This question is for all you Tech-Geeks out there: How many bits are there in a byte. If you answered eight, you would be correct. However, whether the question is how many bits in a byte, how many bytes in a megabyte, what to do if you have computer bugs or bed bugs, … at the Firehouse Theater, we have all the answers, AND can do MORE with less. Manned with six players and only one of the two regular musicians at each of the shows, the Bit Player’s performances still ran with full power, shocking their audiences with fits and jolts of laughter.
 |
Frank, Brittany, and Kevin
in "Doo Run Song" |
Physician, Tom and his Kinesiologist brother Nick got a taste of some Bit Player medicine in a “Doo Run Song” about them. Admittedly they did provide some “hairy” fodder for the bits (Frank Fusaro, Brittany Hunt, and Kevin Killavey) to sing about. And unbeknownst to Frank these were fellow bit, Brittany’s brothers.
 |
| Neal and Sarah in "Ding" |
In “Ding” Neal and Sarah continued with more references to medicine/ anatomy and hair ( but not Tom’s this time) in a scene that began about “Hair Dressing” but ended up with the creation of a hair tonic made up of the blood of little neighborhood children. Or was it???…. Perhaps, something a little more sinister and gross…. Like menstrual bood?? Ewwwwwww…….
 |
The Bit Players perform
"Serenade" for Payton |
Audience member, Payton , and graduate of Willis High School in Texas, visiting Newport and her sister, Desiree, was called to the stage to be “Serenaded” by Frank, Brittany, Kevin, John Mulligan, Neal Leaheey, and Sarah Shepherd, accompanied by Chase Ceglie on keyboard. Payton who declared her indecisiveness about her future plans was good-naturedly teased for her love of metal bands and video games.
 |
Brittany and Frank in
"Tap the Audience" with Ben & Ben |
In the second set of the night, two members of the audience, (Ben and Ben) were invited to the stage in a bit played by Frank and Brittany called “Tap the Audience”. There seemed to be a medical theme running through the show. In this scene about audiology we met Doctor Brittany who had a very interesting doctor /patient relationship with Frank who confessed to stabbing himself in the ear with a knife ( but not a corkscrew because that would be too weird) all because Frank was in love with his audiologist, Brittany. Sexual innuendo abounded in this scene where Frank wanted Brittany to “kiss his frog, and the mention of swizzle sticks (Frank’s metaphor for a certain part(s) of Brittany’s anatomy). All that sweet talking must have worked since Brittany agreed to run away together with Frank. No, not to Tahiti, or the Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, or even Madagascar… Nope… Just run away together, down the street. Click the link to view - >
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckuf_zeOD50
 |
Neal, Sarah, and Frank
in "Epic Poem" |
Neal, Sarah, and Frank performed an “Epic Poem” for mortgage broker, Rich and his wife celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. The poem, entitled “The Day that Rich Travelled” saw Rich travelling to far off lands such as Cambodia where he ate a pretend version of the Vietnamese delicacy “Pho” however, it was “faux pho”. But in the end Rich realized there is no place like home, and after forty years, he likes not being alone…” (awwwwwwww….)
Friday night’s performance may have been analogous to getting shocked by rubbing your feet on the carpet and then touching the door knob, Saturday night’s show however, was like being electrocuted; You want to pull away, but your muscles contract, and against your better judgment, your body won’t let you.
 |
| Matt, Frank, Dylan and John perform "Irish Drinking Song" |
The Bit Players started things off with just a light tazing with “Irish Drinking Song”, performed by Matt Lindman, Dylan Eberle, John and Frank, accompanied by Devon Mello on keyboards. Innocent at the start, this song about Roxanne the School Teacher finds our character transforming from a teacher molding young children’s minds to one who loses her job and then attempts to teach math via YouTube. But somehow one of Roxanne’s videos of her smoking crystal meth goes viral. (Tsk-tsk-tsk!)
A bit that's an oldie and goodie at the Firehouse, “Doo Wop” was performed by the entire cast professing their love for their golf clubs. However, Dylan turned the tables and stunned the crowd. Needing something else in which to hit the ball, Dylan replaced his golf clubs with a Louisville Bat.
 |
John, Stephanie, and Dylan
in "Party Quirks" |
Bringing another game out of mothballs, the players resurrected “Party Quirks”, a game in which guests with unique problems, attend a party. The host (Stephanie Conrad) attempts to guess the quirk of each of her guests. First guest, Dylan wanted Stephanie to floss his teeth for him, John was reliving the Black Plague, Matt Lindman was indeed, Batman, and Clayon McFarlane was paranoid that his ears would fall off.
 |
| Frank and Matt in "Mini-Musical" |
 |
Dylan, Frank, Matt and John
in "Mini-Musical" |
“Mini-Musical” about a cold burrito, had the audience in stitches, (or at least asking for painful electrolysis treatments) as we saw roommates, Frank, Matt, and Dylan having a dispute over a cold burrito after a night of drunkenness. Dylan leaves the two and finds shelter in the apartment of John who has a fetish for Cheeto’s. Frank and Matt come to the realization that they miss and want their roommate back, while John is being irritated by Dylan who stalks John and takes everything he owns including his clothing (even his Cheetos!), Matt and Frank end up kicking John out of his appartment and move in with Dylan in his new digs because “You can do what you want when you have money.” Click the link to view this hilarious scene - > http://youtu.be/4If3HHvKGcc
The Bit Player’s signature bit, “Bartender” ended the first set. In this game, Stephanie and Matt manned the bar as patrons came to them declaring their problems and seeking advice. John had an issue with computer bed bugs, to which Stephanie advised him to sing his computer to sleep at night, cajoling it, saying, “Don’t let the bed bugs, bite”. Clayon sang a song about… about….. ummmm, well, to tell you the truth, I don’t know what it was about, only that he had A.D.D. and couldn’t focus. Frank had the dubious problem of losing his internet connection during his E-Harmony sign-up, and sadly, it happened to be E-Harmony’s FREE weekend. Lastly, Dylan told of a heart-warming story of a boy overcoming his stuttering problem and transforming himself into a beat-box star. Dylan’s story also taught a lesson to his childhood nemesis, Tony. F-f-f-f-f-f-f-u-u-u-u-u-u- (..) YOU, T-t-t-t-t-t-t-ony.
 |
| John Mulligan in "Press Conference" |
In Saturday’s second set, John starred in “Press Conference”. In this bit, the rest of the Bit Player cast poses questions to John to help provide him with clues to deduce who was his character, why his character was holding the conference, and where the conference was taking place. Although the audience thought they threw John a curveball with the suggestions of Rainbow Sparkle/My Little Pony and his steroid use, John in fact, struggled to work out the press conference location, of a bouncy castle.
 |
The Bit Players in "Serenade"
for Bachelorette, Bianca |
Bachelorette Bianca, set to be wed on August 18th, was thrilled to be called to the stage and “Serenaded” by the Bit Players. The players had lots to sing about with Bianca’s self-transformation and weight loss, capturing the attention and love of her mechanic, beau, Matt. Bianca told her tale of reacquainting with Matt in a bar years after attending Cambridge High School together where Bianca was then unnoticed, by Matt.
To cauterize this electrifying and somewhat traumatizing night, the Bit Players ended with… “I’ve got the Low-Down, Dirty, Olympic Blues”…
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!
No comments:
Post a Comment