PIP - Shows - Elf Employment

SHOWS

Elf Employment

This holiday season, the Puppet Improv Project merrily brings to the stage an improvised puppet musical set in the magical landscape Santa's Workshop!

The show will feature a new Special Guest Star each night playing the role of "Santa". Your suggestions lead our cast of puppet elves and woodland creatures through a magical adventure.

The performance runs 8pm Fri/Sat during the first three weekends in December at the Salvage Vanguard Theater, in the Studio Theater.

DATES and TIMES

Friday & Saturdays @ 8PM

December 2nd - 17th
This show is for General Audiences (rated "G")

Tickets $10

http://www.gnaptheater.org

GUEST STARS

12/2 Deano Jones

12/3 Tom Booker

12/9 Akina Adderley

12/10 Buzz Moran

12/16 Les McGehee

12/17 John Ratliff

PUPPETEERS

Kate Bojanek

Sara Farr (dir)

Topping Haggerty

Howard Katz

Patrick Knisley

Amy McKenna

Jesse Overright

Chadwick Smith

ACCOMPANIAST

Ammon Taylor

GUEST STARS

	Deano Jones Deano is both a musician and improviers who stands out from the crowd. This graphic design god has taken the improv world by storm. You might have seen him in The Intentions, The Andersons, The Violet Underbelly or as Batman in Holy 1960′s Batman, Batman! Or maybe you have been listening to his new album The Road To San Antone. He’s known for being high energy, a hard worker, a quick study, and a classy gentleman to boot.
	Tom Booker Tom has studied improvisation and sketch at The Second City Training Center and with legendary improv guru Del Close at Chicago’s ImprovOlympic. He is a founding member of Chicago’s Annoyance Theatre and has been a director and instructor at The Second City Training Center in Los Angeles. He has appeared in several television shows, a few movies and nearly a hundred commercials. He’s a really nice guy. You should meet him.
	Akina Adderley Akina is "the little woman with the big voice". You can see her lighting up the stages around A-town with her modern Soul band "Akina Adderley & the Vintage Playboys". Akina’s soaring and searing vocals, as well as her electric stage presence are gonna rock the socks off this show!!
	Buzz Moran Buzz is the co-founder and Managing Director of the Dionysium. He has made audio recordings of many SVT projects, including MotherBone and The Cry Pitch Carrolls as well as performing sound design duties for several productions. Currently Buzz performs live dialogue and sound effects for his Foleyvision show at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. He manages his company, Shamrock Records, for which he has produced albums like Golden Arm Trio’s Why the Sea is Salt and The Transgressors’ self-titled CD. We're super excited to have this veteran performer in our show!!
	Les McGehee Les is a cornerstone in the Austin improv community and owner of the Comedy Sportz Austin show. Author of "Plays Well With Others", Les has brought improv to a countless mass of people, on and off stage. Praised by performers and audiences alike, Les really understands the art of entertainment. He was also in our last improvised musical, "Crack!" We are so excited to have Les joining the cast again, but as SANTA in our show!
	John Ratliff John has worked as a freelance writer, musician, record store clerk, copy editor, stained-glass glazier (El Paso, TX), radio DJ (Ruidoso, NM), English teacher (the Czech Republic), and drafter of congratulatory and honorary resolutions (the Texas Legislature). In addition to The Glamping Trip, he plays with Ratliff & Jackson and You're Not My Real Dad, and he appeared in the Hideout Theatre's Austin Secrets. He teaches at the Hideout and at ColdTowne, where he's a member of the faculty. AND, John was also in our last improvised musical, "Crack!" We're super excited to have Ratliff join the PIP cast again in this, our 2011 holiday show!

CAST

	"Sasha" ~ Always looking up the ladder of elf success An elf with a type A personality, Sasha makes toys that would garner anyone's A++ approval.		Amy McKenna Amy's first puppet purchase occurred during a long backpacking trip. It was a large marionette that she then had to carry at her side for the next four weeks. She's been close with the creatures ever since.
	"Karl" ~ Just your everyday, ordinary elf Karl is an elf that gets the job done and doesn't let anything get him down. He's a fair and selfless elf there to help any elf that needs it and wants everything at the North Pole to run as smooth as possible for this Christmas.		Chadwick Smith Chadwick is a comedian and comedy improv performer, instructor, and coach at The New Movement (Austin). He has been a puppeteer since the early 90's and a puppet builder for a year now.
	"Noel" ~ Curiosity drives this elf... usually into trouble A mysterious member of the team, Noel has a strong sense of curiosity and intelligence that seems to perpetually get him into and out of near havock.		Topping Haggerty Topping Haggerty is an all-around theatrical and arty person who hails from New York City and San Francisco. She can be found around town playing with Da Foundry [www.dafoundry.org], Bolik not ZIB [www.boliknotzib.com], Gnap! Theater Projects [www.gnaptheater.org]. To get your full Topping experience, go to www.toppinghaggerty.com.
	"Candy" ~ Sweet as frosting, and she knows it! Candy is adorable (but never lets anyone forget it) and knows the importance of a strong self image. Though it may appear she's looking out for herself more than the group, deep down she has a sweet heart!		Sara Farr Director and puppet improviser, Sara has a background in computer animation. In addition to working with the PIP, she is also a current company member of Gnap Theater Projects, Comedy Sportz Austin, and the sound improviser for Get Up. She's excited by chance to live through her character during the run of this show.
	"Grumble" ~ This elf lives up to his name A master elvin engineer with a great work ethic, this elf can get things done. However, a bit of an attitude problem helps give Grumble the isolation he prefers.		Howard Katz Howard's interest in singing developed while singing Russian and Ukranian Christmas carols in high school. From choirs, musical theater, to improv the journey has been a happy one. Howard is a veteran musical improviser from Dancy Street D'Orchestra, and PIP's production of "Crack!". He returns to the PIP for this holiday show.
	"Sky" ~ A friend to to everyone Putting others before herself has made this elf a friend to all. With a kind and generous spirit, Sky is an elf after Santa's own heart.		Kate Bojanek Kate Bojanek teaches music through Music Forever Music Together. She also teaches improv through Move Your Tale and ColdTowne Theater. Although her roommate's dog has been a pleasant audience, she is excited to perform musical numbers in public. Also, puppets make everything more exciting! You can catch her performing with Sarah 7 and The Nesting Dolls.
	"Otto" ~ This elf will fix all your elvin technology problems... begrudgingly A deep knowledge coupled with disdain for those who don't understand it, make this elf your best bet when things go haywire. Yet, on top of all that, Otto is a great listener and a good friend.		Patrick Knisley Patrick is a long time puppet and comedy lover. He's Production Manager for the Puppet Improv Project and an improv instructor at The New Movement (Austin). Patrick performs improv and sketch comedy in projects such as Narwhal and Opposites. In addition he builds puppets, writes and performs with his wife Erica in their comedy variety show, Abstract Rainbow.
	"Skittles" ~ This elf is nervous and accident prone Maintaining the magical workings of the workshop, Skittles loves to go the extra mile to impress Santa. Skittles often breaks things. He has not yet impressed Santa.		Jesse Overright Jesse especially enjoys speaking and singing in silly voices. He also loves Christmas. His puppetry began as a young boy giving voice to action figures. He improvises comedy in Austin TX.