Control Issues

Control Issues
Theater	The Hideout Theatre
Directed by	Roy Janik (2010-2014) Andrew Buck (2014) Andreas Fabis (2014-2015) Peter Rogers (2015-Present)
Cast	Andreas Fabis Cat Drago Chris Albano Dana Yanoshak Katie Dahm Lindsay Hejl Paul Normandin Peter Rogers
Run	Oct 2010-Present

Control Issues (previous titles: Pick Your Own Path, Choose Your Own Adventure) is the Hideout Theatre's monthly Friday-night show based on Choose Your Own Adventure novels.

It is part of The Wheel.

Summary

In Control Issues, the story usually takes the form of a middle-schooler going off on a crazy adventure. Periodically, the show's narrator stops the proceedings and offers the audience a choice for how to proceed. The audience votes for their choice via applause, and the story proceeds accordingly. Choices may lead to the protagonist's death, in which case, the narrator ratchets back the story and tries another alternative.

In late 2014, the format was modified somewhat, allowing the narrator to take other types of suggestions from the audience, in addition to plot 'branch points'.

History

This show originated as a Cagematch show from The Dark Bloodlords. They played three shows in 2006. A year later, several Hideout players performed a Harry-Potter-themed Choose Your Own Adventure show for an event associated with the latest Harry Potter book release. In October 2010, it began a run at The Hideout Theatre as part of The Wheel.

The show began its run with the name Choose Your Own Adventure, but on November 4th, 2010, The Hideout Theatre received a cease-and-desist letter from Chooseco, the publisher of the Choose Your Own Adventure line of books.

At the start of its run, a single Pick Your Own Path adventure was paired with The Lottery and a montage jam from experienced Hideout players. In January 2012, The Wheel was revamped, The Lottery was retired, and Pick Your Own Path expanded to a double bill, with two Pick Your Own Path adventures and no additional acts.

From 2010 to 2014, the show was a pick-up format, cast month-to-month from interested parties, à la The Fancy-Pants Mash-Up. In mid-2014, Andrew Buck took over the show, and created a core cast that rehearsed the format regularly, bringing in only one or two guests in any given month.

Media

Videos

• The original Pick Your Own Path show, presented by The Dark Bloodlords on 9/29/06.
• 11/12/10: Video.
• 12/10/10: Video.
• 4/8/11: Video.
• 5/13/11: Video.
• 7/22/11: Video.
• 9/16/11: Video.
• 10/14/11: Video.
• 11/11/11: Video.
• 12/9/11: Video.
• 1/13/12: Videos of show #1 and show #2
• 2/10/12: Videos of show #1 and show #2.
• 5/11/12: Video.
• 6/2/12: Videos of show #1 and show #2 (from The 42-Hour Improv Marathon)
• 10/12/12: show #1 and show #2.
• 12/14/12: Video.
• 1/11/13: Video.
• 3/8/13: Videos of show #1 and show #2.
• 5/10/13: Videos of show #1 and show #2.
• 5/23/13: Video of "Pick Your Own Black Vault" (a mash-up with The Black Vault at The Free Fringe).
• 6/22/13: Video, from The 44-Hour Improv Marathon.
• 5/9/14: Video.
• Video by Peter Rogers of the 7/11/14 first show ("The Lunar Bicycle").
• Video by Peter Rogers of the 7/11/14 second show ("The Love and Horror of Bora Bora").
• Videos by Peter Rogers of the 11/14/14 show: Japanese Folktale, Wizard Telenovela.
• Videos by Peter Rogers of the 12/12/14 show: Pulp Adventure, Christmas Horror.
• Videos by Peter Rogers of the 1/9/15 show: John Hughes, Jeunet & Caro.
• Videos by Peter Rogers of the 2/13/15 show: Romantic Comedy, Bigfoot Documentary.

Photos

• A couple of pre-show photos by Peter Rogers of the 10/8/10 show.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes the 12/14/12 show.
• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 6/21/14 performance in The 45-Hour Improv Marathon.

More Information

• The show's web page.