Yale University's Improv Group The Viola Question Set for Bay Street Theatre Tonight, 10/20

Bay Street Theatre has announced an evening of fun for the entire family with Yale's renowned comedy improv group The Viola Question tonight, October 20 at 8 pm. Tickets are just $10 at the door or online at www.baystreet.org.

(Please note that the film Jezebel previously scheduled for this night, has now been moved to Friday, October 19 at 8 pm. All About Eve has been cancelled.)

Formed in 1986, The Viola Question is Yale's youngest and most fit comedy group. Renowned for its quick wit, comedic daring, and vast array of original games, the 'VQ' has awed audiences across the nation with its devastatingly clever combination of short- and long-form improv.

Members of The Viola Question have recently performed with Tina Fey (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock), Rachel Dratch (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock), Tim Meadows (Saturday Night Live), Stephen Colbert (The Daily Show, The Colbert Report), Gilbert Gottfried (The Aristocrats), Julia Roberts (Mona Lisa Smile) and Kevin Nealon (Saturday Night Live, Weeds).

Since its founding, The Viola Question has performed at many notable venues, including The Second City Chicago, Atlantic City, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre of New York, Caroline's of New York, Standup NY, The Comic Strip, ComedySportz, Level 3 Communications (A Fortune 500 Company), ImprovOlympics, Providence's Perishable Theater, and Branford College at Yale University.

Improvisational comedy performances take the form of a series of unscripted comedic scenes and plotlines, guided by audience suggestions and participation, and a simple-set of rules, called the "game". The show offers a veritable smorgasbord of styles - quicker games that focus on wit and audience interaction, as well as longer scenes that revolve around character development, storytelling, and situational humor. Additionally, many of the games are entirely original - you won't see them performed by anyone else, anywhere else (except maybe by knock-off improv groups hawking their wares in subway stops).

Some of The Viola Question's standard games include:
Revenge - An audience member provides a story of wrongdoing, and The VQ enacts a fitting revenge upon the perpetrator, to universal satisfaction.
Circle of Death - A true fight to the death of hilarious proportions, this game involves four VQ performers in a series of two-person scenes culminating in the darkly comedic demise of most or all participants, a process decided according to audience vote.
The Oracle - Our favorite member of The VQ, the enigmatic Oracle, is able to answer any audience question. However, it has three distinct brains, so there's no telling what kind of answer you'll get!
Chocolat - An audience member provides the title of a movie that The VQ has never seen, and our players reenact the film "as it was meant to be." As our longest-form game, Chocolat is a variation on the traditional Harold format.
Pillars - Like a live-action MadLibs, two VQ players enlist the help of audience members to provide them with crucial words and phrases to complete their scene.

Bay Street Theatre is a not-for-profit institution presenting new, classic and contemporary works with a commitment to challenging and entertaining our diverse community. This commitment extends to educational programs for all ages to foster the continued value of theatre as a vital art form for future generations.