#impov

kitties’ definition of tiddies;;

‘Shamilton’ improv musical takes aim at myriad historical figures (Chicago Sun-Times):

[. . .] The brainchild of musical improvisation darlings Baby Wants Candy, the show features a cast of 16 as well as a live band all of whom will create a 75-minute musical every Friday night at 10:30 p.m. based on an historic figure suggested by the audience.

Director Peter Gwinn, who wrote for “The Colbert Report” and created The Second City’s “Christmas Carol” parody “Twist Your Dickens,” says despite the show’s title, they aren’t just taking aim at “Hamilton.”

“Don’t get me wrong, ‘Hamilton’ is an important show, but at the end of the day it is still full of show tunes and it is a Broadway musical,” he says. “We’re not here to make fun of ‘Hamilton.’ We’re really focusing a spotlight on any self-important historical musical.”

Gwinn says he was attracted to the project for two reasons.

“Musical improvisation usually has just one guy at the piano, but we have a full band and they have been coming up with some great stuff that makes me very excited about the show,” he says. “Then there is the fact that a diverse cast is combining different musical styles like they do in ‘Hamilton’ and it’s finding a new spin on the improv musical genre.”

“I’m a huge fan of ‘Hamilton’ and we’re trying to be smart and fast just like that show,” says “Shamilton” cast member Erica Elam.

[. . .]

While the cast doesn’t have much time to plan ahead, let alone research the evening’s protagonist, direct Peter Gwinn says they do try to gleam some information on their subject before the show starts.

“At the top of the show, we do talk about the person a bit as chances are the audience is not going to know any more about the person than we do, he says. “After that, one of the keys of the show is relieve ourselves of the burden of accuracy.”

Some history buffs may take issue, but Gwinn says no one is fact-checking “Hamilton,” either.

“Hamilton” is just another in a long line of historic musicals which includes “Assassins,” “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” and “Evita.” All of these shows have one thing in common: All are not 100-percent accurate simply because they are musicals. There isn’t any historic evidence to support Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Jackson or Evita Peron would belt out a song at critical moments in their lives.

“We are creating a musical on the spot about an historic figure,” Gwinn says. “If someone sings a line that Thomas Edison created macaroni and cheese, for that duration of the evening, Thomas Edison is the creator of macaroni and cheese.” [. . .]

Her: You know the Barbie song? But make it Gru.

Me: *automatically, without actually processing my words, thinking of "I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world" song* I am Gru in a minion world and evil is my goal