[Capdist-announce] MOP & BUCKET CO. ARTISTIC DRECTOR TAKES "BREAK A LEG" A BIT TOO LITERALLY

[Mop & Bucket Co. Publicity]

PO Box 4381 

Saratoga Springs NY 

(518) 577-MPCO

 

 

For immediate release 

 

Etc. 

 

 

MOP & BUCKET CO. ARTISTIC DRECTOR TAKES "BREAK A LEG" A BIT TOO LITERALLY

 

Michael Burns, Artistic Director of The Mop & Bucket Co, improv troupe, did
what he's done any number of times Friday night: He stepped outside during a
guessing style game called "gibberish story", while co-director Kat Koppett
solicited story elements from the audience. Except this time, Burns stepped
into thin air, missing a step and falling hard on his right foot. "Theatre
people wish each other luck by saying 'break a leg'---I guess I just got
carried away." Burns explained. While technically not suffering from a
broken leg, Burns has a sprain bad enough to lay him up for a while.  

 

The injury occurred on the eve of the troupe's debut of "Spontaneous
Broadway" at Proctors Upstairs at 440 next Saturday night. Created by Kat
Koppett in association with Freestyle Repertory Theatre Co. in New York
City, the show is a fictional "backers audition" for a new Broadway musical.
Audience members supply never-before-sung song titles. Performers improvise
new Broadway musical numbers on the spot. In the second act, the cast
presents a full-length musical based on the audience's favorite number.
Spontaneous Broadway is a virtuoso piece that challenges improvisers and
amazes audiences. 

 

As a result of the injury, Burns is now slated to play the role of The
Producer in the improvised musical evening, a part that Saratoga's Brenny
Rabine had been preparing. 

"Brenny had been crafting her own wonderful character for the producer, who
is kind of an emcee/stage manager for the show, but since I won't be up for
ay dance numbers, we're trading places" said Burns. "I'm relishing the
chance to bring a bit of Sheridan Whiteside (From Kaufmann and Hart's 1939
comedy "The Man Who Came To Dinner", about an irascible dinner guest who
breaks his leg and as a result stays for weeks) to the show. It should be a
lot of fun." Such a large re-casting might be trouble for a conventional
company, but Burns explained: "It's improv, so I am quite sure we won't miss
a beat. If anything, the sudden shift in plan is the kind of thing we thrive
on."

 

Kat Koppett, the show's creator, who is also directing, will reprise her
role from productions in New York and San Francisco as Kitty Cappuccino. 

 

Spontaneous Broadway is also performed regularly live and on TV in
Australia.  The show will be performed at Upstairs at 440 all four Saturdays
in February at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $15, and may be reserved at
www.proctors.org <http://www.proctors.org/>  or by calling 518 346-6204. 

 

 

CONTACTS:

Michael Burns

MichaelBurns at mopco.org

http://www.mopco.org <http://www.mopco.org/> 

577-MPCO (577-6726)

PRINT RES PHOTOS AVAILABLE AT: http://mopco.org/page10.html

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Thank you,

Sandra

Sandra Bauchiero

pr at mopco.org 

http://www.mopco.org <http://www.mopco.org/> 

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