Review: Wrong House's SKETCHY SPRING Just Feels So Right

There are few shows out there that just resonate "fun" - where the atmosphere around the theater is as lighthearted as the talent on stage is great. And what better way to have fun than a night full of pure, unadulterated laughter? To be in a place of likeminded people who all wish to forgo their cares and laugh out loud at the absurdity of life? Where our happiness is placed in the hands of a talented group of actors who radiate humor from every pore in their bodies?

What could possibly be so enjoyable, so cleverly put together to invoke the spirit of good, old-fashioned humor - all over the course of an hour?

For two nights only, Wrong House Productions presented Sketchy Spring, an hilarious compilation of sketches covering a wide berth of wacky, off-the-wall but oddly relatable topics. From Ted Bundy's charm, which has the ability to turn his jury into musical and horny high-schoolers, to a 30th birthday celebration not complete without the mother who believes she lives in a Jane Austen novel, Sketchy Spring provided quite the number of laughs that hardly ever ceased as the night wore on. As the actors seamlessly moved from one scene to the next, portraying an impressive range of acting ability and some pretty sweet dance moves to boot, I'm honestly not sure who in that theater had the most fun! All that matters is the fact that this show provided the perfect outlet for all of one's comedic needs, and did so with enough pomp to earn two thumbs up on my end.

Sketchy Spring features many actors I have seen in past Wrong House productions - from last year's sketch comedy show to the most recent full-length play 36 Juniper, I feel like I've already begun to know a bit about each person. It's amazing to observe each actor's versatility - to think back to how one sunk to the depths of despair, only this time to radiate the light of laughter with such relative ease - to be replaced with pure, lighthearted humor that is just so damn fun to watch. There is such substance behind each individual's abilities, and it was a pleasure to watch such a transition take place almost effortlessly!

From beginning to end, Sketchy Spring provided something to chuckle at - whether that be Dairy Queen's Human Resources department acting a little less "professional" than they ought, or what ridiculous level a man will rise to in order not to show his girlfriend any affection on "Guys Night," this show was pretty hilarious. My personal favorite was a sketch called "Can You Save Him?," which brought three female contestants on a game show to meet different dark and mysterious loners and answer this question (hint: the answer is always no). That hits pretty close to home for quite a few women, but isn't that the absolute best comedy - something we know should be laughed out if our feelings didn't get in the way??

Each of the twelve skits was written and directed by different members of the cast - many of which were then given the chance to bring their vision to life. Alyssa Abraham, Jessika McQueen, Anique Clements, Jeremy Sapadin, Brenda Byrne, Megan Abell, Jack Creaghan, Shannon McInally, Jacob Dabby and Sierra Hubsher do a fantastic job of bringing a simple (but guaranteed to be enjoyable) form of humor to the comedy-seeking hearts of New Yorker's. Dance choreographer Mengwe Wapimewah, Stage Manager Kelsey Vivian and production team Jessika McQueen, Jack Creaghan, Shannon McInally and Alyssa Abraham really put their heads together to have made this a much anticipated (and from the looks of it, just about sold-out) two-night event.

Loved it!

Sketchy Spring, presented by Wrong House Productions, held performances on April 26th and 27th at TADA! Youth Theater, which specializes in bringing the opportunity to act to our younger generation. Pre and post-show drinks (and a DJ!) were provided, making the evening that much livelier. Keep an eye out for what Wrong House is up to next by visiting their website.

Catch a glimpse of what you missed here!