Ka-Baam!!

Ka-Baam!!
Theater	The Hideout Theatre
Directed by	Asaf Ronen
Cast	Aden Kirschner Audrey Rachel Sansom Eric Heiberg Erik Adams Jason Vines Jon Clinkenbeard Justin Davis Kacey Samiee Kaci Beeler Kareem Badr Marc Majcher Michael Thomas Patrick Daniel Roy Janik Sarah Marie Curry Troy Miller
Initial Run	May/Jun 2008
Subsequent Run(s)	Sep/Oct 2009

Ka-Baam!! (often written in all-caps: KA-BAAM!!) was a mainstage show at The Hideout Theatre.

It was based on the Golden Age of superhero comics.

Summary

Show Structure

After every performance, one lucky audience member would win the show's cover art.

The show would begin with origin stories for three different heroes, which were based on audience suggestions. Meanwhile, a comics artist (often Kristin Hogan) would draw the cover art for an adventure for those heroes. They would improvise a half-hour narrative superhero story based on that cover art, and one lucky audience member would receive the cover art as a prize.

Throughout the show, director Asaf Ronen served as the narrator, occasionally providing interstitials which introduced advertisements or responded to viewer mail.

Each hero and villain would cobble together a costume from the show's collection of capes, masks, and attachable felt decorative pieces.

Press Blurb

The press blurb for the show from the show's web site:

"Ka-Baam!! is every four-color fantasy writ large and on-the-spot by a cast of Austin's most heroic improv comedians. Every week audience suggestions will inspire the origins and adventures of three never-before-seen heroes in a comic book story that will never be seen again. The Golden Age will be reborn with the deadliest of villains, most ridiculous brawls and special guest comic book artists every week to capture the action in pencil and ink."

History

Steve Wacker (an improvisor who is now an editor with Marvel Comics) came up with the idea for Ka-Baam!! in New York City in 1998. Ronen performed in the show's four-year run there. Once he arrived in Austin, he mounted the show at The Hideout Theatre. Its first run, which was from 5/3/2008 to 7/5/2008, was sponsored by Austin Books and Comics (who provided free comics). Its second run was from 9/11/09 to 10/24/09, and included both Friday and Saturday shows.

Ka-Baam!! was part of The 2008 Out of Bounds Comedy Festival and The 40-Hour Improv Marathon.

2008 Cast

• Audrey Rachel Sansom
• Erik Adams
• Jason Vines
• Jon Clinkenbeard
• Justin Davis
• Kacey Samiee
• Kaci Beeler
• Kareem Badr
• Michael Thomas
• Roy Janik

2009 Cast

A promotional photo of Ka-Baam!!, with ninjas.

• Aden Kirschner
• Audrey Rachel Sansom
• Eric Heiberg
• Erik Adams
• Jason Vines
• Justin Davis
• Kacey Samiee
• Marc Majcher
• Michael Thomas
• Patrick Daniel
• Sarah Marie Curry
• Troy Miller

Heroes & Villains

2008 Run

• 5/3/08
  • Jason Vines as Man Bear Pig
  • Kacey Samiee as Mistress Madness
  • Michael Thomas as Mariachi Man
• 5/10/08
  • Kaci Beeler as Dr. Steam
  • Erik Adams as Big Wet Hero
  • Jason Vines as Captain Accomodator
• 5/17/08
  • Michael Thomas as Inflatable Man
  • Audrey Rachel Sansom as Jane the Unremarkable
  • Roy Janik as The Exciting Elemental
• 5/24/08
  • Michael Thomas as Anteater Man
  • Erik Adams as Captain Giggles
  • Audrey Rachel Sansom as Sargent Shortbread

2009 Run

• 9/11/09
  • Troy Miller as Mr. No Depth Perception Guy
  • Michael Thomas as Cricket the Clairvoyant Kitty Cat
  • Erik Adams as Austin Music Scene Kid
  • Jon Clinkenbeard as Black Fungus Guy [villain]
• 9/12/09
  • Eric Heiberg as Mr. Buckets
  • Aden Kirschner as the The Pigtail Player
  • Sarah Marie Curry as Blanket Woman.
  • Jason Vines as The Chatty Mime [villain]
• 9/18/09
  • Eric Heiberg as Recyclotron
  • Sarah Marie Curry as Jazz Hands!
  • Erik Adams as Catch Man
  • Jason Vines as Spaceclaw [villain]
• 9/19/09
  • Audrey Rachel Sansom as Brick Woman
  • Marc Majcher as Diabetes Boy
  • Justin Davis as Spam-Man
  • Troy Miller as The Contortionist Alien [villain]
• 9/25/09
  • Eric Heiberg as Improv Dwarf
  • Michael Thomas as Epicurean King
  • Aden Kirschner as the Swirling Vortex of Emotional Need (a.k.a. "SVEN").
  • Kacey Samiee as Almost Tree [villain]
• 10/2/09
  • Audrey Rachel Sansom as Super Zoo Keeper
  • Marc Majcher as Dr. Hijinx
  • Jason Vines as Captain Jelly Belly

Guest Artists

Cover art from Ka-Baam!! by Andrew Augustine.

2008 Run

• 5/3/08: Thomas Reidy
• 5/10/08: Rob Osborne
• 5/17/08: Thomas Reidy
• 5/24/08: Kristin Hogan
• 6/7/08: Lea Hernandez

2009 Run

• 9/11/09: Kristin Hogan
• 9/12/09: Kristin Hogan
• 9/18/09: Angelica Brenner
• 9/19/09: James Kersey
• 9/25/09: Andrew Augustine (Dat Boi Drew)
• 10/2/09: Robert Faires
• 10/3/09: Martin Whitmore
• 10/9/09: Robert Faires
• 10/10/09: Matt Frank
• 10/16/09: Chris Matteson
• 10/17/09: Chris Matteson
• 10/23/09: Joel Watson
• 10/24/09: Joel Watson

Media

Videos

• Video of show intro.
• Video of their 9/1/08 show at The 2008 Out of Bounds Comedy Festival.

Photos

• A photoset that includes both runs.
• Photos of the 2009 run from Marc Majcher.
• Photoset by Jo Chauvin of the 9/12/09 show.
• Cover-art from the 10/23/09 show, featuring "The Twitler".

Other

• Photos of Kaci Beeler's set design: 1, 2, 3.

More Information

• Announcement of the opening of the first run on The AIC Forums.
• Press release for the 2008 run by Justin Davis.
• A story about the show in The Austin Chronicle by Wayne Allen Brenner
• The top ten arts events of 2008 (which included Ka-Baam!!), by Wayne Allen Brenner for The Austin Chronicle
• An announcement of the 5/31/08 show on The AIC Forums.
• Article on comicbookresources.com from 6/16/08.
• Article on comicbookresources.com from 6/26/08.
• Announcement of the opening of the second run on The AIC Forums.