Clanton, 44, who plays “Survivor” host Jeff Probst, gleefully extinguished the torch of two players who had been “banned from the island.”
“Millennials vs. Gen X,” which will air over four parts in August, will crown a winner on Aug. 24. There's no $1 million prize — Whole World Theatre is a small nonprofit and not a major media conglomerate like CBS — so the winner will just get bragging rights.
“I want to win. I'm ruthless,” says Tanya Wagner, who plays Hall's Cough Drop-loving Gen Xer Carol on “Improvisation.” The audience had the vote to kick a performer out for her goofy hairspray-wielding antics, but they gave Carol an exemption. (Carol had an “emotional support” purse filled with hairspray, which is a bit of a cheat in the improv world, but Clanton and Lewis reluctantly accepted.)
Wagner said she's been a fan of “Survivor” for years, recalling watching the show as a young mother when it debuted and pioneered the long-running reality TV competition genre in the summer of 2000. “'Improviser' is a great concept,” said Wagner, who has worked with the theater since 2011.
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho!
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho!
Like all improvisation, the night was hit or miss: Ricardo (Camilo Duarte) scrubbing Perry's (Noah Kitchens) hands to get the sand out of his rice was funny and oddly sensual, Perry's impromptu re-creation of Margaritaville drew laughs, but Gen X's attempt to build a roller coaster was disjointed.
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho@
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho@
When Duarte's character, Ricardo, an arrogant gym-goer, slacker and misogynist, is about to be voted off, he plays the immunity idol and gets the votes cast against him, staying alive for another week. In character, he gleefully gives the finger to the audience.
“We had a good show, that's all that matters,” said Eden Kassai, whose pageant winner Nancy was eliminated by Ricardo on Saturday night.
“The mark of a good Survivor player is knowing when to use an immunity idol, and Ricardo did that,” Clanton said in true Survivor fan fashion. Showing his dedication to his craft, Lewis made his own immunity idol using beads purchased at Michaels Arts and Crafts.
As an improvisational actor for 10 years, Duarte said he likes the challenge of continuing to play the same character across multiple shows. “We usually play six to eight characters a night,” Duarte said. “In this case, you get better and better every week, over time, and everyone has a backstory.”
Credit: RODNEY HO/[email protected]
Credit: RODNEY HO/[email protected]
Whole World Theatre's connection to “Survivor” runs deeper than “Improvisation.”
Troupe co-founder Michael Snow placed 11th on the 26th season of the TV show “Survivor: Caramoan” in 2013, and introduced it in a pre-recorded video at the beginning of the show: “May the best improvisational guy win!” he declared.
In September, a new four-week “Heroes vs. Villains” season will begin, named after the TV show's 20th season in 2010. Audience members who attend multiple shows can receive half-price tickets.
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho@
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho@
If you go
“Improvisation”
Saturday, 10 p.m. $20. Whole World Theatre, 1216 Spring St. NW, Atlanta. wholeworldtheatre.com
