It didn't take the crowd at Waterside Place long to realize it was in for a different kind of entertainment at the Sights and Sounds series June 20.
The five comics from the Florida Studio Theatre started the show by talking about potholes, which was a topic offered up by the audience.
As FST's Kevin Allen, a Lakewood Ranch resident, noted, "Potholes are just like a poor person ... something to run over in Lakewood Ranch."
The skit included a visit from "Martha Stewart," who obviously is an expert in potholes, or holes in pots.
The entertainers — Lakewood Ranch's Allen and Sylvia Day, and Sarasota's Sarah Durham, Dellan Short and Dave Stein — kept pulling subject matter from the crowd, and acting upon it.
The subjects went from potholes, to backgammon, to folding laundry.
One comic noted that Short, had "an angel-hair body."
Durham said FST has open improv seminars on Saturdays at 3 p.m. Anyone can drop in, pay $20, and learn from the entertainers about improv. The next seminar is June 28 but that particular program takes off July before commencing again in August.
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Lakewood Ranch's Kevin Allen connects with the crowd during the Florida Studio Theatre's improv show at Waterside Place June 20.
Photo by Jay Heater
Sarasota's Dellan Short bursts into a song during a skit in the Florida Studio Theatre's show at Waterside Place June 20.
Photo by Jay Heater
It's was laughs all around for the Waterside Place crowd during the Florida Studio Theatre's show June 20.
Photo by Jay Heater
Helena Rankin played the piano in the background for the skits, but says she tries not to get pulled into the comedy acts.
Photo by Jay Heater
Sarasota's Dave Stein and Lakewood Ranch's Kevin Allen speak as one during a skit at Waterside Place.
Photo by Jay Heater
A main part of the Florida Studio Theatre's improv show at Waterside Place was physical comedy, which the entertainers obviously excelled at doing.
Photo by Jay Heater
The Florida Studio Theatre entertainers, such as Lakewood Ranch's Sylvia Day and Kevin Allen, tackled subjects from the audience such as potholes, backgammon and folding laundry.
Photo by Jay Heater
Florida Studio Theatre's Sarah Durham said she and her fellow entertainers loved doing an outdoor show at Waterside Place.
Photo by Jay Heater
Sarasota's Dave Stein of Florida Studio Theatre looked exhausted from being folded up like a piece of laundry.
Photo by Jay Heater
Facial expressions are key in improv, and Sylvia Day has a full arsenal as she entertained the crowd at Waterside.
Photo by Jay Heater
The audience fed the entertainers, such as Lakewood Ranch's Sylvia Day and Sarasota's Dellan Short, subjects, and they turned it into song.
Photo by Jay Heater
The crowd showed their appreciation for the Florida Studio Theatre show at Waterside Place with lots of laughs and applause.
Jay Heater is the managing editor of the East County Observer. Overall, he has been in the business more than 41 years, 26 spent at the Contra Costa Times in the San Francisco Bay area as a sportswriter covering college football and basketball, boxing and horse racing.
