TJ Parrillo, Contributing Writer
Richmond’s Coalition Theater, located at 8 W. Broad St., wants to bring out not just the actors, but the audience’s creative side in their upcoming “Phineas and Ferb” themed improv show.
“Phineas and Ferb” is not just about two boys navigating the boredom of summer, it is also about imagination and collaboration.
When adapting any series from pre-recorded and scripted to live and improvised, one must consider the many trade-offs of the respective mediums. To elevate their source material, Richmond Coalition Theater uses features including audience interactions and a live band providing music for improvised musical numbers. With no two episodes the same, each performance echoes the line “So Ferb, what do you want to do today?” with a twist of audience interaction.
When audience members arrive at the theater, they write down an invention they would like Phineas and Ferb to build, said cast member Blake Vail-Rhodes. The director, Preston Bradsher, then picks two suggestions, which become the episode titles and the inventions.
The show is PG and there is veto power for any inappropriate suggestions.
“Our actors bring their own voice and interpretation to the characters, but when casting we purposefully prioritized casting people who know the show very well,” Vail-Rhodes said.
Theater’s long history as a form of storytelling speaks to a fundamental human desire for connection, according to Vail-Rhodes. Experiencing stories through a screen can create a sense of distance between audiences and the stories they consume.
“Movies get pretty close, but there isn’t a thing on earth like live theater,” Vail-Rhodes said.
There are two episodes per show, following the same beat format – alternating between the characters Phineas and friends, Candace and Perry and Doofenshmirtz, said cast member under the stage name Zukini Lesagna.
“I feel like with any long form improvising, you just need to make two strong decisions, either physical or emotional and your scene partners will take care of it,” Lesagna said.
These suggestions are not only a product of the audience’s imagination. On the back wall of the stage, a felt piece is used during a “quirky worky” song where actors place random velcro objects, turning the imagination into invention.
Expect the hallmarks of the original show, including all kinds of inventions, evil schemes, parental hobbies and failed bust attempts, said cast member Sam Rizzo.
The show will have performances on Aug. 21, Aug. 28 and Sept. 4.