Jeff Hiller to Join HYPROV: IMPROV UNDER HYPNOSIS Beginning Tonight

Broadway and television star Jeff Hiller (Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson, "American Horror Story") will join Hypnotist Extraordinaire Asad Mecci for the combined hypnosis and improvisational comedy hit HYPROV at the Daryl Roth Theatre (101 East 15th Street). Hiller will fill in for Colin Mochrie for performances October 19 - 30. HYPROV will complete its limited off-Broadway engagement on October 30, following 60 performances and 10 preview performances.

A regular at regular at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Jeff's New York theater credits include Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson, Love's Labour's Lost, Midsummer..., Bright Colors, Bold Patterns, Silence, and Hercules. His television and film credits include "American Horror Story," "Somebody, Somewhere," "The Watcher," "Evil," "30 Rock," "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," "Community," "Nightcap," "Kimmy Schmidt," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Psych," Greta, Ghost Town, and Set it Up. His solo shows include Grief Bacon and The Designing Women Monologues.

Created by Improv and Comedy Legend Colin Mochrie ("Whose Line Is It Anyway?") and Hypnotist Extraordinaire Asad Mecci, HYPROV has been called "hilarious and fascinating'' by Time Out New York and "catnip for those who relish spontaneity and informality," by The Wall Street Journal. The New Yorker says, "say yes to HYPROV," now playing a limited engagement at the Daryl Roth Theatre (101 East 15th Street at Union Square East) through October 30. Tickets are available at www.hyprov.com

HYPROV is co-created by Jeff Andrews, directed by Stan Zimmerman ("Golden Girls," "Gilmore Girls"). Tony Award winner Bob Martin (The Prom, The Drowsy Chaperone) serves as creative consultant.

The 100-minute live show combines hypnosis and improv - two art forms that have mystified and entertained fans, skeptics and everyone in between worldwide - for a totally unique comedy experience that The Times of London declared "a celebration of the human imagination."

The evening begins with Mecci welcoming 20 volunteers on stage to be hypnotized. The four or five most receptive to hypnosis then join Mochrie to improvise the rest of the show, while fully under hypnosis. In the hands of two experts, and solely crafted from the volunteers' uninhibited, unconscious minds, each show is an entirely original and completely unforgettable theatrical experience.

Asad Mecci's jaw dropping comedy hypnosis performances have captivated audiences worldwide. Over his 20+ year career on stage, he has performed in front of millions of people live and millions more through mass media. Some of his stage credits include Just for Laughs Montreal and London, The Second City Toronto and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. You may have seen his talents on Entertainment Tonight, MTV, HGTV, and BBC and in publications such as the New York Times, Huffington post and the Chicago Tribune. In 2015, Asad co-created HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis with International Comedy Icon Colin Mochrie from "Whose Line is it, Anyway"? When not performing on stage, Asad works with major corporations as an expert consultant in the areas of motivation, advanced communication and stress management. He also coaches Olympic athletes in the area of mental strength and peak performance.

Stan Zimmerman's long career covers multiple mediums (TV, film and theatre). He's been nominated for two WGA Awards for Best Comedy Episodic Writing on the classic TV series - "The Golden Girls" and "Roseanne." Stan's also written and produced on "Gilmore Girls," co-created the Lifetime sitcom, "Rita Rocks" and wrote on both "Brady Bunch" movies. Stan has a BFA-Drama from NYU/Circle-in-the-Square and has directed such LA productions as the LatinX The Diary of Anne Frank, Entertaining Mr. Sloane, A Tuna Christmas, Gemini and his original plays -- Meet & Greet, Knife to the Heart and Have a Good One. TRW Plays recently published and licensed three of Stan's work -- Yes, Virginia; Silver Foxes and his suicide notes play, right before i go.

HYPROV (pronounced hip-rawv) was co-created by Mochrie and Mecci along with Mochrie's longtime manager, Jeff Andrews, in 2016 at Toronto's Second City. After working it out on stage, they took the show on the road to Just for Laughs London, Just for Laughs Montreal and the Edinburgh Fringe where it was received with rave reviews in 2016 and 2017. The duo set out on a 50-city tour in 2019 and has, to date, performed over 100 shows across the U.S. and Canada. Hyprov is based on a production originally created and produced by Colin Mochrie, Asad Mecci and Jeff Andrews.

Joining creative consultant Bob Martin on the creative team are Jo Winiarski (scenic design), Jeff Croiter (lighting design), Walter Trarbach (sound design), and music director John Hilsen. Rufus Wainwright, Grammy nominated Artist and one of the great male vocalists, songwriters and composers of his generation, has created original music for the production.

HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis is executive produced by Cody Lassen and produced by Sarah Power, Chaz Naor, Oui BeLeaf (NHR), Jörn Weisbrodt, Joan Tosoni, M.J. Power International Inc, Salah Bachir, Brad Blume, Matteo Golini, Esther Kim, Lorena Zvi Shiff, Marc Stern Family, Toufik Sarwa, The Descourouez Group, MKFD; in association with Bilo Investments LLC, Nancy Donohue, Kors Le Pere Theatricals, David Lipowicz, The Mecci Family, Zorbas Whittle Inc.

HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis plays through October 30, 2022 at the Daryl Roth Theatre (101 East 15th Street at Union Square East) with performances Wednesdays through Sundays at 7:00 pm with an additional show on Saturdays at 10:00 pm. The show runs 100 minutes and is recommended for ages 12+.

Tickets start at $55 and are available at www.hyprov.com or by calling (212) 239-6200. For groups of 10 or more please call 866-302-0995 or email info@broadwayinbound.com.

 

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