![\"\"](\"http:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/comedy-300x186.jpg\")
Photo from Relentless Comedy’s Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
There is a new face on the improv scene in Springfield: Relentless Comedy. Born in Nov. 2019 in Branson after the end of Branson Improv at the Americana Theatre, Relentless Comedy is a rapidly growing community of aspiring and established improv performers.<\/p>\n
Relentless Comedy features a mainstage cast of only three people, including Andy Barrett, an experienced improviser with experience in Kansas City, Chicago and Branson.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter Branson Improv ended, those of us who lived in Springfield wanted to bring what we were doing to Springfield,\u201d said Barrett.<\/p>\n
Relentless Comedy is currently operating mostly at Big Momma\u2019s, but Barrett shared that they are \u201cfloating around\u201d looking for new, potentially larger venues.<\/p>\n
Relentless Comedy\u2019s edge in the comedy scene is their sense of community, which includes free classes that anyone can attend.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe classes are a three-level program, and they are completely free,\u201d explained Barrett. \u201cIt\u2019s important for us to build the community and we\u2019re not interested in making money. We want peers to play with, peers to perform, not just the three of us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Classes are all about teaching how to perform an improvised scene that looks like a sketch. \u201cWe want real characters and an escalating situation,\u201d Barrett said. He emphasized that in improv, relatability is more important than outlandish situations or \u201czaniness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Classes begin on Saturday, April 25. For more information, and to sign up, visit Relentless Comedy\u2019s Facebook page.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really encourage people to take classes because it\u2019s about being real and relatable,\u201d Barrett said. \u201cNo one should be nervous; we want to help you be yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked why people should attend Relentless Comedy shows, Barrett just smiled and said \u201cfree show!\u201d He went on to describe improv in general as \u201cone of the most rewarding types of performance to do and to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barrett also talked about the growing \u201cdisproportionate demand for comedy\u201d that Springfield has seen in recent years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re right at the beginning of a big explosion here in Springfield,\u201d Barrett predicted, likening the boom in comedy to that of Kansas City.<\/p>\n
When asked for any advice to aspiring comedians, Barrett simply responded: \u201cYou will fail and that\u2019s ok. Stay humble and be willing to learn from mistakes and learn from others. I say that as someone who has failed a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spring Vegas Sketch Show<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/comedy2-300x157.jpg\")
Photo from Spring Vegas Sketch Show’s Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/comedy3-300x169.jpg\")
Photo from Spring Vegas Sketch Show’s Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
If you prefer Saturday Night Live to Whose Line Is It Anyway?, the Spring Vegas Sketch Show has got you covered.<\/p>\n
Currently in their second season, which began in Sept. 2019, the Spring Vegas Sketch Show started out at the Springfield Improv theater before outgrowing the venue, according to the creator and executive director, Shannon Sherrow. Since then, the group has transitioned to the studio theater at the Judith Enyeart Reynolds School of the Performing Arts, or \u201cthe Judy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to partner with The Springfield Little Theatre by using their studio theatre,\u201d said Sherrow.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a brand-new cast this season, including four new players for a total cast of ten,\u201d said Sherrow. This is in addition to a writing staff of five, and a film crew for digital content.<\/p>\n
\u201cWriters work a month in advance,\u201d explained Sherrow. \u201cWe all sit down and brainstorm ideas together, riffing ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Katie Still, the head writer, picks her favorites and each writer drafts four or five sketches. After a table read, the cast decides which sketches to put in the show, and the whole, \u201cvery quick\u201d process repeats itself. Many of the writers are involved with Blue Room Comedy Club, an established stand-up venue in Downtown Springfield.<\/p>\n
Sketches are performed in front of a live audience, but Sherrow explained that digital content is also shown at performances.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving the screens up in the theatre is great, as it lets us use graphics and do things we can\u2019t do live,\u201d she said. Sherrow likened the use of digital content to the pre-recorded shorts of Saturday Night Live. In addition to these digital sketches, each show is taped live.<\/p>\n
The show features a new host every month.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to look for someone in the community who is fun \u2013 TV personalities, radio DJs\u2026 We\u2019ve had a Captain Springfield host, as well as Sarah Jenkins from The Mystery Hour,\u201d said Sherrow.<\/p>\n
Sherrow also described a typical show: 13-15 sketches, a host monologue and a special \u201cInside Springfield\u201d local news segment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe never touch politics, we never touch religion,\u201d Sherrow explained. \u201cThe show is PG-13, so adults love it but we can still have that slightly broader audience.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to achieve that little Chicago comedy club feel,\u201d she continued. \u201cYou just can\u2019t find comedy like this in Springfield. We have so many funny, talented people but there are no sketch comedy groups in town.\u201d She went on to illustrate that the idea of sketch comedy in a black box theatre creates fast pace and high energy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t sure if there was an avenue for this kind of show,\u201d Sharrow admitted. She was quickly proven wrong, however, when the show began overselling tickets and saw waiting lines outside the old venue.<\/p>\n
The next show is Feb. 22 at the theatre on 237 S Florence Ave. Tickets are available for $10 at springvegassketchshow.com or by calling 417-413-2287. The group will also perform at the 22nd<\/sup> annual Women\u2019s Show at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds E-Plex that day.<\/p>\nShows are at 7:00 P.M. on the fourth Saturday of each month.<\/p>\n
The Mystery Hour<\/h3>\n
Springfield is also home to its own variety talk show, The Mystery Hour. A self-proclaimed \u201chit with tens of at-home viewers,\u201d The Mystery Hour is a half-hour talk show that began as a series of sketches by host Jeff Houghton in 2006 at Skinny Improv, which is now Springfield Inn.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got started with sketches, and it went from there,\u201d said Houghton. \u201cAfter a while, I told myself, \u2018This is what I love, I want to keep doing this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mystery Hour\u2019s home is at The Historic Gilloiz Theatre in downtown Springfield. The first episode aired in April of 2012.<\/p>\n
The show features recurring bits such as \u201cThings I\u2019ve Noticed,\u201d a humorous take on everyday items and occurrences, as well as a variety of sketches. One of those sketches, \u201cInstagram Husband,\u201d became a viral hit online, with over 7 million YouTube views.<\/p>\n
Houghton described how the show immediately began to attract fans to live tapings. \u201cI was lucky that the theater had a good base of fans,\u201d said Houghton. \u201cWe never tried to rush how we grew.\u201d Today, live tapings can have as many as 500 guests regularly.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t always so easy for Houghton, however.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just jumped into things not knowing how to do them,\u201d Houghton laughed. He described how in the early days the production saw \u201call the obstacles.\u201d<\/p>\n
Houghton continued: \u201cI don\u2019t like the backend stuff, but I do it. My favorite part is by far actually performing.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked how he and his team got over the initial hardships, Houghton responded that collaboration and a \u201cgo-for-it\u201d attitude, combined with some good humor, makes the show happen each week.<\/p>\n
The Mystery Hour has received four Emmy Awards, and has been described by New York Times comedy critics as \u201cvery Lettermanesque.\u201d It is now in its ninth season, with over 180 episodes. Guests have included stars from \u201cThe Office,\u201d \u201cParks and Recreation,\u201d \u201cSeinfeld,\u201d \u201cMad Men\u201d and more.<\/p>\n
The show airs in Springfield on Ozarks Fox, Saturdays at 9:00 P.M. You can also catch episodes all over the country on ABC, NBC, and CW affiliates. Live tapings are held once a month at the Gillioz Theatre, with the next scheduled for Saturday, March 28. Tickets are $12 online at themysteryhour.com or $14 at the door, which opens to the public at 6:45 P.M.<\/p>\n
Article by Forest Swisher<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Springfield has long been known for its art scene, music venues and thriving theatre community. There is, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":4504,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[20],"tags":[960,177,123,2062,2063,45,124,178,2064],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4500"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4500"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4500\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4505,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4500\/revisions\/4505"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4504"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Photo from Spring Vegas Sketch Show’s Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
Photo from Spring Vegas Sketch Show’s Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
If you prefer Saturday Night Live to Whose Line Is It Anyway?, the Spring Vegas Sketch Show has got you covered.<\/p>\n
Currently in their second season, which began in Sept. 2019, the Spring Vegas Sketch Show started out at the Springfield Improv theater before outgrowing the venue, according to the creator and executive director, Shannon Sherrow. Since then, the group has transitioned to the studio theater at the Judith Enyeart Reynolds School of the Performing Arts, or \u201cthe Judy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to partner with The Springfield Little Theatre by using their studio theatre,\u201d said Sherrow.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a brand-new cast this season, including four new players for a total cast of ten,\u201d said Sherrow. This is in addition to a writing staff of five, and a film crew for digital content.<\/p>\n
\u201cWriters work a month in advance,\u201d explained Sherrow. \u201cWe all sit down and brainstorm ideas together, riffing ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Katie Still, the head writer, picks her favorites and each writer drafts four or five sketches. After a table read, the cast decides which sketches to put in the show, and the whole, \u201cvery quick\u201d process repeats itself. Many of the writers are involved with Blue Room Comedy Club, an established stand-up venue in Downtown Springfield.<\/p>\n
Sketches are performed in front of a live audience, but Sherrow explained that digital content is also shown at performances.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving the screens up in the theatre is great, as it lets us use graphics and do things we can\u2019t do live,\u201d she said. Sherrow likened the use of digital content to the pre-recorded shorts of Saturday Night Live. In addition to these digital sketches, each show is taped live.<\/p>\n
The show features a new host every month.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to look for someone in the community who is fun \u2013 TV personalities, radio DJs\u2026 We\u2019ve had a Captain Springfield host, as well as Sarah Jenkins from The Mystery Hour,\u201d said Sherrow.<\/p>\n
Sherrow also described a typical show: 13-15 sketches, a host monologue and a special \u201cInside Springfield\u201d local news segment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe never touch politics, we never touch religion,\u201d Sherrow explained. \u201cThe show is PG-13, so adults love it but we can still have that slightly broader audience.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to achieve that little Chicago comedy club feel,\u201d she continued. \u201cYou just can\u2019t find comedy like this in Springfield. We have so many funny, talented people but there are no sketch comedy groups in town.\u201d She went on to illustrate that the idea of sketch comedy in a black box theatre creates fast pace and high energy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t sure if there was an avenue for this kind of show,\u201d Sharrow admitted. She was quickly proven wrong, however, when the show began overselling tickets and saw waiting lines outside the old venue.<\/p>\n
The next show is Feb. 22 at the theatre on 237 S Florence Ave. Tickets are available for $10 at springvegassketchshow.com or by calling 417-413-2287. The group will also perform at the 22nd<\/sup> annual Women\u2019s Show at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds E-Plex that day.<\/p>\n Shows are at 7:00 P.M. on the fourth Saturday of each month.<\/p>\n Springfield is also home to its own variety talk show, The Mystery Hour. A self-proclaimed \u201chit with tens of at-home viewers,\u201d The Mystery Hour is a half-hour talk show that began as a series of sketches by host Jeff Houghton in 2006 at Skinny Improv, which is now Springfield Inn.<\/p>\n \u201cI got started with sketches, and it went from there,\u201d said Houghton. \u201cAfter a while, I told myself, \u2018This is what I love, I want to keep doing this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The Mystery Hour\u2019s home is at The Historic Gilloiz Theatre in downtown Springfield. The first episode aired in April of 2012.<\/p>\n The show features recurring bits such as \u201cThings I\u2019ve Noticed,\u201d a humorous take on everyday items and occurrences, as well as a variety of sketches. One of those sketches, \u201cInstagram Husband,\u201d became a viral hit online, with over 7 million YouTube views.<\/p>\n Houghton described how the show immediately began to attract fans to live tapings. \u201cI was lucky that the theater had a good base of fans,\u201d said Houghton. \u201cWe never tried to rush how we grew.\u201d Today, live tapings can have as many as 500 guests regularly.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t always so easy for Houghton, however.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just jumped into things not knowing how to do them,\u201d Houghton laughed. He described how in the early days the production saw \u201call the obstacles.\u201d<\/p>\n Houghton continued: \u201cI don\u2019t like the backend stuff, but I do it. My favorite part is by far actually performing.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked how he and his team got over the initial hardships, Houghton responded that collaboration and a \u201cgo-for-it\u201d attitude, combined with some good humor, makes the show happen each week.<\/p>\n The Mystery Hour has received four Emmy Awards, and has been described by New York Times comedy critics as \u201cvery Lettermanesque.\u201d It is now in its ninth season, with over 180 episodes. Guests have included stars from \u201cThe Office,\u201d \u201cParks and Recreation,\u201d \u201cSeinfeld,\u201d \u201cMad Men\u201d and more.<\/p>\n The show airs in Springfield on Ozarks Fox, Saturdays at 9:00 P.M. You can also catch episodes all over the country on ABC, NBC, and CW affiliates. Live tapings are held once a month at the Gillioz Theatre, with the next scheduled for Saturday, March 28. Tickets are $12 online at themysteryhour.com or $14 at the door, which opens to the public at 6:45 P.M.<\/p>\n Article by Forest Swisher<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Springfield has long been known for its art scene, music venues and thriving theatre community. There is, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":4504,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[20],"tags":[960,177,123,2062,2063,45,124,178,2064],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4500"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4500"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4500\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4505,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4500\/revisions\/4505"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4504"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drurymirror.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Mystery Hour<\/h3>\n