We make stuff up. Shows, classes, training programs, all sorts of stuff. But the following is absolutely true:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Performance Space Launches Friday, April 16
SCHENECTADY, NY – Spinning the magic that has continued to position Proctors at the forefront of Capital Region arts and entertainment, the Schenectady-based complex today announced the launch of a new performance space at its 432 State Street address. The new space, called UNDERGROUND at PROCTORS, is located in the Hearst Education Center. Patrons may access the Underground by using the stairs or the elevator directly across from the Proctors box office.
UNDERGROUND AT PROCTORS will go LIVE on April 16, marked by a night of outstanding improvisational theatre by The Mop & Bucket Co. (MopCo), the Capital District’s premiere improvisational theatre company. MopCo, which has been in existence in its present form since 2005, will establish its new performance space in the Underground location. Formerly, the company performed at adjacent 440 State Street. New Fans and old can expect MopCo UNDERGROUND AT PROCTORS at 8 pm every Friday (unless otherwise noted at www.mopco.org). Fun-friendly priced at $14 Adults (Frequent Buyer Discounts available) / $6 students and seniors. “The casual intimacy of Proctors new, underground space seems tailor-made for MopCo’s controlled chaos and spirited interaction with audiences,” said Proctors CEO Philip Morris.
Visitors to Proctors annual Capital Region Wine Festival: Romancing the Grape — or the Sunday, Schenectady Green Market at Proctors — already are familiar with the Underground location, says Mr. Morris, and are sure to be delighted to see its evolution over time into a cozy and expanded-use venue. The peripatetic CEO also notes that MopCo’s educational mission – the improv company performs, teaches and trains at venues around the region and across the nation – offers a natural synergy with Proctors’ own expanding education initiatives. Proctors own Theatre Technology class, for example, enables young people to learn by working alongside professionals in all aspects of theatre — from design interpretation, stage lighting and sound, aesthetics, tools, equipment and more. The proximity of MopCo and the shared use of the UNDERGROUND AT PROCTORS are expected to enhance and expand such educational initiatives. Students in the Theatre Technology course, for instance, will provide support for MopCo and gain hands-on experience through interaction with an ongoing theatrical production. As planned, UNDERGROUND AT PROCTORS is expected to evolve to accommodate the growing interest in MopCo and its craft and theatre arts in general at Proctors. UNDERGROUND AT PROCTORS soon will be the site of staging areas for another Proctors initiative, Open Stage Media at Proctors (OSM), a communications venture that will heighten community participation in education and government through public access television in the area. About MopCo
According to MopCo’s Artistic Director Michael Burns, “we believe that the best theatre evolves from an active collaboration between performer and audience. We constantly expand, refine, and redefine our own concept of what improvisation in performance is. This is because the company acts on the assumption that that which is unchanging is probably dead, and will therefore begin to stink soon, if it doesn’t already.” The company uses improvisation as a direct form of entertainment in performance, as a tool that helps individuals in their own personal development, and as an interactive training tool for businesses and nonprofits.
But to those who ask what a MopCo event is really like, Training Director Kat Koppett replies, “the audience help us create epic stories on the spot, based on their characters, plot twists, favorite styles, and pet peeves. David Shepherd, founder of Chicago’s Compass Theatre and the inventor of The Improv Olympic, said: ‘The thing that stands out most vividly in my mind is the way members of MopCo lit up, one after another, during performances. It was as if a switch was being handled…a sign of a great ensemble!’” MopCo formats include Theatresports (Theatrical competition between teams of improvisors), Spontaneous Broadway (a full length improvised musical from audience suggestions) and Tapestry (a multi media “improv jazz” show blending story, song, and visuals.)
The words of local media personalities may say it best: · “I have seen improv before and I’m sure you have too, but THESE actors are ready for prime-time. Have you ever watched a performance so brave that you wanted to shake the performer’s hand or kiss her cheek after the show? That’s how I felt…” – Susan Arbetter, WCNY Radio ·
“If you’ve never seen a` Mop & Bucket performance, be assured they’re laugh-till-you-cry funny.” – Kristi L. Gustafson, Times Union ·
“From its humble beginnings, this troupe has morphed and grown into a top-notch unit capable of all kinds of theatrical gamesmanship, much of it of their own invention.” – Michael Eck, Times Union
Kids love what we do, says MopCo’s Kat Koppett. “We can provide an unforgettable assembly, just for the fun of it. Or tailor a program to a school’s specific needs. Give us a call, or drop us a line, and find out what we can create together.” Ms. Koppett can be reached at Katkoppett@mopco.org, or (518) 847-9882. Proctors Philip Morris agrees: “MopCo brings out the kid in all of us! Proctors is delighted to welcome this zany troupe of performance artists to the UNDERGROUND at PROCTORS.”
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