Friday, May 25th and Saturday, May 26th 2012

Jim Foley, John Mulligan, Matt Lindman
and Vlad Tenenbaum perform "Story Syles"

Ahhhh…   Memorial Day Weekend…  The unofficial kickoff to summer!  But more importantly, a time to remember family, friends, and loved ones who are no longer with us.  What better way to honor their memory and their lives than by living one’s life to the fullest and creating memories with new friends?  Those in the Firehouse Theatre’s audience were primed and ready to do just that!

Starting things off on Friday with a game called “Story Styles” the Bit Players  tell the same story from the audience suggestion “Nicole and her stick in Oklahoma”  but in their own style as directed by Vlad Tenenbaum.  Matt Lindman added his variations with 1980’s RENT flair, while John Mulligan brought it back a century into Charlotte Bronte’s world of Jane Eyre.  Jim Foley brought some fire and brimstone to the story with his Bible musings.  Neal Leaheey may have summarized the characters in their Obituaries, but as Frank Fusaro noted by a Text Message, there is no BRB when you are dead. OMG!

The entire cast performed a “Doo Wop” about a lint brush…  Sounds a little mundane?  Well, check out the video and see just how entertaining a lint brush can be.  (Click here to view the video --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CogIRkGV_qM  ) The Master at selling worthless items, Billy Mays, had nothing on these guys… (RIP Billy)

Neal and Jim manned the bar in “Bartender” as our patrons John, Vlad, Matt, and Frank got a chance to unload their troubles to them.  

John Mulligan laments
about Road Rage

Mat Lindman sings about his bad
experience with remodelling

John, having Road Rage, turned from the mild mannered Bruce Banner into the hulk on the roadways, as he sang his woes.  Vlad, who was conned by a leprechaun who took all of his money, was again conned by Bartender Jim who offered to help Vlad only if Vlad gave up his children to him.  

Matt, trying his best to have his house remodeled, probably should have consulted “Angie’s List” first before hiring his contractor, Erik who had tile dysfunction.  (Ahhh, yes… give the audience what they themselves don’t know they want to see.  Erik's Tile Dysfuntion, indeed!) 

Frank Fusaro slept with The Boss?

Vlad Tenenbaum and
John Mulligan in "LCD"

And lastly, Frank turned the tables on the audience too, after given “sleeping with the boss” as a suggestion, Frank crooned about a life of decadence and despair after having slept with The BOSS, Bruce Springstein.  (Did you see that one coming?) 

In the second set, “LCD” (Location, Career, Death or Blind Telephone) amused the audience especially when John and Vlad began miming a duel with their prosthetic limbs (ohhh yes, admit it, you laughed!)

Frank Fusaro and Jim Foley in "Tap The Audience"

The Bit Players said farewell to their Britt friend, Josh Picton who will be returning to London in the coming week.  Josh has been a huge supporter of the Bit Players over the past few months.  And as a token of friendship, The Bits just had to torture him (or was it Josh torturing then?) by inviting him and his friend Will up onto the stage in a rousing game of “Tap The Audience”. Josh and Will had a chance to add their own words to the improv scene performed by Frank and Jim.  We certainly wish Josh well on his journey home.

Dylan Eberle, Tim Bric and
Matt Lindman in "Doo Run" Song

On Saturday, several more audience members got a little treat.  Tony, a Computer Science wiz was privy to a “Doo Run” song sung to him by Matt, Dylan Eberle, and Tim Bric.

Vlad, Matt, and Dyan
perform "Epic Poem"

Another audience member Emily, got to live out a childhood dream as she got a taste of what it would have been like to be a pediatrician, (well, at least as the Bit Players saw it) in an “Epic Poem” composed just for her.

“Radio Show” as performed by the entire cast and narrated by Dlyan was an audience favorite of the night.  In this episode of “Cave Explorer” we witnessed Duke Dangerous and his sweetheart, Lucy, battle their arch nemesis Richard Ruthless.  Just when we thought Dangerous and Lucy were safe from their ordeal, Vladestovsky, The Mole King, enters.  Dangerous ties the hapless Lucy to a boot and hurls her down the mineshaft to thwart the Mole King.  But just then, Ruthless who had only appeared dead reawakened and removes his mask to reveal that he too was a Mole Person and had been using Dangerous and Lucy to defeat the Mole King, so that he could take the thrown.  Stay tuned to our next episode to see if Ruthless prevails and becomes the new Mole King, or if good will triumph once again.

The Bit Players "Serenade" two audience members
celebrating their Anniversary

In the second set of Saturday night’s performance, Rudolph and Quan Escarne, from Maryland, celebrating their 4^th anniversary, received a surprise “Serenade” from the Bit Players.  The Bits had fun with the Escarne’s, as Quan even got a tip of the hat from Dylan who said that Michelle Obama had nothing on Quan’s guns!

Dylan Eberle, Matt Lindman, and Tim Bric in "Puppets"
puppeteered by two audience members

Not to leave anyone out,  Lindsey celebrating her 30^th birthday and her friend, Josh got a chance to come up on stage with the Bits in a game called “Puppets”.  Josh and Lindsey really pushed the Bits to their limits, ending the scene in some sort of medical operation gone wrong. (It looked a bit more like a pig pile, than an operation).

Don’t forget!   Upcoming Auditions and Classes!

Auditions will be held: Saturday, June 16 from 10AM - 1PM. Please be on time. Firehouse Theater, 4 Equality Park Place, Newport, RI 02840

Who are we looking for?
- Strong performers who know how to have fun onstage and support fellow performers.
- Experience is NOT a requirement, we have gotten some of our best improvisers from open auditions.
- People who can think quick on their feet and be in the moment.
- We are NOT looking for comedians, people who try to be funny in improv often aren't.
- Singers, musicians, dancers, mimes, jugglers, gymnasts and any other talents are all welcome but not required.

Our performers get paid per show and the schedule is flexible. No need to prepare anything, this is an improv audition after all, just come ready to play some games and have some fun.

The Bit Players will be offering Classes:  Classes will run every Tuesday at 7PM - 9PM for 6 weeks starting on June 26, 2012.They will be held at the home of The Bit Players, Firehouse Theater, 4 Equality Park Place, Newport, RI 02840.  The cost of these classes is $150 per person.
For more info about either the Auditions or Classes call the theater at (401) 849-3473

The Bit Players perform improv comedy every Friday and Saturday night at 8:00pm at the Firehouse Theatre, 4 Equality Park Place (off Broadway), Newport, RI 02840.  Please call the box office for reservations.   401-849-FIRE (3473)  And as always, it is BYOB!