boston and Nathanial Hawthorn’s Scarlet Letter.  This was where Basil found himself about to be stoned to death.  Basil standing before God tore open his shirt revealing the Scarlet French Fry, and then passed away before the townspeople’s very eyes.

Neal sings to Bartenders, Stephanie and Jim

Ending the first set with the Bit Player signature piece, “Bartender” Neal Leaheey crooned about his “Monster-In-Law”.  Bartender, Stephanie Conrad offered her judgment of his mother-in-law, believing Neal’s wife to be the Devil’s Spawn. Vlad Tenenbaum regaled the audience with his song about discovering a new way to play music on his broken zipper.  Bartender Jim Foley compared Vlad’s new music stylings to Kurt Cobain with Vlad’s music giving pleasure in the pain.  Tim Bric entertained a tale about his robot disobeying him, keeping Tim from accessing porn sites because his Wifi was down.  Stephanie offered guidance to Tim to use “Manual Doodling” and access the pretty ladies in his mind.  Rounding out the bit, Ryan Hartigan sang about his obsession with Billy Joel, the wasteland of Rhode Island… Central Falls, and his pick-up line “Sick of Dancing With Myself”.  Jim too lamented about Central Falls. And although Jim sang about the bright spot of Central Falls, native Viola Davis, who lost the Oscar to Meryl Streep, Jim offered the idea of Ryan possibly hooking with Ms Davis.  However, their nuptials would probably not result in a White Wedding.



Ryan gets advice from Jim and his porpose wife, Neal



In the second set of the night the Bit Players performed a Mini-Musical, “At The Beach”.  This had the audience cheering as we saw our Lifeguard hero (Ryan) reluctantly conquer his demons, (sharks and electric eels too) of losing a swimmer.  Ryan is taken under the wing of an old, crusty Lifeguard (Jim) who married a porpoise (Neal).  Jim trains Ryan and gives him a new outlook on his job.  Oddly a Russian spy (Vlad) enters the scene who tries to abduct women from the beach.  Ryan saves the day and protects the woman (Stephanie) from the Russian. A tug-O-war ensues…  Jim’s voice is heard in the distance urging our hero to believe in himself, and thus Ryan saves Stephanie from the Russian and the sea life rejoice!



Neal, Ryan, Jim, and Tim
perform "Irish Drinking Song"



And with it being St Patrick’s Day, it was a fitting end to the show with an Irish Drinking Song about Felix the gay Mountain Climber, with Neal, Ryan, Jim, and Tim.

The Bit Players perform at the Firehouse Theatre every Friday and Saturday night at 8:00pm.  Additional performances are added when shows sell out, and special performances are staged for groups, birthdays and other occasions.  Please enquire with the theatre to arrange your event.  Check back with this blog, and the theatre's website   http://www.firehousetheater.org/   for announcements on special shows.  Call the theatre for reservations  401-849-FIRE (3473) 

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http://www.youtube.com/user/BitPlayersNPT?feature=watch