Josh is Introduced to Interactive Theater

The past weekend was the culmination of the rehearsal process of Tony N' Tina's Wedding, which basically consisted of about six performances of the show. Which, I know, would technically mean we've already opened the show since there's paying audience, but it's more like a soft opening, with the hard opening being still on the 15th*

I've been asked if I've ever done interactive theater before this, and I've always replied with a reluctant yes. After this weekend, the reluctance can finally grow a pair and be confident with its reply. Up until that point, however, occasionally teasing an audience member or bringing some lucky (And, let's be honest, probably hot) girl in the audience for a little extremely structured comedy (And direct rejection afterward) has been audience participation, not audience interaction.

And there's no real way to rehearse that, since a rehearsal audience is a real audience.

And after my first (soft) weekend with TnT, here's what I've learned:

* We gradually began to bring the audience into the mix. Our first official preview was on Wednesday, but Monday and Tuesday before, we brought in a quaint little crowd (About 15 or so both nights). It was extremely useful, however, I feel kinda' bad for those fifteen since the audience-starved cast was so eager to interact, we essentially comedy-raped them.

* There are two types of audience members at these shows: One that is more than willing to play along with the environment (They tend to skew older. And, even then, occasionally, the eager-to-play lady is actually horribly confused why people keep calling the wedding a show) and another audience member who feels it's their personal mission in life to reveal that everything around them is pretend, like they're Laurence Fishburne uncovering The Matrix to the rest of the audiences Keanu Reeves.

* The "Mascot Rule**" firmly applies here. I can do anything with these people, and they will clap and ask for more. Hit on wives in front of their husbands, blatantly ogle, rub your face all over their mullet, challenge their masculinity via beverage choice, use a strand of their hair to make yourself a mustache with them still attached.

* Just because I'm at a pretend wedding reception, it doesn't mean I have to use wedding reception voice. Wedding reception voice doesn't lead to Voice of Tomorrow voice. (Though, an interesting vocal tidbit I picked up from my last show is that if you're able to meow, your voice is good enough to perform. I have my own way of meowing, which is an impression of my friend Loran's girlfriend, demanding that he locate her some skittles post-haste. Several of you immediately know what I'm talking about.

* And finally, my ass and junk have never been molested so much in my entire life. I was warned this might occur, and of course I made the joke that that such interaction would be no problem with me at all. That's before I met social worker Trista, whom not only snuck a flask into the ceremony, whom not only needed to lean on me to prevent the floor from moving, but when I told her it was time for her to get her dinner, she saw that as her opening to plummet her hand down my pants. Apparently, she was REALLY hungry. Hey-O! Anyhow, long story short, I'm engaged.

All that being said, I am, of course, having the most fun I've ever had in a show since college. Not to get all mushy, but this show is wall-to-wall some of the most talented performers I've had the pleasure to work with, and our only purpose is to ensure the audience has a great f-ing time.

And somehow, we end up having a great f-ing time as well.

*Soft and hard. hehhehhehheh
** Please refer to the time I got beat up by all the NHL Mascots at the All-Star game in 2004 in front of a thousand cheering patrons.