Main Stage Improv to Bring Halloween Comedy Spooktacular to Tinley Park (Tinley Park, IL) — Halloween night will take on a comedic twist in Tinley Park as Main Stage Improv brings an evening of costumes, audience participation and unscripted comedy to the Tinley Park Performing Arts Center.
The group will present “Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun! A Halloween Comedy Spooktacular” on Saturday, October 31, from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Tinley Park Performing Arts Center, 16801 S. 80th Avenue. The two-hour production is designed to give audiences an alternative way to spend Halloween, combining improvisational comedy with scripted sketches and a Halloween-themed costume contest.
Unlike a traditional theatrical production in which much of the dialogue and action is predetermined, the Main Stage Improv performance will rely heavily on suggestions from the audience. Performers will use those suggestions to create scenes and comedy routines in real time, meaning the direction of the show can change from one moment to the next.
The format is similar to the audience-driven comedy games popularized by television shows such as “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” According to organizers, the Halloween production will feature a series of fast-paced improv games, with the holiday serving as the backdrop for the evening’s comedy.
Director Adam Woodworth said the combination of Halloween and improvisation gives performers an opportunity to embrace the unpredictable nature of live comedy.
“Halloween gives us permission to get a little weird, and that’s exactly what we’re doing with this show,” Woodworth said. “The audience is going to have a lot of control over where the night takes us. We have a talented group of improvisers who are willing to follow those suggestions wherever they lead, which is where a lot of the fun comes from.”
The audience will not simply be watching the performers from their seats. Their suggestions will help shape many of the scenes throughout the night, creating a different experience from a conventional scripted comedy performance.
That element of unpredictability is central to improv, where performers must react quickly to prompts and build scenes collaboratively. A suggestion from an audience member can establish a character, location, situation or other element that performers must incorporate into a scene, often with little or no preparation.
The production will also incorporate some scripted sketch comedy, giving the performers a mix of prepared material and spontaneous scenes.
The cast will perform in costume as part of the Halloween theme. Audience members will have an opportunity to participate in the festivities themselves through a costume contest scheduled for intermission. Prizes will be awarded to the first-, second- and third-place winners.
Woodworth said the production is not intended to be a traditional Halloween-themed theatrical show, but rather an improv comedy performance that uses Halloween as its creative setting.
“The costumes and Halloween theme give us a lot to work with, but the goal is pretty simple: we want people laughing,” Woodworth said. “If you’re looking for something different to do on Halloween night, come spend it with a group of people who enjoy bringing the comedy and inspiring the laughter.”
The production is rated PG-13 and is intended for audiences looking for a night of live comedy with a Halloween atmosphere. Organizers are emphasizing the interactive nature of the event, with audience participation expected to play a significant role in the performance.
The cast includes Brenden Cummings, Garrett Gray, Kris Reid, Raven Witchard, Katie Jandeska and Nikki Ramel. Kevin Hickey is serving as assistant director, while Woodworth is directing the production.
For Main Stage Improv, the Halloween event also provides an opportunity to showcase the flexibility of improvisational theater. Rather than following one fixed storyline, the performers will have to respond to the ideas supplied by audience members and work together to turn those suggestions into comedic scenes.
That approach can make each performance distinct, since audience participation can lead the cast in unexpected directions. For a Halloween show, organizers say, that unpredictability is part of the appeal.
“Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun! A Halloween Comedy Spooktacular” is scheduled for Saturday, October 31, from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Tinley Park Performing Arts Center, 16801 S. 80th Avenue in Tinley Park.
Tickets are $14, and seating is limited. Additional information and tickets are available through Main Stage Improv’s event page at mainstageimprov.com.
With costumes, live audience participation, improv games and a Halloween costume contest, the production offers Tinley Park-area residents an option for celebrating Halloween with live entertainment and comedy.
Main Stage Improv to Bring Halloween Comedy Spooktacular to Tinley Park
