Behind the Scenes of Sunday Funday
Improv Queensland launched our newest monthly show, Sunday Funday, to great fanfare and acclaim last month. But while our esteemed performers hogged the spotlight and took all the glory, there was another group of people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to put the show together. But what’s it like behind the scenes of an improv show you may ask? Well, ask no more! Just for you, dear reader, we gathered the producing team of Becky Gethen, Daniel Johnston, Scott Driscoll and Coen Gilbert and asked them some hard hitting journalistic questions about their roles and responsibilities. May their answers delight and surprise you.
What is your role behind the scenes of Sunday Funday?
Becky: My role behind the scenes is producer/showrunner and it sure does keep me busy!
Daniel: I'm the assistant showrunner and current emcee. I'm in charge of working with the cast before the show to ensure they are ready. I do this by conducting warm-ups and making sure our cast get to the venue. I also help our Executive Producer, Becky, if she needs any other help. As Emcee, I run the show by introducing the cast and games/scenes that they will be performing and by just trying to make them look good.
Scott: There are a range of jobs that we share, for the first show I was the front of house person checking the tickets.
Coen: Back of house support.
In your words, what is the show exactly?
Becky: In my words, the monthly Sunday Funday Improv Show is a regular opportunity for our talented Sandbox ensemble to perform in shows as well as develop new works and ideas to debut in front of audiences.
Daniel: Aside from it being Improv QLD's staple monthly show and a chance to see talented performers create some of the best unscripted theatre around. It also is the place for our performers to bring their ideas to life, where they perform shows that they have been only ideating.
Scott: It’s an experimental (but safe!) rollercoaster ride for the audience, where no ride is the same.
Coen: The show is an opportunity for experimentation, for upcoming improvisers to put their ongoing learnings into practice, for experienced improvisers to be challenged by the ideas of ambitious new improvisers, and the audience to be taken on a fun journey into the unknown.
What's the most surprising thing about organizing the show?
Becky: The most surprising thing about organizing the show is just how much work it takes, especially for the April show where I'm organizing our course graduation shows as well as the regular monthly show. But it's worth it to experience the sense of community that comes with getting people together for monthly shows.
Daniel: Trying to market to a Brisbane audience. Brisbane is reliably unreliable. Somehow, every time, over 50% of our tickets are sold in the last 24 hours before shows. These last 24 hours are thrilling.
Scott: The little things that you don't think about are often the hardest to overcome, and that learning everyone has a different perspective and skills giving us a surprisingly broad base as organisers to draw from.
Coen: Getting to build something together with the supportive new owner of an interesting venue.
What are you most looking forward to about each show?
Becky: What I'm most looking forward to with each show is the variety of shows and casts we will see each month. For example, for our April show, we're doing a musical improv show whereas for the March show we did a short form/long form show.
Daniel: Improv Queensland has such talent within the company. To be able to see all the different faces each month means that you never know what you will get. We are trying to highlight new show ideas and give our performers a space to perform them.
Scott: Seeing the new audience faces watching the show and the players having fun on stage.
Coen: The growth and development of the format.
Why should people come and see the show?
Becky: Because I worked so hard on it! Also because there is nothing better seeing experience improvisers in full flight.
Daniel: With all the talented, different improvisers we have here at Improv Queensland combined with the different shows that will performed each month means that you will never see the same show twice.
Scott: Improvised entertainment to me is sharing the joy of discovering where the story can go and what the characters can discover. people should come along to join us on that journey of discovery.
Coen: It’s a fun, low-stakes way to wind down the weekend with a laugh.
So there you have it. An insight into the behind the scenes workings of an improv show. Now all you have to do is come along and actually see a show in action. Sunday Funday takes place at Backdock Arts at 6pm on the first Sunday of every month. The next show is on Sunday 7 April and you can purchase tickets here.
