Parallelogramophonograph

Parallelogramophonograph
Years Active	2005-Present
Cast	Kareem Badr Kaci Beeler Roy Janik Valerie Ward

Parallelogramophonograph (often abbreviated to Pgraph) is a theatre company in Austin, TX that specializes in improvising plays. They have a weekly show (The Spectacle) on Fridays at 10pm at The Hideout Theatre.

History

Here is Robert Faires's explanation of the name's origin:

After a long, tedious search for a group name in which hundreds of options were considered and discarded, a somewhat alcohol-lubricated Janik offered "Parallelogramophone." Immediately, Badr built on it with "Parallelogramophonograph." They tried it out on some friends, and since it made them laugh, it stuck.

Show Formats

The Nutty Funsters

Parallelogramophonograph in character as 'The Nutty Funsters'

In 2007, the troupe developed an alter ego of "The Nutty Funsters", a zany, Christian, short-form troupe from "West Carolina".

New Works

In New Works, Parallelogramophonograph uses a Dramatists Play Service catalog to inspire their premier of a never-before-seen, fully-improvised one act play.

Reverend Goodman’s Cure-All Elixir Traveling Revue

Reverend Goodman’s Cure-All Elixir Traveling Revue takes inspiration from several sources including vaudeville, medicine and side shows, tent-revivals, and laughing gas demonstrations.

It is portrayed as a traveling medicine show, and revolves around heavy audience interaction.

Unanswered

Inspired by their trip to Edinburgh in August of 2011, Unanswered is based on the scripted play Unanswered, We Ride by Jaclyn Villano. Unanswered uses tropes similar to the Unanswered, We Ride script and scripted staging by Theatre Daedalus, such as a main character who acts as a direct monologist to the audience, seamless and overlapping transitions from scene to scene, and multiple characters portrayed by only a few actors.

Eris 2035

Inspired by films such as 2001, Moon, and Solaris, Eris 2035 explores the effects the desolation and stillness of deep space have on the human psyche. Quiet madness and slow-burning tension underscore this improvised production, reminiscent of classic science fiction of the 60′s and 70′s.

Dick & Jane

Dick & Jane presents film noir type stories set in the world of Jane Austen.

GRIMM

GRIMM presents Brothers Grimm style fairy tales. The show has a frame for the stories, wherein a German peasant family swaps stories before going to sleep. The German family's characters are preset, but the stories are completely improvised.

Some Like it Improvised

An improvised story in the style of the screwball comedy movies of the 1930s and 1940s.

Villainy

Villainy delves into the dark side of the human condition and tell stories that focus on the villains and anti-heroes.

French Farce

An improvised French Farce, visually reminiscent of Molière, but closer to Georges Feydeau in content.

Media

Videos

• "Tarantulas on a Hovercraft", their entry into the Alamo Drafthouse's "Blanks on a Blank" competition from 2006.
• Video of their After School Improv show from November 2006.
• Video of their 8/30/08 "Villainy" show at The 2008 Out of Bounds Comedy Festival.
• Video of their 4/30/10 "Dick and Jane" show.
• Video of their"Dick and Jane" show at the Twin Cities Improv Festival (uploaded 8/5/10).
• Video by Peter Rogers of their 6/7/11 show.
• Video of their 6/23/11 show at ImprovBoston.
• Video of their "French Farce" performance in The 2011 Improvised Play Festival.
• Video of their "Dick and Jane" performance in The 2012 Improvised Play Festival.

Photos

• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 2/11/10 "French Farce" show at ColdTowne Theater.
• Photoset by Jo Chauvin of their 4/16/10 "Dick and Jane" show in The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 5/7/10 show from The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 5/21/10 show from The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 6/18/10 performance.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 7/23/10 performance at The Spectacle.
• A photoset by Roy Moore that includes their 7/31/10 performance at The Saturday Night Special.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 8/20/10 "Eris 2035" performance at The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 9/10/10 "Eris 2035" performance at The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 9/24/10 "Eris 2035" performance in The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 11/5/10 performance in The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 12/17/10 performance at The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 1/21/11 performance in The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 3/25/11 show.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 4/15/11 performance in The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 6/3/11 show in The 42-Hour Improv Marathon.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 7/1/11 show at The 2011 Improvised Play Festival.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes a 12/11 performance at The Hideout Theatre.
• Photoset by Michael Yew of their 1/6/12 performance in The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 1/8/12 performance at the "Five Families" night at The Institution Theater.
• Photoset of their 2/10/12 "Reverend Goodman" show by Steve Rogers.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 4/13/12 performance in The 2012 Improvised Play Festival.
• Photoset of their 5/5/12 "Parallelogramophonograph SINGS" show by Steve Rogers.
• Photoset by Claudio Fox that includes their 5/18/12 performance in The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 6/1/12 performance in The 43-Hour Improv Marathon.
• Photoset by Michael Yew which includes their 7/27/12 performance in The Spectacle.
• Photoset by Claudio Fox that includes their 8/10/12 performance in The Spectacle.
• A photoset by Steve Rogers that includes their 9/2/12 performance at The 2012 Out of Bounds Comedy Festival.
• Photoset by Heidi Rogers that includes their 2/23/13 "Paper Dolls" show.
• Photoset by Heidi Rogers that includes their 9/7/13 "Chairs" show (show #498).
• Photoset by Michael Yew which includes their 11/9/12 performance at Wafflefest.
• Photoset by Michael Yew which includes their 2/1/13 performance in The Spectacle.
  • This was actually a "Substitute Parallelogramophonograph" show, in which an AIC poll elected ringers for each member of the troupe:
    • Kaci Beeler: Sarah Swofford
    • Valerie Ward: John Ratliff
    • Roy Janik: Cody Dearing
    • Kareem Badr: Andy Buck
• A photoset by Steve Rogers of their 4/12/13 performance at The 2013 Improvised Play Festival.
• Photoset by Michael Yew which includes their 9/6/13 performance in The Spectacle.
• A photoset by Steve Rogers of their 500th show, on 9/15/13.
  • Another photoset by Michael Yew of the same show.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 11/1/13 performance in PGraph Presents.
• Photoset by Michael Yew of their 12/20/13 performance in PGraph Presents.
• Photoset by Steve Rogers that includes their 11/22/13 show at WaffleFest 2013.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 3/21/14 performance in PGraph Presents.
• Photoset by Peter Rogers of their 6/27/14 performance in PGraph Presents
  • Photoset by Michael Yew that includes the same performance.

Other

• Eris 2035 "Friend" videos:
  • Video from Jason Vines.
  • Video from Kathy Rose Center.
  • Video from Deano Jones.
  • Video from Peter Rogers.
  • Video from Menelaos Pokros.
  • Video from Marc Majcher.
  • Video from David Lee Hess.
  • Video from Tuesday, Roy and Kaci's dog.
  • Video from Curtis Luciani.
  • Video from Patti Stiles.

More Information

• An article about the troupe by Robert Faires from the 12/30/11 Austin Chronicle.