Next week, singers and comedians from Broadway and New York comedy clubs will be in Jamestown presenting the musical revue "The Water Coolers."
This workplace sketch comedy musical has played everywhere from Singapore to Gillette, Wyo. Next week it will make its North Dakota debut.
"It might be a very small town but people react the same way if it's Chicago or small-town America," said Peter Brown, an actor in the show.
The show is kind of like "Saturday Night Live" mixed with musical parody. So instead of a storyline there are bits of sketch comedy about everything from dealing with life at the workplace to dealing with a daughter's soccer coach.
Created in 2000 by husband and wife team Tom and Sally Allen, Tom is a co-creator of the production "Tony and Tina's Wedding."
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"The Water Coolers" was originally created as a show for corporate events.
And it did play for corporations like AT&T and Microsoft, but that was before being discovered by a producer from the musicals "Hairspray," "Stomp" and "The Producers."
In 2002 an off-Broadway run started in Rochester, N.Y., and from there the show has grown into a touring comedy troupe covering the nation and beyond.
"It's your life, only killer funny," Brown said.
Part of the humor comes from the Allen's script, and the other part comes from its execution, he said.
"We pull our talent from Broadway and we pull our talent from New York City comedy clubs," Brown said.
The cast rotates but performers have been in shows like "Wicked," "The Lion King," "Les Miserables," "Rent" and "Grease."
Brown said the show has kept going this long because even though it's a workplace comedy, it deals with everyday life and people of all walks can relate to that.
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"The water cooler can be at work, at church, at the grocery store. It can be anywhere," he said.
There will be a minimal set at the show and that's because the cast is the best part, not the scenery, Brown said.
The show will feature songs that parody the work of bands like the Beach Boys, Journey, Bon Jovi and Credence Clearwater Revival.
Brown said one of his favorites goes to the tune of "Proud Mary" but is about people's obsession with their BlackBerry.
"The Water Coolers" is at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, in the Reiland Fine Arts Center's DeNault Auditorium. Tickets are $25 and can be reserved by contacting the box office at 252-3467, ext. 2435, tickets@jc.edu , or visit www.jc.edu/reilandboxoffice .
Discounted tickets are available for Jamestown College Friends of the Fine Arts members. For more information on the Friends of the Fine Arts, contact Karen Crane at 252-3467 ext. 5512 or kcrane@jc.edu .
"People come to see this show and they're guaranteed to have an amazing time," Brown said.
Sun writer Ben Rodgers can be reached at (701) 952-8455 or by email at brodgers@jamestownsun.com
