Venice Theatre Cabaret Festival: Random Acts

Opening this weekend at Venice Theatre is their very first Summer Cabaret Festival! Robin Fernandez gets things going with “That Thing Called Loved” on Friday. But by Saturday, July 20, you can catch a whole other show in the 90-seat Pinkerton Theatre.

Random Acts will be returning to the stage featuring a collection of favorite off-color songs and monologues sure to make for a scintillating evening.  It features some truly stellar performers and if you like good theatre and provocative material then this performance is certainly for you! I interviewed director, Kelly Wynn Woodland, who shares some of Random Act’s history, humor, and audience-oriented antics.

KP: Tell me about your upcoming cabaret at Venice Theatre – what is the concept behind it?

KW: Basically, I got my friends together again this summer for some disturbing behavior, this time set to music. Random Acts consists of a group of actors who perform material considered too “naughty” for mainstream theatre. We have gathered some of our favorite off-color songs and monologues and staged, choreographed, and generally played around with them for an unusual evening of “adult” entertainment.

Random Acts was started twenty years ago by Kelly Wynn Woodland and Allan Kollar with performances in the old Broadway Bar and revived last summer.

What are the dates of your performances?

Saturday, July 20^th and Friday, August 2^nd – Both at 8:00pm

Who are the performers?

Corinne Woodland, Caitlin Longstreet, Vera Samuels, Alison Prouty, Alana Opie, Jamie Butrum, Nancy Denton, Kim Kollar, Dorian Boyd, Steve O’Dea, Jason Ellis, Jeremy Guerrero, Buzz Herron, Mike Lusk

Who are the musician(s)?

Peter Madpak

What do you think is unique to your show?

The performers contributed material from a wide variety of sources, with degrees of “naughtiness” ranging from the slightly off-color to the downright profane. Additionally, the group contains some of the best and funniest singers in local theatre. It is basically musical theatre stand-up comedy.

What are you most excited about sharing with an audience?

We love the interaction with the audience. No one is safe! The numbers are arranged to keep the crowd guessing what might come next.

What does it mean for you to have Venice Theatre providing this platform?

I think it is a show that is unique to the Pinkerton venue because we are known to produce edgier work there, and it is terrific for Venice Theatre to be bold enough to support theatre for an audience of wider expectations than the more traditional local crowds, who, let’s face it, tend to be a bit stodgy.

Which cabarets (other then your own) are you most excited to attend?

Woohoo! All of them!!! Most exciting are Kim/Bobbi/Michelle [Mercer Magic], Kristofer Geddie[That Old Black Magic], and Dorian and the Furniture…and of course our Alana and Danae [Sisterly Love].

Any advice for the theater-goers?

Although we bill ourselves as “very very naughty”, many of the songs are familiar and the performers are tremendously talented. In general, we promise you will laugh until your face hurts. And, of course, the bar is open! We guarantee you will have the best time you have had at the theatre in ages…but remember, if you are offended by ANYTHING, you will be!!

For more information and to purchase tickets visit the Venice Theatre website.